Written Answers Nos. 244 - 256
244. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the timetable for the delivery of the DART underground linking Heuston and Connolly stations is under review; the timetable for the delivery of new rail and light rail infrastructure for the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6414/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe DART Underground project remains a key element of integrated transport for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) and implementation of the overall DART Expansion Programme is proposed in the National Transport Authority's (NTA) Transport Strategy for the GDA 2016-2035.
The Capital Plan provides funding for the redesign of the DART Underground but until that work is complete, the business case is developed and reviewed and funding is confirmed, it will not be possible to provide a timeframe for delivery of the project. The Capital Plan also provides funding for other elements of the overall DART Expansion Programme, including electrification of the Northern line to extend the DART to Balbriggan.
The NTA is currently preparing an Implementation Plan for the delivery of the GDA Strategy for the period 2017-2022. Key to implementation is the capital funding that will be available for investment in public transport infrastructure over the period. The Capital Plan allocates €3.6bn for public transport investment over the period 2016-2022. A very significant portion of the capital funding for Public Transport on an annual basis is required for the maintenance of the existing heavy rail network to ensure it remains safe and fit for purpose. Other heavy rail projects being progressed under the Capital Plan include:
- electrification of the Northern line to extend the DART to Balbriggan;
- the City Centre Re-signalling Programme; and
- the construction of a new Central Traffic Control Centre which will improve rail movements on the network.
With regard to the light rail network, the Capital Plan will allow for the completion of the Luas Cross City project which is on schedule for the commencement of operations by the end of 2017. Funding is also allocated for the progression of new Metro North linking the city centre to Dublin Airport and Swords with construction due to commence in 2021 with a view to delivery of the link by 2026/2027.
The Government is embarking on a Mid-Term Review of the Capital Plan, which will take stock of progress and provide the Government with an opportunity to consider the scope for increased levels of investment, including in the transport sector, taking economic growth and fiscal progress into account.
245. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to deal with growing traffic volumes in the greater Dublin area; and the specific measure he intends to take to deal with growing traffic chaos. [6436/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recognise that there is a growing body of evidence emerging of increased travel demand across the Dublin region in particular, with growing traffic levels on many of the region's roads and streets. The welcome increase in the number in employment has impacted on transport, not only through the beginning of a recovery in public transport numbers, but also through increased car use and re-emergence of peak period congestion. As Dublin City Centre is the target destination of many of the journeys being undertaken in the region, there is a substantial degree of congestion evident at many locations on the road network approaching the city.
Insofar as congestion issues in Dublin are concerned, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has overall responsibility for the implementation of their published Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area. My Department is in close contact with the NTA about addressing travel demand growth in the Dublin Region with a view to intensifying efforts to combat congestion in the short to medium term through greater use of bus priority, demand management and other alleviating measures.
I expect this work will help me strengthen the case for increased public transport investment, as part of the Mid-Term Review of the Government's Capital Plan in 2017. I must emphasise that a step change in the funding of public transport is required if we are to deliver and maintain a well-functioning transport system that will cater for increased travel demand, deliver modal shift and support economic recovery.
246. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will request the DAA, in conjunction with Cork Airport authorities, to provide a flight connection between Cork and Dublin airports on a daily basis. [6510/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the EU single aviation market rules, any EU airline is free to provide a service between Dublin and Cork, without the necessity for any further regulatory approvals.
Any proposal, therefore, to provide such a service would be purely a commercial matter for the airline concerned. In addition, any route incentive schemes that may be available from the airport authority would be a day to day matter for daa, which also operates to a fully commercial mandate. I have no function in relation to such matters.
247. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a location (details supplied) will receive the lease from Irish Rail to progress restoring work. [6529/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport.
The day to day operations and management of the heavy rail network are a matter for Iarnród Éireann. Therefore, I have forwarded your letter to Iarnród Éireann for direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
248. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of expenditure by his Department or any organisations under the aegis of his Department for each of the years from 2005 to 2016, in tabular form, on photography, advertising, communications advice, public relations, website development, interview training and preparation, including details of the events, campaigns or policies to which this expenditure related, and the company or individual to whom such payments were made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6545/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of external services procured by my Department from 2002 to June 2016 are available on the Department's website at the following link http://www.dttas.ie/corporate/english/financial-information. Costs from July 2016 to December 2016 will be collated and will be published on the website as soon as they are available.
Details of photography costs were compiled from 2008 only. Costs incurred prior to 2008 were not collated centrally and would not be readily available to 2005. To try and compile these at this stage would involve a disproportionate amount of resources.
In relation to the agencies of the Department, the information requested by the Deputy is a matter for these agencies. I am not certain at this remove if the material will be readily available but I am forwarding the Deputy's question to each for its direct response to the Deputy as soon as practicable.
The Deputy should contact my private office in the event that he does not get a response from each of these agencies.
249. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps she is taking to ensure that Irish workers will be entitled to a living wage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6490/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Living Wage concept is grounded in the idea that a person’s wage should be sufficient to maintain a safe, decent standard of living. At an individual level the resources required to achieve a minimum essential standard of living is very dependent on family circumstances and thus the interaction of individual earnings with household income and State-provided supports such as Child Benefit, Family Income Supplement as well as supports available in relation to housing, education and health all contribute to an individual’s standard of living.
It is important that Ireland’s statutory National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage concept are not conflated.
In Ireland, the Low Pay Commission is the statutory body established under the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015, to examine the national minimum hourly rate of pay and to make an annual recommendation to the Minister. The Commission is tasked with ensuring that all recommendations are evidence based, fair and sustainable, and do not create significant adverse consequences for employment or competitiveness.
The Commission submitted its first report in July 2015. Its recommendation to increase the minimum wage from €8.65 to €9.15 per hour was accepted by Government and the increase came into effect on 1st January 2016. The Commission’s second report was submitted to Government in July 2016 and the recommendation made by the Commission for an increase to €9.25 per hour was approved by Government in the context of Budget 2017. The increase came into effect on 1st January last. The next review of the minimum wage is underway and the closing date for submissions to the Commission falls this week.
The Living Wage must be seen as a voluntary societal initiative centred on the social, business and economic case to ensure that, wherever it can be afforded, employers will pay a rate of pay that provides an income that is sufficient to meet an individual’s basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, transport and healthcare. The Living Wage has no legislative basis and is therefore not a statutory entitlement. This is different to the National Minimum Wage which is a statutory entitlement and has a legislative basis.
Deputy you will be aware of the existence of a number of other wage setting mechanisms that were legislated for in recent years to assist workers in sectors that were traditionally characterised as low paid. Orders made under these provisions can set minimum rates that are higher than the national minimum wage.
The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2012 provides for a revised framework for the making of Employment Regulation Orders.
A Joint Labour Committee (JLC) discuss and agree proposals for terms and conditions to apply to specified grades or categories of workers in the sector concerned. When it reaches agreement on such proposals for terms and conditions, the JLC publishes details and invites submissions from interested parties. If, after consideration of any submissions received, the Committee adopts the proposals it will submit them to the Labour Court for consideration.
The Labour Court will then make a decision on the adoption of the proposals. If the Court decides they should be adopted it will forward a copy of the proposals to the Minister. If it is considered appropriate to do so, an Employment Regulation Order giving effect to such proposals will be made by the Minister.
There are JLCs for the following sectors - Agriculture; Security; Retail Grocery and Allied Trades; Hairdressing; Contract Cleaning and Catering.
Two Employment Regulation Orders relating to the Security and Contract Cleaning Sectors came into effect on October 1st 2015. (An amended ERO for the Contract Cleaning Sector was made in October 2016).
The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015 provides for a mechanism whereby, at the request, separately or jointly from organisations substantially representative of employers and/or of worker, the Labour Court can initiate a review of pay and pension and sick pay entitlements of a class, type or group of workers in particular sector.
If deemed appropriate the Labour Court can make a recommendation to the Minister on the matter. If satisfied that the process provided for in the 2015 Act has been complied with by the Labour Court, the Minister will make a Sectoral Employment Order. Where such an Order is made it will be binding across the sector to which it relates, and will be enforceable via the Workplace Relations Commission.
The 2015 Act also provides for the reintroduction of a mechanism for the registration of employment agreements between an employer or employers and trade unions governing terms and conditions in individual enterprises. Such agreements, known as Registered Employment Agreements (REAs), are legally binding on the subscribing parties.
250. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the level of expenditure by her Department or any organisations under the aegis of her Department for each of the years from 2005 to 2016, in tabular form, on photography, advertising, communications advice, public relations, website development, interview training and preparation, including details of the events, campaigns or policies to which this expenditure related, and the company or individual to whom such payments were made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6541/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the time available, it has not been possible for my officials to compile all of the information requested by the Deputy. Once the available information is collated, I will arrange for it to be forwarded to the Deputy.
The referred replies under Standing Order 42A were forwarded to the Deputy.
251. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her Department is outsourcing expertise on custom trade agreements or her views that her Department has enough resources in the section in her Department that covers trade agreements particularly applying to Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6570/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue of resources in my Department is regularly reviewed under our framework for workforce planning. I have already established a new Brexit unit in my Department, and resources in that unit will be kept under review particularly as they apply to Brexit and the EU's trade negotiation agenda.
252. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which she expects new markets to become available for Irish manufacturing and services in the aftermath of Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6580/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe importance of diversifying global markets for Irish goods and services to reduce Ireland's dependence on particular markets has been a key aspect of Ireland's approach to trade in recent years. The UK's decision to leave the EU underscores the prudence of this approach.
The strategy document Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy, which was produced in 2010 and which applied up to 2015, contained a number of diversification targets including an increase in the share of the food and drink exports to countries outside the UK from 56 percent to 62 percent and an increase in the share of other exports to countries outside the UK from 57 percent to 63 percent. Both these targets were achieved over the lifetime of the strategy.
Enterprise Ireland's new strategy, which covers the period up to 2020, also reflects the importance of diversifying markets with a target to increase the level of client company exports to countries outside the UK to 67 percent of all exports. There will be a particular focus on the Eurozone where a 50 percent increase in export value is targeted.
The importance of diversifying markets in a post-Brexit environment will also be reflected in Ireland's new trade strategy which is currently being developed by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
253. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of Health and Safety Authority, HSA, board positions that expired on 19 December 2016; the name of each such board position; if each individual position has been filled to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6597/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe term of office of 8 of the 12 members of the Board of the Health and Safety Authority expired on the 19th December 2016.
In accordance with section 37 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, these positions were comprised of the following:
1 Chairperson
3 Ordinary Members nominated by such organisations representative of employers as the Minister considers appropriate.
3 Ordinary Members nominated by such organisations representative of employees as the Minister considers appropriate.
1 person as the Minister considers appropriate from the Department under whose auspices the Authority operates.
All of these positions, apart from the position of Chairperson, have now been filled in accordance with the specific provisions of the legislation with effect from 20th December, 2016, for a term of 3 years.
The appointment of a Chairperson is currently under consideration by the Minister following a recently completed assessment process overseen by the Public Appointments Service.
254. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the statutory role the Health and Safety Authority has for ensuring the health and safety of recreational users on fairground equipment, fair grounds and roller coasters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6600/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra257. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the current regulatory framework in place to ensure the health and safety of users as well as public safety on fairground and funfair equipment and roller coasters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6603/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 257 together.
Regulation of public safety as regards fairgrounds and theme parks is subject to the provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 which requires the owners of fairground equipment to have a valid certificate of safety under the aegis of the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.
The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney, T.D. has stated that he is currently reviewing issues in relation to safety at funfairs, theme parks and community events. I look forward to the outcome of that review.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the national statutory body with responsibility for ensuring that the provisions on workplace health and safety in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 are implemented so that those affected by work activity are protected from work-related injury and ill health. The 2005 Act places a range of duties on undertakings and individuals to ensure as far as reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of employees.
The statutory remit of the HSA in relation to fairgrounds is exclusively concerned with the protection of persons at work and the protection of others where a work activity is taking place or is imminent. The HSA does not have statutory responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of users of fairground equipment nor has it any role in the regulation of public safety where the operation of funfair equipment used by members of the public is concerned.
255. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of inspections carried out by the Health and Safety Authority on fairground and funfair equipment and roller coasters over the 2011 to 2016 period here, in tabular form; the number of instances of health and safety breaches that were reported following such inspections; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6601/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra256. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of reported injuries reported to the Health and Safety Authority following use of fairground and funfair equipment and roller coasters by persons here over the 2011 to 2016 period on an annual basis, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6602/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 256 together.
The statutory remit of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in relation to fairgrounds is exclusively concerned with the protection of persons at work and the protection of others where a work activity is taking place or is imminent. The HSA does not have a statutory responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of users of fairground equipment nor has it any role in the regulation of public safety where the operation of funfair equipment used by members of the public is concerned.
The Authority carries out over 8,000 inspections each year in a variety of work sectors and work activities which come under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Most inspections are targeted at high risk sectors such as construction, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, mines, quarries, transport of dangerous goods by road, or the chemical sectors.
Employers in some sectors may be inspected only following a complaint or the notification of an adverse event to the Authority. Accordingly, inspections in respect of the occupational safety of those working at amusement parks, theme parks and funfair sites have occurred only on a reactive basis. In 2011 a particular funfair site was the subject of a workplace inspection, and two further inspection visits took place in 2012. Inspections were carried out in two other funfair sites in 2014. All of these inspections focused on the duties of employers to their employees. The Authority did not conduct any inspections of fairground and funfair equipment or roller coasters over the period indicated.
The Authority has no responsibility for wider public safety issues, including matters that come under the aegis of my colleague the Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government, Simon Coveney TD, who is responsible for legislation relating to the regulation of fairground equipment and funfairs in section 239 of the Planning and Development Act 2000.
Accidents and dangerous occurrences are required to be reported to the Authority in line with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Reporting of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 370 of 2016). In the case of an accident involving an employee at work, the employer is responsible for reporting the accident. In any other case (if the injured person is self-employed or a member of the public), the person responsible for reporting the accident is the person having control of the place of work at which the accident occurred.
Within the range of work activity associated with amusement parks and theme parks, only four accidents were officially notified to the Authority between 2011 and 2016. An assessment of the information submitted as part of these notifications indicates that the accidents concerned were not connected with the use of funfair or fairground equipment.
