Written Answers Nos. 146-168
146. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport the up-to-date position regarding the N70 Milltown relief road project; the up-to-date timeline for the completion of the project; what cycling and walking infrastructure is planned for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51847/23]
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 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. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you on the status of this project.
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.
147. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport the up-to-date position regarding the upgrade of a bridge in Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51849/23]
View answerIn accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, each local authority has statutory responsibility for the improvement and maintenance of their regional and local roads. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources and are supplemented by State Road grants. Of these grants, the vast majority (approximately 90%) are targeted at the maintenance and renewal of the network with c. 10% of the remaining funding invested in new roads/bridges or for road realignments.
Any new road projects that seek funding are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis. All projects proposed by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the Public Spending Code and the Department's Transport Appraisal Framework. Given the limited funding available for regional and local road improvement works it is important for local authorities to prioritise projects within their overall area of responsibility with these requirements in mind.
In this regard, it is my understanding is that Kerry County Council are currently examining options for Listry Bridge, considering the needs and objectives, and deciding how best to progress to ensure value for money. My Department is committed to working closely with the Council.
148. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if he will confirm the attendees at an upcoming coroner’s hearing (details supplied); and if the costs incurred by the family in pursuit of the same will be covered by the State. [51899/23]
View answerMs Lucas was a very highly regarded and valued volunteer in the Coast Guard who tragically lost her life in the course of duty on the 12th September 2016. The Department of Transport is engaging fully in supporting the Coroner’s Inquest into her death and the identification of witnesses to attend the Inquest is a matter for the Coroner. The family have been advised that the Minister is willing to reimburse reasonable legal costs in connection with having appropriate legal representation at the Inquest.
149. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport if consideration will be given to an allocation to progress with a relief road for Mountmellick, County Laois in the revised estimates due to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51907/23]
View answer159. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport to provide an updated assessment on the case for a relief road in Mountmellick (details supplied). [52016/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 159 together.
In accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, each local authority has statutory responsibility for the improvement and maintenance of their regional and local roads. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources and are supplemented by State Road grants. Of these grants, the vast majority (approximately 90%) are targeted at the maintenance and renewal of the network with c. 10% of the remaining funding invested in new roads/bridges or for road realignments.
Any new road projects that seek funding are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis. All projects proposed by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the Public Spending Code and the Department's Transport Appraisal Framework. Given the limited funding available for regional and local road improvement works it is important for local authorities to prioritise projects within their overall area of responsibility with these requirements in mind.
Noting the above, my Department has not received an application from Laois County Council for funding for a relief road in Mountmellick, County Laois.
150. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport for an update on a driving test in County Cavan (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51915/23]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for all aspects of driver testing. This includes test applications and scheduling matters. Neither I nor my Department hold information on individual cases.
I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
151. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport the number of male drivers who have died in single vehicle accidents while travelling alone in each year from 2000 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51927/23]
View answerAs one of its functions, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) gathers data and conducts research to inform policy in the area of road safety. As such, the RSA holds statistics on fatalities on our road network.
I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for a more detailed, direct reply on the specific issue raised. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
152. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Transport the reason the new S8 bus route bypasses UCD, Dundrum town centre, and IADT, leaving many hundreds of students, workers, and shoppers without direct access to their places of work, study and recreation; and what public transport options will be made available to these persons. [51952/23]
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 National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally, and for decisions in relation to the routes 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 queries in relation to the new S8 bus route to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
153. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Transport the solutions being considered for residents to improve connectivity via public transport to the thousands of existing and new residents of Dublin south west, particularly those residents who do not live close to a Luas line in Firhouse, Ballycullen, Scholarstown, Knocklyon, Ballyboden, Edmonstown, and Rathfarnham and who rely on bus services that are now being altered resulting in access to central hubs of education, shopping, and work being more difficult than was previously the case. [51953/23]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. In both of those areas there have been significant developments since this Government came into office, with last year's publication of a new Sustainable Mobility Policy and its action plan providing strong policy support to the continued expansion and enhancement of bus services. I am also delighted to say that this strong policy support has been backed up by increased levels of Exchequer funding, which is supporting the roll-out of initiatives such as BusConnects Dublin.
BusConnects Dublin is a transformative programme of investment in the existing bus system providing better bus services to more people. The BusConnects Dublin programme brings together all areas of bus investment identified in the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy, including enhanced and new bus infrastructure, investment in fleet and service enhancements such as higher frequency and new routes serving a wider catchment.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in relation to this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
154. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport if a bus stop at Church Cross, Skibbereen could be relocated due to safety concerns raised by local residents (details supplied). [51960/23]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the national provision of bus stops and bus shelters.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
155. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport the total number of Freedom of Information requests submitted to his Department in 2022 and to date in 2023; the total number of such requests that were rejected in their entirety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51983/23]
View answerIn 2022 my Department received 226 Freedom of Information requests and since the beginning of this year, up to 22 November 2023, has received 206 requests. Of these requests, 61 were subject to full refusal in 2022 and 52 requests were subject to full refusal this year, up to 22nd November 2023.
The majority of these refusals were on the basis of what is termed an administrative refusal under Section 15(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act, which provides that an FOI request may be refused to be granted where the record concerned does not exist or cannot be found after all reasonable steps to ascertain its whereabouts have been taken.
Officials acting as Decision Makers on Freedom of Information requests received by my Department endeavour to take a proactive approach to the handling of Freedom of Information requests, engaging with the requesters to assist them further, which can include assisting in refining a request or in directing requesters to other relevant public bodies, or pointing to information or records that are already in the public domain, for example, on the Department's website. Requesters are always made aware of their right of appeal, if they are not satisfied with any decision issued by my Department.
157. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport how many aircraft are retained or are on standby at Dublin Airport for medivac duty; the number of medivac missions each aircraft made in the past three years and from which base; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51996/23]
View answerI am not in a position to provide this information as the operation of medivac flights is not a matter in which I have a specific function. The operation of flights of any nature by European operators, including medivac flights, do not require any authorisation from my department. While third country air operators require authorisation for flights, including medivac flights, this data is not collated on the basis of the purpose of the flight.
I am however forwarding your request to daa to provide any information it has directly to you in respect of medivac operations from Dublin Airport. If a response is not received within 10 days, please contact my private office.
158. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update to Dáil Éireann on any examinations or studies being conducted on improving the railway system's ability to carry freight; if the stations at Portarlington, Ballybrophy and Portlaoise have been examined as there is a farmer 'goods store' and storage facilities there. [52015/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rail. The rail freight market in Ireland is open, and currently a commercial arm of Iarnród Éireann is active in the sector.
In line with Action 6 of the Road Haulage Strategy, the Department of Transport is examining the potential for freight consolidation centres with the co-operation of the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Work is ongoing to identify a number of potential high-level demonstrator/pilot projects that could be implemented within a 2–3 year period. Lessons from the pilot projects could inform the development of an overall policy on consolidation centres in the medium term, including how rail could be integrated with the development of such centres.
Opportunities for the growth of rail freight have also been one of the areas under examination as part of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review. This Review will help inform the development of the railway sector on the island of Ireland over the coming decades. The Review has explored opportunities for increasing rail freight’s market share to levels comparable with other Western European countries.
Work on the Review is at an advanced stage. A draft of the All-Ireland Strategic Rail Review was published in July 2023 for the purposes of Strategic Environmental Assessment public consultation. The Strategic Environmental Assessment public consultation phase concluded on 29 September 2023 and received circa 470 submissions. The Department and the project team in Arup are currently reviewing these submissions in cooperation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. It is expected that this review process will conclude in Q4 2023.
It should be noted that this All-Ireland Strategic Rail Review is currently at draft stage and the final Review will not be determined until this review of submissions is complete. Once finalised, it is intended that the final All-Island Strategic Rail Review is published following Government approval in both jurisdictions. It is anticipated that the final report will be put to government in 2024, as well as the Minister for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland if in place. It is expected, therefore, that the final Review will be published next year.
160. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to permit those with Crohn's disease access to a disabled parking permit. [52021/23]
View answerThe disabled parking permit is available to people living in Ireland whose mobility is severely restricted, whether they are drivers or passengers.
In 2010 the Department conducted a review of the scheme, in consultation with numerous stakeholders. One of the issues examined in this review was eligibility. In particular, disability groups were unhappy that a large number of permits were being issued for specific medical conditions, rather than mobility impairment. As a result of this review, permits are now given on the basis of mobility impairment alone, rather than the diagnosis of a particular condition or illness. This is in line with the original intention of the scheme.
My Department appreciates that everyday life with a condition such as Crohn's disease can be challenging. I must emphasise to the Deputy, however, that issuing a large number of extra permits would put the scheme under significant additional pressure and, crucially, compromise the availability of disabled parking spaces for those who need them the most.
The Deputy may wish to note that my Department is currently undertaking a new review of the Disabled Parking Scheme, with a particular focus on eligibility and need.
161. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Transport how many exemption orders for the transport of munitions of war have been granted in each of the last 10 years; how many exemption orders have been issued for munitions destined for Israel in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52117/23]
View answerUnder the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989, the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft in Irish sovereign territory is prohibited, unless granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport.
My Department regularly publishes information related to the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft on the gov.ie website, which is available at this link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/15da60-the-carriage-of-munitions-of-war-on-civil-aircraft/#statistics
The table below details the total number of exemptions granted and, of those, the number of exemptions granted to a flight destined for a point in Israel, from 2013 to 2023 (end October):
|
Year |
Total exemptions granted |
Those destined for a point in Israel |
|
2013 |
704 |
1 |
|
2014 |
590 |
1 |
|
2015 |
826 |
0 |
|
2016 |
813 |
0 |
|
2017 |
919 |
1 |
|
2018 |
1054 |
0 |
|
2019 |
1075 |
0 |
|
2020 |
1165 |
0 |
|
2021 |
989 |
0 |
|
2022 |
1094 |
0 |
|
2023 (end October) |
997 |
0 |
162. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the measures he is taking to tackle and reduce road traffic offenses, particularly given the increasing number of fatalities and serious injuries on our roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52134/23]
View answerThe Road Traffic Measures Bill 2023 was approved for drafting by Cabinet on 17 October. This Bill is being drafted and aims to strengthen our response to the worrying trend of rising road fatalities and serious accident.
It should be noted that the recently passed Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 also introduced a number of measures which will also increase road safety,
In addition, we are continuing work on implementing the Action Plan for Phase 1 of the current Road Safety Strategy, which runs from 2021 to 2024. During the coming year we will also be preparing an Action Plan for Phase 2, 2025 to 2027. This new Action Plan will take account of current trends and emerging issues to prioritise activities in high-impact areas.
163. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if provision will be made to enable persons aged 70 years and over, subject to appropriate medical checks, to drive public service vehicles and vehicles employed on State contracts on behalf of companies under the remit of his Department as difficulties have arisen in many areas with a shortage of qualified drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52156/23]
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 issues raised by the Deputy are an operational matter for the individual PSO bus operators. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the Bus Éíreann, Dublin Bus and Go Ahead for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
164. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport the total costs incurred by his Department arising from the placing of advertisements with the national broadcaster, RTÉ, in any format, for each of the years 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52174/23]
View answer165. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport if there are any plans to review private clamping laws for vehicles in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52179/23]
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.
On 1st October 2017 the National Transport Authority (NTA) assumed its responsibilities as the regulator of vehicle clamping activities in both statutory and non-statutory (privately-owned) clamping places throughout the State.
Therefore, in light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
166. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport if his Department, or any body under the aegis of his Department, has facilitated in-person or remote briefings on any issue by organisations (details supplied) from 2020 to date; if so, the topic discussed; the fees paid to the organisations for these briefings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52201/23]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has not facilitated any in-person or remote briefings with the organisations referred to by the Deputy within the time-frame in question.
As the Deputy’s question also relates to bodies under the aegis of my Department, for completeness, I have referred your question to them for a direct reply. Please advise my Private Office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
167. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Transport his plans to ensure the provision of real time passenger information signage at Broombridge railway station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52216/23]
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 the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the provision of Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) signage.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
168. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to provide free car parking for all staff at Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52220/23]
View answerAs the deputy will be aware, the Shannon Airport Group has the statutory responsibility to operate, manage and develop Shannon Airport.
Accordingly, as the issue raised by the deputy is an operational one, I have forwarded your request to the Group for a direct response. If a response is not received within 10 days, please contact my private office.
