Written Answers Nos. 593-615
593. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for Drogheda Port, in the context of the upcoming harbours (amendment) Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27553/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Harbours Bill 2015 was published on 1st July.
The Deputy is aware that Drogheda Port Company is designated as a Port of Regional Significance under National Ports Policy and therefore in common with the other Ports of Regional Significance, control of the company will be vested in more appropriate local authority led governance structures.
The Bill provides the legal platform for this policy position and will allow for a later Ministerial Order to effect the actual transfer.
As reflected in National Ports Policy and confirmed by consultations to date with stakeholders, Drogheda Port Company will transfer to the control of Louth County Council through a transfer of the current Ministerial shareholding in the company to the local authority. That method of transfer also allows for the local authority to consider in the future the possibility of greater private sector involvement in the company, subject to the consent of elected members and relevant Ministers.
594. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in the context of the upcoming harbours (amendment) Bill dealing with ports of regional significance, if his plan's references to the council relate to the executives of the relevant council or to the elected members of that council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27554/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Harbours Bill 2015 was published on 1st July and I hope to commence Oireachtas debates on the Bill before the summer recess.
The Bill will provide the legislative basis to one of the National Ports Policy's key recommendations, namely that governance of the designated Ports of Regional Significance vest in more appropriate local authority led governance structures. As the Deputy is aware the five Ports of Regional Significance are Drogheda, Dún Laoghaire, Galway, New Ross and Wicklow.
The Bill is designed to provide maximum legislative flexibility. It will not prescribe the model of transfer but instead will allow for the most appropriate model of governance in respect of each individual company to be chosen. The optimal manner of transfer is one which finds broad consensus and agreement between parties. The actual transfer of the companies will be made under later Statutory Instrument.
The Bill's two models of transfer are:
1. Retention of the existing company structure and a transfer of the Ministerial shareholding in the company; or
2. Dissolution of the existing company structure and transfer of all assets, liabilities and employees into local authority structures.
Where the company structure is retained and the shareholding of that company transferred to the local authority, then the Bill provides for the amendment of the existing Harbours Acts to reflect that transfer.
Obviously, under this type of transfer there is a need to ensure the appropriate balance between the freedom and requirements of a commercial port and Council oversight. The Bill specifies the differing roles of the Executive and the elected members of a Council in this type of arrangement. As an example, section 23 requires Chairpersons and CEOs to appear before the elected members to give account of their administration of that company, if invited to appear by the elected members.
Obviously under the other method of transfer, the company is dissolved and the port will be administered as a functional area of a local authority.
595. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to the upcoming harbours (amendment) Bill, if the elected members will vote upon the different transfer methods, or if this decision will be taken by the unelected executives. [27555/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Harbours Bill 2015 was published on 1st July and will commence its Oireachtas passage very shortly.
The Bill is designed to provide maximum legislative flexibility. It will not prescribe the model of transfer but instead will allow for the most appropriate model of governance to be chosen in respect of each individual company. The two possible models of transfer provided in the Bill are:
1. Retention of the existing company structure and transfer of the Ministerial shareholding in the company to the local authority; or
2. Dissolution of the existing company structure and transfer of all assets, liabilities and employees into local authority structures, where the port will be administered as a functional area of the local authority.
The manner of transfer selected in each case will be the one that finds broad consensus and agreement between the parties. The views of elected members form part of that overall process. My Department has funding available for each local authority to assist in a due diligence exercise and different local authorities are at different stages of due diligence.
The legal method of transfer will be via a Ministerial Order made under the new Harbours Bill. The Order will be signed by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (as joint company shareholder) and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (as Minister responsible for local government).
596. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the upcoming harbours (amendment) Bill; the Stage the Bill is at, at present; and when it is proposed to enact this legislation. [27556/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Harbours Bill 2015 was published on Wednesday 1st July and is available to view on the Oireachtas website as well as my Department's website.
My office are currently scheduling a date for Second Stage prior to the summer recess with the Whip's Office.
I look forward to bringing this Bill through the Houses.
597. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to the upcoming harbours (amendment) Bill, its proposed impact on port-handling operator licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27557/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Harbours Bill 2015 will have no impact on port handling operator licenses. The management and operation of a port is a statutory matter for a port company or in those instances whereby a port company is dissolved and transferred to a local authority, that local authority.
598. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to the upcoming harbours (amendment) Bill, his views on whether there may be a potential conflict of interest for port companies which issue cargo-handling operator licences and licences for stevedoring in being involved directly as a competitor to these licensees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27558/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn June 2012 as part of this Government's Action Plan for Jobs, my colleague the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation requested the Competition Authority to carry out a study of competition in the ports sector.
The Authority published a comprehensive report in November 2013 and I recommend the report to anybody with an interest in our ports sector. As committed to within National Ports Policy I issued a response to the Authority's six recommendations and that response is available to view on my Department's website.
The issue of stevedore licensing was examined by the Authority and formed the basis for one of the six recommendations. The Authority recommended that general stevedore licenses be granted to applicants on a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory basis or through a tendering basis. The report also stated that where stevedoring services are provided exclusively by a port authority stevedore, this requirement should be clearly justified by the relevant port authorities.
As acknowledged in that report, our ports operate a number of different methods as regards the organisation of stevedoring within their port estate. Some do not provide any stevedoring services whatsoever but instead license private operators. Other ports provide stevedoring services through subsidiary companies in competition with private sector parties while others provide stevedoring exclusively through a subsidiary company.
The issue of competition in our port services market is extremely important and any particular concerns on any competition issue should be brought to the attention of the Competition Authority, which has the required statutory powers to enforce competition law.
At a European level there is currently a Port Services Regulation under consideration at the European Parliament, which proposes to address the issue of port services competition generally.
599. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to the upcoming harbours (amendment) Bill, the work undertaken by a joint steering group established between Drogheda Port and Louth County Council; the number of times it has met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27559/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA Steering Committee has been established by Drogheda Port Company and Louth County Council to examine the practical and detailed issues for consideration in light of the forthcoming transfer of control of the company to the council.
I am informed that the Steering Committee has met 4 number of times since its establishment. The Council has also appointed consultants to carry out due diligence prior to the transfer and this process is currently underway.
600. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when his Department will allocate funding for the national cycling velodrome and badminton arena, which has planning permission in Abbotstown in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27572/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Sports Campus Development Authority has developed a proposal, in conjunction with the relevant National Governing Bodies of Sport, for the development of a National Velodrome and Badminton Centre at the National Sports Campus.
No decision has been made regarding the provision of Exchequer funding for this project. The proposal will be presented as part of the Estimates discussions between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Any decision regarding funding is a matter for the Budget announcement.
601. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding will be provided for the non-national road works programme for County Cavan for 2015, given there has been a major reduction in grant aid to Cavan County Council for such works over the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27632/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra602. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding will be provided for the non-national road works programme for County Monaghan for 2015, given there has been a major reduction in grant aid to Monaghan County Council for such works over the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27705/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 601 and 602 together.
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads (RLR) 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.
The economic reality of recent years has meant significant reductions in roads budgets across the board. My Department has allocated a total of €294 million for regional and local roads in 2015, €7.1 of which has been allocated to Monaghan County Council and €8.2m of which has been allocated to Cavan County Council.
The 2015 grants for RLR are now allocated and I am not in a position to allocate additional funding at present.
603. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of times, including dates, that the threat response plan team for the hen harrier habitat has met in each of the years 2011 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; if she will provide details of the membership of the team, including the agency or body the member in question represents; the attendance record of each member for each of the meetings concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27080/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Inter-Departmental Steering Group working on the development of the Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan was established in July 2014 and has now met on five occasions: 24th July and 17th December 2014, and 31st March, 20th May and 17th June 2015.
The membership of the Steering Group is made up of representatives of my Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.
Meetings were attended by representatives from all Departments with the following exceptions:
- the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resource was unable to send a representative to the first meeting in July 2014;
- the Departments of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and Environment, Community and Local Government were unable to attend the meeting of 31st March 2015; and
- the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government was unable to send a representative on 20th May 2015.
604. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the efforts her Department is making to ensure proposals from Foras na Gaeilge to extend the Irish language community scheme are discussed at the upcoming meeting of the North-South body; if she will confirm that the proposals have the support of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27163/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary objective of An Scéim Phobail Gaeilge (the Irish Language Community Scheme), which Foras na Gaeilge has been implementing for the past 10 years, is to support local voluntary communities in promoting the Irish language in their respective target areas and groups. Under the present scheme, funding is provided to 19 committees, 11 based in the North and 8 based in the South.
Following a review of the scheme, which included a public consultation process, Foras na Gaeilge proposes to introduce a revised scheme containing the following key features:
- An extension to the duration of the scheme, focusing on the development and sustainability of networks, rather than on the implementation of programmes of activities;
- An increase in the number of groups being funded which should lead to a more widespread geographic distribution of funded groups; and
- A new focus on sustainable development in the communities themselves which will empower groups to retain ownership within their own target areas and ensure that permanent outcomes result from the funding.
In addition, Glór na nGael, as the lead all-island organisation in the area of community and economic development, will have a role in fostering, sharing and encouraging good practice in funded projects through its network of development officers.
Discussions on the implementation of the revised scheme are at an advanced stage between Foras na Gaeilge and Sponsor Departments (my Department and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland). It is envisaged that the revised scheme will be operational from 1 January 2016. In the meantime, funding under the present scheme has been extended to 31 December 2015 to ensure the continuity of existing services.
605. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has considered an application for funding from a community group (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27381/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm to the Deputy that I have received the correspondence from the community group in question. This matter is under consideration in my Department and I hope to be in a position to issue a reply shortly.
606. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she is aware that deer cull returns provided by deer hunters to her Department have shown a continuous decline in the number of deer culled since 2009, at 15% decline nationally, despite her Department granting an additional 2,000 licences to hunt deer since 2005; that the Wild Deer Association of Ireland, the lead organisation representing those who work with deer and their management and a member of the Irish Deer Management Forum, recently stated that a national survey of deer hunters highlighted that 61% of deer hunters had seen a reduction in deer numbers in their area during the 2014-2015 deer hunting season; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27393/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra607. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she is aware that permits granted by her Department to landowners under section 42 of the Wildlife Acts for the culling of deer outside the open hunting season due to crop damage and excessive deer numbers have declined nationally by 27% in the past two years, including for counties Galway, by 60%, Tipperary, by 44%, Wicklow, by 7%, and Waterford, by 38%, where claims of excessive deer numbers have been made recently, despite her Department never undertaking a census of deer numbers; if she agrees that the decline in these permits would suggest fewer landowners have an issue with deer damage and excessive deer numbers; that County Wicklow represents over one third of the annual national deer cull but, despite claims of excessive deer numbers, less than 5% of the farming population have requested permits under section 42 of the Wildlife Acts to control excessive deer numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27394/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra608. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 605 of 6 May 2015, if she is aware that in her reply there is no connection between deer range and deer numbers, and that her Department, other than in the case of some national parks, has never undertaken a national deer count, and so is not aware if deer numbers are increasing or decreasing nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27395/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 606 to 608, inclusive, together.
I am advised that the deer population in Ireland increased greatly between 1990 and 2010. There has been some reduction in the number of deer legally shot in recent years, as well as a decrease in the number of section 42 permits granted under the Wildlife Acts. However, there is no current evidence to cause concern about a reduced range and number of deer across the country.
As I indicated in my reply to Question No 605 of 6 May 2015, the report Deer Management in Ireland – A Framework for Action recommends a series of actions on deer management and conservation in a number of areas, including addressing the impact of deer in places where they are widespread. An Irish Deer Management Forum had been established to implement the various actions listed in the Report.
My Department does not have the resources to carry out or coordinate a national deer count. A large part of the deer population lives in forestry or woodland and it is particularly difficult to achieve reliable counts in such dense cover. There is no evidence to suggest that there is any threat to Ireland's deer population.
609. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the rationale behind the decision to place all Catholic Church records of births and marriages on the website of the National Library of Ireland; the reason records held by only one religious denomination are involved; if she and her officials have properly considered the potential misuse of these data, both domestically and internationally, now that the information will be freely available, including for copying globally; with whom she or the National Library of Ireland consulted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27511/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Library of Ireland is a statutorily independent body and the Board of the Library is responsible for making decisions in relation to the collections. While my Department provides funding to the national cultural institutions, including the National Library, the management and board of each institution are responsible for all operational matters and for determining spending priorities, based on the resources available to them.
The decision to publish online images from the Catholic Parish Register microfilms was taken by the Board and management of the National Library. The launch of the new resource on 8 July will be the culmination of over 3 years of digitisation work by the Library.
The National Library has indicated that the primary purpose of the current project is to improve access to these records for people abroad, as well as Irish citizens, by making them available online. A secondary consideration is the preservation of the records. I am advised that, at present, the microfilms records in the Library have to be handled in the reading room and placed in a microfiche machine to enable users to examine the records. Placing them online will help prevent further damage to the records and will also reduce the resources required by the Library in the reading room to facilitate the large numbers of users who wish to view the parish records.
I understand that the National Library holds only Catholic Parish Registers in its collection and not the church records of any other religious denomination.
I understand also from the Library that the images are being published under a non-commercial reuse licence. This precludes any organisation from using the images for commercial purposes.
This new digital resource will help people at home and abroad who are interested in tracing their ancestry. The website provides access to church records dating back up to 270 years and includes details like the dates of baptisms and marriages, and the names of the key people involved. The records feature the baptisms of some very well known historical figures, such as the 1916 Leaders, Padraig Pearse and Thomas McDonagh.
Making this kind of material available online should help to boost genealogy tourism, and will complement the work of local historical centres in communities around the country. As we approach the centenary of the 1916 Rising next year, I am keen to make as much historical material as possible available online, so we can encourage people around the world to reconnect with their Irish roots.
610. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the National Parks and Wildlife Service, as the statutory competent authority responsible for the favourable conservation status of Irish wild birds, can publically endorse the assertion and international consumer marketing by An Bord Bia to the effect that current agricultural policies, methods and food production are sustainable and natural, in terms of the current restricted range and falling productivity of threatened Irish farmland birds, such as the red grouse, hen harrier and curlew; if the service has ever suggested any form of satisfaction with the conservation status of these three species, dependent on farming activity, while communicating with the European Commission's directorate responsible for implementing the European birds directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27634/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is aware of the decline of certain species as referred to by the Deputy and has reported on these matters to the European Commission as part of its statutory obligations for monitoring and reporting. The species in question are largely dependent upon low-productivity grazing areas in uplands and bogs, and their reduced numbers reflect long-term changes in land use in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, agriculture. Land uses such as turf-cutting and afforestation over many decades are also very significant. It is essential to include, in considerations of this topic, the fundamental need of landowners to secure a viable living for themselves and their families in rural areas.
I can assure the Deputy that my Department continues to work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and other relevant Departments and agencies, to secure the conservation of these species, while seeking the means to support continued sustainable farming.
611. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 248 of 14 May 2015, the number of management plans, as opposed to the number of site-specific conservation objectives, for Natura 2000 sites that have been submitted to and approved by the European Commission; the plan that has been in draft form for the longest period of time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27635/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will appreciate that my Department has prioritised resources in this sector to meeting the requirements arising from adverse judgements against Ireland, under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives. Against that background, my Department has not submitted any management plans for upland sites in our Natura 2000 network, to the European Commission for approval.
612. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 14 May 2015, if she agrees that either no or very poor Irish scientific data were used to change the burning dates, as per section 40 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27636/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra613. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 14 May 2015, if she will confirm that Irish scientific egg-laying data were not used to inform the changes made to the burning dates, as per section 40 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27637/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 612 and 613 together.
As indicated in reply to Question No. 247 of 14 May 2015, the start of the closed period for hedge cutting was extended, under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, to 1 March, in recognition of the generally accepted nesting and breeding season in order to afford further protection to wild birds. While, as indicated in that reply, this decision would have been informed by the scientific advice available at the time, I am advised that there is no record in my Department of the specific data used for that purpose.
614. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total area designated exclusively as natural heritage areas, without any additional designation as special areas of conservation or special protection areas. [27701/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra615. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the process that must be adhered to in order to designate a natural heritage area; if any such areas have been de-designated in the past ten years; if a compensating designation mechanism can be explored to enable a de-designation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27702/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 614 and 615 together.
The process for the designation of sites as natural heritage areas is set out in the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. Under the provisions of section 16 of the Act, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht forms the intention to designate a natural heritage area, while the making of a natural heritage area order is carried out under the provisions of section 18.
Natural heritage areas are legally protected from damage from the date they are formally proposed for designation through a requirement to obtain my consent, as Minister, before certain potentially damaging activities are undertaken on the sites.
75 raised bogs, which are located mainly in the midlands, have been given legal protection as natural heritage areas, covering some 23,000 hectares. A further 73 blanket bogs, covering 37,000 hectares, mostly in western areas, are also designated as natural heritage areas.
While some natural heritage areas exist entirely or partly within candidate special areas of conservation or special protection areas, my Department estimates that some 45,873 hectares of land is solely designated within natural heritage areas.
In addition, there are 630 proposed natural heritage areas. While a review of these sites is foreseen, this will not take place in the immediate future, having regard to the available resources.
There have been no natural heritage areas de-designated in the last ten years.
In January 2014, the Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area Network was published and concluded that Ireland could more effectively achieve conservation of threatened raised bog habitat through focused protection and restoration of a reconfigured network. This will entail the phasing out of turf-cutting on certain natural heritage areas by 1 January 2017 and the partial or complete de-designation of certain natural heritage areas.
46 natural heritage areas (including parts of 7 natural heritage areas) are scheduled for de-designation. To compensate for the loss of habitat within these sites where it is proposed that turf cutting can continue, 25 undesignated raised bogs, which are in public ownership or where there is reduced turf cutting pressure, will be designated as natural heritage areas. Compensation will be made available to affected turf cutters.
Regulatory change will be required to give full effect to the de-designation of the sites. The appropriate form of this change is being considered within my Department and I expect that the process will be completed by the end of the year.
