Written Answers Nos. 221-231
221. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 881 of 15 April 2015, if he has considered the safety merits of a regulatory system on imported and second hand tyre sales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17964/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I stated in my previous reply, the onus is on every vehicle owner to ensure that their tyres are fit for purpose and are free from defects. The Road Safety Authority has submitted a report to my Department in relation to the possibility of regulating the sale of second hand tyres. In common with all proposals in relation to road safety, I will keep this matter under review. It is not however a matter that is identified as an action point in the present Road Safety Strategy 2013 to 2020.
It is an offence to use a vehicle with defective or worn tyres and it does not matter whether these were the original tyres fitted to the vehicle or subsequently acquired second hand. My Department is in consultation with the Gardaí with a view to making this a fixed charge offence which will attract 2 penalty points, or 4 points on conviction in Court.
222. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the National Transport Authority objected to the National University of Ireland Dublin providing additional parking spaces on campus, to meet the growing demand for parking spaces, which has consequently caused great issues along surrounding roads, particularly Woodbine Road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17965/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Transport Authority (NTA), working in partnership with UCD, is responsible for implementing a range of sustainable transport measures on the UCD campus.
Accordingly, I have forwarded your request to them for direct reply to you. If you have not received a response from the NTA within 10 working days please contact my office.
223. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps being taken, in view of the serious lack of parking spaces, to incentivise students attending the National University of Ireland Dublin campus to use public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17966/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Transport Authority (NTA), working in partnership with UCD, is responsible for implementing a range of sustainable transport measures on the UCD campus.
Accordingly, I have forwarded your request to them for direct reply to you. If you have not received a response from the NTA within 10 working days please contact my office.
224. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when Kishogue railway station will be open to provide a vital service to the residents of south Lucan and the surrounding area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17981/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and the overall funding of public transport.
Responsibity for the development public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including train stations, is a function of the National Transport Authority (NTA).
Noting this I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
225. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the status of the Road Safety Strategy 2013-20 and, specifically, the consultation process in relation to action 105; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18050/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020 aims to make Ireland one of the safest countries in terms of road deaths in the EU. The Strategy sets a specific target for 2020 to reduce the number of road deaths to 124 or fewer a year (from 162 in 2012) and serious injuries to 330 per year (from 485 in 2012). This drop is necessary to close the gap between Ireland and other best performing countries.
A Ministerial Group on Road Safety, which I chair, oversees the implementation of the 144 Actions in the Strategy. Overall I am satisfied that good progress is being made in implementing the actions set out in the Strategy.
Action 105 of the Road Safety Strategy contains a commitment to make it compulsory for all vehicles to carry an emergency breakdown pack. I understand from the Road Safety Authority that they will be publishing a document for the purposes of a public consultation on this Action in the coming weeks.
I will consider how best to progress this when the Road Safety Authority has drawn conclusions from its consultation process.
226. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details on the possession of his Department or the National Roads Authority regarding future projects (details supplied). [18057/15]
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 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 do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
227. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a sports capital grant in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18061/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that an application has been submitted by the organisation referred to by the Deputy under the 2015 Sports Capital Programme and the Deputy's support for the project is noted.
I expect to announce allocations later this year.
228. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a sports capital grant in respect of a club (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18087/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that an application has been submitted by the organisation referred to by the Deputy under the 2015 Sports Capital Programme and the Deputy's support for the project is noted.
I expect to announce allocations later this year.
229. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 512 of 28 April 2015, if she will expand on the reason she has no ownership or guardianship of St. Naul's well in Inver in County Donegal, despite the well being on the record of monuments and places; in relation to an inspection that was carried out in December 2012, the outcome of this inspection in respect to the preservation of the well; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17908/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe inclusion of a monument in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) under section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994 does not confer ownership or guardianship on the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The RMP contains in excess of 130,000 monuments and places, the vast majority of which are privately owned.
While St. Naul’s Well is of archaeological interest, it would not be of a national significance consonant with being taken into Ministerial guardianship or being acquired by my Department whereby, it would become one of the relatively small number of national monuments in State care. There are present in the region of 1,000 such monuments at some 700 locations around the country.
As indicated in my reply to Question No. 512 of 28 April 2015, my Department carried out an inspection of the monument in December 2012 and advised the owner of the legal protection afforded to it under section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994. That inspection did not establish that there had been a contravention of the provisions of section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994.
230. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé i gceist aici maoiniú díreach a chur ar fáil don iris ‘An Timire’ má tharraingíonn Foras na Gaeilge an maoiniú atá á chur ar fáil don iris sin siar, ó tharla gurb í an iris Ghaeilge is faide atá á foilsiú agus go bhfuil fás agus forbairt tagtha uirthi le tamall anuas agus ós rud é nach bhfuil ar fáil ag an iris ach €6,000 in aghaidh na bliana; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [18064/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI dtosach báire, ní mór dom a threisiú gur ceist oibríochtúil atá ann d'Fhoras na Gaeilge maoiniú a chur ar fáil d’irisí Gaeilge agus níl aon ról agam féin mar Aire Stáit ina leith.
Mar atá mínithe agam cheana, tá sé mar aidhm ag Foras na Gaeilge pobal léitheoireachta na Gaeilge a spreagadh agus an iriseoireacht Ghaeilge a chothú trí dhíriú ar ábhar léitheoireachta a chur ar fáil saor in aisce ar líne. Tar éis don Fhoras próiseas tairisceana poiblí a reáchtáil, tuigtear dom gur bronnadh conarthaí i ndáil leis na foilseacháin seo a leanas: nuachtán seachtainiúil (Tuairisc.ie), iris stíl mhaireachtála (Nos.ie) agus foilseachán liteartha (Comhar). Tuigtear dom fosta ó Fhoras na Gaeilge go léiríonn na figiúirí léitheoireachta go dtí seo go bhfuil ag éirí leis an chur chuige seo.
Níl aon phleananna ag mo Roinn maoiniú díreach a chur ar fáil don iriseoireacht Ghaeilge i bhfianaise na bhfeidhmeanna atá á gcomhlíonadh ag Foras na Gaeilge san earnáil seo.
231. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost to the Exchequer of the payment of increments to all public sector staff under her remit, per year since 2008. [18327/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA summary of the number and aggregate value of increments awarded to staff of my Department in each year since its establishment in June 2011 is set out in the table.
|
Year |
No of Increments Awarded |
Aggregate Value of Increments Awarded |
|
2011 (2 Jun-31 Dec)* |
74 |
€98,000 |
|
2012 |
269 |
€374,000 |
|
2013 |
279 |
€377,000 |
|
2014 |
187 |
€247,000 |
*Does not include increments awarded to Professional & Technical Grades who remained on the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government payroll during this period.
I have arranged for the corresponding information in respect of bodies under the aegis of my Department to be forwarded to the Deputy under separate cover, as it was not possible to collate this information in the time available.
