Written Answers Nos. 881-894
881. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures taken to ensure that second-hand imported tyres comply with safety regulations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14596/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is the legal responsibility of the owner and driver of a vehicle to ensure that, when used in a public place, their vehicle meets with the Road Traffic Regulations with respect to tyres. These regulations require that each tyre has a tread depth of at least 1.6mm and is maintained in a condition fit for purpose and free from defects. When undergoing the National Car Test or Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test, all vehicles have their tyres inspected for tread depth, condition and the presence of 'E' marks.
The RSA has provided a Guide to Tyre Safety on its website which advises consumers as to what to look out for if they are considering buying used tyres.
It is an offence to use a vehicle with defective or worn tyres. This offence currently carries a fine not exceeding €1,000 on summary conviction in the case of a first offence. Legal provision also exists under section 54(d) the Road Traffic Act 2010 for making this a fixed charge offence which will attract 2 penalty points on the payment of a fixed charge and 4 points on conviction in Court. In consultation with An Garda Síochána and the RSA, I am proposing to commence this section in the summer.
The import and sale of second-hand tyres is not a regulated activity.
882. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the continuing tragic loss of lives on roads; the measures he is currently putting in place to curb these numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14683/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of deaths on Irish roads is a major concern, particularly in the context of the increase in fatalities seen in 2013 and 2014, marking the first increase in fatalities since 2005.
The Road Safety Strategy 2013 to 2020 contains 144 Actions to be implemented by the various agencies involved with the objective of making Ireland among the safest countries for road safety.
My officials and I meet regularly with all of the bodies and agencies that have responsibility for road safety, to ensure that all necessary measures are identified and taken to improve safety on our roads. The Ministerial Committee on Road Safety meets twice per year, most recently on 8 December 2014, to review implementation of the Strategy.
Aside from the Strategy, the Road Traffic Act 2014, introduced measures which will further contribute to road safety including Graduated Driver Licensing measures, adjustments to the penalty points system, and increasing demerits for the most dangerous offences.
Work is already underway on the drafting of the Road Traffic Bill 2015 which will further strengthen legislation on intoxicated driving including providing for roadside testing for drugs with devices to detect a range of commonly used drugs at the roadside.
The Bill will also create for the first time a register of written-off vehicles, provide for a number of adjustments to the penalty point system, and provide a legislative underpinning for new arrangements with the UK on mutual recognition of driving disqualifications.
I am satisfied that the actions set out in the Road Safety Strategy will be sufficient to allow Ireland to continue to make progress towards the objectives of reducing road deaths set out in the Strategy.
883. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons taking driving tests in 2014 who had language interpretation assistance during the test; the number in each test centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14687/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe operation of the driver testing service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
884. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons that have applied for their driving licence, using an Irish language application form, from the start of the National Driver Licence Service taking over the service to date, broken down by calendar year; and the county areas where these applications came from. [14688/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe operation of the National Driver Licensing Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received in ten days.
887. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the case being taken by taxi drivers in respect of the deregulation of the taxi industry a number of years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14833/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe cases were heard in the High Court before Judge Peart from 29 October to 18 December 2013. Judgment was reserved and a decision is awaited.
888. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount that Dublin Bus has collected through unclaimed refund receipts in the years 2012 to 2014 and in 2015 to date. [14884/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised is a 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.
889. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 566 of 25 March 2015, which he referred to the Irish Aviation Authority for answer, if he will request that the authority would answer the question asked, which was the way it knows when aircraft, such as the Hercules EC 130H which made an emergency landing in Shannon on 28 February 2015, are in Irish airspace. [14929/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI brought the Deputy's question to the attention of the Irish Aviation Authority and I understand that a substantive response has been issued.
890. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the commitment to provide funding of €30 million towards the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh in County Cork; if his Department is in ongoing contact with the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association, in regard to the detail of the project; the funding commitment that remains in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14953/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA €30m grant for the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh was announced last year by the Government as one of a series of projects being funded from a stimulus package. Cork GAA has been advised by my Department that the usual terms and conditions of the Sports Capital Programme apply to this funding together with the requirements of the Public Spending Code. My officials are in regular communications with Cork GAA to assist in progressing this project.
891. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a list of the semi-State commercial companies under his control; the policy of a dividend payment to the Exchequer from each company; the dividend paid by each company to the Exchequer for each year from 2000 to 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14971/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA list of the semi-State commercial companies under the remit of my Department is available on the Department's website at the following link http://www.dttas.ie/agencies?field_sector_tid=All. Details of Dividends paid from 2000 are set out in the Table below or, in the case of the State ports and harbour authorities, from 2006 when responsibility for maritime functions was transferred to the then Department of Transport.
The Government's position is that all profitable commercial State companies with distributable profits return a financial dividend to the State. The general guideline figure is 30% of after-tax profits. Depending on the financial circumstances of the particular company, the figure adopted may be more or less than this guideline 30% figure. However, dividend policies will need to take account of issues such as current and projected profitability, capital investment plans and pension funding.
The DAA dividend policy is dependent on profitability and is currently based on a 20% payment. As a newly established entity (August 2014), Shannon Group's focus is on its commercial sustainability. A dividend policy is yet to be decided.
|
Commercial Companies |
Year |
€ Dividend Paid |
|
DAA |
2000-2002 2003 2004 2005-2008 2009 2010-2014 |
Nil 7.2m 6m Nil 19.4m Nil |
|
Irish Aviation Authority |
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004-2011 2012 2013 2014 |
1.16m 1.071m 1m 1.271m Nil 5.015m 4.833m 6.535m |
|
Port of Cork Company |
2006-2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 |
Nil 630,000 358,976 407,000 503,861 |
|
Drogheda Port Company |
2006-2014 |
Nil |
|
Dublin Port Company |
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 |
Nil 4.2m 5.1m 5.3m 5.5m 16.5m 10.2m 15m 8m |
|
Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company |
2006-2014 |
Nil |
|
Shannon Foynes Port Company |
2006-2014 |
Nil |
|
Galway Harbour Company |
2013 |
30,000 |
|
New Ross Port Company |
2006-2014 |
Nil |
|
Port of Waterford Company |
2006-2014 |
Nil |
|
Wicklow Port Company |
2006-2014 |
Nil |
892. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding seagulls (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14426/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll wild birds, including seagulls, are protected under the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012 and the European Union's Birds Directive. However, there is a facility under the legislation for a person to obtain a permit, under section 42 of the Wildlife Acts, to take certain actions, including the scaring, capturing or killing of birds where they are causing serious damage to buildings and other structures, food (including human food products), agricultural crops, forestry plantations, other fauna, etc.
Applications for such permits are considered on a case by case basis and are subject to examination by my Department.
In certain cases the easy availability of food sources and the breeding/nesting period may be contributing factors to the bird behaviours of concern.
893. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the extinction of Irish hares from North Bull Island in Dublin City; her further views on action to restore and preserve Irish hares on the island; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14558/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra894. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the measures to be taken to protect wildlife on North Bull Island, in view of reports that there have been no hares sighted there since June 2014; her plans to re-introduce hares to the island; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14682/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 893 and 894 together.
The Irish Hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus) is found throughout the country. It is classified as a “protected species” under the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012, as well as being listed in Annex V of the EU Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC).
Under Article 17 of the Directive, Member States are obliged to report to the European Commission on the status of listed habitats and species every six years. Each species is assessed according to its range across Ireland, the population, the quality of its habitat and its future prospects. The Irish Hare was given a favourable conservation status in the Report entitled “The Status of European Union Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland”, which was submitted to the Commission in 2013. A copy of the report is available on the website of my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service at www.npws.ie.
The Bull Island is monitored regularly by officers of my Department, but, despite these efforts and those of local landowners, the hare population has remained at very low levels for the past 20 years. While it is a matter for the landowners on the island to consider if they wish to translocate hares there, such a proposal would require a license from my Department under the Wildlife Acts. In that regard, it would be important that conditions on the island would be suitable for a reintroduction programme.
