Written Answers Nos. 19-34
19. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport when Bus Éireann’s expressway route 30/30X Donegal and Route 32/32X Letterkenny will become fully wheelchair accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18389/23]
View answer20. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport when all Bus Éireann’s expressway routes will become fully wheelchair accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18390/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network. The NTA also has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally.
The NTA works with the relevant public transport operators, who have responsibility for day to day operational issues, to progressively make public transport accessible.
In light of the NTA's responsibilities in this regard I have forwarded your questions to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
21. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport what action his Department is taking to reduce the five-month waiting time for driving tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18391/23]
View answer22. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport what immediate action his Department is taking to help alleviate the waiting time for driving tests, which now stands at five months, in view that many provisional drivers now find themselves in a position where they will not have the funds to insure their vehicle wherein the cost is significantly higher for provisional drivers than fully licensed drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18392/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for all aspects of the National Driving Test service. 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.
23. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the proposed introduction of E10 petrol in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18397/23]
View answer24. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport to clarify that following the potential introduction of E10 petrol in Ireland, whether or not E5 petrol will still continue to be supplied in order to cater for the thousands of pre-Euro V engine vehicles still being used by many motorists on Irish roads today, in view that if E5 petrol were to be discontinued nationally thousands of vehicles could not be operated which would force many motorists to buy a newer vehicle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18398/23]
View answer25. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport what action his Department is taking to ensure that motorists will not be directly affected by the proposed introduction of E10 petrol, in view that many motorists currently operate older vehicles compatible to E5 petrol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18399/23]
View answer26. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Transport given the proposed changes from E95 to E90 grade petrol, if provision has been made for cars manufactured before 1998, and in particular, classic and vintage cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18400/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 23 to 26, inclusive, together.
The move to E10 as the standard grade of petrol in Ireland was signalled in November 2021 when I published the Renewable Fuels for Transport Policy Statement 2021-2023. Following a 28 day statutory consultation period on the draft Regulations and consideration of responses and stakeholder feedback, I made these Regulations on 1 April. The regulations will be kept under review within the context of the development and implementation of the Renewable Transport Fuel Policy.
E10 petrol as standard is one of several transport measures to achieve a 50% reduction in transport emissions by 2030 - a projected 1.08 MtCO2eq abatement in greenhouse gas emissions through increasing biofuel blending to E10 (10% Ethanol) and B20 (20% Biodiesel) equivalent as set out in Climate Action Plan 2023, with an interim target of E10/B12 equivalent by 2025. In 2022, approximately 307m litres (9.6 PJ) of biofuel was placed on the market.
Moving to E10 will bring an immediate climate-change mitigation measure using the existing vehicle fleet. Since 2009, E10 petrol as standard has been rolled out across 15 European countries as well as the US and Australia. The new regulations will also ensure Ireland’s petrol supply will now align with the standard petrol supplied in Northern Ireland since last year, and in Great Britain since 2021.
All vehicles can operate on an E10 petrol blend and it is safe to do so. In some older, pre-2011, vehicles (predominantly pre-2003) sustained use may result in more frequent maintenance, for example of engine seals and hoses, but it does not mean that they cannot use E10. This has been borne out by the experience from those jurisdictions where E10 and higher ethanol blends have been used widely for a prolonged period of time. All vehicle owners and operators are required to maintain their vehicles to operating and roadworthy standards. Further Information concerning individual vehicle types can be obtained in operating manuals, information on vehicle’s manufacturer websites, or inside the fuel cap (on newer vehicles).
The annual decline of petrol cars along with the increased uptake of zero-emission vehicles (e.g., EVs) is likely to reduce the number of affected vehicles even further over the next decade. At this point in time, Ireland’s vehicle fleet is predominantly diesel (c.63% at end 2022) and of the c.1million petrol vehicles, there is a very low level of older vehicles (c.2.4% including vintage and less than 1% vintage/classic) that are pre-2011 (predominantly pre-2003/pre EURO V standard).
Consultation with industry indicated that the vast majority of suppliers do not have the storage or distribution systems to supply both an E5 and an E10 petrol grade or a higher octane petrol at forecourts in Ireland. However, specialist supply of E5 can still be offered in the market if sufficient demand exists. After 1 July when the draft regulations are to be operational, E5 will not however be eligible for RTFO certificates under the new regulations.
To ensure public awareness of the change, my Department is continuing to run an E10 public information campaign, through advertising at forecourts, print, radio, digital and social platforms. The gov.ie/E10 website is the main point of reference for further information and will continue to be in advance of the move to E10.
27. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport if he is proposing to regulate the use of e-scooters by defining which public highways e-scooters may be driven on, how they may be driven, any penalties proposed, in line with those for cyclists, what safety gear will be mandatory or advised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18407/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government has committed my department to legislating for the use of electric scooters, or e-scooters. The use of e-scooters is not currently permitted on public roads.
The Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021, which is currently before the Seanad, addresses this issue by creating a new class of vehicle in the Road Traffic Act 1961, powered personal transporters. This vehicle class will encompass light electric vehicles like e-scooters. The Bill does not legalise the use of e-scooters but allows for rules for the safe use of e-scooters and technical standards to be made in regulations.
It is anticipated that the Bill will be enacted in quarter two of this year and draft regulations for the use of e-scooters are being prepared by my department. My officials have recently established a working group, which is meeting regularly to ensure all key agencies are working together in preparation for the coming into effect of these regulations. The regulations will address matters such as technical standards for lighting and other equipment such as braking and audible warning systems, conditions for their safe use, prohibition of their use on footpaths or on certain roads, suitable speed limits and penalties for their misuse, after the necessary enabling powers have been provided by the Bill. Until the new regulations are in place, the use of e-scooters will remain illegal and An Garda Síochána may seize them.
New draft technical regulations are subject to mandatory examination by the European Commission for a minimum of 12 weeks, under the Single Market Transparency Directive (EU) 2015/1535. It is expected that the draft e-scooter regulations will be submitted to this process on enactment of the Bill and that they will be introduced on completion of that scrutiny.
28. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport the revenues generated, or anticipated to be generated, per annum by parking charges at Ballybrophy railway station. [18435/23]
View answer29. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport to outline any payments or contractual obligations to pay monies for the monitoring of the payment of parking fees at Ballybrophy railway station. [18436/23]
View answer30. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport what facilities, if any, are in place to enable persons without a bank card to pay for parking at Ballybrophy railway station. [18437/23]
View answer31. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport what facilities, if any, are in place to enable persons who are illiterate to pay for parking at Ballybrophy railway station. [18438/23]
View answer32. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport to outline the process by which a company (details supplied) was selected to supervise/manage the payment for parking at Ballybrophy railway station. [18439/23]
View answer33. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport if any audit of the user friendliness of (details supplied) including for elderly persons or persons with impaired capacity, has been carried out by his Department. [18440/23]
View answer34. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport if any audit of the user friendliness of a company (details supplied) including for elderly persons or persons with impaired capacity, has been carried out by CIE, before it was selected to operate car parking at Ballybrophy railway station. [18441/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 28 to 34, inclusive, together.
As the 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 issues raised by the Deputy regarding the awarding of the contract for, operation of, revenue generated from, and the accessibility of the Ballybrophy Railway Station Car Park is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann and I have therefore forwarded the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
