Written Answers Nos. 258 - 266
258. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the expected total legal costs to be incurred in hisDepartment in 2012; his proposals to reduce these costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44068/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded to him as soon as it is available.
259. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the lodging of registration papers for a pilot training college (details supplied) operating out of the same address as Pilot Training College Ireland Ltd which closed recently leaving many students stranded in Florida, USA having paid very large tuitions; if this in fact the same company under another name; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43569/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe subject matter of this particular question, i.e. pilot training, is the responsibility of the Irish Aviation Authority, and I have referred the question to them for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within 10 working days.
260. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will resolve the anomaly in the procedures for renewing a taxi licence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43654/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including the renewal of vehicle licences, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003. I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
261. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will reverse the decision that was made to disallow existing taxi drivers from selling or transferring their taxi plate when they retire, thus depriving parents of the opportunity to pass on their plate to their children and preventing taxi drivers from being able to get back the money the spent on the plate originally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43786/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe regulation of the taxi industry, including issues pertaining to the renewal and transfer of vehicle licences, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009.
As set out in the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011, it was considered by the Review Group that it was necessary to move away from a system whereby a licence will have value in itself - a licence should determine a person’s suitability to carry out a function and it should not have monetary value or be traded on the open market. Action 14 of the Review Report proposes the introduction of a prohibition on the transferability of taxi vehicle licences such that all taxi vehicle licences will be unique to the person to whom the licence has been issued and cannot be transferred or sold to another individual.
I understand that the NTA has given notice to the industry concerning the introduction of the prohibition on transferring an SPSV licence from January 2013 and that the NTA is still considering whether or not, after 2013, the continuation of a taxi business by the next-of-kin can be facilitated following the death of a licence holder. A decision is expected shortly.
262. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will accede to the request of Monaghan County Council for €1.5 million funding to progress the design to a preferred route status for the proposed road scheme on the N2 from Clontibret to the border; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43798/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for the NRA in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy’s question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
263. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will report on the recent new reforms introduced for the taxi sector and if he will indicate the timetable for introducing these new proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43814/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of the taxi industry under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003, and is also the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report. I understand from the NTA that work is progressing on all 46 Actions proposed and ten of the actions have been implemented to date.
The timetable for implementation of the remaining actions is set out in the Review Report and updates regarding the implementation of the Actions can be obtained under the taxi section on the NTA website.
264. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the number of buses in the Dublin Bus Fleet as of 30 September 2012; if this number will be increased by year end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43815/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is an operational matter for Dublin Bus and I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
265. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the number of buses in the Bus Eireann Fleet as of 30 September 2012; if this number will be increased by year end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43816/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is an operational matter for Bus Éireann and I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
266. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the current position on the Luas F1 to Lucan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43817/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraGiven the constraints on the public finances, a number of projects, including the extension of the LUAS to Lucan, have been deferred under the Government's 5-year capital programme, Infrastructure & Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 - Medium Term Exchequer Framework, published in November 2011. This project will be considered again in 2015 in advance of the next capital programme.
