Written Answers Nos. 318-335
318. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport how many flights from Donegal Airport have been cancelled or not taken off; what reasons have been given; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17639/23]
View answerThe current Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract in place on the Donegal/Dublin route, provides twice daily two-way air services, facilitating same day return trips from Donegal, and further international connectivity from Dublin Airport.
In response to the Deputy's question, the table below sets out the number of flights under this contract from Donegal Airport, which have been cancelled per week over the past 3 months.
|
- |
Cancelled Flight |
Reason for Cancellation |
|
w/b 16/01/23 |
0 |
|
|
w/b 23/01/23 |
0 |
|
|
w/b 30/01/23 |
2 |
Technical Issue |
|
w/b 06/02/23 |
3 |
Technical Issue |
|
w/b 13/02/23 |
1 |
Technical Issue |
|
w/b 20/02/23 |
0 |
|
|
w/b 27/02/23 |
0 |
|
|
w/b 06/03/23 |
0 |
|
|
w/b 13/03/23 |
0 |
|
|
w/b 20/03/23 |
0 |
|
|
w/b 27/03/23 |
0 |
|
|
w/b 03/04/23 |
0 |
|
|
w/b 10/04/23 |
3 |
Technical Issue x1 Weather x 2 |
It is extremely unfortunate that technical difficulties with the designated aircraft on this route resulted in seven cancelled flights from Donegal Airport over this three-month period, with affected passengers being offered coach transfers to Dublin or accommodation on the next available flight.
In addition, extreme weather conditions experienced in Donegal last week brought about additional safety restrictions to operations and resulted in two further cancellations, which were non-attributable to the airline.
I can assure the Deputy that regional connectivity is of critical importance to this Government. We are aware that this PSO service is vital to many of those in the North-West region. The airline apologises for any inconvenience caused to customers and continues to work relentlessly to restore the reliability of this service.
My Department continues to monitor the airline's performance in accordance with the PSO contract for the provision of these services.
319. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the SEAI on-street public charge point scheme for local authorities; how much funding has been drawn down by each local authority; how many additional charging points have been added; how many additional charging points will be added in the coming months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17746/23]
View answer320. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the rollout of on-street and public charge points for those who do not have a driveway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17747/23]
View answer321. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the rollout of on-street and public charge points by Dublin City Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17748/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 319 to 321, inclusive, together.
The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network over the coming years. Having an effective and reliable charging network is an essential part of enabling drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles.
Home charging is the primary charging method for most Irish EV owners as it’s convenient and cheaper for the consumer as well as assisting in the overall management of the national grid. Over 80% of charging is expected to happen at home.
However, 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 on-street and residential charging, destination charging and workplace charging.
Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), a dedicated Office which oversees and accelerate Ireland’s transition to zero emission vehicles, has significant funding available in 2023 for the installation of EV charging across Ireland.
In January, I launched the national Strategy for the development of EV charging infrastructure, covering the crucial period out to 2025, alongside an Implementation Plan. The strategy sets out the government’s ambition regarding the delivery of a public EV charging network to support up to 195,000 electric cars and vans by the middle of the decade.
A range of new charging infrastructure schemes are being developed which will help provide another critical link in the overall network for public charging.
Destination Charging will be a strong priority for ZEVI in 2023, to facilitate charging at locations such as hospitals, leisure facilities such as municipal swimming pools, cultural centres, hotels, cinemas, and shopping centres. In addition to a general scheme, a number of bespoke schemes are also in advanced stages of development, including
• A shared Island funded Sports Club scheme, which will install up to 200 fast chargers
• An EU Just transition Fund supported scheme, which is planned to install 90-100 chargers
• These 300+ sites, in addition to those under other destination schemes currently planned will be delivered in 2024 and 2025.
• The Public Charge Point Scheme closed in February 2023 and will be replaced with a new Residential Neighbourhood Charging Scheme later this year. There are three county councils still with live grant offers should they choose to proceed charger installation under this scheme. These offers total seven charge points.
• The new Residential Neighbourhood Charging Scheme which will be launched by ZEVI, will provide EV charging for residents without access off street parking. This EV charging will be designed to mimic home charging and will incentivise off-peak charging in a location convenient to the resident’s home. In addition to this we will be working with local authorities to support them creating local charging plans to be rolled out in the coming years
• Local Authorities will be key partners with ZEVI in delivering a national EV charging network, and ZEVI has already established strong links with Local Authorities, with representatives from Local Authorities on the ZEVI Assurance Board, as well as three of its EV infrastructure delivery stakeholder groups.
• My Department continues to liaise closely with the Dublin Local Authorities on the delivery of the DLA's EV charging strategy. In addition, my department funded a mobility hub pilot program in the Finglas area earlier last year which includes two EV chargers with four designated parking spaces.
• ZEVI is currently accepting pilot project proposals from interested Local Authorities to trial EV charging infrastructure installations and to assist local authorities to evaluate and design their future local charging networks.
322. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport if a person (details supplied) can get priority for their driving test given they depend on it for work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17751/23]
View answerThe Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for all aspects of the National Driving Test service. This includes test applications and scheduling matters. Neither I nor my Department have the power to intervene in individual cases.
Prioritised test appointments can be requested through the RSA, for those applicants who are critical frontline workers employed by the HSE, a private hospital or the emergency services and who need to drive in the course of their duties.
323. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the long delays in receiving a date for a driving test (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17755/23]
View answerThe Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for all aspects of the National Driving Test service. This includes test applications and scheduling matters. Neither I nor my Department have the power to intervene in individual cases.
Prioritised test appointments can be requested through the RSA, for those applicants who are critical frontline workers employed by the HSE, a private hospital or the emergency services and who need to drive in the course of their duties.
On the broader issue of driver testing delays, the service has been under significant pressure to meet unprecedented demand, which is up 28% on 2021 figures. This increase in demand for driving tests and the time to invitation for learner drivers has a number of contributing factors which include an increase in learner permits in circulation, increased capacity in the Driver Theory Test and an increase in Advanced Driving Instructors capacity to deliver lessons to learner drivers.
The Authority has reviewed the demand and capacity of the driver testing service and, following a request for additional resources in March 2023, my Department has now given approval for the recruitment of up to 75 driver testers. This is in addition to the 30 testers who were previously sanctioned in July 2022 and have been fully deployed since end of March 2023. This brings the total number of sanctioned driver tester posts to just over 200.
It is expected that once these additional 75 driver testers are recruited, trained and deployed, the backlog for driver testing services will be actively managed such that it will start to reduce from October 2023 and agreed service levels should resume by early-mid 2024.
324. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he and or his officials have undertaken an analysis of the number of cars sold in the second-hand car market in 2022 and 2023; the number of change of ownership transactions that have taken place in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023 in the context of the owners log being updated; and if his attention or that of his officials has been drawn to instances in which vehicle owners cannot sell their vehicle due to it not having an up to date NCT [17763/23]
View answerThe numbers of change of ownership notifications received by the Department, for the years requested, are is provided in the table below. Also shown are the number of these notifications that relate to second car sales only. It should be noted that the figures do not pertain to unique vehicles as some vehicles, particularly those that are traded with motor dealers, can have more than one ownership change per annum.
|
Year |
All Change of Ownerships |
Of Which: Second Hand Car Sales |
|
2020 |
1,135,653 |
904,378 |
|
2021 |
1,181,637 |
930,966 |
|
2022 |
1,037,374 |
812,311 |
|
2023 (to 31 March) |
297,176 |
238,908 |
The Department have not been made aware of ownership changes been impacted by NCT waiting lists. A change of ownership for a vehicle requires no validation of the status of the NCT.
325. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of Departmental staff currently on sick or stress leave; and the number who took stress or sick leave in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [17789/23]
View answer16 officers of my Department are currently on sick leave, and one officer is currently on leave attributed to stress. I have set out the information requested by the Deputy in the table below. The data is based on information disclosed by Department staff as to the nature of their sick leave absence at the time it occurred.
|
Year |
No. of staff who attributed absence to sick leave |
No. of staff who attributed absence to stress |
Total no. of staff absent due to sick / stress leave |
|
2018 |
274 |
2 |
276 |
|
2019 |
316 |
4 |
320 |
|
2020 |
214 |
2 |
216 |
|
2021 |
190 |
5 |
195 |
|
2022 |
254 |
2 |
256 |
|
2023 (to date) |
109 |
4 |
113 |
326. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of allegations of bullying made by departmental staff against departmental staff in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will detail what actions are being taken by his Department to investigate the allegations, or if they are being investigated. [17807/23]
View answerThe Department has zero tolerance for bullying. Allegations of bullying on the part of staff against a fellow staff member in the Department of Transport fall to be considered under the Dignity at Work policy – an anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy for the Irish Civil Service. Such allegations can be resolved by means of local resolution between the relevant parties/line management or through the various stages of the policy up to full investigation. The policy ensures that the rights and responsibilities of all concerned are provided for.
In the past 5 years and to date in 2023, my Department’s Human Resources Division has responded to 6 such allegations made by individual employees and I set out below, in tabular form, the information being provided to the Deputy in respect of these individual allegations.
|
Year |
No of allegations made |
Outcome |
|
2018 |
1 allegation |
Resolved between parties |
|
2019 |
Nil |
N/A |
|
2020 |
1 allegation |
Resolved – did not proceed to formal investigation |
|
2021 |
1 allegation |
Resolved – no formal action necessary under policy |
|
2022 |
2 allegations |
Further action under consideration |
|
2023 |
1 allegation |
Proceeding to formal investigation |
327. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of Departmental staff dismissed in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [17825/23]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that 5 staff have been dismissed from my Department in the past 10 years to date, as set out in tabular form below by relevant year.
|
2013 |
1 |
|
2019 |
1 |
|
2022 |
3 |
328. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of people currently waiting for a driving test at each test centre in the country, in tabular form; and the average waiting time in each centre, area and county. [17826/23]
View answerThe operation of the national driving test service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the information requested is held by them. I have therefore 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.
329. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of people currently waiting for NCT tests in each county in the country, in tabular form; and the average wait time in each area. [17827/23]
View answerThe operation of the National Car Testing Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority. I have referred the Deputy's queries 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.
330. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport the steps he is taking to address the backlog in people waiting to take driving tests in Cork testing centres. [17965/23]
View answer331. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport if he will confirm the total number of driving testers which will be employed, including those announced to be recruited recently, by October 2023; and if he will provide a breakdown of how many testers, or full-time equivalent roles, will be assigned to each testing centre by October 2023. [17966/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 330 and 331 together.
The operation of the national driving test service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the breakdown of testers requested is held by them. I have therefore referred part of 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.
On the broader issue of driver testing delays, the service has been under significant pressure to meet unprecedented demand, which is up 28% on 2021 figures. This increase in demand for driving tests and the time to invitation for learner drivers has a number of contributing factors which include an increase in learner permits in circulation, increased capacity in the Driver Theory Test and an increase in Advanced Driving Instructors capacity to deliver lessons to learner drivers.
The Authority has reviewed the demand and capacity of the driver testing service and, following a request for additional resources in March 2023, my Department has now given approval for the recruitment of up to 75 driver testers. This is in addition to the 30 testers who were previously sanctioned in July 2022 and have been fully deployed since end of March 2023. This brings the total number of sanctioned driver tester posts to just over 200.
It is expected that once these additional 75 driver testers are recruited, trained and deployed, the backlog for driver testing services will be actively managed such that it will start to reduce from October 2023 and agreed service levels should resume by early-mid 2024.
332. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on cycling and walking projects in Dublin 9 and 11. [17976/23]
View answer334. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on his plans for a pedestrian crossing or flyover at the roundabout at the M1-R104 intersection located in Santry, Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17978/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 334 together.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport and active travel. The National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the development and implementation of sustainable transport infrastructure, allocating the funding provided by my Department at project level and working in conjunction with the relevant local authorities.
Noting the NTA's responsibilities in the matter, I have referred your question to the NTA for a more detailed reply both in relation to potential infrastructure at the M1-R104 intersection roundabout and more generally in relation to active travel projects in Dublin 9 and Dublin 11. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
333. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Transport the amount of money spent on active travel in Dublin City Council from the year 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17977/23]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who have responsibility for allocating this funding to the local authorities for development of selected projects in each area.
Noting the role of the NTA in the matter, I have referred your question to that agency for an up-to-date reply. If you do not receive a response within 10 working days, please contact my private office.
335. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport if he has concluded his consideration of the Derry City Airport’s economic assessment and supporting materials for a Dublin/Derry air route submitted to his Department in December 2022; the progress he has made in delivering on the air connectivity review commitment under the New Decade, New Approach agreement since taking up office in 2020. [18024/23]
View answerIn the context of supporting greater connectivity on the island of Ireland, the Government agreed ‘to take forward a review of the potential for Government support to renewed viable air routes from Cork to Belfast and Dublin to Derry, working with the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive to deliver improved connections as a priority’ as part of its commitments under New Decade New Approach.
My Department is progressing a desk-based review, which we are considering in consultation with Government colleagues.
Engagement between my Department and City of Derry Airport (CODA) is also ongoing. As the Deputy is aware, in a post COVID-19 environment, CODA was requested to provide material to demonstrate the current level of passenger demand for a Derry/Dublin route.
My Department is currently reviewing the material provided by CODA during December, as well as additional detail provided by the airport last month.
