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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 Feb 2019

Vol. 263 No. 12

Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters

Bus Services

I raise the issue of bus services in Limerick which have been an ongoing problem for quite a while. The main issue is with the very busy 304 and 304A bus routes which start in Raheen-Dooradoyle on one side of the city and extend through it as far as the University of Limerick. For the past six months or more buses have been running between ten and 25 minutes late each morning. I have spoken to people who use services on the routes and two weeks ago took the option to travel on a bus with one of them. It was quite an experience. The bus arrived 27 minutes late. It was a single-decker, although normally it is a double-decker, and not suitable, given the number of passengers who use it. At one of the stops in the city there were around 70 people waiting to get on but only half of them were able to do so. One woman said she would be 20 minutes late for work. The bus does not travel as far out as Mungret which is on the outskirts of the city and expanding. When we eventually reached the University of Limerick, the final stop on the route, the journey had taken one hour. A number of the passengers were late for college or work. There are several high technology companies in the area and many people who live on one side of the city and work on the other are constantly late for work. I spoke to two students at the bus stop who were afraid that they would not be allowed on the bus. When people complain, they are given a form to fill in, but I do not know where the forms go as no solutions seem to emerge. People have complained and demanded that something be done but to no avail. I am calling on the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to roll something out similar to the BusConnects scheme in Dublin. Limerick is the third largest city in the country but bus services cannot arrive on time. A private bus service which I will not name can bring people from Ennis and Bunratty to the University of Limerick faster than the bus service can bring people from Raheen and Dooradoyle to the university. That is not acceptable. It is frustrating for the commuters who use the service and get no replies to their complaints. I call on the council, Bus Éireann and the National Transport Authority to work together to resolve the issue. Smaller buses and better routes have been mentioned, but that will not happen for a couple of years. I am concerned with what is happening now. People's examinations are coming up.

In addition to the problems I have outlined, the real time app does not always give the correct arrival times of bus services. At the bus stop where I got on, on Barrington Street, there was not even a sign. Tourists do not know it is where the bus stops because there is only a mark on the road to indicate it.

I would love the Minister to intervene to resolve this ongoing issue. A couple of hundred people use the service daily. The other morning about 30 people were left behind at one of the stops. Two buses were working the route but one stopped, presumably to allow the driver to take his or her break as he or she is entitled to do. Unfortunately, however, the second bus could not facilitate the number of people waiting at the bus stop. I have given an overview of some of the issues.

I thank the Senator for raising these issues, which I know are very important in the Limerick area. I should point out that she called on the council and the National Transport Authority to remedy this matter in whatever way they can. She will appreciate that I cannot micromanage the routes about which she spoke because I am in charge of policy. However, I would be delighted to relay what she said to both those bodies if she thinks it would be useful and effective.

As the Senator is aware, my priority and that of the Government, over the next few years, is to rapidly increase investment in public and sustainable transport infrastructure and services across the country, including the Limerick metropolitan area to which the Senator referred. We will do this in an integrated and planned manner. That integration is clearly visible as we look across the key policy frameworks and their ambition for Limerick.

The national planning framework states that the provision of a city-wide public transport network, with enhanced accessibility from the city centre to the National Technology Park, the University of Limerick and Shannon Airport is a key growth enabler. It also states that the development of a strategic cycling network is another key growth enabler for the city. That recognition follows through to the commitments found in national strategic outcome No. 5, sustainable mobility, which commit towards expanding public transport generally and developing cycling networks in our major cities.

As the Senator knows, the commitments made in the national planning framework are backed by the indicative allocations provided in the national development plan, which is a ten-year strategy for Exchequer investment. I am delighted to say that the indicative allocations in the national development plan include €8.6 billion to realise national strategic outcome No. 5, sustainable mobility. In realising that national strategic outcome, the Senator can be assured that investment will be provided towards projects and programmes in the Limerick metropolitan area. That investment will be provided under the regional and metropolitan strategies, which are under development.

First, we have the regional spatial and economic strategy, which has been subject to public consultation in recent weeks. Within that strategy there is a requirement to develop a Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy. Work on that strategy is now under way with a public consultation to take place this year. The Senator will welcome, as I do, that the NTA is working in partnership with the local authorities in developing that strategy, a model that has worked well in Galway and Cork already. The strategy will evaluate the potential for a BusConnects-type investment programme for Limerick, which the Senator called for, and it will provide the backdrop to where the increased levels of investment available will be directed. In the meantime, the increased levels of funding being made available to support our public service obligation, PSO, bus and rail services and increased investment in cycling and walking infrastructure will continue to be felt in Limerick. The numbers using the PSO services in the city have increased in recent years. Between 2013 and 2017, for example, they increased by 15%. I do not have the finalised figures for 2018 yet but I expect the increases of recent years will have continued, and that is very welcome.

The increased funding available means the NTA can work with the operators in providing additional and expanding services. Improvements in the allocations towards the NTA's bus purchase programme mean a constant renewal of the bus fleet and a better experience for the passenger. The NTA is also funding a wide range of cycling and walking improvements across the city this year, including the Castletroy greenway, which will be a welcome addition to the city's expanding cycling network.

I share the Senator's ambition for Limerick and look forward to ever increasing numbers of Shannonsiders making the switch to public and sustainable transport.

Does Senator Byrne wish to ask a brief supplementary?

I welcome that consideration is being given to a BusConnects plan and to the development of the Limerick-Shannon area. However, I raised a current problem. While the plan is great and very welcome and everybody will be in favour of it, it does not resolve current problems. It is soul destroying for those who use the university and staff of companies in the area that they are constantly late for work. The round trip of 6 km that I made took one and a hour hours instead of less than one hour, as scheduled. The position is unsatisfactory and the commuters who use the route are very frustrated because they are constantly late travelling to and from work. I know someone who left the University of Limerick at 4.30 p.m. recently to give a lecture in the city centre at 6 p.m. and arrived 15 minutes late. While I acknowledge that traffic can be heavy sometimes, it is not an issue early in the mornings. It would be a start if commuters were informed and kept in the loop or even replied to properly.

The current position is very frustrating. A survey of bus users in 2018 found that satisfaction with bus services in Limerick, at 72%, was the lowest in the country. While it is welcome news that investment will be made in future, this issue needs to be dealt with now.

The Senator has made a very useful contribution on behalf of people in Limerick, particularly commuters. I urge her to use the complaints procedure if there are timetabling or other problems, which are internal matters for the bus companies. In the meantime, I will convey her comments to the NTA to ensure they reach the right quarters.

I thank the Minister.

Road Projects Status

I thank the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for coming to the House this morning. As he will be aware, I have raised on several occasions the N5 project between Ballaghaderreen and Scramoge. We have had a positive announcement in terms of the project being approved by An Bord Pleanála. That is a very good step in the right direction in terms of delivering this project. However, it is crucial that capital funding is provided to deliver this project as quickly as possible.

As we all know, it is our collective responsibility to try to reduce risk. The section of road between Scramoge and Ballaghaderreen is an accident blackspot on which there have been numerous incidents and accidents. Urgent action is needed to address the issue.

This much needed project involves the construction of approximately 35 km of new road and the realignment of approximately 15 km. I use the road regularly and it is evident that there are exceptionally high volumes of traffic on it. There are major concerns about excessive speeds being used on the road, particularly in Frenchpark, Ballinagar, Tulsk and Strokestown. While An Bord Pleanála has given a green light to the project, it is now very important that capital funding is allocated to deliver it as quickly as possible. The delivery of the project will have a positive impact on road safety. It will also be important for the economic development of the north Roscommon and western region. I very much look forward to the Minister's response on the current position of the project now that we have a decision from An Bord Pleanála.

I thank the Senator for raising this topic again. I recognise that she has been to the forefront in championing this particular project and the budget allocation and construction timeframe for the N5.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in terms of the national roads programme.

Under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, the planning, design and operation of individual roads is a matter for the relevant road authority regarding local and regional roads, or for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned, regarding national roads. It is always necessary for me to preface my remarks by pointing that out because where responsibility lies on this issue is obviously a matter of great importance.

The proposed N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge project is included among a number of major national road schemes that were identified for development during the first ten years covered by the national development plan. More than €11 billion will be invested in the road network and the N5 upgrade is part of this investment.

The project comprises a proposed road development of 33.4 km in length which consists of an offline type one single carriageway road that runs south east from the southern end of the existing Ballaghaderreen bypass to tie back in with the existing N5 east of Strokestown at Scramoge. There are an additional 13 km of side roads and existing road improvements, 17 at grade T-junctions and five roundabouts to be provided as part of the scheme. The proposed route will bypass the towns or villages of Frenchpark, Bellanagare, Tulsk and Strokestown.

The scheme was approved by An Bord Pleanála in January 2019 and subject to the conclusion of the period for judicial review, the scheme may proceed to the next phase, phase 5 - enabling and procurement. Roscommon County Council in preparation has commenced the procurement of technical advisers to prepare the design and build tender documentation for the main construction contract and to manage any advance works contracts that are required prior to construction commencing. TII's project archaeologist is currently preparing tender documents for an archaeological services contract to be undertaken during 2019.

As Minister, I am, of course, keen to see the projects included in the national development plan, within the overall framework of Project Ireland 2040, progressed as quickly as possible. I am also mindful that schemes such as the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge project require necessary project approvals. In this context, the approval process includes compliance with the requirements of the public spending code and my Department’s capital appraisal framework. For a project of the scale and cost of the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge scheme, compliance with these codes and guidelines is mandatory and must be undertaken at various stages of a project, including at tender award. Since this proposed project will cost in excess of €100 million, Government approval will be required to allow Roscommon County Council to enter into a contract to construct the scheme.

The cost of the scheme is approximately €182 million. It is currently anticipated that the main construction contract will be awarded in 2020 and will take approximately three years to complete.

The Minister mentioned this project is part of the national development plan within the framework of Project Ireland 2040. We are mindful of the fact that the project needs to go through necessary approvals and that there are definite stages that need to be progressed for us to physically see work progress on the project. The Minister has clearly outlined that work is under way to secure those necessary approvals, which we all know need to progress in a certain way. I would like to be kept updated on that work that is being done in the background. The Minister mentioned that the national roads regional office in Roscommon County Council is commencing the procurement of technical advisers to prepare the design and build tender documentation along with an archeologist in terms of the Rathcroghan area. That is positive but we need to know that there will be no delay in all these necessary works being put in place to ensure that the project can be delivered as quickly as possible for all of the reasons I outlined. I thank the Minister for the update.

It is my intention it will go through as soon as possible but it has to go through the necessary processes. I will certainly keep the Senator informed about that as I know she has been interested in pursuing this project for a long time.

Primary Care Centres Provision

The Minister of State is welcome to the House.

I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House. The reason I asked him to come here today was to give us an update on the proposed primary care centre for Bangor Erris. I am not sure if he has ever been to Bangor Erris, County Mayo. How would I describe it?

It is on the way to Belmullet.

It is on the way into Belmullet and it is quite famous. It is also famous for the wonderful doctor we have there, namely, Dr. Miklos Penzes. He and his team provide a wonderful service to the community of Bangor. Since 2000 to 2001 we have been promised a fully equipped proper primary care centre in Erris, to be situated in Bangor. Recently there was some discussion about having it as part of the new tranche of primary care centres that were built, some of which are in Mayo in Castlebar, Westport and Claremorris. I want to know when that centre will be delivered. It is particularly pertinent now because the community is fearful of losing the existing general practitioner, GP, service, which covers a vast area of Erris and a major population. We are left in limbo as to whether the doctor, who has wonderful skills and a wonderful relationship with the community, will be serviced with a primary care centre. It would be helpful if the Minister of State could give us a date today as to when that project will be commenced. The cost overrun on the national children's hospital has escalated fears about the delivery of the proposed centre. I need the HSE and the Minister to understand the urgency of having the primary care centre there. It is not right for elderly people not to have access to a proper GP service in their community. We are all dependent on having a proper GP service. That would go some way to allaying fears about the possibility of the doctor moving on. Other opportunities will be provided that will become available to doctors such as the GP in Bangor and we do not want that to happen, and for us then to try to close the door after the horse has bolted is not good enough. I look forward to the Minister of State's response and to him providing some reassurance around when the primary care centre in Bangor Erris will be up and running.

I thank Senator Conway-Walsh for raising this issue. The HSE has confirmed that a needs assessment has been undertaken to determine what infrastructure is required within Bangor Erris to most effectively deliver primary care services to the local community. I am happy to advise the Senator that this exercise has found that Bangor Erris is a suitable location for the development of a primary care facility in the future. In that context, a business case is currently being prepared for consideration by the HSE's estates division, which is responsible for ensuring that appropriate infrastructure is in place when and where required and that the value of HSE's properties and facilities is maximised.

As the Senator may be aware, Bangor Erris, Belmullet and Glenamoy are all part of the Bangor Erris primary care team, which utilises local health centres to support service delivery. In this regard, there is a health centre on the grounds of the district hospital in Belmullet, while there is also a health centre in Glenamoy that has recently been refurbished.

The expansion of community and primary care is at the heart of the Sláintecare vision. As Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people, I share the Minister for Health's commitment to ensure that people get the care they need as close to home as possible and have access to a greater range of health and social care services within the community.

In this respect, I am sure the Senator would welcome the investment in primary care in County Mayo. There are now seven operational primary care centres in the county, three of which have opened in the past 12 months. The centres are located in Achill, Ballina, Ballinrobe, Castlebar, Charlestown, Claremorris and Westport. In addition, construction is due to begin this year on another primary care centre in Ballyhaunis. This significant investment in Mayo is representative of this Government's steadfast support for the development of the primary care sector. There are now 126 primary care centres in operation across the country, 18 of which became operational in 2018. In addition, there are approximately 80 other locations where primary care infrastructure is either being developed or at advanced or early planning stages. Of these, 12 centres are expected to become operational in 2019.

We must, and will, continue to invest in the development of primary care centres across the country, in both urban and rural areas. In this way we will enhance and expand capacity in the primary care sector to deliver high-quality, integrated care to people in their own communities.

I am glad that the needs assessment has taken place but it actually took place 20 years ago. I really plead with the Minister of State to prioritise this primary care centre and to understand its urgency. If the GP in Bangor Erris leaves, it is no good to us. It is a real urgency. I ask the Minister of State to go back and speak to the HSE about this. The HSE fully understands the intricacies surrounding the matter and that we need the services in the health centre in Bangor Erris. However, the HSE needs to see a proper timeline. The vagueness of the Minister of State's response will not reassure people, so I ask him to go back to the HSE again.

As for the investment in primary care, I agree that wonderful buildings have been completed but the Minister of State knows there is only one extra receptionist employed in each. The buildings need to be fully staffed and need the full technology in order to be utilised in full.

I will be asking the Minister for State for continual updates on the Bangor Erris primary care centre because we need more reassurance on it. The fact that a business case is being prepared disappoints me in a sense. I am conscious that business cases are often left on people's desks for months on end, and we do not have months. There is a real urgency to the Bangor Erris primary care centre.

I inform the House that good progress continues to be made on the development and roll-out of primary care centres, contrary to what the Senator might try to point to, with 126 now fully operational, up from 43 at the end of 2010. There has been an incremental increase over the years, with eight coming on stream in 2016, nine in 2017 and 18 last year, representing a doubling in 2018. These centres are playing a key role in delivering the vision for reform for the more effective health service underlined in Sláintecare. A further 12 primary care centres are expected to open in 2019, with at least another five to follow in 2020. Beyond that, 12 additional primary care centres are at the advanced planning stage, with operational dates to be confirmed. Mayo has benefited from significant investment, with seven centres operational and work on Ballyhaunis due to commence in the second quarter of this year. I am happy to state that Bangor Erris has been identified as a suitable location for the development of a primary care facility in the future and that there will be due consideration of the business case developed.

Is the Minister of State saying it will not be 2019 or 2020 but after 2020 before Bangor will be concluded?

I cannot give a date for the progress to the Senator.

That would be worrying. We need to get it brought forward.

I cannot allow the debate to continue.

I know. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the Minister of State.

The Members can have their own chat.

Insurance Costs

The Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, is very welcome to the House, and I thank him for taking time out to come. The reason I have him here concerns insurance costs. Unfortunately, this is still a serious issue for a great many people. I know some work has been done about it but clearly more needs to be done. As I am sure the Minister of State will be aware, insurance costs bring serious financial pressures to bear on people, be it the cost of insuring one's motor vehicle or costs incurred by those who are in business, such as public liability or employers' liability, or indeed charitable organisations, community groups, football clubs or whatever else. Unfortunately, all are negatively affected by the ever-increasing, spiralling cost of insurance premiums.

Looking first at the motor insurance industry, I note that between 2015 and 2017 premiums shot up by over 70%. I acknowledge that things have got a little better in this regard, but clearly more needs to be done for anyone trying to insure motor vehicles. One of the reasons we could point to as to why these premiums are so high is that the payouts for personal injuries here are sky-high compared with those of other countries. Our payouts are on average almost 4.5 times higher than equivalent claim payouts in the UK. Unfortunately, I read recently that we now have a reputation as being the whiplash capital of Europe. Whiplash accounts for almost 80% of all motor insurance claims here, compared with France, for example, where the figure is just 3%. The average whiplash award in Ireland is €15,000. This is five times the awards in Italy and Spain and three times the awards in the UK. Clearly, this is an area that needs to be tackled in order that motor premiums are reduced.

The other issue concerns business and the ever-rising costs of premiums, be it public liability or employers' liability. I spoke this morning with a small business owner in County Monaghan who has 12 employees. He told me that his employers' liability and public liability premiums in 2017 amounted to €9,800. As of last year, this has now increased to €11,600. Nothing has really changed in the interim, there have been no claims, and his broker advised him this week that the premiums will more than likely increase again. This puts added pressure on businesses that are getting it tight at present, and more needs to be done.

I read recently in one of the national newspapers that a business owner who runs a play centre for children, which is quite common throughout the country, has seen the premium go from €2,500 up to €16,000 over the past five years. Clearly, this is crippling and has a serious impact on the viability of the business and, by extension, the jobs that depend on it. No doubt the Minister of State will mention the fact that a group was set up to look at this entire area and it has done some work on this and made many recommendations as to what it feels should happen. Unfortunately, it is my understanding that very few of those recommendations have been acted upon to date, which is disappointing.

One of the recommendations was an anti-fraud unit. There is nothing more frustrating for people than to see people setting out purposefully with a fraudulent claim, the result of which will be that people will pay more for their insurance premiums. We need a dedicated insurance fraud unit headed by the Garda to investigate people involved in such activities.

Yes, some work has been done but a lot more needs to be done. I would like to see Government tackle this issue with more vigour and enthusiasm because we have a serious problem with the ever-increasing costs of premiums. When one adds Brexit to the mix, the issue clearly needs to be tackled with more urgency.

I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this very important matter and for the work he has put into this and the research he has carried out.

I encourage him to carry on with this particular work and interest because it is hugely important, as he said.

The Senator has provided me with an opportunity to update the House on the progress being made on the recommendations contained in the cost of insurance working group's reports on the cost of motor insurance and of employer and public liability insurance. The Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, who has responsibility for this matter sends his apologies. He is very aware of the financial strain the cost of insurance is placing on consumers and businesses, and on some sectors in particular, as the Senator has outlined.

Members of the Seanad are aware that the report on the cost of motor insurance was published in January 2017 and made 33 recommendations. The report on the cost of employer and public liability insurance was subsequently published in January 2018 and made 15 recommendations. Both sets of recommendations are detailed in action plans with agreed timelines for implementation. The working group prepares progress updates detailing implementation progress on a quarterly basis. The seventh such update was published last November and shows that of the total number of 78 separate relevant deadlines in the action plans for the two reports to the end of the third quarter of 2018, 63 relate to actions that have been completed. It is envisaged that the next update will be completed by the end of this month and will concentrate, in particular, on outlining the definitive position on all 33 recommendations of the motor insurance report, as the last of the deadlines in its action plan passed at the end of 2018.

In respect of the employer and public liability report, the vast majority of the total of 26 action points, which were due for completion during 2018, have been done. The Minister of State is confident that any outstanding action point will be completed in the coming months, along with the three remaining action points with deadlines set for various quarters of 2019.

The upcoming progress update will include an additional section providing the up-to-date status of relevant recommendations from the two reports issued by the Personal Injuries Commission.

In terms of the recommendations it is hoped will be implemented over the next six months, the key actions include the passage through both Houses of the Oireachtas of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018; the Law Reform Commission to commence formally its examination of the possibility of capping levels of damages for personal injury actions, an action to which the Senator alluded; the national claims information database to be fully functioning following the recent commencement of the relevant Act; progress on the proposal to establish an improved insurance fraud investigative capacity in the Garda national economic crime bureau and further fruitful co-operation between the insurance industry and gardaí - the Senator was spot on to highlight this issue; publication of a key information report on employer and public liability insurance claims; and progress on delivering interim guidelines relating to appropriate general damages award levels for the prioritised soft tissue and whiplash injury category, to which the Senator also made reference.

The Minister of State assures the Senator that he and the working group will continue to focus on implementing all proposed measures in order to improve the insurance market for businesses and consumers alike. The Minister of State will continue to work with his ministerial colleagues to ensure the various recommendations are implemented. He is hopeful that the cumulative effects of the completion of the recommendations of the two reports will include increased stability in the pricing of insurance for consumers and businesses and provide for a more competitive insurance market.

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. As I acknowledged, some good work is being done in this very important area. My main motivation in raising this matter is to acknowledge the work that has been done and to impress upon the Minister of State and the Government the urgency attached to this issue. We need to expedite all actions to ensure a consumer, be it a young person insuring a motor vehicle or a business owner or football club paying an insurance premium, will see progress by way of a reduced premium. It is only then that we will be able to say the work that has been done, including the work that remains to be done, has been successful.

I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this matter and for the opportunity he has given me to update the House on same. I support the Senator in his work in continuing to highlight this matter because it is important. I agree with him on this. Tackling the cost of insurance requires a co-ordinated effort throughout the Government, State bodies, business and industry. The Departments of Finance, Justice and Equality, Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Transport, Tourism and Sport all have major roles to play, as do the Central Bank and the Personal Injuries Assessment Board. In addition, industry's input to the process is pivotal, particularly with regard to the provision of data and improving customer experience. Ultimately, one of the key indicators of the success of the recommendations in the reports on motor insurance and on employer and public liability insurance will be a greater level of consistency in award levels. This should, in turn, result in an increase in the number of Personal Injury Assessment Board cases being accepted by claimants as the need to litigate diminishes. I am sure the Senator will agree with the Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, that getting to this destination is highly desirable.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for this time. The House can rest assured the Government is doing everything in its power to push the issue of the cost of insurance along very quickly. The support of the Seanad in this matter is really appreciated.

Before I suspend the sitting, I welcome Mrs. Ó Fearghaíl and her family.

Sitting suspended at 11.15 a.m. and resumed at 11.30 a.m.
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