Written Answers Nos. 183-190
183. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 205 of 25 October 2022, if funding will be provided to deliver a town bus service in Clonmel, County Tipperary (details supplied), considering Clonmel is now included in the ten-minute town project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14414/23]
View answerAs 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 securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including the development of new town services.
In light of the NTA's responsibilities for the rollout of services, including those in Clonmel town, 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.
184. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport the spend each year since 2008, on new national roads out of money allocated to TII and the NRA; the allocation for new roads allocated to TII for 2023; the indicative allocation for new roads build for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14447/23]
View answer185. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport the spend each year since 2008 for major works on national primary and secondary roads; the allocation for major works in 2023; the indicative allocation for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14448/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together.
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 planning, management, 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. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you on the spend on new national roads each year since 2008.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question regarding the spend on new national roads since 2008 to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
Approximately €237 million in exchequer capital funding for new national roads has been provided through TII to local authorities in 2023.
With regard to 2024, the Government has earmarked €5.1bn for capital spending on new national roads projects from 2021 to 2030 as part of the NDP. As the greater portion of this funding becomes available in the second half of the decade, this may mean that there is a constraint on the funding available for new projects in 2024. At this point it is not possible to confirm definitive numbers in terms of the allocations for 2024 or beyond. However it is anticipated that many national roads projects will continue to be progressed next year.
186. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport the total length of national road, by county, broken down between national primary and national secondary roads; the amount of this that is deemed deficient in terms of alignment, width and so on, based on TII standards for various classifications of roads, broken down by county; the length of time it will take at the present rate of expenditure to bring these roads up to standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14449/23]
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 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.
187. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a schedule of engagements he and/or his officials have had in the past five years to date with CIE and or the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, in respect of the CIE 1951 superannuation scheme; and if he will consider engaging an actuary to conduct a review of the scheme. [14454/23]
View answerCIÉ has advised that the Group’s two pension schemes, namely the Regular Wages Scheme (“RWS”) and 1951 superannuation scheme (“1951 Scheme”), are currently not in compliance with the Minimum Funding Standard (MFS) as defined in the Pensions Act 1990.As the Deputy may be aware, the CIÉ Group is actively engaged in introducing changes to the schemes aimed at rectifying the significant deficit in order to meet the statutory Minimum Funding Standard required by the Pensions Authority. The changes also aim to sustain the pension schemes into the long-term.In relation to CIE's Regular Wages Scheme (RWS), I signed three Statutory Instruments (SIs) related to the RWS on 6th July 2022, with an operative date of 18th July 2022. As required under the Transport Act 1950, the consent of the then Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform was sought both during the statutory consultation phase and prior to confirming the SIs.Concerning the 1951 Scheme, CIÉ has prepared and submitted a draft SI to give effect to Labour Court recommendations for the 1951 Scheme, as passed by ballot of scheme trade union members in May 2021. This is being considered by my Department in conjunction with NewERA. The Deputy may also be aware that the rules governing the 1951 scheme are currently subject to ongoing legal proceedings before the Commercial Court. The Hearing commenced on 24 May 2022 for 4 days and the outcome from the Hearing is expected in the coming months.
I do not intend to engage an actuary to conduct a review of the 1951 scheme as issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the schemes, the CIÉ Group and their employees. I can however, reassure the Deputy that I am regularly briefed by officials on matters relating to the corporate governance of the Group, including matters relating to the pension schemes. Such matters will continue to be addressed through my Department's ongoing engagement with CIÉ.
188. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the protocols and or guidelines he has issued in respect of the use of personal social media accounts by officials in his Department; the number of sanctions imposed by his Department on its own officials in the past ten years to date in respect of social media output by its officials, verbal, written or otherwise; if social media platforms are restricted on his Department’s network; if an application (details supplied) is available to use and or download onto Departmental-issued mobile phones; and if not, if it is barred from use. [14523/23]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has developed a policy for the information and advice of staff and others engaged on behalf of my Department who use social media in a personal capacity in so far as such personal usage relates to the Department and social occasions resulting from connection to the Department. This policy document is available for the information of all Department staff and all new staff are provided with a copy of the policy document on joining the Department.
In addition, any person having access to my Department’s information assets are reminded of their legal obligations under the Official Secrets Act, Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation on the use and safeguarding of this information.
I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has not imposed any formal sanctions in respect of social media output by my staff in the past ten years to date and only a very small number of cases have occurred where staff were provided with individual advice on the use of social media.
Social networking sites are restricted across my network, however staff who require access to them for official purposes may achieve an exemption upon foot of an approved business case. The application referred to is available for use and download on Departmental issued mobile phones, however the mobile is remotely managed and Departmental data is stored within a secure area of the phone that third party applications cannot access.
189. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Transport if he will detail engagements between his officials and TFI over the past 12 months around the TFI Live App; if he will provide an update on the decision to remove the GPS tracking feature for buses from the TFI Live App; when it is expected to resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14531/23]
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 issue raised in relation to the TFI Live App is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA). Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to the Authority for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive replies within ten working days.
190. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will set out his plans to review and amend the designation and or classification of national roads; and the date on which his officials last conducted such a review. [14540/23]
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 (As amended) 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.
I also have in accordance with Section 10 of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended) responsibility for the classification of National and Regional Roads and local authorities have responsibility for local Roads. The last major review of the classification of National and Regional roads was undertaken in 2012 and reflected the development, particularly Motorways, of the road network at that time. Since then, there have been a number of amendments.
Having regard to the above, that a full review of National and Regional Road Classification occurs from time to time and that there are a range of current developments occurring on the network, my officials are currently looking at scoping and requirements for a new review and will then seek to progress a review in due course.
