Written Answers Nos. 1146-1159
1146. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department is aware that two boats, a 30 m mussel dredger and a smaller fishing boat, have been abandoned and are derelict at the quay at Ramelton in County Donegal; the assistance his Department will provide to remove these. [37396/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is not aware of the particular vessels referred to by the Deputy.
In general, the relevant legislation under my remit which applies to such cases is the Merchant Shipping (Salvage and Wreck) Act, 1993.
In particular, Section 52 (1), (3) and (4) provides powers to the Local Authority to remove, and dispose of wrecks where the Authority believes that the wreck poses a threat to navigation or to the marine environment.
In addition, the owners of such vessels are responsible for any costs arising from the above actions under Section 53.
1147. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of requests made by the US in 2015 to date under the Air Navigation and Transport Act (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973, for permits to transport munitions destined for Saudi Arabia through Shannon Airport. [37206/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo date in 2015 no requests have been made to my Department by airlines from the United States for permits to transport munitions through Shannon Airport for flights destined for Saudi Arabia under the Air Navigation and Transport Act (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973.
1148. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of the application from the City of Derry Airport for his Department to co-fund the re-instatement of the Derry to Dublin air connection, along with the British Government Department for Transport and the airport itself; and if he will accede to this request in acknowledgement of the infrastructural deficits in linking Donegal and Derry to Dublin, in comparison to all other major cities and regions. [37230/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraLast week, I received a letter from the Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement which included a request from the City of Derry Airport for financial assistance from the Irish Government towards the operating costs of a proposed new air service between that airport and Dublin. I believe that the prospective air carrier in question, Citywings, has applied for start-up assistance under the UK's Regional Air Connectivity Fund for this route.
I understand that the UK's Connectivity Fund was approved from a State aid point of view by the EU Commission earlier this year. We do not, however, have a similar scheme and there is no funding available from my Department to grant financial aid to airlines for new route start-ups.
I will, however, have my officials look into the matter further before I respond to the Chairman of the Joint Committee.
1149. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a driving licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37304/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe operation of the National Driver Licensing Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority, and I have no power to intervene in individual cases.
I can however inform the Deputy that the period of validity of driving licences is set out in legislation, and cannot be extended.
1150. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated expenditure of his Department in 2015 in tabular form; the budget for expenditure agreed at the start of the year for 2015; the extra expenditure or savings in this budget during the year to date; when and under what process this expenditure and these savings were approved; and his Department's budget for expenditure in 2016. [37270/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department expects that there will be no underspend in either its Current or Capital allocation for 2015.
An additional €100m was allocated to my Department in July this year to cover a number of areas including €35m towards critical remedial works, maintenance and strengthening of the road network at regional and local level, €60m for various public transport projects and €5m for tourism related projects and the Indoor Arena. This amount will be included in the Supplementary Estimate with Formal Dáil approval expected in November 2015.
|
Rev Allocation 2015 |
2016 Budget |
|
€000 |
€000 |
|
Current - 674,880 |
721,645 |
|
Capital - 937,808 |
1,015,840 |
|
Total - 1,612,688 |
1,737,485 |
1151. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation for his Department in 2016 which covers the Lansdowne Road agreement; and the demographic or other inflationary pressures. [37286/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe allocation to cover the Lansdowne Road Agreement for this Department in 2016 is €965,000 (including pay and pension related deductions). While demographic and other factors are considerations in the annual Estimates process, it is not possible to crudely disaggregate such factors in the allocations provided.
1152. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the schedule of work for the proposed Adare bypass in County Limerick in terms of planning, land acquisitions and compulsory purchase orders; the year the project will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37344/15]
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 Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for TII in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act. In this context TII will be drawing up an implementation programme in relation to the projects included in the 7 year capital plan taking into account annual budget allocations. The timeframe for progressing individual projects will be decided once that programme is in place.
1153. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will indicate, in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the name of each appointee made from 7 March 2011 to date in 2015; the date of appointment; whether or not each appointee came through an advertised public application process; the number of vacancies which presently exist on State boards under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37370/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is available on my Departments website at the following link: http://www.dttas.ie/corporate/english/state-board-membership-and-approved-fees.
1154. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the concessions that will be made for motorists travelling to work via the M3 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37445/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007).
The contracts for the privately operated toll schemes, including the M3, are commercial agreements between the NRA and the Public Private Partnership (PPP) concessionaires concerned.
Noting this position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within ten working days.
1155. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of his plans for the completion of the railway (details supplied) from Navan to Dublin. [37446/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Transport Authority published its draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (2016-2035) on 15 October 2016. In appraising options for the Navan-City Centre transport corridor the draft strategy notes that, based on population and employment forecasts, the level of travel demand between Navan, Dunshaughlin and various stations to the City Centre is insufficient to justify the development of a high capacity rail link. Instead, the draft strategy proposes an enhanced bus service along the M3/N3 which would be sufficient to meet future demand up to 2035, in conjunction with the development of a bus hub in Navan.
The draft strategy is subject to a statutory public consultation; members of the public and all interested parties are invited to review the proposals, and the supporting documentation, on the Authority's website (www.nationaltransport.ie ) and to make submissions to the Authority, before the deadline of Friday November 13th 2015.
1156. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an application for funding for a road project (details supplied) in County Meath has been made; if it will be successful. [37376/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads 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 R156 Dunboyne - Summerhill Road Improvement Scheme includes works to be undertaken from Jenkinstown to Mullagh Cross as part of the project. Over the period 2009 to 2013 grant funding of €183,853 was provided under the Specific Improvement Grant category for the design stage of this project.
Given the challenging financial climate, the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme was curtailed from 2014 in order to maximise the funding available for repair and strengthening work on the existing road network and it was not, therefore, possible to provide further grant assistance to the R156 project. In this context, it is important to reiterate that the purpose of Exchequer funding is to supplement local authorities' own resources and I have been emphasising to local authorities the importance of prioritising expenditure on roads when allocating own resources, including revenue from Local Property Tax receipts.
While the Capital Plan 2016-2021 provides for the build up over the period of the plan in capital funding for the road network towards the levels needed to support maintenance and improvement of the network, the primary focus in the next few years will continue to be on road maintenance and renewal rather than new projects.
1157. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will amend the system by which Fáilte Ireland awards its quality assured and quality approved guarantees and subsequent signage in order to adopt a dual approach for bed and breakfasts which are registered under the Irish homes classification scheme, and therefore fulfil the criteria of the quality assured and the quality approved schemes, and ensure the appropriate recognition is awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37463/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra1158. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will implement a uniform sign type for all accommodation providers which will fulfil criteria of the quality assured and the quality approved schemes, as was the case up to introduction of the new Fáilte Ireland welcome standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37464/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra1159. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider a provision by which the bed and breakfast classified sector will be permitted to display the new quality assured signage of the Fáilte Ireland welcome standard and the traditional uniform quality approved signage of the Fáilte Ireland quality approved classification for accommodation providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37465/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1157 to 1159, inclusive, together.
These are operational matter for the Board and management of Fáilte Ireland. I have referred the Deputy's questions to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply. Please contact my private office if a response is not received within ten working days.
