Thursday, 19 May 2016

Written Answers Nos. 203-209

Broadband Service Provision

Ceisteanna (203)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

203. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 138 of 5 May 2016, the recourse a person has in a situation in which complaints have been submitted to the Commission for Communications Regulation by both consumers and a broadband service provider regarding another service provider (details supplied) failing to perform the necessary engineering works on line connection boxes, resulting in long delays in broadband connection for the customers of the other service provider, but where the Commission for Communications Regulation has failed to act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11066/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

ComReg is the independent regulator of the electronic  communication sector. In disputes resolutions it “shall act independently and shall not seek or take instructions from any other body” (article 3.3a of Directive 2002/21/EC as amended).

I understand from the Deputy’s office that the question is prompted by delays  in delivering a broadband connection  to a constituent in Skerries, County Dublin. I understand that the premises was sold as a new dwelling end-February 2016 and that the complaint may have been submitted to ComReg some days or weeks after this timeline. I understand from ComReg that a complaint is still active in relation to this premises and that a representative of the relevant telecommunications provider is expected to call to the premises this week with a view to completing service installation.

Driver Licences

Ceisteanna (204)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

204. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of persons who are under 18 years of age applying for driving licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11028/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The operation of the National Driver Licensing Service, including the matters referred to by the Deputy, 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.

Roads Maintenance Funding

Ceisteanna (205)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

205. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will provide sufficient funding to Tipperary County Council to carry out the very urgent grade 5 repairs that are required on the busy historic bridge at Ardfinnan in County Tipperary which has been reduced to one lane due to heavy traffic, and closed during the recent floods for safety reasons, thus affecting the town's long-term economical viability. [10949/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in Tipperary (including Ardfinnan Bridge on the R665) is the statutory responsibility of Tipperary County Council, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the Council's 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. In January this year, my predecessor announced the 2016 regional and local road allocations, including an allocation of €15.9 million for Tipperary County Council. Grants for remedial works on bridges are made under my Department's Bridge Rehabilitation Grant scheme. Local authorities submit a list of bridges in order of priority for consideration for funding. Ardfinnan Bridge was placed some way down the list in Tipperary County Council's application. Taking into account the overall amount of funding available a grant allocation of €60,000 was made in respect of Ardfinnan Bridge with a view to facilitating progress on initial remedial works at this bridge. It is a matter for the local authority to select, prioritise and agree its regional and local road work programme each year. The purpose of Exchequer funding for regional and local roads is to supplement the own resources of local authorities, not to meet the full costs of all schemes.

Swimming Pool Programme Funding

Ceisteanna (206)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

206. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will provide funding to start phase 2 of the Samuel Beckett Civic Campus in Ballyogan in County Dublin. [10950/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP) provides for grant aid to local authorities towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. I am advised that a swimming pool is a substantial element of Phase 2 of the Samuel Beckett Civic Campus in Ballyogan in County Dublin. In January of this year, my Department contacted local authorities and sought expressions of interest in a limited round of swimming pool allocations, subject to funding becoming available from other projects where those projects would not be progressed. There were three expressions of interest received for new pools, two of which were valid and both in Dublin, one in Lucan and the other in Ballyogan. Having assessed existing commitments and the funding available, including funding that will become available from withdrawn projects, it was considered prudent to progress one additional new pool project at this time. Following consideration of the expressions of interest, and the two valid proposals for new pools, it was decided to include the proposal from South Dublin County Council (SDCC) for a new swimming pool in Lucan in the LASPP.

Railway Stations

Ceisteanna (207)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

207. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the Kishogue train station in Lucan in County Dublin will open; and to request Irish Rail and Transport for Ireland to have this station opened as soon as possible. [10954/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for developing public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) including Kishogue train station on the Kildare line. 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 ten working days.

Air Navigation Orders

Ceisteanna (208)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

208. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 149 of 21 April 2016, the criteria he uses in assessing applications for permits to carry munitions through Irish airspace; if he seeks opinions for every permit; if not, the reason he seeks advice in some instances but not in others; and the grounds upon which he will refuse an application to carry munitions through Irish airspace. [11007/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The main purpose of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973, as amended, is ensuring the safety and security of aircraft and passengers. Airlines applying for exemptions under the Order to carry munitions must do so on a standard application form outlining all relevant details for the flight in question. Applications are requested at least 48 hours in advance of a flight to facilitate due consideration. For every application received the Department seeks the views of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding foreign policy matters and the Department of Justice and Equality regarding security matters. The Department of Defence is copied with all applications for information. If the munitions involved are classified by the UN as dangerous goods, the views of the Irish Aviation Authority are also sought regarding aviation safety. The applications are then processed, taking account of these consultations. If these bodies raise objections an exemption is generally not granted and the airline is requested to reroute the flight outside of Irish airspace. 

Airlines Regulations

Ceisteanna (209)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

209. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is concerned at reports that an airline (details supplied) plans to use its Irish subsidiary to allow it to skirt Norway's employment laws, eroding wages and disrupting work practices; his views on assertions that the airline created this subsidiary specifically to circumvent Norwegian employment law and to allow it to source long-haul crews from South-East Asia on lower wages; if he will withdraw the support of the Irish authorities for the application by the company to the department of transport of the United States of America for a foreign carrier permit, which was offered, in writing, by a former Minister on 13 February 2014 (details supplied); how he will ensure that Ireland is not used by this airline to drive down wages and conditions for airline staff. [11021/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

Norwegian Air International (NAI) was licensed as an Irish airline in February 2014 and has been gradually growing since then. It now operates 37 Irish registered aircraft, out of several European bases, and has several hundred people working for it. The airline applied for a permit to operate to the US, including the announced services from Cork; however that permit is still pending. The permit application has been subject to an ongoing public consultation process in the US. Multiple submissions have been made both for and against the application. Those opposed to NAI have raised similar issues to those outlined in the Deputy's question. My Department has recently made a public submission reiterating its concerns regarding the potential implications this case is having for the reputation of Ireland and Irish aviation. The submission makes it clear that there is no basis for the irresponsible, unfounded and damaging public statements that have been made about the standard of social and employment protection in Ireland and about the capability of the Irish regulatory authorities to effectively oversee the safety of NAI’s operations.

The Norwegian Air Group has stated that its primary motivation for establishing an Irish airline was to have an EU based airline within the group (Norway is not a member state of the EU). Other reasons cited included the Irish aircraft financing regime, the considerable aviation cluster located in Ireland and the highly regarded Irish civil aviation authorities.

The airline has stated that NAI has no Asia-based crew and that U.S. and EU-based crew will be used on NAI transatlantic services. It also stated that Norwegian always follows the rules and regulations in all the markets in which it operates and offers employees competitive wages and conditions.

I can confirm that I am fully supportive of the airline's US permit application and I look forward to the permit being granted as soon as possible, so that the airline can continue to offer innovation and competition in the air transport market between Europe and the US. 

I would be grateful if the Deputy could produce any evidence, and the source of any such evidence, that the airline plans to use its Irish subsidiary to bypass Norwegian employment laws, erode wages and disrupt work practices.