Alan Kelly
Question:415. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport if there is funding being provided by his Department for the Thurles inner relief road. [20839/22]
View answerRoad Projects
Questions (415)
Written answers
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
The primary focus for capital investment under my Department's Regional and Local Road Grant Programme continues to be the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network with some limited investment in road improvement projects.
€30,000 has been allocated to the Thurles Inner Relief Road scheme in 2022 to allow Tipperary County Council to appoint consultants to progress the detailed design of the scheme.
Driver Licences
Questions (416)
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:416. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 249 of 29 March 2022, if he will provide an update on engagements regarding the Temporary Protection Directive in relation to driving licence requirements for displaced people entering the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20858/22]
View answerWritten answers
My colleague Minister Ryan signed the Road Traffic (Recognition of Foreign Driving Licences) (Ukraine) Order 2022 into law on 22 April 2022. This means a person with temporary residence in Ireland under the provisions of the Temporary Protection Directive, because of the conflict in Ukraine, can exchange their Ukrainian driving licence for an Irish licence. The licence will be for a period of 12 months and will be valid to drive category B (cars) only.
Road Projects
Questions (417)
Joe Carey
Question:417. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update regarding progress on the Killaloe Bypass/Shannon Bridge Crossing/R464 Upgrade indicating if the €43.6 million allocated towards the delivery of this critical scheme for south east Clare and north Tipperary will be sufficient to complete the project given soaring building costs; if not, the contingency plans that are in place; if he will provide an overview of the timelines associated with the scheme including a construction start date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20863/22]
View answerWritten answers
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from Councils' own resources supplemented by State road grants.
The Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Bridge Crossing and the R494 improvement scheme is one of the limited number of strategic regional and local road improvement schemes being undertaken under the National Development Plan. Clare County Council is the contracting authority for the scheme.
Ministerial approval to award the public works contract for the Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Bridge Crossing and the R494 improvement scheme was given in December 2021 and following the conclusion of the due diligence process Clare County Council issued the Letter of Acceptance to the successful tenderer in February 2022 with an expected start date in March 2022.
As the Deputy is aware the construction industry is currently experiencing significant inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints. These factors have implications for progress on construction projects, including the Shannon Crossing/Killaloe Bypass/R494 upgrade scheme, while the industry takes stock of the options available to them and the consequences of any decisions taken. In this context the scheme Project Team are actively engaged with the contractor regarding the issues affecting the commencement of the scheme.
As regards the overall position regarding the impact of construction inflation on public works contracts, as the Deputy will be aware, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), which operates as an office of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, is responsible for implementing national policy on public procurement, particularly in relation to construction procurement. I understand that the Minister for Public Expenditure is considering options at present with regard to the impact of construction inflation on public works contracts.
Electric Vehicles
Questions (418)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:418. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if he has examined introducing a scrappage scheme for older more polluting cars to encourage the purchase of new electric vehicles; the estimated cost of introducing such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20873/22]
View answerWritten answers
Electric vehicles (EVs) are the most prominent transport mitigation measure in the 2021 Climate Action Plan, and Ireland has set an ambitious target of 945,000 EVs on our roads by 2030. This target is challenging but indicates the scale of the transformation that is needed across all sectors if Ireland is to achieve its climate targets in the coming years.
As the Deputy will be aware, a comprehensive suite of measures is available to EV drivers, including purchase grants for private car owners and taxi drivers, VRT relief, reduced tolls, home charger grants, favourable motor and BIK tax rates, as well as a comprehensive charging network. These measures have collectively contributed to increased take up of EVs in Ireland in recent years, albeit from a low base, to over 55,000 now.
My Department convened the Electric Vehicle Policy Pathway (EVPP) Working Group to produce a roadmap to achieving the 2030 EV target. The EVPP Working Group comprised senior officials and considered regulatory, financial, and taxation policies to help drive a significant ramp-up in passenger EVs and electric van sales.
Scrappage schemes were discussed as part of these considerations. The Working Group considered the potential of this incentive but concluded that a general scrappage scheme would entail significant additional costs. That said, the Group concluded that niche markets scrappage schemes could potentially play an important role, such as in the SPSV sector. A scrappage scheme was introduced for the SPSV sector in 2021.
A cross-departmental Implementation Committee has been established to progress the recommendations contained in the EVPP report and is due to report on its progress to Government in Q4 of this year.
Bus Services
Questions (419)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:419. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of communities with a population greater than three hundred will receive a time times daily bus service under the new Connecting Ireland plan; the number of communities with a population greater than three hundred that will not; the estimated capital and current cost to expand the Connecting Ireland plan to include those that will not under the current plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20874/22]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. It is the National Transport Authority (NTA) that has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of the Rural Transport Programme which operates under the TFI Local Link brand.
The Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan is a major national public transport initiative developed by the NTA with the aim of increasing public transport connectivity, particularly for people living outside the major cities and towns. As announced on 21st April, an acceleration of Connecting Ireland services has taken place in order to serve the dual purpose of meeting the demands of local communities and providing emergency public transport services to Ukrainian refugees housed in rural or isolated locations to ensure better access to our local communities. This acceleration of works will include additional stops, route modifications, and more services with the aim to increase connectivity.
In light of the NTA's responsibilities for the development of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
Electric Vehicles
Questions (420, 430)
Catherine Murphy
Question:420. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the number of charging points for public use for electric vehicles by county; and his plans for the provision of further public charge points for electric vehicles. [20908/22]
View answerDarren O'Rourke
Question:430. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of public electric vehicle charging points constructed in each county in 2021 and to date in 2022; the total number of public electric vehicle charging points in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21028/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 420 and 430 together.
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 national charging infrastructure strategy was published for consultation at the end of this March which sets out a pathway to stay ahead of demand over the critical period out to 2025.
Preparations are also underway to establish Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland. This Office will play an important role in our transition to zero emission vehicles. It will co-ordinate measures to support the uptake of EVs and the rollout of charge point infrastructure.
Home charging is the primary charging method for most Irish EV owners as it’s convenient and cheaper for the consumer as well assists in the overall management of the national grid. Over 80% of charging is expected to happen at home. This means that the majority of EV users will never need to access the public network except for longer journeys.
A grant is available from the SEAI for those individuals seeking to install a home charger. 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.
There is also a need for a seamless public charging network that will provide for situations or instances where home charging is not possible such as non-residential neighbourhood charging, destination charging, and motorway charging.
€10 million was committed from the Climate Action Fund to support ESB investment in the charging network and this has leveraged a further €10 million investment from ESB, with the infrastructure to be in place by the end of 2022. This intervention alone will result in:
- 90 additional high power chargers, each capable of charging two vehicles - Seventeen high-power chargers distributed across 14 multi-vehicle hubs have been delivered as part of the programme to date.
- 52 additional fast chargers, which may replace existing standard chargers - This work is completed at 36 locations.
- 264 replacement standard chargers with more modern technology and with each consisting of two charge points - This work is substantially complete. 258 of the chargers have now been successfully replaced.
Further details on the progression of this project including the rollout of charge points in each county can be found at esb.ie/ecars/our-network/network-upgrades. While the ESB network information is available, there are a number of private charge point operators with sites already live in Ireland. One of the expected tasks of ZEVI will be to collate information about the various networks available to the public and offer a central source of information to EV owners.
The Public Charge Point Scheme continues to be available during 2022 to provide local authorities with a grant of up to €5,000 to support the development of on-street public chargers. My Department has reviewed the Scheme and has announced through the draft Infrastructure Strategy a number of additional actions to ensure that it is as effective as possible in driving the de-carbonisation effort.
My Department is also developing a new scheme which will support the installation of destination charge points in locations such as visitor centres and parks. This new initiative will help provide another critical link in the overall network for public charging.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland
Questions (421)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:421. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Transport the reasons for and output from the substantially increased research budget for Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Conference of European Directors for Roads in 2021 compared to 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20913/22]
View answerWritten answers
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, management and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
To support the activities of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in managing road and light rail infrastructure, TII organises a research programme covering all technical areas of interest to TII. The main aim of the programme is to promote practical measures that will contribute to reducing costs, enhancing quality and encouraging innovation with regard to TII's functions. The research commissioned by TII provides the information needed in the development of the standards and technical documentation that is required to provide a safe and efficient transport network.
TII also participates in collaborative research programmes with other European road administrations through its memberships of the Conference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR), an organisation which brings together the road directors of 27 European countries. The aim of CEDR is to contribute to future developments of road engineering as part of an integrated transport system under the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability and to promote co-operation between the national road administrations.
The annual budget allocation to the TII Research Programme is €1,200,000, of which about €300,000 is committed to CEDR collaboration. The utilisation of this allocation varies from year to year depending on the current research requirements and on the scheduling of payments.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a detailed reply regarding their research programme. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
Driver Licences
Questions (422)
Brendan Griffin
Question:422. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport if a decision has been made on a local area hackney licence application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20937/22]
View answerWritten answers
The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including the licensing and testing of drivers within this sector, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
I have, therefore, forwarded your question to the NTA for attention. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
Coast Guard Service
Questions (423)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:423. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport when he will publish the Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue Aviation Project business case prepared by companies (Details supplied); if due to the controversy surrounding this project he will consider providing a version of the report with financial and commercially sensitive material redacted to the Public Accounts Committee or the Transport and Communications Committee in private session; and if he will publish the advice of the procurement process auditor appointed to his Department regarding the conduct of the procurement process relating to this project. [20946/22]
View answerWritten answers
Government agreed on 27 July 2021 to commence the formal procurement process for a new Coast Guard aviation service. The decision was informed by a detailed appraisal and business case prepared by KPMG for the Department of Transport. The business case presented to Government set out the strategic case for a new service. It considered the range of options for how such a service could be delivered, including the potential for the Air Corps to provide an element of the service as a “hybrid” option alongside another civil operator. It also set out an implementation plan to achieve the desired service. The detailed appraisal included a financial and economic appraisal of short-listed options, with an assessment of costs, benefits, affordability, deliverability, risks and sensitivities associated with the options. The approval of the business case was one of the key steps required in the Public Spending Code (PSC).
Provision has been made in the procurement documentation to allow the Air Corps to undertake the fixed wing element of the new service at some point during the contract term. Discussions with Department of Defence are ongoing in relation to this aspect.
The procurement process is being conducted in accordance with ‘Competitive Procedure with Negotiation’ (CPN) under the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulation 2016 (S.I. 284 of 2016). The first stage of the process – Prequalification - is reaching a conclusion and Candidates will be notified of the outcome in the coming weeks. Shortly thereafter, Stage 2 of the procurement process will commence, when a Request for Tenders (RFT) will issue to those Candidates, which, at Prequalification Stage of the Competition, were determined to have the technical capability, and economic and financial standing to perform the contract.
I would envisage publication of the business case will occur at the appropriate juncture in line with the Public Spending Code. However, at this stage the business case is an integral part of the procurement process and cannot be published at this time as it contains information which is commercially sensitive or could prejudice the outcome of the procurement process. This is a requirement to ensure all tender competitions are competitive. Making the Business Case, or associated financial analysis, available at this time could jeopardise not only the integrity of the process but tie our evaluators’ hands in striking the best deal possible for the Coast Guard and the taxpayer. There is a risk that even at a private hearing of Oireachtas Committees, discussions could breach EU principles on transparency, by virtue of the fact that the Department could be perceived to be influenced in its approach to particular tenderers by public representatives' representations.
However, the Deputy may wish to be aware that my Department has already published a significant amount of non-financial and/or non-commercially sensitive material which collectively provides a clear and comprehensive outline of the project, including the strategic rationale, options considered and the recommended procurement strategy. This information is available on the project website (www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/ed653-irish-coast-guard-search-and-rescue-sar-aviation-project/ ), including a “Information Note on Business Case and Government Decision July 2021”.
As the Deputy has stated, my Department has appointed an independent external Process Auditor and has been working with the Process Auditor since December 2019. I understand he will shortly submit a review of the process to date to the Secretary-General of my Department, which would encapsulate progress on the project since its commencement, up to and including the Prequalification stage referenced above. My Department intends to publish that review letter from the process auditor on the project webpage once it is available next month.
Wind Energy Generation
Questions (424)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:424. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Transport his plans to develop infrastructure at Rosslare Europort and the Port of Waterford in order to capitalise on the development of offshore wind off the south and east coasts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18773/22]
View answerWritten answers
A Policy Statement was published in December 2021 setting out the strategy for commercial ports to facilitate offshore renewable energy (ORE) activity in the seas around Ireland, confirming this Government's commitment to the provision of port facilities for ORE developments. A number of ports, both large ports for deployment and smaller ports for operations and maintenance activities, will be required to provide facilities for different activities at several locations around the country, with various timelines for the phases of fixed and floating ORE developments.
This will also maximise the economic benefits at both regional and national level in terms of job creation and new SME enterprises in areas such as engineering, fabrication, transport and logistics, and other technologies.
In addition to their important role in maritime transport, both Rosslare and Waterford ports see significant opportunities given their geographical location to service a range of windfarms off the south and east coasts, as acknowledged in the ORE Port Policy Statement.
Rosslare Europort and Irish Rail are progressing plans for the development of largescale facilities at the port for the development of ORE and anticipate that they will lodge a planning application in 2023. In this context, the port hosted an ORE stakeholder forum last Friday, 22 April 2022, in association with Waterford Port and the South East local and regional entities. The Department of Transport will continue to work with Rosslare Port as it progresses its plans for port infrastructure for serving the ORE sector while it also provides the necessary infrastructure to maintain RoRo freight activity at the port. Waterford Port has expressed support for Rosslare as a deployment base for ORE and is interested in the provision of operations and maintenance services facilities.
Both Rosslare Europort and Port of Waterford are ‘comprehensive’ ports within the TEN-T Regulation at a European level which means that they are eligible to apply for European Connecting Europe Facility funding for relevant/eligible projects and the CEF 2021-2023 funding criteria allows EU funding of port infrastructure for ORE.
The most recent call which closed on 19th January makes €4bn funding available EU wide for transport infrastructure projects. Similar calls are expected in 2022 and 2023. Due to the confidential nature of the process, individual applications cannot be commented on. However, I can confirm that four ports or private entities within ports that are eligible under TEN-T applied this year for funding for studies which will effectively allow them to prepare for lodgment of planning applications for their ORE port developments. Successful TEN-T applicants can obtain significant funding of up to 50% of eligible costs for studies and up 30% of infrastructure works costs. It is expected that a decision on the applications will be made in July this year.
The Department assisted, as appropriate, eligible applicants with the application process. It is important for the State that preparatory work is advanced and planning applications submitted so that the entities will be ready to go to construction, once they have more certainty from developers that have come through the ORESS auction.
Public Transport
Questions (425)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:425. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the status of the roll-out of the Connecting Ireland plan; if the Connecting Ireland transport plan for rural Ireland can be expanded to serve more communities; if funding for this programme can be front-loaded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21023/22]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. It is the National Transport Authority (NTA) that has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of the Rural Transport Programme which operates under the TFI Local Link brand.
The Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan is a major national public transport initiative developed by the NTA with the aim of increasing public transport connectivity, particularly for people living outside the major cities and towns. As announced on 21st April, an acceleration of Connecting Ireland services has taken place in order to serve the dual purpose of meeting the demands of local communities and providing emergency public transport services to Ukrainian refugees housed in rural or isolated locations to ensure better access to our local communities. This acceleration of works will include additional stops, route modifications, and more services with the aim to increase connectivity.
In light of the NTA's responsibilities for the development of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
Question No. 426 answered with Question No. 354.
Coast Guard Service
Questions (427)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:427. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the status of the tender for the Coast Guard search and rescue operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21025/22]
View answerWritten answers
On 20 December 2021, the first stage of the procurement process for the Irish Coast Guard Aviation Services contract commenced, with the publication on eTenders and in the Official Journal of the European Union of a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) and a Response Document for Candidates to complete.
On 25 January 2022 the Government, decided to include, as part of the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, clarifications and additional information specifying the four bases provided for in the original contract i.e. Dublin, Shannon. Sligo and Waterford; and an amended closing date of February 11th 2022 was provided.
The PQQ Evaluation Process is reaching a conclusion and Candidates will be notified of the outcome in the coming weeks. Shortly thereafter, Stage 2 of the procurement process will commence, when a Request for Tenders (RFT) will issue to those Candidates, which, at PQQ Stage of the Competition, were determined to have the technical capability, and economic and financial standing to perform the contract.
After the assessment of the tender responses, EU and Irish procurement legislation allows for either the award of the contract to the Tenderer that has submitted the most economically advantageous tender for the provision of the Services based on the award criteria set out in the RFT without negotiation, or alternatively, tenderers can be invited to a negotiation phase. This will be determined once RFT responses are received and assessed.
The entire process is being conducted in accordance with ‘Competitive Procedure with Negotiation’ (CPN) under the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulation 2016 (S.I. 284 of 2016).
Road Projects
Questions (428)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:428. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if his Department will make funding available for the Oberstown Cross road upgrade works, Oberstown, Tara, County Meath given that the number of serious accidents at this crossroads and the need for immediate safety improvement works; the amount of funding currently available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21026/22]
View answerWritten answers
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants, where applicable. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
Applications for funding under my Department’s Safety Improvement Scheme are invited on an annual basis for consideration for funding in the subsequent year. Councils are made aware of this and are asked to submit applications in order of priority. As Meath County Council is responsible for maintaining and improving its regional and local roads, it is the Council's responsibility to determine its priorities and work programme while taking account of the funding provided from grant allocations and from the Council's own resources.
Meath County Council received an allocation of €337,000 for safety improvement works in 2022. Our records indicate that the Council's application did not include a scheme at Oberstown Cross, Tara, Co. Meath.
Greenways Provision
Questions (429)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:429. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the status of the progress of greenways in County Meath, including the funding provided to date and the timelines for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21027/22]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to Greenways. Since September 2021, responsibility for the planning, design and construction of individual Greenways is now 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.
With regard to funding, prior to the assignment of responsibility for greenways to TII, €750,000 was allocated under the Carbon Tax Funding Round in 2020 to fund of the initial phases of the Boyne Valley Greenway. €505,000 was drawn down by the Local Authority in 2020.
Noting TII's responsibilities in relation to greenways, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply in relation to current status of this project and any funding allocated since 20th September 2021. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
Question No. 430 answered with Question No. 420.
Driver Test
Questions (431)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:431. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport for the waiting time by centre for NCT, driver theory test and driving tests. [21029/22]
View answerWritten answers
Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority is responsible for both the Driver Testing service and the NCT. Therefore, as the information requested is held by the RSA I have referred this question 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
Question No. 432 answered with Question No. 146.
Question No. 433 answered with Question No. 146.
Córas Iompair Éireann
Questions (434)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:434. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport the discussion that he has had with Iarnród Éireann in relation to the planed disposal of lands in the CIE works to facilitate an ambitious plan for a new town between Inchicore and Ballyfermot; and if he has encouraged CIE to proceed with same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21037/22]
View answerWritten answers
My Department receives regular updates from CIÉ on all policy matters, including CIÉ property. CIÉ has been engaging with the Land Development Agency prior to, and since the publication of the Government's Housing for All Strategy (HfA) and has a proven track record in respect of the release of operationally surplus lands for development.
As the Deputy will be aware, Inchicore Works was one of four proposed CIÉ locations identified in the HfA strategy. As the matter of its land holdings is, in the first instance, a matter for CIÉ, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the company for co-ordination with Iarnród Éireann and direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51