Written Answers Nos. 592-607
592. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reduce public transport prices and expand bus and rail services to incentivise the use of public transport, particularly in view of the need to lower carbon emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3491/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have given a commitment to supporting a well-funded public transport system into the future, recognising the vital role it plays in our economy and society generally. I committed to avoid further reductions in the Public Service Obligation (PSO) funding and ensured that in Budget 2015 PSO funding for bus and rail services was maintained at current levels. This is the first time this has happened since 2008. I also recently secured €110 million for public transport as part of the Supplementary Estimate for my Department.
Under the current capital plan the key priority with the level of resources available is to protect investments made to date and to maintain safety standards. If additional funds become available under the next capital plan, which is not certain, there will be many competing projects from all transport modes in all regions. Any additional funds will be prioritised for projects for which there is a clear need, which are affordable, have a sound business case and add value to existing infrastructure.
My Department is currently preparing the transport sector’s contribution to the National Mitigation Plan, which is being co-ordinated by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The obligation to prepare the Mitigation Plan is included in the Climate Action and Local Carbon Development Bill, which was published last Monday. Measures to promote the use of sustainable travel options, including public transport, are being considered in the context of this process.
Matters regarding public transport fares and services are matters 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.
593. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will increase the funding to Kerry County Council for local improvement scheme road projects to address the large waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3496/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Improvement Scheme provides funding for roads and laneways that Councils have not taken in charge. However, the maintenance and improvement of these is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant landowner. There is no separate allocation for the LIS. Instead, local authorities may use up to 15% of their initial Discretionary Grant towards local improvement schemes should they wish to do so. The local contribution for these schemes remains at 20% of the total cost of the project. Furthermore, it is open to local authorities to supplement the percentage of their Discretionary Grant that they can use for the LIS with their own resources.
Some local authorities want a ring-fenced LIS allocation for private roads while others prefer to put the funding into public roads. I think this decision is best made at a local level.
594. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if Iarnród Éireann plans to install indicator points at each DART station to show commuters where each train carriage will stop; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3506/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised is a matter for Iarnród Éireann 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 response within ten working days.
595. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views that the recent decrease in oil prices by almost 50% should be reflected by a reduction in public transport ticket prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3512/15]
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.
596. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views that a change is required to the regulations relating to the definition of vintage cars so that there is a rolling 30-year age criteria rather than the current fixed date of pre-1980 vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3538/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra601. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to provide exemptions from road worthiness tests to pre-1980 vintage veteran vehicles in order to reduce the regulatory burden on owners of historic vehicles in line with a similar exemption which already applies to pre-1980 vintage cars which do not require national car test road worthiness testing under the provisions of the Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act; the reasons vintage veteran vehicles were excluded from exemptions despite numerous public submissions on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3568/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra602. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the exemption for testing of vintage vehicles will be changed to a 30-year rolling exemption; if this will also include buses, trucks and trailers in view of the fact that vintage vehicles are important from a hobby, heritage and employment point of view; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3680/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra608. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way vintage veteran vehicles will be protected; his plans to maintain the exemption from testing for vehicles registered prior to 1 January 1980; his views on changing this to a 30-year rolling exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3814/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 596, 601, 602 and 608 together.
Under the Government's 2013-2020 Road Safety Strategy, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) was tasked with conducting a review of the roadworthiness testing of vintage vehicles to determine the safety case and cost benefits, if any, for inclusion in roadworthiness testing.
The RSA has now completed this review which included a public consultation exercise that attracted in the region of 2,000 submissions. The scope of the RSA's review covered those vehicles types for which roadworthiness testing regimes currently exist namely, passenger cars, ambulances, motor caravans, buses, goods vehicles and their trailers.
My Department received the RSA's review findings and proposals recently and these will be examined by my officials with a view to submitting early recommendations to me which I will consider in due course.
597. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will arrange to have traffic calming measures installed in Barraduff Village, County Kerry, especially at the Killarney side, as traffic is travelling at an alarming speed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3544/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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 (including traffic calming measures on national roads) is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. I understand that the village of Barraduff, Co. Kerry is on the N72 national road route.
Noting the position as outlined, 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.
598. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason his Department has failed to address the pension entitlement issues of those former employees of his Department that transferred to Aer Rianta before April 1970; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3546/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have no function in relation to the administration of the Irish Airlines (General Employees) Superannuation Scheme (IASS). However, I understand that this topic has been the subject of a number of reviews by my predecessors and senior civil servants in my Department over the years in which legal advice was sought on the matter. The position is that former employees of the Department of Transport and Power voluntarily resigned from the civil service upon accepting posts with Aer Rianta.
On transfer to Aer Rianta with their agreement, those employees also transferred from the Civil Service Pension Scheme to the IASS.
It is the Department’s view that DAA (formerly Aer Rianta) has complied with its obligations to these former civil servants with regard to their pension entitlement in accordance with the terms agreed at the time they accepted a contract of employment with Aer Rianta.
599. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a taxi-small public service vehicle licence renewal in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3555/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including licensing, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
600. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a grant in respect of an organisation (details supplied) in Dublin 6W; when all funds will be advanced to this organisation to clear the outstanding balance regarding works carried out on foot of receiving the grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3560/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe letter of formal approval was issued to the named club on 14 November 2014. My Department received two invoices in January 2015. A payment of €13,506 was made to the club earlier this month. The club has confirmed that it has received this payment.
The remainder of the grant will be payable on receipt of valid paid invoices and the other supporting documentation i.e. bank statements, tax clearance certificates, certificate of compliance and a certificate of completion. The designated club contact should contact the Sports Capital Unit in Killarney if they need further information.
603. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to apply for EU CER funding in 2015 for the proposed M7 motorway scheme, which involves carrying out necessary widening of the M7 southbound towards its intersection with the M9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3744/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI presume the funding programme the Deputy is referring to is the Connecting Europe Facility (or CEF) which runs for the period 2014-2020.
The current status of Exchequer finances combined with terms and conditions of the methodology and Regulations limits the possibilities for projects being put forward that require Exchequer co-financing for studies and work co-funding.
The co-funding rates under CEF-transport are low. This further limits the ability of organisations with projects requiring Exchequer co-funding to put forward projects and enter into commitments to complete projects within the timeframes specified in the CEF and Ten-T regulation. No Exchequer funding is in place to fund these projects and Ireland will not therefore be putting forward these schemes under this CEF call for proposals.
604. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the loss of routes and reduction of services at Cork Airport in recent months; his plans to provide greater autonomy to Cork Airport to make commercial decisions to better enable it to compete with other airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3753/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the DAA is the body charged with statutory responsibility to manage, operate and develop Dublin and Cork Airports. In these circumstances, responsibility for routes and services at Cork Airport are matters for DAA and Cork Airport management, and are not matters in which I have a direct role.
That said, I am very conscious of the importance of Cork Airport for business and tourism in the Cork region. I am also very aware of, and concerned about, the continuing decline in passenger numbers at the airport. It was because of this decline that the Cork Airport Development Council (CADC) was established under an initiative of my predecessor, with the intention of bringing key local stakeholders together to foster a common understanding of issues of concern, identify potential opportunities for growth and to address the operating performance of the airport.
In relation to the question of greater autonomy for Cork Airport it should be noted that policy in relation to the future of Cork Airport was decided by Government in May, 2012 in the context of the decision to separate Shannon Airport from DAA. The Government decided at that time that the existing ownership of Cork Airport by DAA would be maintained for the present. Since that decision, DAA has put in place arrangements for the airport to be run as a stand-alone business unit within the Company, properly resourced at management level locally. In addition, two of the members of DAA Board represent Cork, thereby ensuring that issues pertaining to Cork Airport are considered at the highest level.
The new management structure is now bedded down and Cork Airport, the DAA and the CADC are focusing their efforts on identifying new route markets and developing new services. Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland have already invested in developing tourism attractions in the region served by the airport and in generating positive publicity for those attractions. I would encourage Cork Airport to highlight its role as a gateway to the region and to work with stakeholders to develop and market the tourism product.
605. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the planned upgrade of the Dunkettle interchange in County Cork; if funding is in place for the project to proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3754/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I have made clear in response to a number of similar questions previously, the general approach my Department has taken to future capital projects is to keep under review projects at various stages of planning and design which have been evaluated and appraised in order to have a pipeline of suitable "shovel ready" projects ready to avail of any funding opportunities that may arise. The project mentioned is among these. However as the Deputy will appreciate, given the reduced budget available to my Department for roads, I must prioritise the maintenance and upkeep of existing infrastructure.
The scope for progressing projects such as this will be dependent on the availability of funding in the future.
606. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on cycle greenways being critical infrastructure in the context of the compulsory purchase order process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3793/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra607. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to use the compulsory purchase order process to facilitate the development of cycle greenways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3794/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 606 and 607 together.
It is a matter for the County Council in charge of delivering a specific project to consider access to land on a case by case basis and take a multi-criteria approach in the route selection process. In the event of a proposed route traversing private land there are a number of options that can be considered by the authority the first being the permissive access model. This is a worthy mechanism for certain cycling and walking projects, particularly on a local level. It is a low cost community based model that provides access to the natural environment without interfering with the property rights of the landowners.
As stated above, negotiated permissive access from the perspectives of cost and public ownership has value but, for projects of national scale, consideration must be given to land purchase by agreement or if necessary by CPO. In the context of developing major cycling infrastructure projects that traverse long sections of privately owned land and involve major state investment it would be precarious to rely on permissive access where the associated agreements may be withdrawn at any time without recourse to the State.
While I fully support the need to consider negotiated financial agreements or, if required, CPO, I certainly recommend that all other options are considered before land purchase is decided on. There is no one size fits all approach to this.
