As the Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach are unavoidably absent I now invite nominations for a temporary Chair.
Quarterly Update on Matters relating to Minister of State's Remit: Discussion
Clerk to the Committee
I nominate Senator Gerry Horkan.
I second that.
Clerk to the Committee
Is that agreed? Agreed. I now invite Senator Horkan to take the Chair.
Senator Gerry Horkan took the Chair.
The purpose of today's meeting is for the joint committee to receive a quarterly update on matters relating to the Minister of State's remit. We are joined by the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Jack Chambers, and his officials. I welcome the Minister of State. I think it his first meeting of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications.
Before I ask the Minister of State to deliver his opening statement I will read the note on privilege. Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if a statement is potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, witnesses will be directed to discontinue such remarks. Compliance with an such direction is imperative.
Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her, identifiable. I remind Members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings.
I will not permit members to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask members partaking via Microsoft Teams to confirm, prior to making their contributions, that they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus. If attending in the committee room, members are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19.
I invite the Minister of State to make his opening remarks.
I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and all committee members for inviting me here this afternoon to discuss my remit at the Department of Transport since my appointment in mid-December. Since my appointment as Minister of State with special responsibility for international and road transport and logistics, I have sought to progress work relating to road transport and road safety, maritime and ports, as well as aviation and airports. As members will know, I also have responsibility for postal policy but I believe the committee would like me to focus on transport specifically.
Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the informal meeting of transport and energy ministers in Stockholm. This was a good opportunity to discuss many of our shared priorities with my European colleagues. I have also spent time meeting key transport stakeholders and agencies, including Rosslare Europort, the Dublin Port Company, the Irish Aviation Authority and Shannon Airport. I have also met some of the Irish Coast Guard’s volunteers, who provide an extraordinary and vital service for the country in saving lives at sea. In the coming weeks, I will meet with other key stakeholders including Cork Airport and the Port of Cork to discuss shared priorities.
Road safety is a key priority for me and I will lead efforts to ensure our roads are as safe as possible for everyone. My approach is about saving lives and preventing serious injuries for all who use our roads and my starting point is recognising that road deaths or serious injuries should not be the price to pay for our mobility. However, up to 14 March, 40 lives have been lost on our roads this year. This represents an increase of four in the number of deaths on our road compared with the position that obtained at the same time last year. These are not just statistics; they represent 40 people who set out on journeys and never came home. Behind each of those numbers is a tragedy and a family left behind or changed forever. We must also not forget that in addition to those who have lost their lives on the roads, many have been seriously injured. In 2022, the number in this regard was more than 1,200.
The fifth road safety strategy has a target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030 and achieving Vision Zero, which is no deaths or serious injuries on Irish roads, by 2050. The strategy recognises that there is no silver bullet. Human error and human frailty are a reality and must be accommodated in our road traffic system. It also emphasises that there is a shared responsibility for road safety across all parts of this system, from road users themselves to how our roads and vehicles are designed to how we provide emergency care for those involved in a collision. Every day, weekend or week without a road death or serious injury in our communities is Vision Zero in action. The Road Safety Authority, RSA, has overall responsibility for overseeing implementation of the road safety strategy and reports to me regularly on implementation progress. The first annual review of the road safety strategy was held on 2 February this year with the aim of setting priorities for 2023, focusing on reversing the trend in fatalities seen in 2022 and progressing actions in the strategy. Revised ministerial priorities were proposed and agreed at the ministerial committee on road safety, which was held this morning.
The Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 will legislate for e-scooters and e-bikes and also addresses a programme for Government commitment to address the antisocial use of scramblers. Once the Bill is passed, as with any other class of vehicle, regulations will have to be made for the construction, equipment and use of e-scooters. Under EU law we must allow a three-month consultation period on the technical specifications before the regulations are brought in. It will, as the committee is no doubt aware, only be legal to use e-scooters in a public place when these regulations are in place.
I am deeply concerned and frustrated at the delays and backlogs facing the National Car Testing Service, NCTS, since the beginning of 2022, as are many members of this committee. The average waiting time for the NCT is now just over 27 days. The wait time prior to Covid was 12 days. The increase is largely due to an EU-wide shortage of qualified mechanics. The NCTS is working to increase test capacity and reduce average waiting times. Testing capacity has increased significantly since December in light of the ongoing recruitment of vehicle inspectors. In recent weeks, 35,000 full tests were completed on average each week. In comparison, an average of 25,000 tests per week were carried out in December. Other measures being taken to tackle the backlog include recruitment campaigns nationally and within and outside the EU. Staff overtime has increased, allowing testers to carry out 12 tests each per day, and a priority waiting list is in place for motorists to avail of cancellations. Some 55 additional non-EU testers have been identified and are currently going through the work visa process. It is anticipated that these testers will be in place by mid- to late April. In addition, I have instructed the Department of Transport officials to continue holding weekly meetings with the RSA to closely monitor progress in reducing test delays and to assist with any other issues or challenges which may arise. While I remain frustrated with these delays, the RSA is doing everything possible to work towards a target average waiting time of 12 days, which it has stated it aims to achieve by the end of June.
The Government published Ireland’s Road Haulage Strategy 2022–2031 in December, following two phases of public consultation. Implementation of the short-term actions contained in the strategy has begun. Progress in this regard will be monitored by a new road freight forum, which consists of relevant stakeholders from the Government, relevant agencies and the haulage and road freight sector. I recently announced that logistics and supply chain skills week, an initiative of the logistics and supply chain skills group, which was founded in 2019 by the Department of Transport, will take place next week from 27 March to 1 April. This is an important week for a sector that is at the heart of our economy. The objective of the initiative is to promote the sector to students, new entrants and career changers, as well as highlight the skills needed in the industry now and into the future. As many members know, the road transport and freight sector is facing a significant driver shortage. In addition, there are many job opportunities available in the wider logistics sector. We need to do all we can to make jobseekers and students, as well as those looking for a career change, aware of all of the many opportunities available in the sector. There will be a mix of in-person and online events at national and regional level. I will formally launch the initiative to which I refer in Rosslare Europort next week.
A review of the national aviation policy, which was published in 2015, will commence this year. The current national aviation policy was published in August 2015 and continues to guide aviation policy. The principal goals of the policy are to enhance Ireland's connectivity, foster the growth of aviation enterprise and maximise the contribution of aviation to Ireland's sustainable economic growth and development. A mid-term review of the regional airports programme 2021-25 will also be carried out. The review will explore how international connectivity to and from the regions can be maintained and enhanced.
Significant disruption was caused at Dublin Airport recently due to illegal drone activity near or on the airfield, with operations at the airport having been suspended on six separate occasions since late January. Illegal drone activity presents safety risks to aviation, leading to diverted and delayed flights and severe disruption to passenger journeys. The Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, has a drone detection system in place and it has been used to support enforcement activity. Two cases are before the courts. Government agreement was secured on 7 of March to appoint the DAA to purchase and deploy a counter-drone technology solution at the airport as a matter of urgency. This is an immediate and interim response to the risks posed by illegal drone use at Dublin Airport. The Government will consider tasking an existing State agency to select and deploy counter-drone technology more broadly to protect critical infrastructure, including our airports, in the medium to longer term. The DAA is already examining technological solutions and once it receives the necessary regulatory approvals it should be in a position to deploy a system within a matter of weeks. The Department also intends to publish a national policy framework for unmanned aircraft systems, UAS, this year to set out the vision, strategy and priorities for the development of the UAS sector in Ireland.
The last ports policy was published in March 2013. The core objective of the national ports policy, NPP, is to facilitate a competitive and effective market for maritime transport services. The review of the national ports policy will commence this year with the publication of an issues paper for public consultation in the third quarter of 2023. It is anticipated that all stages of the review will be completed in the second half of 2024, with a new ports policy document submitted for Government approval at that time.
The Department is working to facilitate offshore renewable energy, ORE, in relation to the provision of port infrastructure to facilitate the development of offshore renewable energy. This will support the work of the offshore wind energy programme and offshore wind delivery task force objectives to deploy at least 7 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030, as well as supporting the development of ORE infrastructure and capabilities, fixed and floating, by maximising use of Irish ports. The Department is also exploring the availability of funding streams to support the delivery of ORE-related port projects and will produce guidance documentation to allow for safe navigation of vessels around ORE installations.
In line with NDP objectives and national ports policy, the State ports are continuing to progress projects under their master plans. These non-exchequer-funded investments will enhance Ireland’s capacity and connectivity and will allow the ports to respond to market needs, handle increases in ship sizes and frequency and serve the import and export needs of the economy.
The 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 programme is a key part of reducing congestion around schools and encourages more students to walk or cycle to school. I am pleased to inform the committee that the scheme has proven to be extremely popular, with 931 applications received from schools across every county in Ireland. Some 170 schools were notified on 21 June 2021 that they were selected for inclusion in the first round of the programme. Subsequently, two schools have deferred their applications and one school has withdrawn, leaving 167 schools in round one. It should be noted that all schools that applied to the programme for applications were accepted into the programme, and if not selected in round one will be selected in forthcoming rounds. In December, 108 additional schools were announced for round two of the safe routes to school programme, bringing the number of schools actively involved in the programme to 275. The safe routes to schools team in the NTA and An Taisce are in the process of beginning to engage with round two schools.
I will conclude on that point and I look forward to having the opportunity to hear the committee’s views and take any questions.
I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive opening statement. I will now move to members. Our first contributor is Deputy O'Rourke, who has four minutes. He will also have one minute to wrap up.
I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive update. He is covering a lot in the brief. My question is in relation to the drones at Dublin Airport. There has been some welcome progress there, but the DAA are saying they are exploring options depending on regulatory approval. Is it a priority for the Minister of State to put those regulations in place? How quickly does he expect things to move?
To give a further update on that, the drone technology has been purchased. The DAA have purchased that and the process around purchasing the specific equipment involved has concluded. They are finalising the regulatory and training process at the moment with the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, and a statutory instrument will probably be required through the Irish Aviation Authority to operationalise the drone technology. That is proceeding at pace. It is a priority for me.
Separately, and in parallel to that, the wider objective is to ensure the State takes a broader response to this. That is why there is now a structure between Departments that will report by the middle of the year on the wider State response to this. It will be on critical infrastructure and will relate to other airports as well. Those are the two pieces of work. We will have it deployed and operational within weeks.
An issue that has been raised with the Minister of State in the past is the suggestion - and obviously this is a suggestion that chimes very well with some people - regarding the requirement to have a qualified driver along with a learner driver who is on a learner permit, given current delays in getting driver tests. I know this is custom and practice at this stage. However, is that position evidence-based? Is there a certain basis for the current practice? Is it something the Minister of State is considering reviewing in light of the driver test backlog, or would it be considered too much of a risk? If so, what evidence is this based on?
On the previous point, I will just say that the statutory instrument has actually been made by the Irish Aviation Authority around the regulatory process.
On the other point, there is a sound evidence base in ensuring any learner driver has a qualified driver with him or her. My priority is to address the long waiting times we have seen. We are finalising a business case within the Department - and I hope to be able to make an announcement on that very shortly - on increasing capacity within our driver testing system. There is a young demographic that wants to drive and there has been a massively increased demand, so the additional testers who were recruited last year have not reduced the backlog. The additional testers have been distributed across the 18 centres across the country where there are the highest levels of demand. However, on the broader point, I would not like to compromise the road safety principles, because the solution sits with better capacity. My objective will be to conclude the business case as quickly as possible, to commence the recruitment of additional testers and to try to address the unacceptable times that are facing many people, including the learner drivers who have waited many years to get a test.
I have two final quick questions. There was an indication that there would be an announcement about the additional funding for hauliers. I do not know if that has been made or whether it will be made sometime soon. What might that look like?
On the issue of the National Car Test, NCT, delays - and the Minister of State touched on the subject there - what are the average waiting times now? Are they down on the 26-day period they had been stubbornly stuck on?
As I said, there are 55 non-EU testers being recruited at the moment. We expect they will be in place by mid-April. That should bring the testing capacity to approximately 40,000 per week. The average waiting time at the moment is 28 days. The priority waiting list is reducing, though. As the Deputy will be aware, it was over 60,000 and it is now below 50,000. Obviously, this has been unacceptable. Applus have not fulfilled their contract and we are seeking to impose penalties. The Road Safety Authority, RSA, are in that-----
The funding for hauliers?
Approximately one month ago, I announced the haulage support scheme, which is €18 million. The applications for that commenced this week and are being administered by prioritising the smallest cohort of hauliers first. Then it is weighted and the allocations are spread out from there, where there is an increased allocation from one to five vehicles. However, the haulage support scheme is now open for applications.
The next contributor is Deputy Matthews, who has four minutes.
The Minister of State is welcome and I thank him for his opening statement. He covered a lot of ground in it. I want to concentrate on the road safety aspect of his brief.
Previously, the Road Safety Authority was before the committee, as were An Garda Síochána and cyclist advocacy groups. Following the meeting, I contacted the assistant commissioner to look for figures for fines for people who have parked in cycle lanes. The figures that came back would make you ask yourself why we bother putting in cycle lanes at all.
I have the national figures here. One person per day is fined for parking on a cycle path. That is the average: one person per day. There were 350 fines in 2021 and the figure for 2022 is quite similar and not much better. I broke those figures down to see what they were in my constituency in Wicklow. Fewer than ten people in a year were fined for parking in a cycle path. There were fewer than ten in 2021, although we did much better in 2022, when 20 people were fined for parking on a cycle path.
The Minister of State knows well that we could walk through any town, village, city or suburb in Ireland and we would see cars on footpaths, on cycle lanes and in disability bays. The Minister of State also knows we agreed in the programme for Government, which he was involved in negotiating, that we would invest significantly in active transport, including cycle infrastructure and pedestrian infrastructure. This was to make routes safe for children to walk to school and to make it safer for people to cycle, not just because it is better for congestion, but because it is a climate adaptation measure.
I wonder where the breakdown is here. As a Government, we have committed to spend on this nationally. The Government's direction is to prioritise active travel, public transport, etc., but we do not seem to have that support from An Garda Síochána to enforce it.
We can put in the infrastructure but we rely on the Garda to enforce the law.
I acknowledge that An Garda Síochána does a wonderful job, and that the force is stretched and busy. A response to a parliamentary question I tabled states that "Gardaí pay particular attention to the four lifesaver offences, speeding, intoxicated driving, mobile phone use while driving and non-wearing of safety belts". Of course, gardaí should concentrate on that. If a person parks a vehicle on a footpath or cycle lane, and there is absolutely no reason not to because people know it is highly unlikely they will be fined and there is no punishment for the crime, but the person who parks in such a space will force children who are walking to school out on to the roadway and force cyclists into unsafe conditions. Not parking recklessly is a lifesaver action and gardaí are not supporting us. I would like the Minister of State's view on that. I ask him to liaise with the Minister for Justice and emphasise to him that the Garda needs to focus on this matter. The evidence here is that they are not or certainly they are not applying the law or fines.
I remind colleagues that each member has between three and five minutes and Deputy Matthews has spent three minutes on his opening statement. He made valid points but we are very short on time. As we must be out of here by 4 p.m., I ask members to keep their questions as short as possible to allow the Minister of State more time to respond. I wish to emphasise that what I have said is not a criticism of the Deputy.
I accept that and the Minister of State can give me a response some other time.
I acknowledge the Deputy's concerns. Part of the reason for investment in the safe routes to schools scheme, the overall capital project and the active travel policy is to enhance the infrastructure to promote active travel. This morning, the road safety ministerial committee met the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Deputy James Browne, in the Department of Justice. Assistant Commissioner Hilman was also present. This year, one of the seven key priorities for me as Minister of State is enforcement and this morning we had a lengthy discussion on strengthening enforcement in a number of areas. Speed is one area but that ripples down into other areas in terms of local policing plans. I will reflect the Deputy's feedback at the next ministerial road safety committee meeting. Targeted enforcement is really important, particularly as we enhance investment in active travel infrastructure.
If the fines that accrue from fixed charge notices were to go back to the Department of Justice or An Garda Síochána, would that assist with the process? I understand that a fixed charge notice can take up a lot of Garda time going to court, etc. but the funding goes back into central government. Would it be more beneficial to road safety if the punishment was sufficient enough to prevent the crime?
Could the Minister of State to liaise with the Minister for Health to get the data from the HSE on minor and serious injuries that are recorded in hospitals, as that data may not necessarily be recorded by the Garda? When it comes to injuries suffered by cyclists and pedestrians, the data would help us to get a fuller picture of the impact.
Yes.
I welcome the Minister of State. He has hit the ground running and we appreciate everything that he is doing.
Recently he visited County Clare, for which everyone is very grateful. He spent a lot of time engaging with people on the Shannon Heritage issue. I understand that he and his Department, and Clare County Council, have decided on a figure and the matter has now gone to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. What more can he tell us about the deal? What reassurance can he give to the people who work for Shannon Heritage and those who really love these iconic sites?
I appreciate the Deputy's input and that of his colleagues on this important issue for workers in the mid-west region. Extensive engagement has taken place and we are at the point of conclusion. I will bring a memorandum to Government on this in the coming weeks. I am confident that we are in a position to conclude the agreed financial support for this year, and to put this on a stable and certain footing going forward. The Departments of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, and Housing, Local Government and Heritage are finalising the matter. I believe that there is a good shared understanding of the matter, which follows on from the good engagement we had when we visited Shannon recently.
Like many Oireachtas Members, the Minister of State is a former councillor. Councillors are only allowed to put forward speed limit changes every five years. Perhaps that makes sense from an administrative point of view but it makes very little sense from the point of view of the public and road safety, which is an issue the Minister of State addressed earlier. Would he consider a more ad hoc basis by which local authority members, working with An Garda Síochána and road traffic engineers, could propose other changes in the interim?
There is a speed limit review, which has been ongoing for quite a period. I am due to receive the report in the next couple of weeks. The report will set out a new framework to address speed limits. I acknowledge the point made by the Deputy that a five-year period does not make sense if there is a serious accident blackspot or area.
A person could win an Olympic medal quicker than change a local speed limit.
The point has been well made. It would be problematic if speed limits kept changing so we must strike the right balance.
Yes, of course..
I take the Deputy's point. The review has concluded on speed limits more generally. The issue raised is something we will have to consider as part of the new framework.
I agree with the Minister of State that we must adopt a sensible approach. Generally, there is the triple lock of councillor, engineer and An Garda Síochána.
Yes.
If all three are aligned, it should be possible.
The Minister of State has covered the issue of NCT delays. I wish to ask a question that no one has fully answered on the airwaves or during debates in the Dáil. What is the insurance status of someone who has a delayed NCT? Oireachtas Members constantly receive emails about the issue. People accept there will be a delay. In fact, people are probably more frustrated about driver test delays than NCT delays. An NCT is a pain for many people because they have to get their vehicles fixed up and bring them into a centre. A lot of people are not too pushed by NCT delays but they are concerned about the implications for them if they are stopped on the road. Can the Minister of State provide clarity on that?
Yes. Insurance Ireland has set out its position and made public announcements that a practical approach will be taken with motorists who are waiting on a test. People can apply to join the NCT priority waiting list and I encourage them to do that as they will receive a test date within a much shorter period. NCT officials have said they are taking a pragmatic approach. An NCT is only a snapshot of time so it is important that every motorist ensures their vehicle is roadworthy. A vehicle that passed an NCT, say, three months ago may subsequently have an issue that could lead to a prosecution by the Garda. All drivers have an obligation to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy year round regardless of the result of an NCT.
Will consideration be given to employing driving instructors on secondment for three or four months to help tackle the driver test backlog? Driving instructors know the driver test inside out and have an intimate knowledge of the roads of the county where they work. Employing driving instructors on secondment would be a very quick win for everyone.
Since last autumn, Vueling Airlines has had a service from Shannon Airport to Paris Orly Airport but the airline has announced that it will cease that service from June. I know that the Government cannot be on top of that commercial decision but it is concerning for the region. Shannon Airport is the most westerly airport in Europe and peripheral, certainly, after Brexit. We do not have hub connectivity. Has the Minister of State anything positive he can tell the people who love and support Shannon Airport?
On driver tests, as I said earlier in reply to Deputy O'Rourke, a business case is being finalised regarding significantly increasing driver test capacity. I want to ensure that it is not a marginal change and that whatever decision we make has a strong medium-term benefit and addresses the backlog once and for all. I also want to ensure that we have a proper testing service that young people can avail of quickly when they have concluded their lessons, and that will set out the trajectory of capacity. I take the point that the Deputy made about instructors but we have to deal with it properly with a proper recruitment process.
I was very disappointed to learn that Vueling Airlines had decided to cease its service with both Shannon and Cork airports in June. The cessation of the service relates to capacity issues in Paris Orly Airport.
From my engagement with the airport, and that of the Chamber of Commerce with the Deputy, there is obviously strong ambition to increase the route capacity and there has been a strong recovery of Shannon post-Covid. Obviously, as part of the mid-term review of the regional airports programme and in the new aviation policy, enhancing regional connectivity and ensuring we develop economic opportunities for all the regions is of fundamental importance to me as Minister of State. I have no announcement of an alternative route to give the committee, but I will work with the airport on ensuring it continues to have strong regional connectivity. I will continue to engage with stakeholders.
I ask the Minister of State might to give some impetus on the public service obligation, PSO, because it has been there for a while.
I will try not to repeat points made previously. The Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 is on its way through the Seanad. When will that conclude? The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland, MIBI, appeared before the committee recently. Its representatives told us they estimate that almost 200,000 cars are taxed but not insured. It is a frightening to think that so many cars are on the road which people have gone to the bother of taxing but not ensuring. The concern I have is that there are even more cars on the road that are not taxed or insured. We regularly see people being hauled up before the courts for not having tax, insurance or an NCT certificate. When will we see the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021? When will e-scooters, particularly those for hire, legitimately end up on our streets operating within the rules and so on?
The lists of likely Government and Opposition Report Stage amendments are being compiled. It is hoped the Bill will return to the Seanad in April. Given that Seanad amendments have been made, it will have to go back to the Dáil. We were hopeful it will be before the House in March but it will probably be the end of April or early May. Following that, there will be a 12-week consultative process with the European Commission on the amendments on e-scooter and e-bikes. If we take it as being a three-month period post-May, it look like it will be August or September before those provisions will be in place.
That is when a local authority can seek to license an e-scooter operation or operations.
Yes.
When might we see these e-scooters?
It will be once we conclude the process with the European Commission.
They will have to go through the tendering process on advertising.
Regulations are being prepared so that we can accelerate the timeframe. It will be quarter 3 of this year when the e-scooters will all be properly regulated. It is dependent on the Bill's enactment and then the 12-week process follows that. That is the timeline.
It will probably not be before 2024. When in 2024 might we see these e-scooters in operation on our streets?
I suspect it will be in 2023.
Does the Minister of State think so?
Yes, I do. Once the legislation is enacted in May, it will probably be in quarter 3 of this year.
At that point, are the local authorities in a position to tender and so forth or do they have to wait until the 12-week period is up?
No. Once the regulations are made nationally, that sets out the process.
We might, therefore, see them before the end of the year.
Yes.
Okay. In terms of the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021, the Minister of State said he had a meeting with the Garda this morning. The MIBI appeared before the committee the week before last and its representatives told us that almost 200,000 cars on the road are taxed but uninsured. There are probably more that are both untaxed and uninsured. Where are we in terms of being able to tackle them? When will we get automatic number plate recognition, ANPR, and when will the Garda have to technological capacity to get these people and bring them into the net? We are all paying for these people. The MIBI told us that €70 million per year is being paid out in terms of accidents. I renewed my motor insurance this week and it has gone up. We are all paying more because some people are not paying anything.
That is a fair point. Some of those issues are addressed in the Bill. As the Acting Chairman will know, the linkage of driver licence and vehicle ownership records, amendments to the motor insurance database and a range of other matters fall within the ambit of the Road Traffic and Roads Bill. We also spoke more generally about enforcement, data sharing and new technological developments that will enhance enforcement. Officials from the Department of Justice were present as well. The new Road Traffic and Roads Bill will enhance that enforcement process.
Funding of ANPR is a matter of ongoing capital investment matter by An Garda Síochána. It is important that we enhance the roll-out of that, however. It will provide an important enforcement tool for An Garda Síochána.
From all our perspectives, people who are likely to go out on the roads uninsured are probably more dangerous drivers than people who are willing to comply with all the rules.
Exactly.
For the rest of us who are paying insurance and trying to obey the rules as best we can, it is frustrating to discover that so many vehicles on the road are uninsured, and possibly more we do not know about.
There are many issues I would like to talk about but we do not have much time. One that the Minister of State might put on his list of issues is mutual recognition of licences from other countries. We have issues in that regard, which I have raised previously. In particular, the Moldovan ambassador has contacted me, but other countries have been making inquiries. We may be agreeing on 95% of the licensing but in the remaining 5% of cases, people have to start the whole process and these cases clog up the system. Let us try to align those countries. The US is a big problem because it is done on a state-by-state basis rather than on a national basis.
Another issue is the modal shift. Taxis are an issue, which nobody has mentioned. Night buses would relieve that problem. We need a lot more night buses, more frequently, to more areas. Aviation policy is also a major issue. Active travel is an area where there is also scope.
We are relying not only on Insurance Ireland but also on Garda discretion. It is technically illegal to drive a car with an out-of-date NCT. Garda discretion is being applied all the time, but we probably need some form of interim temporary legislation to provide that if a person has a driver test or an NCT test booked, that is okay, but if not, it is a problem. Some people are rolling one NCT over into the next. They never pass their NCT and they are out on the road. They should not be in a position to say they are in the right. We need to look at those who are trying to get an NCT. They are different from people who are just rolling over one test into the next and never getting their vehicle tested. All these people are a danger to the rest of us.
I commend all of the work the Minister of State is doing. Those are just some takeaway points I would like him to consider for our next meeting. Hopefully, our next quarterly briefing will be before the summer. We might make that a three-hour session rather than the on-hour session we are having today. I thank the Minister of State for all he is doing.
Does the Acting Chairman want me to briefly respond?
I am sorry; yes.
On the process for Moldova, it was recommended by the Road Safety Authority, RSA, not to progress an agreement. However, the Moldovan Embassy has now informed the Department and the RSA of new legislative changes that were introduced to harmonise the Moldovan driving process with EU legislation. The RSA will now review that updated information-----
That is great.
-----to see whether it is possible to facilitate a mutual agreement.
We are short of drivers. The more drivers we can get, the better.
On the NCT and temporary legislation, European legislation sets the framework around testing for roadworthiness. The priority needs to be making sure Applus brings the wait time down to an average of 12 days. As I said to other colleagues, there is an obligation more generally on motorists to ensure their vehicle is roadworthy. They cannot have bald tires, broken lights or whatever else. The investment in BusConnects will enhance the provision of night buses, which is a priority.
That is all very positive news. I had this discussion previously with the Garda when its representatives appeared before the committee. Everyone needs to have his or her vehicle roadworthy at all times. However, even though it can be 100% roadworthy-----
Yes, there is discretion.
-----it is technically in breach of the law at the moment to drive without an NCT.
That is why I would encourage everyone to avail of the priority waiting list. That way, they will receive an appointment much quicker.
I thank the Minister of State.
I am assuming the issue of drones was dealt with. This is my only question. The Minister of State indicated that a measure will be in place within a couple of weeks. I am curious as to what happened. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, informed the committee that a huge amount of due diligence and work had to be done by the Tánaiste and the Garda. Then, all of a sudden, we are able to do this now. Do not get me wrong; a solution is a solution and we can all forget about it at that point. What exactly happened, however?
The Government decided to task Dublin Airport Authority with purchasing counter-drone technology, and that has happened.
However, there is a broader involvement with both the Department of Justice and the Department of Defence on the wider question. The State needs to assess its critical infrastructure. That is why there is involvement across government.
Is that work under way?
That is ongoing and will report by the middle of the year, with the consideration of tasking a particular agency with broader responsibility on this. On the legal question, as I have said to the Deputy's colleagues, the statutory instrument has been made with the Irish Aviation Authority. We have received advice from the Attorney General on possible deployment by the Dublin Airport Authority.
The sooner the better.
I absolutely agree.
To follow up on the Chair's remarks on uninsured drivers, the committee has had engagement on this matter and the Road Traffic and Roads Bill will deal with certain scenarios. There was talk of the British legislation and the idea that a car as opposed to a person is uninsured. That would place a greater onus on us to ensure this does not happen. However, one of the big problems is the cost of insurance. That needs to be rectified but the matter is not in the Minister of State's remit.
The Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, leads on insurance. I know the cost is still persistently high for many motorists. However, enforcement will improve. There is strength in data sharing with the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021, which will help An Garda Síochána enforce some of the mismatches in data and the current inability to match records. It will provide a legal basis for the insurance database and other matters which have been identified.
Motorcycling Ireland raised an issue yesterday. The Minister of State may have heard some of the material in the public domain about the difficulties it has with getting insurance. It spoke about the huge importance of the sport. We have a large number of issues, covering everything from community centres to community groups when it comes to public liability insurance. I will ask the Minister of State a question on their behalf on the basis that up to a couple of months ago the matter fell within his remit. It is now with his party colleague who has responsibility for sport. Insurance is a wider issue. We are probably still talking about needing the duty of care piece and everything else.
Motorcycling Ireland is an excellent governing body, and I dealt with it often when I was Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with special responsibility for the Gaeltacht and sport. It is important that there is engagement at that technical level with the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to see if a solution can be found. We do not want to see sports undermined or stopped by virtue of insurance difficulties. I take the Deputy's point and I will pass it on to the Ministers of State, Deputies Byrne and Carroll MacNeill.
No, that is fine. We have had representatives of the Irish Road Haulage Association, IRHA, before this committee a number of times. They speak of securing some sort of recognition at European level that we are an island. That needs to be taken into account. There is a particular status, the term for which has gone from my adult brain at the moment. The IRHA spoke about changing rules and regulations in France and the ridiculous situation whereby drivers sometimes need to travel from Ireland to France to pick up rigs. There needs to be some sort of engagement at governmental level to ensure we can get over these hiccups. We all know the supply chain difficulties we have had. We are never not going to be an island.
I know there has been engagement with the IRHA and the French Embassy on the need for additional flexibility, particularly with some Normandy port managers, for Irish port operators arriving in France on direct shipping services from Ireland. While there is a general weekend truck driving ban in place in France, on the corridor from Calais and Dunkirk vehicles are permitted to travel at weekends through France to Belgium and the Netherlands. The IRHA is asking that the corridor be extended to allow travel from the French ports of Cherbourg and Le Havre. It is obviously a matter for the French authorities but we will reflect the IRHA's concerns in our engagements.
I have a final question on ports, which I am sure the Minister of State has dealt with to some degree. It is mentioned in his opening statement. We all acknowledge that ports are run by private entities. We are constantly talking about Ireland becoming a wind superpower but only Belfast Port is fit for purpose. How do we make this happen?
We have an ambitious plan to do that. We expect a business plan from Rosslare Europort will be finalised in the coming weeks. I will be in Cork Port tomorrow to hear about its plans. There is a timeline outlined with the Marine Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, on the marine consents. It will obviously have to assess that independently. We are committed to ensuring we can develop our ports.
Does the Minister of State not foresee the ports holding the process up, while accepting there are still other issues around planning, etc?
There are planning considerations, and there are obviously considerations around marine consents. There is also the financing of our ports. We have a timeline and a significant team, which has scaled up in the Department of Transport, with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. We are also working with the ports to make sure they can fast-track the relevant projects and explore the various-----
On the timeline-----
No, the Deputy is over time.
I was about to ask what the timeline was.
I will let someone else do it.
The Minister of State is welcome. I will concentrate on the Coast Guard, which will be no surprise to him. Figures recently released to me show the cost of the helicopter service for 2022, which amounts to €56 million for the first ten months of the year. It is likely it will reach between €67 million and €70 million. That is an overrun of between €10 million and €20 million based on the figures supplied to me by the Department at the beginning of this month. I am deeply concerned that the Department refuses to answer the question as to whether there are additional charges to the contract if we transfer patients from the islands to hospitals. Are we paying separately for that? I am clear that we are because the Department stated it would not provide the information because it was commercially sensitive. I also asked if we were paying for training flights and the response I received was that the Department would not answer the question because it was commercially sensitive. That suggests to me that we are paying for these things.
I will move on to night vision technology, which was put into the helicopters. In 2013, we paid around €8 million for night vision technology. I cannot understand how the contract was awarded without night vision technology included given that the expert group laid it out as a feature that should be included. I was then told in a letter in early March that it was not implemented because of Covid. The machines were night vision compatible in 2013, but Covid and training and the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, certification delayed the implementation of night vision technology until 2022. That is totally unacceptable. I sincerely hope the Minister of State will agree with me that it is unacceptable.
I will move on to the Coast Guard in general. Last week, representatives of Civil Defence appeared before the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. No disciplinary procedures have been taken which resulted in members of Civil Defence being dismissed. However, we have a plethora of people dismissed from the Coast Guard. It is a dysfunctional organisation. We have the Comptroller and Auditor General's report into the procurement of vehicles showing it was a disaster. We have the situation with life jackets. The Coast Guard told this committee a short time ago that it realised the life jackets were faulty in 2018 and they were withdrawn from service. I have documentary evidence that the faults in the life jackets were reported in 2015, days after they were brought into service. The bottom line is that I am asking the Minister of State a couple of questions-----
I have been asked to remind the Senator to be careful in his contributions.
I am being very careful. I have not accused anybody of anything. I am asking questions.
The Senator has accused people of being dysfunctional, so I caution him to be careful.
The evidence is there.
I again caution the Senator to be careful.
The bottom line is this. Does the Minister of State have confidence in the current procurement process? The previous Minister of State with responsibility for the procurement process did not have confidence in it. In a joint letter, she and the Minister stated they trusted the Department to do the job and they could not have a hands-on overview of the next procurement process for the search and rescue helicopter service.
I point out to the Minister of State the British have secured 18 helicopters over 12 bases for €1.6 billion. Our tender appears to be €1.3 billion for five helicopters. That is approximately €250 million per base more than the British are paying. I am deeply concerned. The Secretary General refuses to come to this committee and answer legitimate questions, hiding behind a number of different veils. The most recent one, that he felt one member of this committee may be operating for a potential tendering company, is libellous.
Senator Craughwell has used his four minutes to make a contribution.
I will allow the Minister of State to answer.
I will give the Minister of State a minute to respond.
I would love to have him here for three hours too.
In the fullness of time I am sure that will happen, but not today. The Minister of State has a minute to respond to all that because I want to let in the other two Deputies as well.
I thank Senator Craughwell. As Minister of State, I am committed to ensuring the Coast Guard remains fully capable and equipped to meet current and future challenges. An open recruitment process is under way to fill several leadership positions in the Irish Coast Guard, including a new appointment at assistant secretary level to lead the vital service and an open recruitment process for the director of the Coast Guard role.
In setting the strategic direction, the new assistant secretary will serve as a full member of the management board but will also oversee a review across all aspects, including strategy, structure, roles, culture and governance of the Coast Guard. This will be the first time an appointment is made at this level within the Department. It will be important in the context of the overall transformation and reform to make sure the Coast Guard is placed to succeed in the 21st century.
Related to the procurement of vehicles, there was an issue, as the Senator has referred, in July 2021 on the weaknesses of procurement. On receipt of the report to the Department, the Department appointed an independent forensic auditor to investigate the matter further. This investigation is at an advanced stage.
On the broader contract, the preliminary business case was approved in July 2021 to include a range of services: maritime and inland search and rescue; day and night air ambulance to the island communities; helicopter emergency medical services; and a range of other services. The contract for the new services will be awarded in quarter 2 of this year. A dedicated project team is implementing this major complex procurement project. There is external technical support in the fields of aviation, finance and project management, and the Chief State Solicitor's Office is providing legal advice. There is an independent external process auditor engaged to provide regular assurance around the conduct of the process. A project board structure was established to provide governance and oversight of the full procurement process with specialist input on all matters, including procurement, finance and risk, as well as a representative and independent external aviation consultant. Therefore, there is a robust governance structure and project team established for the new contract.
On the historical matters, it precedes my time. I can revert to the committee on any detail I can provide. Obviously, some of it is limited with commercial sensitivities.
I thank the Minister of State.
I might respond for a second. Everybody else did.
Senator Craughwell has already had seven minutes.
Just two minutes.
The Senator cannot have two minutes.
One minute then.
The Senator cannot have it because he has had seven minutes and no one else got more than seven minutes.
Come on.
Deputies Dillon and O'Connor have to get in before 4 p.m. No doubt we will come back to it repeatedly. Senator Craughwell is well able to fight his case.
I do not want to come back to it repeatedly. I am tired of it. However, I am happy with much of what the Minister of State said. It sounds good.
That was eight minutes and I thank the Senator. I welcome Deputy Dillon. It is the Deputy's first meeting at this joint committee.
I thank the Chair. I am delighted to be here. I thank the Minister of State for joining us. This January was the deadliest on Irish roads in a decade, dealing a blow in efforts to reverse last year's 13% rise in the fatality rate. Will the Minister of State provide the committee with an update on the ongoing and planned road safety campaign? How will the success of these campaigns be measured and evaluated to inform future initiatives?
I thank Deputy Dillon and appreciate his question. It is an important one. There was a meeting of the ministerial road safety committee this morning with me and the Minister of State, Deputy Browne. It is of serious concern the trend we have seen last year and again this year. In particular, in Deputy Dillon's county of Mayo and the adjoining county of Galway, there has been quite a concerning increase in road deaths.
There are a range of actions. This morning, we had a presentation from Assistant Commissioner Hilman on technology on targeted enforcement; from Mr. Sam Waide, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority, RSA, on driver behaviour, with a focus on penalties; from Professor Cusack from the medical bureau; and a range of other inputs. There will be a number of road safety campaigns. The Deputy would have seen one last week for St. Patrick's weekend conducted by the Road Safety Authority. They are developed very much with an evidence base and based on broader research by the team in the Road Safety Authority. The campaigns have an important role around road safety but so do the other actions.
We have a number of actions, as I have said, to better target enforcement. There is a focus on whether there has been a change in driver behaviour post Covid and an assessment of that. This spring, we are developing the evidence around it. Looking at driver distraction, mobile phones is one element but there are other broader driver distraction concerns that people will be aware of. We are looking at streamlining the system of penalties as well. We are looking at a range of areas this year and priorities within the Department. We want to try to reverse the trend of this year and last year.
Apologies, as I have to go to a vote. Deputy Ó Murchú will take over in the Chair.
Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú took the Chair.
Are their plans for any future legislative change in relation to existing road safety legislation?
There is always a road traffic Bill ongoing and we want to conclude the existing one. We have a number of priority areas this year. We will see what evidence is presented. In terms of the streamlining of road traffic legislation, there is always a Bill undergoing drafting and development. Whatever recommendations will come from the road safety experts, we will obviously assess that.
I thank the Minister of State for the update. I want to move on to the topic of road transport, freight and haulage and ask about the green transition. How is Government supporting the transition to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly freight transportation system? How is Government encouraging the use of alternative fuels and electric vehicles? Has the Government raised awareness with different stakeholders and drivers about the benefits of a potential transition to hydrogen or biofuel as a sustainable fuel source?
In the new road haulage strategy, sustainability and decarbonisation form one of the key areas of priority for the Government. Obviously, the haulage sector is on a different trajectory than people with personal vehicles because of the technology and the fact it will take a little longer to transition that sector. When we had the road freight forum recently, we discussed decarbonisation. As a transitional measure, we are looking at increasing the blend of biodiesel in the national fuel mix. It is something that will help the level of emissions savings. Eco driver training, for example, is something that will support more eco-friendly driving and help the decarbonisation of the roads sector.
Also, there is an alternatively fuelled heavy-duty vehicle purchase grant scheme which supports and promotes decarbonisation of the heavy-duty sector to transition from vehicles. The challenge there is that, while there is a grant scheme, the actual technology and the number of vehicles is low across Europe.
That brings me to my next question in terms of plans for collaboration with other countries or other international organisations on potential pilot programmes that can be run to demonstrate the use of green technology in heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, ensuring Irish organisations have shared knowledge and expertise in best practice in this area.
That is something that was discussed, in fact, at the meeting of transport ministers in Stockholm a couple of weeks ago.
A priority across European countries is ensuring that we make this sector more sustainable while also bringing everyone working and operating a business in it with us in terms of the positive changes they can make, for example, driver behaviour and increasing the use of biofuel. Taking the big leap to new vehicles will take longer. There is a great deal of knowledge sharing across Europe and this is one of the priority discussion points within the European context.
My final question is on the green hydrogen strategy. Will the Minister of State discuss its publication with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan? This country has significant green hydrogen potential on the back of our renewable energy ambitions. I also ask that the industry engage in the transition of HGVs to green hydrogen and consider plans to establish hubs across the country where there would be green hydrogen filling stations to support HGVs. With this as our strategy for the next decade, road hauliers could be major benefactors of Government policy.
Does the Minister of State still have a couple of minutes? It is now 4.01 p.m.
Of course. I take Deputy Dillon's point. Significant work is being done in the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications to develop the hydrogen strategy. There is great potential for Ireland in this regard and it is important that we develop the overarching policy so that we can unleash that potential. The national hydrogen strategy will also play an important role in aviation in terms of the development of sustainable aviation fuel. We are ambitious in this respect and want Ireland to be a leader.
I congratulate the Minister of State. I believe this is his first appearance before us since his appointment. I wish him well. He was fantastic in his previous Department and I hope he brings the same level of enthusiasm and energy to the Department of Transport.
I have been raising a certain matter for some time. The NCT system is appalling. As displayed at this committee, there has been an utter mismanagement of the situation, which has led to waiting lists growing to just shy of 400,000 vehicles per annum. While I accept the Minister of State's comments about the average waiting times being in excess of 28 days, if he came to Youghal – we look forward to him coming down to Cork tomorrow – the earliest appointment he would get on the system would be some time in October or November. That is not good enough and I am concerned that not enough is being done to address it. In particular, centres in and around Cork city all seem to have waiting times of four months for online bookings. What is the Minister of State going to do to improve this situation? Will he haul the RSA into the Department to explain to it how uncomfortable he is with what is happening? Is there a way for Applus+'s contract with the State to be terminated, given that this is an unsustainable mess that needs to be dealt with efficiently and effectively? That is a fair comment to make - we have seen it here. As a new Minister of State, Deputy Chambers has a chance to do something about this situation, although it will take time. What is his feedback?
The waiting times and the fact that the contract operated by Applus+ is not being fulfilled are unacceptable. It is below the level of service one would expect. It is important that there be robust oversight from the RSA, which is why we have weekly meetings with it about the NCT and ensuring proper accountability by Applus+. This is why a system of penalties is being imposed. Those penalties are being disputed by Applus+ and could well go to arbitration, but I have been clear that I want to see penalties imposed for what I view as a contract breach. It is unacceptable.
Our focus has been on ensuring that Applus+ is held to account and scales up its recruitment. We expect the NCT service to hit more than 40,000 tests per week when the additional 50 plus testers are recruited from outside the EU by the end of April. By June, we should be back to the average waiting time. Recent months have not been acceptable, though, and I acknowledge the committee's concerns.
Some 2,222 free tests have been given, which Deputy O'Connor played an important role in highlighting as a member of the committee. We are trying to accelerate the recruitment process and to hold Applus+ to account. When a State service is contracted to anyone in the private sector, the contract needs to be fulfilled properly. Where that does not happen, penalties should be imposed. That is our focus. I have not read the contract, but it has existed for a number of years. Our focus in on ensuring Applus+ meets the service level agreement and that penalties are imposed due to the contract breach of recent months.
Turning away from the NCT and the operator, the RSA's remit over driver tests and permit application times is causing deep-felt frustration across the country. The waiting time for driver tests is causing a great deal of damage to 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds who need to get their first learner's permits and licences so that they can get on the road for reasons of employment. We are in the month of March and summer is just around the corner. When the summer holidays come, it would be an advantage to many people aged 18 and over who have done their driving lessons and gained experience and who want to get their full licences and novice plates. We should embrace this. The Government should apply pressure on the RSA to realise the impact the delays will have on young motorists. Not enough is being done.
I am conscious that our time is up. I wish the Minister of State every success. I have full faith that he will make an impact on these issues. I hope that, come June, his words will be proven correct and these backlogs will have been addressed.
I appreciate the Deputy's kind words. We will try to hold the RSA and Applus+ to account to ensure that the timelines they have set out are met. I take the Deputy's broader point. There has been slippage in operational areas, for example, driver testing and NCTs. They are not meeting the level of public service that we expect.
We are engaging with the RSA on reviewing its areas of operations so that some of the issues that have arisen in recent months are not repeated. We are also strengthening capacity by, for example, funding driver testing capacity. However, we must ensure that basic levels of service are provided. This is an objective of mine. The Department has regular structures of accountability in the form of meetings.
I thank the Minister of State and his officials for assisting us with many issues. I am sure many of them will be revisited time and again, but that is the nature of what we do.
Our next meeting will be a private meeting via MS Teams at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, 28 March.
The joint committee adjourned at 4.10 p.m. until 1.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 29 March 2023.