Written Answers Nos. 829 - 853
829. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the advisory committee of the National Transport Authority has come to a decision regarding the establishment of a new category of small public service vehicle, SPSV, licence for situations where non-standard taxi, hackney and limousine services are to be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29627/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra830. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on adopting a similar approach to that taken in London regarding the possible establishment of a new category of small public service vehicle, SPSV, licence for situations where non-standard taxi, hackney and limousine services are to be provided, whereby both taxi and private hire regulations exist, which govern both taxi and non-taxi vehicles operating in a public service capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29628/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 829 and 830 together.
The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act, 2013. I have referred your questions to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
833. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the National Transport Authority's annual spend on consultants, agency workers and any other non-public service staff or services. [29797/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra834. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount the National Transport Authority spends on legal services, broken down per category, that is, public transport, taxi licensing and so on. [29798/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra835. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of permanent staff that have been assigned to the National Transport Authority and the grade of same. [29799/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra850. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total expenditure of the National Transport Authority on all staffing costs including consultants, agency workers and any other outsourced staffing costs. [29956/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra851. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total expenditure incurred by the National Transport Authority on legal services, with a breakdown on the costs involved in legal proceedings relating to the provision of public transport services and matters relating to the taxi industry. [29958/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra852. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of permanent staff assigned to the National Transport Authority, with a breakdown of the rank and grade of each permanent staff member working in the NTA. [29959/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 833 to 835, inclusive, and 850 to 852, inclusive, together.
The issues raised are matters for the National Transport Authority and I have forwarded the Deputies' questions to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
836. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding the Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014, if there will be a review or appeal procedure which will enable parties not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal by a parking controller or a clamping appeals officer to have recourse to the courts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29821/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014 provides for a two-stage appeals process. A person whose vehicle has been clamped or relocated may make a first-stage appeal to the person responsible for enforcing the law or rules applicable to parking in a particular place, referred to in the Bill as the “parking controller”. Where a person is not satisfied with the determination of the parking controller, they may make a second-stage appeal to an independent clamping appeals officer appointed by the National Transport Authority. The appeals process provided for in the Bill does not interfere with the rights of any citizen to have recourse to the Courts.
837. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding an application for a quad slide in respect of a club (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29856/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe organisation referred to by the Deputy submitted a valid application for a grant under the 2014 Sports Capital Programme. With 2,036 applications received under the 2014 Programme seeking funding of almost €160m it was unfortunately not possible to fund all valid applications. The 2014 Sports Capital Programme is now closed and all the monies under this round have been allocated.
839. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the roll-out of the revised rural transport programme; the timelines that are envisaged for its completed restructuring and integration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29875/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra840. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the roll-out of the restructured rural transport programme in County Kildare; the progress that has been made to date; the issues that remain outstanding; when he expects the restructuring in County Kildare to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29876/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 839 and 840 together.
Following a Government Decision in January 2012, responsibility for the integration of local and rural transport services, including management of the Rural Transport Programme (RTP), was assigned to the National Transport Authority (NTA) with effect from 1st April 2012. This includes responsibility for implementing the restructuring of the RTP announced by me on 9th July 2013. I have referred your questions on the restructuring to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
841. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form a status report on mutual recognition of Irish driver licences with all the Canadian provinces and territories; the current status of Irish driver licences recognition for Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut; if he will provide an update on activities by the Road Safety Authority and the Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa on having Irish driver licences recognised and setting up a reciprocal recognition scheme between each jurisdiction where recognition is not yet established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29887/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Road Safety Authority (RSA), which takes responsibility for the negotiation on mutual recognition of driving licences with other jurisdictions, has been engaged for some time with the Canadian provinces with the assistance of the Irish Embassy in Ottawa. It was decided to prioritise negotiations with Ontario due to the large number of Irish living there. I understand from the RSA that agreements have been reached on virtually all details with Ontario, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Difficulties that arose in relation to some aspects of the agreement have now been resolved and I expect that agreement with these provinces will be signed off shortly.
842. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a transport licence application in respect of a company (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29907/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
844. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the extent of capital or current funding provided for sporting or cultural activities in each of the Twenty-six Counties for each of the past four years, both from the proceeds of the national lottery and other sources; the proposed future expenditure from each source for the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29945/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the Sports Capital Programme and the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme the information for the past four years is available on the Department's website at www.dttas.ie. Because both programmes are demand-led it is not possible to estimate future expenditure but the figure for the D3 Subhead (SCP) for 2014 is €23m. The corresponding figure for the D4 Subhead (LASPP) is €10.3m.
The Irish Sports Council, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the allocation of current funding to National Governing Bodies of Sport, athletes and local sports partnerships throughout the country. Funding provided by my Department to the Council in each of the past four years is outlined in the table. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Council for information in relation to the allocation of funding in each county. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply is not received with 10 days. An amount of €42.496m is being provided to the Irish Sports Council in 2014.
My Department also provides capital funding to the National Sports Campus Development Authority for the development of the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, Blanchardstown. Capital funding provided to the Authority in each of the past four years is outlined in the table. An amount of €15.9m is being provided in 2014, which includes €13m in stimulus funding for the commencement of work on a National Indoor Arena.
|
- |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
ISC current |
€49.572m |
€46.837m |
€44.495m |
€43.448m |
|
NSCDA capital |
€1.347m |
€0.676m |
€3.9m |
€7.965m |
845. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the amount of money spent on trips as part of foreign delegations for each of the past four years; and the proposed expenditure for 2014, providing detailed aims and objectives of the trip. [29947/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpending on foreign travel and subsistence by all three Ministers in my Department is published on the Departmental website dttas.ie and is updated regularly. This includes my overseas programme and that of my Ministerial colleagues for 2014.
846. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the funding spent by Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland for each of the past four years; and the proposed expenditure this year on promoting tourism for Ireland. [29949/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraInformation in relation to expenditure by both agencies is available in their published Annual Reports and Accounts. The 2013 Annual Reports and Accounts will be approved later this year. In relation to planned overseas promotion expenditure for 2014, Tourism Ireland's approved business plan, which includes funding from Northern Ireland, has an agreed total budget provision of €58.029 million this year. I have referred the question to both Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland for any further information they are able to provide. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
847. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the amount of money spent on private consultants for each of the past four years; and the proposed expenditure for 2014 providing detailed aims and objectives of the contact. [29951/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.dttas.ie/corporate/english/expenditure-external-services. This includes details of spending on consultants and other forms of external spending. The figures available cover up to the end of 2013 and we are currently in the process of updating information for 2014. The allocation in my Department's budget for consultancy services for 2014 is provisionally set at €599,000.
848. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will annualise the sports capital grants scheme. [29953/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no plans at present to annualise the Sports Capital Programme.
849. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding that would be saved if Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland were amalgamated. [29954/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraTourism Ireland was established following the Good Friday Agreement and is accountable to the North South Ministerial Council with funding provided by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland and my own Department. Its primary remit is to promote the island of Ireland as a tourist destination overseas and it works closely with Fáilte Ireland, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), and the tourism industry in delivering its remit. By adding marketing investment from the two jurisdictions, Tourism Ireland gains greater purchasing power and voice in overseas markets.
Fáilte Ireland was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003, following the amalgamation of Bord Fáilte Éireann and CERT. Its primary functions are the development of quality tourism product, domestic tourism marketing, tourism standards, enterprise support, capability building and human resource development for the tourism industry. The amalgamation of Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland would require substantive changes to the statutory and North/South frameworks underpinning the two agencies, which could only progress within a wider political and institutional framework. It is therefore not possible to provide an estimate but I do not anticipate that it would yield substantial savings.
853. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form details of increments paid since 2008 in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30536/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of the increments paid in my Department from 2008 to date are outlined in the table.
Increments awarded 2008-2014
|
Grade/Equivalent |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Clerical Officer |
105 |
93 |
92 |
79 |
60 |
48 |
16 |
|
Staff Officer |
12 |
8 |
10 |
8 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
|
Executive Officer |
56 |
49 |
47 |
35 |
31 |
7 |
7 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
42 |
36 |
25 |
35 |
31 |
19 |
12 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer |
25 |
30 |
47 |
31 |
39 |
31 |
7 |
|
Principal Officer |
12 |
14 |
13 |
12 |
13 |
10 |
3 |
|
Service Officer |
6 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
Administrative Officer |
30 |
33 |
24 |
24 |
29 |
33 |
7 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Total |
289 |
271 |
263 |
228 |
212 |
172 |
52 |
