Written Answers Nos. 172-185
172. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport the number and location of public transport stations across rail, Luas and bus network that provide lockers for short-term storage of personal belongings, and the equivalent cost per hour of same, in tabular form. [53500/23]
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 the planning and development of public transport infrastructure.The issue raised by the Deputy in relation to lockers is a matter for the NTA and the operators, Iarnród Éireann, Transdev, Bus Éireann, and Dublin Bus. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA and the operators for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do not receive replies within ten working days.
173. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Transport his plans to enable the safe removal of diseased roadside ash trees from land owned by farmers who cannot pay private contractors for the safe removal of such trees; if he will consider the removal of such roadside trees a road safety priority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53646/23]
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.
Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993 sets out the responsibility of landowners to take all reasonable steps to ensure that trees, hedges and other vegetation growing on their land are not, or could not become, a danger to people using a public road or interfere with the safe use of a public road or the maintenance of a public road. This responsibility includes the 'the preservation, felling, cutting, lopping, trimming or removal of such tree, shrub, hedge or other vegetation' in question.
As such, the implementation of the legislation and the management of hedge cutting operations is a matter for local authorities and landowners. My Department has no plans to grant-aid the cutting or removal of trees infected with ash dieback.
174. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport if his Department operates an X account (formerly Twitter) or any other social media account, and if such accounts are verified through a subscription fee; the policy in place that guides when any of these accounts can ‘like’, endorse or support a posting on X or other social media platforms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53665/23]
View answerThe Department of Transport has active social media accounts which represent the Department on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
The Department also manages the social media accounts for:
• Zero Emissions Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), an office within the Department, on X, LinkedIn and Facebook.
• The Irish Coast Guard, a division within the Irish Maritime Directorate (IMD) at the Department of Transport, on X and Facebook.
The social media accounts for the Department of Transport, Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) and the Irish Coast Guard are managed by authorised staff.
However, social media pages affiliated to specific Coast Guard units are managed separately by volunteers in that unit and not by the Department of Transport.
The Department keeps its use of all social media platforms under review for safety and has a social media policy that is published online: www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/679ae6-department-of-transport-tourism-and-sport-twitter-policy/
The Department’s policy states that “Retweets and Shares are not endorsement – the purpose of resharing of content is for sharing information and does not imply any endorsement of the message tweeted/posted or the individual or organisation that tweeted/posted it .”
The Department is not currently subscribed (via subscription fee) to any verification offering.
175. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the number of learner drivers per week to date in 2023 that failed to turn up for their scheduled driving test appointment; the number of driving tests lost through these no-shows; his plans to introduce measures to ensure that learner permit holders sit a driving test before they can obtain a subsequent learner permit from the RSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53684/23]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service and the information requested is held by that agency. I have therefore referred the questions to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.At a policy level, the Phase 1 action plan for the Government's Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 has an action to reduce the incidence of learner drivers holding a third or subsequent learner permit, including through measures to promote the taking of a test by learners. All citizens are entitled to feel safe on our roads and successfully passing the National Driving Test is a demonstration of competent, safe driving skills.
As part of plans to reduce the number of people on a third or subsequent consecutive learner permit, the Department and the Authority are considering a range of measures. These include reviewing the permit application process and assessing the driver testing service capacity in order to accommodate a potential spike in the demand for driving tests. The driver training curriculum is also under review to ensure it is fit for purpose and future proofed.
176. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider reinstating the 76 bus route from Chapelizod to Tallaght Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53699/23]
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 the scheduling and timetabling 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 question in relation to reinstating the 76 bus route from Chapelizod to Tallaght Hospital, to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
177. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to increase the number of bus routes or the frequency of existing routes for the Chapelizod area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53700/23]
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 the scheduling and timetabling 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 question in relation to increasing the number of bus routes or the frequency of existing routes for the Chapelizod area, to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
178. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding the Blessington inner relief road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53720/23]
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 these 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.
Wicklow County Council are intending on progressing the Blessington inner relief road, which I understand is predominantly developer led. Wicklow County Council has recently submitted an application to my Department for a contribution of funding in 2024 towards the inner relief road and this is under consideration by my Department. The 2024 regional and local road grant allocations will be finalised following the publication of the Revised Estimates Volume and will take into account the expenditure outturn on projects and programmes in the preceding year. Within the budget available, the objective is to allocate funding to eligible local authorities on as equitable a basis as possible taking the length of the road network into account. The main focus of the grants continues to be the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network.
179. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider changing one of the c-spine bus routes to pass through Chapelizod village to provide additional bus services to people living in Chapelizod; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53722/23]
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 five-year 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. It is a key part of the Government’s policy to improve public transport and help address climate change.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including BusConnects Dublin.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, and your request relating to services in Chapelizod, 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.
180. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport when a bus driver licence will issue to a person (details supplied) who has passed all relevant tests and is urgently required by their employer to begin work as a bus driver; the length of time, on average, it takes to issue a bus licence following the successful completion of all test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53735/23]
View answerAll enquires relating to driver licensing are handled by the National Driver Licence Service, the provision of which I have delegated to the Road Safety Authority (RSA) under the relevant legislation. My department does not have access to individual applications.
Due to data protection rules regarding the sharing of personal data, you will need to contact the RSA directly on this matter.
181. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport for an update in relation to the Lucan to city centre BusConnects scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53760/23]
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 five-year 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. It is a key part of the Government’s policy to improve public transport and help address climate change.
The “C-Spine” commenced on 28th November 2021 and serves the communities of Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Lucan, Adamstown, Liffey Valley and Palmerstown to the City Centre as well as Ringsend and Sandymount.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) have advised that they intend to implement an increase in the frequency on certain C spine routes, to help meet increasing passenger demand on the service, subject to operational readiness and the availability of resources, particularly drivers and mechanical staff.
The NTA has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including BusConnects Dublin. 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.
182. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport for an update in relation to the accuracy of the real time tracking of Dublin Bus services, and how this is being improved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53775/23]
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 the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the provision of Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) signage.The issue raised by the Deputy regarding the accuracy of real time information provided in relation to Dublin Bus services would be a matter for both Dublin Bus and the NTA. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to both Dublin Bus and the NTA for direct response. Please advise my private office if you do not receive replies within ten working days.
183. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport how much his Department has spent on advertising on a website (details supplied) for each of the years 2019 to 2022 and to date 2023, in tabular form; and whether his Department will still run advertisements on the platform going forward due to issues. [53810/23]
View answerThe Department of Transport has utilised advertising on X (formerly Twitter) to support information and communication campaigns.
The Department has not placed paid advertisements on X since early 2023. The Department keeps all forms of communication to the public, including social media advertising, under consistent review in order to maximise effectiveness.
The Department’s social media policy is published online: www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/679ae6-department-of-transport-tourism-and-sport-twitter-policy/.
Expenditure across X (Twitter) from 2019 – 2023 TYD was as follows:
|
Year |
Expenditure on X Advertising (incl VAT) |
|
2019 |
n/a |
|
2020 |
n/a |
|
2021 |
n/a |
|
2022 |
€ 9,155.37 |
|
2023 (YTD) |
€ 5,775.87 |
184. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update in respect of his and the NTA's plans to establish a transport transfer and parking up at Castletown House grounds. [53821/23]
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 provision of transport hubs/park and ride facilities.
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.
185. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport whether it is intended to provide extra roads funding in 2024 to the climate action fund for roads to help alleviate the problem of flooding on roads, particularly where in coastal regions with only one access road, where, due to rising tides, roads flood more frequently and for longer periods in periods of spring tides; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53824/23]
View answer186. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport whether it is intended to provide extra roads funding in 2024 to the climate action fund for roads to heighten and improve causeways to islands and other areas along the coast totally dependent on same to ensure they can withstand higher tides and more frequent storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53825/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together.
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is a matter for each local authority.
Each year the regional and local road network suffers deterioration due to severe weather and climate effects. Damage can be caused by excessive rainfall, fluctuating temperatures, erosion of embankments and retaining structures due to tidal and river flow and severe weather events. In some instances the damage can be significant, resulting in the infrastructure becoming impassable until it can be repaired and re-opened. This can impact on strategic ‘lifeline’ roads serving hospitals, schools and population centres with very few or no alternative routes. The frequency with which these roads and bridges are impacted is increasing.With a view addressing this issue in a more systematic way, the Department together with the Climate Adaptation Regional Offices (CARO) has developed systems to allow local authorities identify and apply for funding for locations most susceptible to climate change. This facilitates targeted funding to these vulnerable areas. In 2021, the Department introduced a climate change adaptation and resilience grant programme. This year €16.2 million was allocated to this grant category to help restore and future proof our regional and local road network. Galway County received an allocation of nearly €1.17m under this grant type in 2023, while Galway City received an allocation of €95,000.
The 2024 regional and local road grant allocations will be finalised following the publication of the Revised Estimates Volume and will take into account the expenditure outturn on projects and programmes in the preceding year. Within the budget available, the objective is to allocate funding to eligible local authorities on as equitable a basis as possible taking the length of the road network into account. The main focus of the grants continues to be the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network.
