Written Answers Nos. 285-294
285. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce alternate materials for windows on Dublin buses in areas which suffer anti-social behaviour including stone-throwing, the number 40 often cannot go into Finglas south for fear of windows getting smashed which leaves elderly residents having to walk home form the main road. [23493/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is an operational matter for Dublin Bus and I have forwarded 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. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
286. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way Iarnród Éireann has performed in its public service obligation contracts in the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013. [23508/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra287. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way Bus Éireann has performed in its public service obligation contracts in the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013. [23509/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra288. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way Dublin Bus has performed in its public service obligation contracts in the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013. [23510/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 286 to 288, inclusive, together.
Public Service Obligation services are subject to contracts between the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the three CIÉ companies. I have forwarded the Deputy's questions to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
289. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if cyclists who break traffic lights can be prosecuted under existing road traffic legislation; and, if there is no such provision, if he has considered bringing forward such legislation in view of reports that a very small minority of speeding cyclists are acting in a dangerous manner by not yielding to pedestrians. [23511/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraCyclists, like all road users, are required to comply with road traffic legislation. This includes a requirement to respect traffic lights, both at junctions and at pedestrian crossings, and to keep to roads or cycle lanes. Cyclists can be prosecuted for breaches of the law.
Section 108 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 provides that a member of An Garda Síochána may demand the name and address of a pedal cyclist when intercepted committing a road traffic offence. The section also provides for the seizure of the bicycle if the cyclist refuses to provide their name and address or Garda suspects that false or misleading information has being given to them. Enforcement of the legislation is of course a matter for An Garda Síochána. Action No. 92 of the 2013 - 2020 Road Safety Strategy provides that my Department legislates for the extension of the fixed charge system to bring other offences within the scope of that system, including those related to cyclists. A completion date of the second quarter in 2014 has been set for that Action.
290. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the date on which Irish Rail will be replacing the pedestrian bridge at the level crossing near Bray train/DART/bus station in County Wicklow that was taken down in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23523/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) in December 2009, the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), such as replacing the pedestrian bridge at the level crossing near Bray Train/DART/Bus station, comes under the remit of the NTA. Noting this I have referred the Deputies question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
291. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the grants that have been awarded to a club (details supplied) in County Kildare under sports capital grant allocations or any other funding stream from his Department since 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23524/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the club referred to by the Deputy has received the following allocations under the Sports Capital Programme since the year 2000:
€63,487 in 2001 (€14,896 was later withdrawn from this grant)
€40,000 in 2002
Details of all allocations under the Sports Capital Programme are available on the Department's website www.dttas.ie
292. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total budget his Department have allocated for roads in an area (details supplied) in 2013 under various programmes; the total that has been drawn down by the local authority to date; if he expects the full amount to be drawn down this year;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23526/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra293. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total budget his Department allocated for roads in an area (details supplied) for 2011 and 2012 under various programmes; the total amount and the percentage that was drawn down from the allocated budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23527/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 292 and 293 together.
Details of the 2013 regional and local road grant allocations to Wicklow County Council under the various grant categories and the amounts drawn down to date are outlined in the following table. Details of regional and local road grant allocations and payments to Wicklow County Council in the years 2011 and 2012 can be found in the regional and local road grant allocation and payment booklets for those years, which are available from the Dáil library. The allocations for 2013 are also available in the Dáil Library. It is not possible for me to state, at this point, whether the local authority will draw down all the grant funding available to it under the various headings.
2013 Regional and Local Road Grants
|
Grant Category |
2013 Allocation |
2013 Payment to Date |
|
Restoration Improvement |
€3,226,320 |
€48,942 |
|
Restoration Maintenance |
€1,136,450 |
€3,650 |
|
Discretionary Grant |
€1,229,800 |
€703,789 |
|
Winter Maintenance Grant |
€289,176 |
€289,176 |
|
Specific Improvement Grant |
€683,000 |
€96,829 |
|
Low Cost Safety Improvement |
€172,000 |
€7,277 |
|
Training Grant |
€48,000 |
€0 |
With regard to national roads, as Minister for Transport, Tourism & 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. 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.
294. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider putting in place a stimulus package to create employment and repair local and regional roads that have fallen into a serious state of disrepair due to the continuous bad weather; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23568/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources supplemented by State road grants paid by my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources supplemented by State road grants paid by my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
I announced the 2013 regional and local road grant allocations on 25th January this year. A total of €350 million is being provided under the Regional and Local Roads Investment Programme this year.
There have been very large reductions in roads expenditure over the past number of years. In 2007 there were grants of €607 million available towards regional and local roads, these grants have fallen to €350 million in 2013 and will fall further to about €300 million in 2014. Based on the existing funding levels it is not possible to put in place a stimulus package along the lines suggested by the Deputy. Should further funding become available, I can assure the Deputy that the roads maintenance programme will be able to absorb it and to generate significant additional employment as a result.
