Parliamentary questions

Tourism Promotion

Seán Kyne

130. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has plans to intensify the use of the railways in promoting tourism such as rail tours which are an exemplary way of attracting tourists and visitors Dublin to the regions outside of Dublin. [8378/13]

Public Transport Provision

Mick Wallace

131. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason public bus and rail services do not operate in conjunction with the scheduled timetables of passenger ferries at Rosslare Harbour Europort, County Wexford, resulting in substantial delays for tourists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8372/13]

Road Traffic Accidents Data

Heather Humphreys

133. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a county by county breakdown of road fatalities in 2012; if he will provide comparable figures for each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8374/13]

Road Network

Robert Troy

134. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the situation with regard to the provision of service stations on the M6 between Athlone and Moate, County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8532/13]

Road Safety Strategy

Niall Collins

135. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the new Road Safety Strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8542/13]

Marine Safety

Noel Harrington

136. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his efforts to improve safety at sea; the consultations he has had with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8395/13]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Jonathan O'Brien

137. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason funding applications by Dublin City Council under the sports capital programme were rejected for Brickfield Park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8608/13]

Sports Capital Programme Expenditure

Pat Breen

138. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport following on from the Sports Capital programme for 2012, if he intends to introduce a new scheme for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8602/13]

Smarter Transport

Eoghan Murphy

139. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide information on the status of the Smarter Transport Bill 2011 and any forthcoming legislation from his Department that might include elements of it. [8386/13]

The Gathering Initiatives

Barry Cowen

140. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the Gathering 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8540/13]

Rail Services

Timmy Dooley

141. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a progress report on CIE’s attempts to rectify its financial situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8538/13]

Tourism Industry

Jerry Buttimer

142. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the fact that it is ten years since the publication of the last tourism policy document, New Horizons, if he will develop a new policy; if so, if he will provide details of the way he intends to do so; if in his new policy he will treat Cork as a separate and distinct region in view of its size as Ireland's largest county and that it is home to one ninth of the total number of people living in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8376/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

John Halligan

143. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 888 of 5 February 2013, and his commitment of taking up the issue of €20,000 payment of a car allowance to the CEO of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, if he will now agree to take up this issue with the acting chairperson instead as it is unclear when a new chairperson will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8646/13]

Public Service Obligation Services

Seán Kyne

144. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport while being mindful of the social good that public transport services represents as well as their importance particularly in more rural areas, if his attention has been drawn to the Competition Authority’s submission on public transport which highlights the significant savings internationally from tendering out public service obligation services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8379/13]

Airport Development Projects

Pat Breen

145. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the development of the new Shannon Airport Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8601/13]

Tourism Industry

Joe McHugh

146. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the fact that it is ten years since the publication of the last tourism policy document, New Horizons, if he will develop a new policy; if so, if he will provide details of the way he intends to do so; if he will refer specifically to new policy objectives for the British market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8383/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

John Halligan

147. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 890 of 5 February 2013, the matter of the overpayment to a board member at the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company is the subject of legal action, this means that the board member in question has refused to repay the moneys owing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8647/13]

Human Rights Issues

Martin Ferris

148. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has seen the recent report from Open Society Justice Initiative which found that 54 countries had helped to facilitate the CIA's secret detention, rendition and interrogation programme in the years after 11 September 2001, including Ireland; if he will be investigating these findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8581/13]

Roads Maintenance Funding

Andrew Doyle

149. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the 16.5 km road upgrade on the N11 between Rathnew and Arklow, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8495/13]

Public Procurement Contracts Expenditure

Brian Stanley

150. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount the State paid in subsidies to toll operators due to low traffic numbers in 2012; the projected cost of these subsidies for 2013; and the work he has done to renegotiate these subsidies. [8579/13]

Marine Safety

Joe McHugh

151. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his efforts to improve safety at sea; the consultations that he has had with the Department of Agriculture and Marine in this area; the consultations he has had with his Ministerial counterparts in Stormont and at Westminster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8382/13]

Public Transport Provision

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

152. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to increase and improve facilities for taxis particularly in built-up areas like Dublin city centre in view of the current shortage of ranks which is not simply a result of oversupply. [8584/13]

Rail Network

Micheál Martin

153. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his assessment of Iarnrod Éireann’s prospects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8549/13]

Waste Management

Dessie Ellis

154. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reopen Dunsink Lane linking Finglas to Castleknock, Dublin, in view of the resolution of many of the issues which resulted in its closure. [8576/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

Thomas Pringle

155. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 890 of 5 February 2013, the matter of the overpayment to a board member at the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company is the subject of legal action, this means that the board member in question has refused to repay the moneys owing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8575/13]

Alcohol Advertising

Michael McGrath

156. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views that a ban on sponsorship by alcohol companies would be detrimental to sport in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8550/13]

Coillte Teoranta Lands

Mary Lou McDonald

157. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the research his Department has conducted on the impact that the sale of the Coillte forest crop will have on tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8606/13]

Tourism Promotion

Patrick O'Donovan

159. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of consultation that has taken place with the Office of Public Works in relation to broadening the Greening initiative for the St. Patrick's Day programme for this year to other public buildings, including State and Government buildings such as Dáil Éireann and the Department of an Taoiseach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8373/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

Thomas Pringle

160. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 888 of 5 February 2013, and his commitment of taking up the issue of €20,000 payment of a car allowance to the CEO of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, if he will now agree to take up this issue with the acting chairperson instead as it is unclear when a new chairperson will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8574/13]

Coillte Teoranta Lands

Pearse Doherty

161. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that any plans to sell off the State’s forest assets pose a serious threat to the use of these forests by the people of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8605/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

Joan Collins

162. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 890 of 5 February 2013, the matter of the overpayment to a board member at the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company is the subject of legal action, this means that the board member in question has refused to repay the moneys owing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8573/13]

Public Transport Provision

Mary Lou McDonald

163. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the impact assessments that are carried out by his Department when deciding on funding cuts to public services like Bus Éireann in order to establish the likely impact on service and potential for resulting industrial disputes. [8585/13]

Tourism Promotion

Michael McGrath

164. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the action he will take to reverse the decline in visitor numbers from Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8545/13]

Smarter Transport

Eoghan Murphy

165. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to further encourage the use of more sustainable transport solutions by allowing local authorities to create bye-laws to regulate the use of electric vehicles, car clubs and so on. [8497/13]

Road Safety Strategy

John Browne

166. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for a new Road Safety Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8558/13]

Public Service Obligation Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

167. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to deregulate the provision of public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8557/13]

Road Traffic Legislation

Thomas P. Broughan

169. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has had discussions with the Department of Justice and Equality on the implementation of section 63 of the 2010 Road Traffic Act in District Courts; if he is considering any other measures to ensure the robustness of the system to endorse the licences of motorists who have incurred penalty points for driving offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8393/13]

Road Network

Gerry Adams

170. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress being made with the A5 project; and the funding promised from his Department in order to complete this transport link. [8583/13]

Aviation Issues

John McGuinness

171. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects to bring forward a new aviation strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8547/13]

Public Procurement Contracts Expenditure

Clare Daly

172. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the moneys already paid for the acquisition of the West Link Toll Bridge by the State and monies due to be paid annually to 2020. [8380/13]

National Monuments

Maureen O'Sullivan

173. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the Fáilte Ireland report in relation to the Moore Street battlefield site and independence trail, Dublin, as requested by him will be published. [4260/13]

The Gathering Initiatives

Olivia Mitchell

174. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the Gathering 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8397/13]

Homeless Persons Supports

Martin Ferris

175. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure that the Big Issue street leagues receive adequate funding to ensure their survival; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8609/13]

Alcohol Advertising

Dara Calleary

176. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his position on sports sponsorship by alcohol companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8536/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

Joe Higgins

177. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 890 of 5 February 2013, the matter of the overpayment to a board member at the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company is the subject of legal action, this means that the board member in question has refused to repay the moneys owing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8571/13]

Road Network

Robert Troy

178. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is intended to provide a motorway service area on the M6 between Athlone and Moate, County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8533/13]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Seán Crowe

179. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason funding applications under the sports capital programme by Dublin City Council in respect of Willie Pearse Park were rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8607/13]

Sale of State Assets

Olivia Mitchell

181. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the implications of a takeover of Aer Lingus by Ryanair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8396/13]

Sale of State Assets

Kieran O'Donnell

182. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the implications of a takeover of Aer Lingus by Ryanair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8462/13]

Public Transport Provision

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

183. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the progress made to date with the Luas cross line project; the stage the project is at; the amount that has been spent to date on same; and the current estimated date of completion. [8582/13]