Thursday, 24 Mar 2022

Written Answers Nos. 181-192

National Transport Authority

Questions (181)

Imelda Munster

Question:

181. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport the 16 bus stations that were audited by the National Transport Authority in 2020 which have been allocated funding regarding works required to bring them into line with the requirements of building regulations concerning access for people with disabilities; if any stations were deemed to require works and not allocated funding to date by the authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15648/22]

Written answers

Minister for Transport

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for developing an accessible, integrated and sustainable public transport network.

In light of the NTA's responsibilities, including for its own audit of bus stations, I have forwarded your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Aviation Industry

Questions (182)

Brendan Smith

Question:

182. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he has had discussions with airlines operating routes from eastern Europe to Ireland in relation to the recent increase in air fares particularly impacting on people seeking refuge as a result of the brutal invasion by Russia of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15655/22]

Written answers

Minister for Transport

Officials from my Department have recently sought information from Ryanair regarding the level of utilisation of the services it operates between Poland and Ireland.

Ryanair indicated that it provides up to 100 flights per week on 16 routes between the major airports in Poland to Dublin, Cork and Shannon, and has seen strong but not excessive demand on these routes into Ireland in recent weeks. The airline suggested that it had sufficient capacity in place to cover demand in the region as it stands, and in particular in respect of capacity on flights from Polish airports.

On the issue of pricing, under European Union Regulation 1008/2008 on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community, airlines have pricing freedom in relation to air fares and air rates for intra-Community air services and other related services such as baggage.

Regulation 1008/2008 requires that air fares be transparent i.e. that passengers booking a flight must be aware of the final price of a flight including any supplemental elements selected by the passenger, at all times during the booking process.

Electric Vehicles

Questions (183)

Emer Higgins

Question:

183. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport if his Department provides electric vehicle charging points for spaces owned by management companies; the number of electric vehicle charging points that are owned by management companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15660/22]

Written answers

Minister for Transport (Deputy Eamon Ryan)

The Deputy will be aware that the Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle charging network over the coming years. A draft national charging infrastructure strategy is due to be published for public consultation next week which will set out a pathway to stay ahead of demand over the critical period out to 2030.

The Government’s policy regarding the increased usage of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is primarily driven by the Climate Action Plan which sets a target of 945,000 EVs by 2030.

Home charging is considered the primary method of charging for the majority of EVs in Ireland and is a convenient, cost effective and environmentally friendly means of charging, especially when using night rate electricity. It accounts for circa 80% of EV charging sessions and will continue to be the primary method of charging in the future.

The Government has introduced a requirement that new buildings and those undergoing substantial renovation works will have to include charging points for electric vehicles if they have more than 10 car parking spaces.

The EV Home Charger Grant Scheme has been in operation since January 2018 to support the installation of home chargers for purchasers of new and second-hand BEVs and PHEVs. The grant provides generous support towards the full cost of installation of a home charger up to a maximum of €600. As regards existing apartment buildings, work is currently being progressed to expand the EV home charger grant to include shared parking in apartment blocks and similar developments. My Department is working closely with the SEAI and expects a scheme for apartments to open shortly. Once this scheme opens, the Department will receive regular updates on the number of applications submitted to the SEAI.

Traffic Management

Questions (184)

David Stanton

Question:

184. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has issued guidelines with respect to the merging of traffic from slip-roads onto motorways or dual carriageways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15669/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Public Spending Code and the necessary statutory approvals. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you.

Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

I would also like to advise the Deputy that the Road Safety Authority, which is tasked with promoting the safe use of our roads, has run a number of campaigns over the years to educate drivers on correct motorway behaviour, and section 11 of the Rules of the Road (last updated in 2020) provides comprehensive guidelines on protocols for both entering and leaving a motorway. The Rules of the Road can be accessed here www.rsa.ie/docs/default-source/services/s1.8-learner-driver-resources/rules-of-the-road-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=6d948b39_2.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51

Driver Licences

Questions (185)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

185. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the amount collected in driving licence application fees in the past ten years to date; and the breakdown of the fees collected in respect of first-time applications, renewals, lost documents and so on over the same time period. [15731/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

This is a matter for the Road Safety Authority. I have referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51

Driver Licences

Questions (186)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

186. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the amount collected in the past ten years to date in respect of the national car test; and the cost of retests over the same time period. [15732/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

The operation of the National Car Test service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and I have therefore referred these questions to the Authority for direct reply.

I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51

Driver Licences

Questions (187)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

187. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will reduce the price of a driver licence and the national car test in the context of the impact of inflation across other aspects of the cost of living. [15733/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

Driving licence and national car test (NCT) fees are prescribed, exclusive of value added tax, by the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Fees) Regulations 2020 (SI 75 of 2020) and the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017 (SI 415 of 2017), as amended.

Driving licences are granted for ten, three, or one year periods. The fee for a ten year driving licence is €55. The fee for a three year licence, issued when an applicant's fitness to drive due to a medical condition needs to be monitored, is €35. There is no fee for a one year licence. There is also no fee for a driving licence where the applicant is aged 70 or older. The licence fees were last increased on 1 January 2013.

Since the inception of the NCT in 2000, test fees have been held below inflation and there have been few changes, with the most recent increase to the cost of the full test taking place in February 2009. The retest fee has remained the same.

Reducing the fees for these services would not have a significant effect on the impact of inflation on other aspects of the cost of living and no changes to the fees are currently planned.

Tax Rebates

Questions (188)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

188. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance if a diesel rebate scheme will be extended to school transport operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15529/22]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The Diesel Rebate Scheme (DRS) was introduced in 2013 with the aim of providing support to road haulage and bus transport operators when the retail price of diesel is relatively high. The DRS is provided for in section 99A of Finance Act 1999 and operates on a sliding scale basis, whereby a partial rebate of excise duty in the form of Mineral Oil Tax (MOT) is available when the retail price of a litre of diesel exceeds €1.00 excluding VAT. The repayment rate increases as the retail price of diesel increases, up to a maximum repayment rate of 7.5 cents per litre. In Budget 2020, the marginal rate of repayment was increased from 30% to 60% at prices over €1.07 per litre excluding VAT. The rate of repayment is currently capped at 7.5 cent per litre which is reached when the average price of diesel, excluding VAT, is €1.16 or more per litre.

A repayment under the DRS may only be made to licensed road haulage and bus transport operators who purchase diesel in the State for use in qualifying motor vehicles. To qualify under the DRS, bus transport operators established in the State must hold either an international road passenger operator’s licence or a national road passenger operator’s licence issued under the Road Traffic and Transport Act 2006. Qualifying bus transport vehicles are those classified as an M2 or M3 vehicle under the EU “type approval” Regulation 2018/858, This includes buses, and minibuses with seating for a minimum of nine passengers. A school bus operator, appropriately licensed and using diesel purchased in the State in a qualifying vehicle, who wishes to avail of the DRS should register with Revenue. Full details on how to register for the DRS and submit claims online are given on Revenue’s website.

The Deputy will be aware that in response to the current fuel crisis I recently introduced cuts in MOT rates applying to diesel and petrol that will continue until the end of August this year. MOT rates on diesel were cut by 15c per litre inclusive of VAT and this will be followed by a further 1 cent reduction to come into effect on 1 April and run until 11 October this year. This means that from 1 April the effective rate of MOT on diesel for operators qualifying under the DRS will be at the minimum level required under the Energy Tax Directive, 33 cents per litre.

Equality Issues

Questions (189)

Holly Cairns

Question:

189. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance the steps he is taking to ensure all ATMs are fully accessible for persons with disabilities. [15739/22]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

It should be noted that the Minister for Finance has no direct function in the operations of banks. Actions taken by the banks are matters for the board and management of the institution.

The Central Bank's consumer protection framework is designed to ensure that customers’ best interests are protected. It requires regulated entities to provide reasonable arrangements and/or assistance to people who may be experiencing particular vulnerabilities.

The Central Bank's Consumer Protection Code 2012 (the Code) applies to regulated financial service providers providing regulated activities within the State. Under the provisions of the Code the Central Bank expects that all regulated firms take a consumer-focused approach and to act in their customers’ best interests, particularly in dealings with vulnerable consumers. The Code contains a number of provisions aimed at ensuring that vulnerable people can gain access to mainstream financial services.

Provision 2.11 of the Code provides that a regulated firm must not, through its policies, procedures, or working practice, prevent access to basic financial services. This provision aims to ensure that vulnerable people can gain access to mainstream financial services.

Provision 3.1 of the Code provides that “where a regulated entity has identified that a personal consumer is a vulnerable consumer, the regulated entity must ensure that the vulnerable consumer is provided with such reasonable arrangements and/or assistance that may be necessary to facilitate him or her in his or her dealings with the regulated entity.”

All regulated firms should take a consumer-focused approach and act in their customers’ best interests, particularly in dealings with vulnerable consumers.

Departmental Schemes

Questions (190)

Holly Cairns

Question:

190. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance if he plans to expand the disabled drivers and disabled passengers' scheme to provide a range of tax reliefs linked to the purchase and use of specially constructed or adapted bikes and e-bikes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15740/22]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from VRT and VAT on the purchase and use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain organisations.

In order to qualify for relief the applicant must hold a Primary Medical Certificate (PMC) issued by the relevant Senior Area Medical Officer (SAMO) or a Board Medical Certificate (BMC) issued by the Disabled Driver Medical Board of Appeal. Certain other criteria apply in relation to the vehicle and its use, including that the vehicle must be specially constructed or adapted for use by the applicant.

The terms of the Scheme set out the following medical criteria, and that one or more of these criteria is required to be satisfied in order to obtain a PMC:

- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs;

- be wholly without the use of one leg and almost wholly without the use of the other leg such that the applicant is severely restricted as to movement of the lower limbs;

- be without both hands or without both arms;

- be without one or both legs;

- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg;

- have the medical condition of dwarfism and have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.

The Minister for Finance gave a commitment that a comprehensive review of the scheme, to include a broader review of mobility supports for persons with disabilities, would be undertaken. The Minister is working with Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. They have agreed that the DDS review should be brought within a wider review under the auspices of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy, to examine transport supports encompassing all Government funded transport and mobility schemes for people with disabilities. This the most appropriate forum to meet mutual objectives in respect of transport solutions/mobility supports for those with a disability. Officials from the Department of Finance are contributing to the Working Group to progress the review and to bring forward proposals for consideration by Government.

However, there are no current plans to extend the Disabled Drivers and Passengers scheme to include specially constructed or adapted bikes and e-bikes.

Further information on supports available to persons with disabilities can be found on the Citizens Information website.

Departmental Data

Questions (191)

Holly Cairns

Question:

191. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance the cost of allowing the cycle to work scheme to cover the purchasing of child seats or trailers annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15741/22]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

Section 118(5G) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides for the cycle to work scheme. This scheme provides an exemption from benefit-in-kind where an employer purchases a bicycle and associated safety equipment up to a maximum of €1,500 for e-bikes and €1,250 for other bicycles for an employee to use, in whole or in part, to travel to work. These thresholds were increased from 1 August 2020 under the Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Act 2020.

An employee or director can only avail of the Cycle to Work scheme once in any 4-year period, commencing with the date the employee is first provided with a bicycle or bicycle safety equipment. These increases and the change to a 4-year period from a 5-year period were in line with the commitment made in the Programme for Government.

Safety equipment includes helmets, lights, bells, mirrors and locks but does not include child seats or trailers.

The cycle to work scheme operates on a self-administration basis, and relief is automatically available provided the employer is satisfied that the conditions of their particular scheme meet the requirements of the legislation. There is no notification procedure for employers involved. This approach was taken with the deliberate intention of keeping the scheme simple and reducing administration on the part of employers. Therefore the cost of the existing scheme and of any potential changes, such as the inclusion of child seats and trailers, can only be estimates.

While scheme continues to be kept under review by my officials, I have no plans at present to make changes to the cycle to work scheme to include child seats and trailers.

Tax Credits

Questions (192)

Holly Cairns

Question:

192. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Finance his views on providing a tax credit for parents and guardians for childcare costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15742/22]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

As I advised in relation to question 315 of 18 May last, I acknowledge the cost pressures on parents with young children. In recognition of these pressures, a number of support measures are already in place to ease the burden on working parents. These include various tax-exempted financial supports provided by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to assist parents to offset the costs of early learning and childcare and measures such as the Working Family Payment provided by the Minister for Social Protection.

With regard to taxation measures, and separate to the above:

The Accelerated Capital Allowances scheme for Childcare Services was introduced to encourage employers to develop childcare facilities onsite for their employees.

www.revenue.ie/en/tax-professionals/tdm/income-tax-capital-gains-tax-corporation-tax/part-09/09-01-11 .pdf.

Individuals who provide child-minding services in their own home may claim childcare services relief each year, provided that they do not receive more than €15,000 income per annum from the child-minding income.

www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/children/childcare-services/index.aspx.

Furthermore, a Single Person Child Carer tax credit of €1,650 is available as well as an additional standard rate band of €4,000. This credit and band is payable to any single person with a child under 18 years of age or over 18 years of age if in full time education or permanently incapacitated. The primary claimant may relinquish this credit and increase in the rate band to a secondary claimant with whom the child resides for not less than 100 days in the year.

www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/children/single-person-child-carer-credit/index.aspx.

Providing a tax credit for parents in respect of childcare costs was considered by the Interdepartmental Group on Future Investment in Childcare in 2015 and was deemed to be a suboptimal approach to investing in affordability for parents. Further details of that consideration are available in that report.

assets.gov.ie/36162/37cc5033f3124062912a416088a48827.pdf.

Finally, and as announced by my colleague, Minister O’Gorman, Budget 2022 made provision for the introduction of a number of measures to support parents in respect of childcare costs. The universal subsidy of the National Childcare Scheme will be extended to children of all ages and there will be a change to the practice of deducting hours spend in the Early Childhood Care and Education pre-school programme or school from the entitlement to subsidised hours of care. A new Core Funding stream will come into effect from September 2022 which will require participating providers to maintain their fee levels at or below September 2021 levels. This will ensure that the full affordability benefits of the National Childcare Scheme, and the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, are felt by parents. This will be preceded by a Transition Fund between May and August which will also require providers not to increase fees.