Written Answers Nos. 59-68
59. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide details on the crash barriers TII is putting in place in Glenbeigh, County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28658/23]
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.
60. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport if an examination has been carried out on active travel and public transport connections in higher education institutions, including in rural colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28672/23]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport and active travel. Active Travel funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who, in partnership with local authorities, have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area.
In addition, the NTA has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. It also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including delivering the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan and new Town Services.
In light of the NTA's responsibilities for active travel and public transport connectivity, including in rural areas, 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.
61. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will ask the Luas provider to address the concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied), including what steps the provider will take to tackle the problems raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28674/23]
View answerAs 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 are operational matters for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the Luas operator Transdev Ireland, and I have therefore forwarded the Deputy's question to the TII for direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
62. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport the cost of accessibility facilitation works across Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, DART and Irish Rail services, including the annual maintenance cost of lift access at all DART and commuter stations. [28687/23]
View answer63. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport the annual spend on disability accessibility works undertaken across all public transport services between 2017 and 2022, in tabular form. [28688/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 63 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, sustainable public transport network.
The NTA works with the public transport operators, for example Irish Rail, towards progressively making public transport accessible.
As the Deputy's questions relate to all transport operators, I am forwarding 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.
64. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport the annual spend on the safe routes to school scheme between 2017 and 2022, in tabular form. [28689/23]
View answerThe Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme was launched in March 2021 with the aim of supporting walking, scooting and cycling to primary and post-primary schools, and creating safer walking and cycling routes within communities, through the provision of infrastructure interventions. This should help alleviate congestion at school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school.
931 applications were received from schools across every county in Ireland. 170 schools were notified on 21 June 2021 that they were selected for inclusion in the first round of the SRTS Programme. Subsequently two schools have deferred their applications and one school has withdrawn, leaving 167 schools in Round 1. 108 schools were announced as part of Round 2 of the Programme in December 2022, totalling 275 schools now at varying stages of options development, design, planning, construction or completion.
It should be noted that all schools that applied to the original call for applications were accepted into the programme, and if not selected in Round 1 will be selected for forthcoming rounds.
Noting the role of the NTA in the matter, I have referred your question to that agency for a more detailed response regarding the annual spend on the scheme. As noted earlier, the SRTS scheme commenced in 2021 and therefore annual spending figures are only available for 2021 and 2022.
65. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport the annual spend on the Connecting Ireland scheme in 2021 and 2022. [28691/23]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of TFI Local Link services, and the development of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan.
The roll-out of services under 'Connecting Ireland' began in 2022 and the spend from April - December 2022 was €3.9 million. For the information of the Deputy, the allocation for Connecting Ireland in 2023 is €8.35 million.
66. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of deferring the upcoming toll increases. [28692/23]
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, the setting of tolls is a statutory function of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
In the twelve month period used to calculate maximum tolls for 2023, inflation was obviously a significant issue and that was at the heart of the toll increases announced for the M50 and the eight PPP schemes. In late 2022, I directed that Departmental officials engage with TII to develop options that might allow for the deferral of the planned toll increases. Following this direction, TII commenced engagement with all eight PPP companies and the deferral of these increases was agreed upon for a six month period until the end of June 2023.
It was estimated that the cost of deferring this increase for a six month period would be of the order of €12.5 million, based on the toll income which would be foregone by not applying the increase, along with administration charges and associated legal costs.
As this six month deferral is now coming to an end, the planned toll increases will come into effect in July 2023.
67. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport the steps that Iarnród Éireann will take to ensure that older people with no credit cards or computer skills will still be able to pay cash for refreshments onboard Iarnród Éireann Intercity trains. [28695/23]
View answerAs 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 issue raised in relation to the steps that Iarnród Éireann will take to ensure that older people with no credit cards or computer skills will still be able to pay cash for refreshments onboard Iarnród Éireann Intercity trains 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.
68. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport in relation to the booking system for NCT testing if he will ensure that no money is taken from applicants by a company (details supplied) until the week of the NCT appointment. [28761/23]
View answerOperation of the National Car Testing (NCT) Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA). Payment for NCT tests is an operational matter and I have referred the Deputy's query 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.
In respect of the Deputy's query regarding free tests, this is set down in the NCT Customer Charter, available at www.ncts.ie/customer-charter/. The Charter is agreed between the RSA and Applus and is not a matter of road traffic law. The RSA has indicated to my department that the requirement to provide free tests in line with the customer charter was reintroduced in October 2022, after a suspension as part of the response to Covid-19. Subject to certain conditions, a free test is provided where an appointment cannot be offered within a 28-day period. I am advised that over 4,100 free tests have been provided so far in 2023.
Finally, the RSA has made An Garda Síochána aware that some vehicle owners continue to have issues securing an NCT appointment. Motorists should keep a record of their upcoming test date in their vehicle. However, it is important to note that road traffic legislation requires motorists to maintain their vehicles in a roadworthy condition and it remains an offence, under the Road Traffic Acts, to drive a vehicle on a public road or in a public place without a valid NCT. Enforcement of road traffic legislation is a matter for An Garda Síochána.
