Thursday, 7 Nov 2013

Written Answers Nos. 251-261

Aviation Promotion

Ceisteanna (251, 257)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

251. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he has discussed with Aer Lingus and or Ryanair, the future development of air passenger transport, long and short haul, with a view to maintaining a stable and vibrant industry to meet the requirements of air passengers, nationally and internationally, maximising the use of this country as an international air transport hub; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47597/13]

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

257. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which the respective positions of Ryanair, Aer Lingus and other airlines continue to be monitored with a view to ensuring maximum benefit for passengers to and from this country and keeping in mind the need to observe issues in relation to competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47604/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 257 together.

My Department and I meet regularly with Aer Lingus and Ryanair, as well as other airlines to discuss matters relating to aviation.  

As an island, air transport connectivity is clearly of vital importance to Ireland for both economic and social reasons. There is a healthy competitive market for air services in and out of the country and Ireland benefits from a wide range of air connections, both short and long haul. New routes are being announced on a regular basis by both Irish and international airlines. Irish airports and Tourism Ireland have attractive incentive and marketing programmes available to help support new services. Maintaining and developing this connectivity is certainly a key objective of national aviation policy.  

The new national aviation policy that is currently being developed in my Department

will outline the actions to be taken by Government to help sustain and develop the aviation sector, in order to create jobs and support business and tourism. Ireland's two largest airlines, Aer Lingus and Ryanair, are among the 74 stakeholders that made submissions as part of the public consultation process on the policy review that took place earlier this year.  

The number and quality of the submissions received is encouraging and demonstrates the strong interest there is in shaping future aviation policy. The submissions are currently being reviewed and the intention is that a draft National Aviation Policy Statement will be issued before the end of the year, which will provide further opportunity for stakeholder input before the adoption of the new policy document in early 2014.  

In relation to maximising the use of this country as an international air transport hub while the potential is not there to develop a hub on the scale of a Heathrow or Schiphol which have large populations in their hinterland and significant international connectivity. However, there have been some recent positive developments. Long haul capacity out of Ireland, particularly transatlantic capacity, has increased significantly this year and a number of new services to the US West coast and Canada will commence next year. These additional routes, together with preclearance facilities and the abolition of the air travel tax should serve to increase the attractiveness of Shannon and Dublin airports as transit hubs. 

Ref No: 47597/13 (Ans. covers questions: 47597/13, 47604/13)

Sporting Events

Ceisteanna (252, 256)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

252. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he continues to examine and explore the possibility of linking up major sporting events in this country with sister events in other jurisdictions throughout Europe and globally with a view to maximising economic benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47599/13]

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

256. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he and his Department continue to promote the use of this country to host major international sporting events; the extent to which he continues to engage with sporting organisations in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47603/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 and 256 together.  

The Programme for Government includes a commitment that event tourism will be prioritised in order to continue to bring major events to Ireland. The hosting of major sports events, both participative and spectator sports, can deliver additional international visits and provide a great showcase for Ireland and the media coverage of sports tourism events helps to put Ireland onto travel itineraries as a holiday destination.  In this regard, I look forward to the Giro d'Italia coming to Ireland next year.  

I am supportive of the ongoing efforts of the State Tourism Agencies and the National Governing Bodies of Sport to attract international events, subject, of course, to an assessment of the costs/benefits involved in any State financial support.

Tourism Industry

Ceisteanna (253)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

253. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he continues to have discussions on a regular basis with the various stakeholders in the tourism sector with particular reference to the need to identify problems and or opportunities for the industry in advance with a view to enhanced development in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47600/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I am in regular contact with the stakeholders in the tourism sector, both individually and through the various representative bodies, and I am kept advised of issues of concern to the industry directly, through my Department and through the tourism agencies.   

For example, the Tourism Policy Review was formally launched by Minister Ring and me on the 11th September in Dublin Castle. Over 90 individuals from representative bodies, key stakeholders and academia attended the event which marked the publication of a consultation document, raising a series of questions regarding policy priorities for Irish tourism and inviting everybody with an interest in Irish tourism to respond.   The responses to this consultation exercise will then feed into the final policy review and statement.  The document has been circulated widely to tourism stakeholders and all Government Departments and is available to download on my  Department’s website ( www.dttas.ie ). The closing date for submissions has been extended to 22nd November 2013 and to date some 100 have been received.

The consultation process is also being progressed by means of a series of workshops which are ongoing. This will allow consideration of the views raised and other relevant evidence and analysis before commencing drafting of the new policy in the New Year with a view to finalising it by Easter 2014.

Sport and Recreational Development

Ceisteanna (254)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

254. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he continues to engage with sporting and recreational organisations throughout the country with a view to the identification of their future proposals for development with particular reference to the need to plan for future events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47601/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

Both myself and Minister of State Ring have ongoing dialogue with the key sport stakeholders on the strategic issues and challenges facing the sector and on the sport policy priorities and actions required for the future development of sport.  

 

Question No. 255 answered with Question No. 232.

Question No. 256 answered with Question No. 252.

Question No. 257 answered with Question No. 251.

Question No. 258 answered with Question No. 230.

Road Projects Expenditure

Ceisteanna (259)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

259. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has seen a copy of the engineers' report carried out by Kerry County Council on the structural condition of Listry Bridge on the R563; if not, if he will request a copy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47608/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The 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.  The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.  

In July last year local authorities were invited to submit applications for consideration for funding in 2013 under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme.  Kerry County Council applied for funding for ten projects under this grant category but Listry Bridge was not among the Council’s applications.  

The Specific Improvement Grants Scheme is scheduled to be discontinued from 2014 onward in order to maximise the funding available for repair and strengthening work.  In lieu of the Specific Improvement Grant Programme, applications have been sought for minor bridge repair works (which is a subset of the current Specific Grant Programme) for 2014.  This is in line with focusing monies on road and bridge maintenance and strengthening. Kerry County Council applied for funding for four projects under this grant category and again Listry Bridge was not among the Council's applications.  

It is also important to re-iterate that the role of Exchequer grants for regional and local roads is to supplement Councils like Kerry County Council in their own resources spending in this area.  It is open to the Council to fund this project from its own resources.

 

Haulage Industry Regulation

Ceisteanna (260, 261)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

260. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport with regard to the new height restrictions on lorries if exceptions will be made to accommodate certain sectors that is, including industrial companies here making cranes whose height breaches the height restriction guidelines; if there are to be exceptions, if the transportation of fodder will be another of these exemptions as it would be a more common sense approach in dealing with this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47628/13]

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

261. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to the decision to reduce the height that lorries can carry on the roads, if he is aware that this will increase the cost of fodder being provided to farmers, for example, hay, silage and straw, which has to be transported by road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47633/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together.  

Statutory Instrument 366 of 2008 - Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 2008 sets the maximum height limit of vehicles in this country at 4.65 metres. The derogation was introduced to allow a five-year period within which vehicles operating at heights in excess of the new limits could be withdrawn from use in Ireland or to allow for the necessary height reductions by operators. The derogation expired on 31st October 2013.  

This maximum height limit was decided following a public consultation process undertaken in 2005. Following this, it was announced in January 2007 that a limit of 4.65 m would be introduced. Originally it was proposed that there be a two year derogation for vehicles registered, licensed or in use prior to the introduction of such a limit. Subsequently, following representations from the haulage industry it was agreed that a five year derogation would apply and this applies to those vehicles registered, licensed or in use prior to the 1st November 2008, when Statutory Instrument 366 of 2008 was signed into effect.  

Extending this derogation would have the effect of penalising those operators who have adapted their fleet recognising that this derogation was coming to an end, and rewarding those that did not. It is more than six years since the 4.65 m limit was announced and the industry has had ample time to accommodate themselves to the new limit.  

Separately, where vehicles above the statutory limit need to be used in exceptional circumstances on the country’s road network, the existing regime for abnormal loads will be able to deal with such requests.  This is not an alternative to complying with the legislation as it is only meant for genuine exceptions. The introduction of a wide scale permitting regime was deemed inappropriate as it would undermine the 4.65 m height limit.