Parliamentary questions

Departmental Contracts

Bríd Smith

195. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the process under which sea air rescue services are intended to be procured in 2023; if there is a review into the operation of the previous contracts; if the Defence Forces will have a role in its future operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25106/21]

Aviation Industry

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

196. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Transport if he will intervene and engage with a company (details supplied) to ensure that no worker at Cork airport will be laid off for ten weeks at the end of 2021. [30185/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ruairí Ó Murchú

197. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport the current supports for the taxi industry, detailing plans for further supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30203/21]

Road Projects

Alan Dillon

198. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Transport the progress being made with the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road project given that it should form a key part of the mid-term review of the National Development Plan 2018-2027; when the project will reach final approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31759/21]

Rail Network

Alan Dillon

199. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Transport the status of the progress of the Strategic Rail Review and work to support the expansion of railway investment including commuter services in urban areas and also regional services such as the Western Rail Corridor. [32453/21]

Air Safety

Bernard Durkan

200. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the action that can be taken to prevent the hijacking of aircraft and passengers en route between two EU states. [29217/21]

Rail Network

Neale Richmond

201. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Transport the status of the 41 new diesel ICR carriages ordered by Irish Rail in 2020 and the 2020 tender process to order up to 600 electric and hybrid battery carriages and their planned use on the Maynooth rail line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32541/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

James O'Connor

202. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on the potential for funding for the subsidisation of children’s PCR and antigen testing inbound and outbound at airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32550/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

James O'Connor

203. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport if he will make funding available to enable PCR and antigen testing at airports in line with the digital Covid certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32551/21]

Aviation Industry

James O'Connor

204. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on the capital expenditure and operational expenditure supports for 2022 for Cork and Shannon airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32557/21]

Rail Network

Paul Murphy

205. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport his views on whether the Public Spending Code requires that the Metrolink Preliminary Business Case to Beechwood, which has been submitted to Government by the NTA, cannot be approved until the main alternative option (details supplied) has been appraised. [32594/21]

Public Transport

Fergus O'Dowd

206. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Transport if further consideration has been given to the introduction of a three-day week taxsaver commuter ticket in view of the clear and evident change in working patterns over the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32596/21]

Taxi Licences

Paul Murphy

207. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered a review of the nine-year rule in regard to the taxi industry; and if older vehicles having passed a strict NCT test could be permitted to operate as taxis. [32598/21]

Driver Test

Brendan Griffin

208. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport if he will clarify a matter (details supplied) regarding driver theory tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32601/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Alan Kelly

209. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport the amount his Department and associated agencies have spent on social media advertising since the beginning of January 2021 until 12 June 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32623/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Alan Kelly

210. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport the amount his Department has spent on social media content production since the beginning of January 2021 until 12 June 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32640/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Alan Kelly

211. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport the amount his Department and all associated agencies have spent on public relations consultancy costs since January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32657/21]

Ports Policy

Éamon Ó Cuív

212. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Port of Dublin is not accepting container trains to and from the west of Ireland; if, he plans speaking to the board and management of the port in relation to this matter in view of the fact that container trains are the most environmentally efficient way of carrying these goods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32673/21]

Driver Test

Brendan Griffin

213. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be given a date for a driving test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32683/21]

Climate Action Plan

Eoin Ó Broin

214. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Transport the current and capital costs involved with each action item in the Interim Climate Action Plan under his Department’s responsibility. [32691/21]

Departmental Policies

Christopher O'Sullivan

215. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline his key policy achievements in his Department since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32727/21]

Equality Issues

Holly Cairns

216. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport the way in which his Department and agencies under his remit are working towards enabling access to employment for persons from minority and or disadvantaged communities, including, but not limited to, persons with disabilities, persons from ethnic minorities, Travellers, Mincéirí; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32749/21]

Rail Network

Bernard Durkan

217. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the extent to which he remains satisfied that the currently proposed extension of DART facilities to north County Kildare sufficiently addresses the needs of the towns such as Naas, Sallins, Celbridge, Hazelhatch as well as Kilcock, Maynooth, Leixlip and Confey having regard to the various concerns expressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32757/21]

Rail Network

Bernard Durkan

218. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport when work on the upgrading and the electrification of the Maynooth rail line is likely to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32758/21]

Rail Network

Bernard Durkan

219. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the extent to which he expects commuter rail passenger numbers to increase when the lines are upgraded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32759/21]

Rail Network

Bernard Durkan

220. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport if he is satisfied regarding the adequacy of health and safety adherence for the north County Kildare commuter rail passengers given the necessity to remain standing for some journeys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32760/21]

Rail Network

Bernard Durkan

221. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport his plans to increase the number of carriages serving the north County Kildare rail commuter routes or alternatively increasing the frequency of trains thereby improving the service for commuters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32761/21]

Aviation Industry

Bernard Durkan

222. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the extent to which he expects to be in a position to assist the aviation sector post-Covid given the pressures experienced by airlines in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32762/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bernard Durkan

223. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport if the use of high quality air purifiers has been considered as a means of reducing the potential spread of Covid-19 throughout the transport sector including air, rail and bus transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32763/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bernard Durkan

224. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport if he remains satisfied that travel reduction targets for the transport sector in general continues to be attainable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32764/21]

Transport Policy

Bernard Durkan

225. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of capital investment in the transport sector for the foreseeable future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32766/21]

Greenways Provision

Catherine Murphy

226. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the status of the progress made to date on establishing a greenway from Leixlip to Maynooth along the royal canal; if he will provide the amount funded and or granted to that section in 2021; and if he will confirm if that section will be designated as an official greenway on the Dublin to Galway national cycle route. [32783/21]

Aviation Industry

Darren O'Rourke

227. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of providing a rebate directly to airlines of all Dublin Airport charges and air navigation charges as recommended in the Taskforce for Aviation Recovery report from July 2020. [32793/21]

Aviation Industry

Darren O'Rourke

228. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of providing a common fixed amount per passenger to regional airports; as recommended in the Taskforce for Aviation Recovery report from July 2020. [32801/21]

Road Network

Mattie McGrath

229. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport if the level of funding awarded to Tipperary County Council will be increased ahead of the next three year roadworks programme in order to assist the Council’s roads development to promptly improve the road network which has been ranked as 29th out of 31 local authorities by the National Oversight and Audit Commission for road condition. [30932/21]

Driver Test

Jackie Cahill

59. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Transport if a driver theory test will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32143/21]

Driver Test

Jackie Cahill

60. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on the plans of the Road Safety Authority to recommence the process of offering cancelled appointments to those applying for driver theory tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32144/21]

Rail Network

Brendan Howlin

61. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if the reopening of the Wexford to Waterford rail line is to be considered as part of the Strategic Rail Review now underway; his views pending the outcome of this strategic review of the decision of Irish Rail to secure the Barrow Bridge in a permanently open position; his views on whether this action has implications for any future use of the bridge for rail or as part of a potential greenway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32168/21]

Driver Test

Pádraig O'Sullivan

62. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport when a person (details supplied) will receive a date for a driver theory test in view that it has been cancelled on numerous occasions previously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32176/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Darren O'Rourke

63. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the additional air circulation or filtration measures that have been installed in train carriages since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic given that most train carriages do not have windows that can open for air circulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32177/21]

Driver Test

Paul Kehoe

64. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Transport the arrangements being put in place to facilitate driver theory tests in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32198/21]

Driver Test

Paul Kehoe

65. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Transport when driving lessons are to resume for non-essential workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32199/21]

Driver Test

Paul Kehoe

66. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Transport when driving tests will resume for non-essential workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32200/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Darren O'Rourke

67. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the measures he is putting in place to assist driver instructors with the cost of restarting their sector; if he has engaged with unions representing driver instructors on the challenges the sector is facing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32229/21]

Driver Test

Seán Sherlock

68. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport if a theory test examination will be expedited in order that a person (details supplied) can commence work. [32235/21]

Driver Test

Michael Ring

69. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Transport if an urgent driver theory test can be arranged for a frontline worker (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32284/21]

Departmental Policies

John McGuinness

70. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport the reason the recording of licences issued to fly drones on a county by county basis was discontinued; if this method of recording will be restored; the number of staff attached to the licensing and the enforcement sections; the number of drone licence operators that have availed of the training for basic piloting of drones out of the total 2,500 licence holders; the way in which a member of the public can verify the credentials of a licence holder; the number of times the IAA has had to use its enforcement powers; the number of administrative fines that have been issued since 2020; the number of complaints received by the IAA in relation to a perceived breach of European regulations or Irish law; if he plans to review and strengthen the Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32293/21]

Fishing Industry

Jennifer Whitmore

71. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider raising an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32297/21]

Road Projects

Ruairí Ó Murchú

72. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to include provisions for cycling and walking along the new realignment of the N53 Hackballscross to Rassan, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32299/21]

Driver Test

Seán Sherlock

73. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport if an essential worker (details supplied) will be offered an online theory test appointment or a physical theory test appointment in their own county. [32309/21]