Written Answers Nos. 251-262
251. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he will take to protect the health and welfare of farm animals given the current deer population and associated tuberculosis levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19045/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s view is that insofar as TB is concerned the primary underlying problem in localised areas where TB levels are high is driven primarily by badgers and not by deer. International research has shown that deer as a species are not particularly effective as maintenance hosts for TB except when numbers are high. An exercise conducted in 2007-2008 in an area with known TB infection in deer, focussed on identifying the strains of TB in cattle, deer and badgers, found a significantly higher prevalence of the disease in badgers than in either cattle or deer.
I would note that responsibility for the management of wild deer in the State under the Wildlife Acts rests with the Minister for of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the control of deer on private property is the responsibility of individual landowners. Landowners may apply to the Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht for permission under section 42 of the Wildlife Acts to cull deer where this is necessary outside the annual open seasons.
In an effort to address concerns around the linkage between TB and deer, my Department in consultation with the National Parks and Wildlife Service has conducted post-mortem sampling of deer carcasses for the presence of TB in the Calary area of Co. Wicklow where relatively high levels of TB in deer has been reported. The project also involves identifying the strains of TB for comparison with that found in cattle and badgers in that specific area. Mindful of the commitment in the Programme for Partnership Government to address individual TB blackspots, further consultations have recently taken place between officials of the two Departments to further this work and a range of options are currently being considered.
Additionally, it should be noted that hunters supplying wild game to Approved Game Handling Establishments (AGHEs) must be trained in animal health and hygiene relevant to wild game. By law, hunters must report suspicion of contagious disease (e.g. TB in deer) to the relevant competent authority, either my Department or the Local Authority Veterinary Service (LAVS). Based on existing evidence, from AGHEs and reports from trained hunters, TB levels in wild deer are, with the exception of Co. Wicklow very low nationally.
252. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his concerns that a company disconnected a person's (details supplied) telephone landline without prior notice and that the person must pay a €100 reconnection charge. [18909/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of electronic communications services, including landline services, occurs within a fully liberalised market, which is regulated by the independent market regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).
The regulatory framework obliges all providers of electronic communications networks and services to adopt and implement a code of practice for settling unresolved disputes with customers. The code must include a policy on disconnections. Any complaint that a service provider has not complied with its published disconnection policy in any particular case should be addressed to ComReg for investigation.
As ComReg is independent, I have no statutory authority to participate in its investigation of complaints or to access its decision in any particular case, which may include personal information.
It would be more appropriate for the customer referred to in the Deputy's question or for the Deputy to raise the matter directly with ComReg. The relevant contact details for ComReg, which are available on the ComReg site, are as follows:
Text - Send a text with the word COMREG to 51500
Web Chat - Live support web chat Email - consumerline@comreg.ie
Phone - 01 804 9668 and 1890 229668
253. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the stage the mapping process is at for rural broadband for County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18973/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority. This is being achieved through private investment by commercial telecommunications companies and through a State intervention in areas where commercial investment is not forthcoming.
The High Speed Broadband Map 2020, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie shows the extent of the State Intervention area, which is the subject of procurement. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have previously indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services. The Department continues to monitor commercial operator deployment plans of high speed broadband in the BLUE area. In March /April of this year the Department issued a detailed questionnaire to those operators whose coverage is included in the BLUE area on the High Speed Broadband Map. Submissions received in response to the questionnaire are currently being analysed and I expect that a key component of this analysis will be concluded shortly. In the event that commercial plans do not materialise as anticipated in the BLUE area or where no alternative operator is present, the Department has reserved the right to include these premises as part of the State Intervention.
The areas marked AMBER on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the target areas for the State Intervention.
The map provides information on a county by county basis with a breakdown of coverage across the townlands in every county including County Westmeath.
The Map is a critical aspect of EU State Aid compliance and the mapping process remains open, in accordance with terms that have been published on the Department's website (www.broadband.gov.ie) so as to ensure that existing plans are realised and that any new developments can be managed.
The current county breakdown for the National Broadband Plan Intervention in Co. Westmeath is set out in the table, with the percentage of premises to be covered by the Intervention and through commercial investment also listed.
|
County Name |
Total Number of County Townlands* |
Number of Premises Covered by National Broadband Plan Intervention |
% Premises within the NBP Intervention Area |
% Premises within Commercial Operators' Area |
|
Westmeath |
1346 |
17,814 |
40% |
60% |
Over 750,000 premises are the focus for the procurement process, which formally commenced in December 2015 with the publication of the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire ('PQQ') and Project Information Memorandum. Five responses were received from prospective bidders to this stage of the competitive procurement process by the deadline of 31 March 2016.
The second stage in the procurement process will be a formal invitation to Participate in Dialogue (ITPD) to qualifying bidders. I expect that my Department will move to this stage over the coming weeks. The third stage of the procurement process involves the issue of final tender documentation which follows the dialogue process. Following the submission of final tenders by bidders, a winning bidder(s) will be selected for the contract which will comprise one or two lots as set out in the NBP Intervention Strategy. The Department will then enter into formal contract negotiations with the winning bidder(s). It is expected that contract(s) will be awarded by June 2017.
As part of the competitive process, the Department will engage with winning bidder(s) on the best roll-out strategy, in order to target areas of particularly poor service, business needs and/or high demand. This will need to be balanced with the most efficient network rollout plan. A prioritisation programme will be put in place in this regard, in consultation with the Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht. A detailed rollout plan for the network will be published once contract(s) are in place.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits also to measures to assist in the rollout of the network once a contract is awarded In this regard, Minister Humphreys is leading on the establishment of county or regional broadband taskforces, working with Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Offices, LEADER Groups and other relevant agencies to help accelerate the broadband network build in rural Ireland, once a contract(s) has been awarded.
254. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the schemes he funded under smarter travel 2015 and 2016 in counties Longford and Westmeath; if he will consider funding both greenway projects in counties Longford and Westmeath under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18852/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra255. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to set out a national policy framework for greenway construction and management due to the number of State bodies involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18858/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 255 together.
Westmeath County Council was awarded €4m under the Stimulus package 2014 for the construction of the Mullingar to Athlone Greenway. A further €3.26m was allocated to this project during 2015 from a combination of Government's further investment in infrastructure and a redistribution of Smarter Travel funding.
Westmeath County Council was also awarded funding of €790,000 under the Stimulus package 2014 for construction of the Coolnahay to Westmeath/Longford County boundary greenway.
I understand that Westmeath County Council wish to see the Mullingar to Athlone Greenway extended by 2.2km along the disused railway line from Garrycastle to Whitegates given the significant connectivity this would bring to schools and sports amenities in the area.
While Longford County Council submitted an application under the 2014-2016 funding call for the Ballymahon to Abbeyshrule Greenway no funding was awarded at that time.
The possibility of assisting both authorities deliver the above mentioned projects is being considered by my Department along with a number of other project proposals that have planning permission in place, such as the sections of the Galway to Dublin Greenway in Counties Kildare and Meath and the proposal for a Greenway from Tullamore to Lough Boora.
The Programme for Government sets me and my Department the target of developing national guidelines for Greenway public consultation, planning and construction and my officials are examining means of expediting this work. I think there are lessons to be learned from the work undertaken to date and this should inform us as we develop the network into the future.
256. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the National Transport Authority will conclude the process of separating the corridor of two distinct service patterns for commuters in counties Longford and Westmeath (details supplied) in the context of distances from Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18902/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
257. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there will be a sports capital programme opened in 2016; if not, if he anticipates such a programme in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18947/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo decision has been made on the timing of any future rounds of the Sports Capital Programme.
Any interested group should register online now at www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie as this portal will be the only way to apply under any future rounds of the Programme.
258. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to make funding available to local authorities in 2016 under the 80:20 local improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18951/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) remains in place. This Scheme provides funding for private roads and laneways, the maintenance and improvement of which is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant landowner. While the LIS does not have a ring-fenced allocation in 2016, local authorities may use a proportion of State grant funding (15% of the Discretionary Grant) for LIS should they wish to do so. In addition Councils can also provide monies from their own resources towards LIS.
The Programme for a Partnership Government provides that, as the economy recovers, the Government will promote increased funding for Local Improvement Schemes, on an annual basis. A major objective for the new Government will be to prioritise new investment in local and regional road maintenance and improvements, and LIS funding will be promoted in that context.
259. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will request CIE to arrange for a bus to stop at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18961/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing or providing public transport infrastructure including bus stops, bus shelters, bus stations, bus stands and bus fleets.
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.
260. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of plans for the roll-out of the three bus rapid transit schemes in Dublin; and if they will go ahead. [18975/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development and implementation of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects.
The NTA's Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) 2016-2035 was approved by my predecessor, Minister Donohoe, in February 2016. It includes proposals for two specific bus rapid transit (BRT) schemes, Blanchardstown to UCD and Clongriffin to Tallaght. In addition, the Strategy indicates that the public transport needs on the Swords/Airport to City Centre corridor may require a higher level of public transport capacity than the existing provision, both in advance of the delivery of new Metro North which is scheduled for operation in 2026/2027 and also to serve areas south of the M50 subsequent to the implementation of new Metro North. The NTA indicates that this additional capacity may take the form of a BRT service or a BRT type service. Any final arrangement will be designed to be complementary to the new Metro North scheme.
Funding is being made available for initial planning and design work for the Blanchardstown to UCD and Clongriffin to Tallaght BRT schemes under the Government's Capital Plan 'Building on Recovery Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021'. I understand from the NTA that they are currently finalising tender documents to progress the design and planning of the Blanchardstown to UCD scheme and the route option selection for the Clongriffin to Tallaght BRT scheme.
261. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the tenders for Dublin Bus orbital routes and when new transport providers will be operating on these routes. [18976/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
262. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has undertaken any contingency planning for the effects of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union; and the areas in which this contingency planning has been undertaken and the key proposals that have been formed. [18977/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has been involved in contingency planning as part of the wider Government contingency planning in the lead up to the UK referendum. The Government has adopted an initial Contingency Framework which maps the key issues that will be most important to Ireland in the coming weeks and months.
On Friday last, the Government published a summary of the key actions that will be taken to address issues arising from the UK's decision. These include actions from agencies under my Department in relation to the potential impact on our tourism sector. Actions include consistent marketing communications in the UK, the development of strategies to address competitiveness challenges should they arise, and the intensification of efforts to diversify reliance on the UK market.
There are also other potential risks identified by my Department across other sectors under my Department's responsibility and these are being monitored closely. The Government Framework is an iterative process as issues emerge and recede in the course of negotiations and my Department is monitoring the evolving situation and will work with the Department of the Taoiseach, with other Government Departments and with our agencies in identifying and preparing contingency plans and actions and inputting these into the overall Government Framework.
The decision of the UK people to leave the European Union presents major challenges to all EU Member States but in particular to Ireland. The Government's focus will be to minimise any adverse impacts on our economy and on the free movement of people, goods and services on these islands. For my part, that will also be my main objective in respect of the transport, tourism and sports sectors.
