Written Answers Nos. 306-320
306. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of extending the short hop zone to Newbridge; the estimated overall cost of extending the short hop zone to all train stations in Kildare broken down by station in tabular form; the estimated cost of allowing the Leap card to be used by commuters from all Kildare stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41674/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the provision of public transport services nationally and for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.
In light of the Authority's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question in relation to extending the short hop zone to Newbridge to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
307. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport the number and percentage of taxis with Dublin Airport permits which are wheelchair-accessible vehicles and which are multi-person vehicles; if they have reached the 30% quota; if the airport will consider releasing additional permits given the number of driver permit holders who have retired or left the industry since the Covid-19 pandemic emergency period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41697/22]
View answerThe daa has statutory responsibility to operate and manage Dublin Airport. As this is an operational matter for the daa, I have forwarded your questions to the company for direct reply. Please advise my Private Office if a reply within ten working days is not received from the daa.
308. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport the status of the Adare, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale bypass projects; the anticipated timelines for their progression and completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41730/22]
View answerAs 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 planning, design and construction 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.
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.
309. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport the status of the Killarney to Farranfore bypass project; the anticipated timelines for its progression and completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41731/22]
View answerAs 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 planning, design and construction 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.
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.
310. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport the status of the N86 upgrade project; the anticipated timeline for progression of the Annascaul to Lios Póil section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41732/22]
View answerAs 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 planning, design and construction 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.
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.
311. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a breakdown of the make and model of each vehicle registered per county for the first half of 2022 or for the most recent year available, in tabular form; the vehicles that are registered as commercial or private; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41735/22]
View answerThe statistical data requested by the Deputy are contained in the Department's National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF). The data extracted are based on the number of vehicles with a current motor tax licence at 30 June 2022 (snapshot of the NVDF database at that point in time) and either has a "Private" or "Goods" motor tax class. Motor tax is assigned to a vehicle based on the use of the vehicle on a public road, rather than the make/model or type of vehicle.
As the data requested are very detailed in nature, I have arranged for my officials to send these details directly to the Deputy.
312. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the number of sites visits undertaken by the BusConnects team. [41807/22]
View answer313. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport if consultants who are not based in Ireland were engaged to draw up sustainable corridors under BusConnects. [41808/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 313 together.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in our cities, including the BusConnects programme.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply on the specific questions raised. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
314. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the northern ring road. [41809/22]
View answerAs 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 planning, design and construction 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.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question on the Cork Northern Ring Road to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
315. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the major inconvenience being caused to commuters due to the volume of cancellations and missing buses on bus route 120 (details supplied) from Edenderry to Dublin, notably in the mornings and the evening rush hour peaks; the lack of accurate real-time information on the route; the action that is being taken to address this due to the impact it is having on persons seeking to use the service from Celbridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41855/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.
In light of the Authority's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question in relation to the 120 bus route form Edenderry to Dublin to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
316. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Transport the progress being made with the Athy distributor road; the target date for the opening of the road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41871/22]
View answerThe 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 Athy Southern Distributor Road is one of the limited number of strategic regional and local road improvement schemes being undertaken under the National Development Plan.
Implementation of the Athy Southern Distributor Road is the responsibility of Kildare County Council. Following the conclusion of the tender process for the main construction contract for the scheme, the contract was awarded in late 2021 and the construction programme is underway. My understanding is that the scheme is scheduled to be completed in 2024.
317. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport the requirements and steps necessary for a person resident in Northern Ireland and an Irish citizen with a Northern Irish driving licence to apply for a small public service vehicle licence to drive a taxi in the Republic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41884/22]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. Under Section 6(2) of this Act, An Garda Síochána (AGS) is responsible for the granting of SPSV driver licences.
As the Deputy may be aware, the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 requires the holding of a small public service vehicle (SPSV) licence and a SPSV driver licence to carry persons for hire or reward in the State – it does not provide for services across a border. The 2013 Act and its requirements only apply to services provided in the State - it does not provide for services across a border. The legislative position in Northern Ireland is similar. Thus, under current legislation, a taxi operator wishing to operate cross-border services legally, would have to apply for and obtain licences on each side of the border. Unlike other areas of transport - such as bus and road haulage operations - taxi services are not subject to EU harmonisation, so arrangements for regulating taxi services remain a matter for the relevant authorities in each State, in respect of services that operate in their jurisdiction. Therefore, in Ireland, obtaining a SPSV driver licence is a matter for AGS.
318. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide details of public service obligation bus contracts and their dates of initiation and renewal in tabular form. [41895/22]
View answer319. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the considerations which would have to be made to bring 2018 public service obligation contracts contracted to private operators back into the public bus system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41896/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 319 together.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally.
In light of the Authority's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's questions requesting public service obligation contracts, to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
320. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide details of all properties leased by State bodies under his aegis; the list of all State bodies under his aegis that are or could be currently acting independently of the Office of Public Works to acquire their own property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42028/22]
View answerThe information requested by the deputy is more appropriate to the State bodies concerned and is not held within my Department.
Accordingly, I have asked the agencies under my department’s remit to respond to you directly. If you do not hear from them within 10 working days, please advise my private office.
