Written Answers Nos. 63 - 72
63. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will desist from bringing in NCT testing for tractors capable of doing 40 km/h or less (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14014/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDirective 2014/45/EU on the periodic roadworthiness testing of motor vehicles and their trailers, requires Member States, from May 2018, to introduce compulsory testing for tractors with a maximum design speed exceeding 40 km/h which are being used for commercial road haulage purposes. There is no requirement on Member States to introduce compulsory testing for such tractors used exclusively for agricultural purposes. There are no opt outs from the terms of this Directive.
My Department will be working with the Road Safety Authority to implement the aforementioned mandatory requirement in line with the May 2018 deadline. It is anticipated that the Authority will be engaging with key stakeholder groups and issuing guidance in relation to the implementation of this Directive as soon as practically possible.
64. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of a review process concerning a submission by Kildare County Council regarding the southern distributor route Athy, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14249/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I already stated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 77 of Wednesday 8th February to the Deputy, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, such as the Athy Distributor Road, is the statutory responsibility of Kildare 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 Capital Plan 2016-2021 provides that a number of schemes, including the Athy Distributor Road, targeting bottlenecks in the road network will be progressed subject to necessary approvals. In this context the project has to meet the requirements of the Public Spending Code and my Department's Common Appraisal Framework for Transport Projects as well as obtaining planning approval. It is a matter for Kildare County Council to progress the scheme through the approval process. In relation to the project appraisal process, the Council has submitted the project Business Case and Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) documentation for consideration by my Department. Consideration of the project appraisal documentation involves a number of steps. As the project has an estimated cost in excess of €20 million, my Department's Economic and Financial Evaluation Unit in liaison with the Central Expenditure and Evaluation Unit (CEEU) in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will need to review the CBA for compliance with the Public Spending Code and my Department's Common Appraisal Framework. The overall Business Case will then need approval.
The project appraisal procedure will be progressed as soon as possible taking into account available resources.
I have made €1 million available to progress this project as part of 2017 Regional and Local Roads Grants.
65. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the recent delegation from Donegal County Council regarding Fintra and Tyrconnell bridges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14005/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in Donegal is the statutory responsibility of Donegal 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 Council. Together with my officials, I met with a delegation from Donegal County Council on 27 February to discuss Fintra Bridge and Tyrconnaill Bridge in Donegal. I understand from Donegal County Council that Fintra bridge is structurally sound but is located on a sharp bend and the road width is quite restricted. In relation to Tyrconnaill Bridge, Donegal County Council submitted its application list to my Department for the 2017 Bridge Rehabilitation Programme but Tyrconnaill Bridge was not among the bridges submitted for funding in the 2017 application. No application in respect of this bridge was received by my Department for 2015 or for 2016.
Following the meeting with the Council, my Department is awaiting further information from Donegal County Council in respect of both Tyrconaill and Fintra bridges. All available funding for 2017 has been allocated.
66. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress that has been made in the planning of a greenway pedestrian and cycling route between Athlone and Galway; and when he expects such a route to go to design and construction phase. [14245/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, concerns were expressed by some landowners in Galway following the publication of the initial 'preferred route' identified for the Greenway from Athlone to Galway and my predecessor instructed Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Galway County Council to consult landowners along the route in relation to their concerns. Following the publication of the TII report on these consultations, a decision was taken in late 2015 to pause development of the Greenway west of the Shannon to allow all stakeholders to consider how best to progress this project. In January this year, Minister O'Donovan and I met with a delegation of landowners and elected representatives from the region to discuss this project and that provided us with a good understanding of the issues involved. It is recognised that the approach taken initially in relation to the preferred route was sub-optimal and lessons have been learned from that experience. My Department is currently developing a new strategy to set out a cohesive and forward looking approach to the development, funding and promotion of greenways generally and we will be consulting publicly on this in the near future. The proposed Strategy will include a recommended approach to be taken by authorities and agencies tasked with delivering greenway infrastructure where engagement and consultation with landowners is required and, when finalised, will inform the approach to be taken to progress the delivery of the section of the Dublin to Galway Greenway from Athlone to Galway.
In order to maintain momentum in the meantime, and to facilitate progress on the non-contentious elements of the project, the draft plan, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) for the overall Galway to Dublin Greenway were published in January. It is important to point out that the SEA is high-level and looks at the corridor between Galway and Dublin; it does not look at any specific routing or alignment on this corridor. The majority of the submissions received on the plan were favourable and I intend to publish the final SEA and overall plan shortly. I expect that consultation on the detailed route alignment between Athlone and Galway will take place later this year informed by the new Greenways Strategy when finalised.
67. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions he or his officials have had with the Minister of State in his Department regarding a sharing of duties and-or portfolios; the areas the Minister of State has expressed specific interest in; if those areas have been assigned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14218/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra75. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the delegated functions to the Minister of State in his Department. [14015/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 75 together.
On 19th May 2016 The Taoiseach announced the appointment of Patrick O'Donovan T.D. as Minister of State in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with responsibility for Tourism and Sport.
Based on this, I subsequently assigned the responsibilities set out below to Minister O'Donovan on an administrative basis in July 2016. In February 2017, Minister of State O'Donovan expressed his concern about confusion surrounding his role and responsibilities within the Department due, in his view, to a lack of certainty and clarity in the absence of a clear set of delegated functions. The Minister of State sought a clear set of delegated functions to address this.
I am aware that the previous Minister of State Ring had responsibility for sport and tourism at this Department but did not have a statutory delegation of functions. His functions were, as currently with Minister O'Donovan, assigned on an administrative basis.
Responsibilities of Minister of State O'Donovan.
- Minister of State O'Donovan has general responsibility for sport, with a particular focus on:
- the Sports Capital Programme;
- the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme;
- engagement with Sport Ireland, National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships in relation to promoting participation in sport, recreation and physical activity and the promotion of high performance sport;
- oversight of the National Sports Campus; and
- engagement with the institutions of the European Union on sport matters, including attendance at the Council of Ministers when significant sports issues are to be discussed and attendance by a Minister is required.
- Minister of State O'Donovan also has general responsibility for domestic tourism, with a particular focus on:
- development of tourism product;
- domestic tourism marketing;
- Tourism generating events including festivals, sports, business, and cultural tourism
In addition to the allocated responsibilities, Minister of State O'Donovan will support the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr Shane Ross, TD, in relation to:
- Oireachtas business;
- international commitments;
- attendance at public events; and
- other matters as may be required.
68. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to improve the road network in County Meath. [14215/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to national roads in County Meath, as 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 national road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
As regards the regional road aspect of the proposal, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in its area is a statutory function of local authorities in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants.
Details of the 2017 national and regional and local road allocations to local authorities are available from the Dáil library.
69. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the realignment of the N14 road in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14006/17]
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 (including the N14) is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) 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. Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
71. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the suggestions in the NTA's rail review to discontinue certain rail services south of Gorey, which could leave Wexford town and Rosslare without a rail service to Dublin; if he will consider opening an express train service from Wexford town to Dublin in order to increase the number of passengers using the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14231/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) recently held a public consultation process to start a national debate on the current and future role of rail transport in Ireland. The public consultation was launched with the publication of a Rail Review 2016 report- which examined the funding required to support the heavy rail network now and into the future- together with a consultation document "The Role of Rail in Ireland and Funding its Delivery". I understand the NTA is now in the process of preparing a report on the consultation process. I intend to bring this report to Government. Undoubtedly, the findings of the consultation process will be used to inform and assist future decision making in relation to rail. While there has been much speculation regarding the future of individual rail lines, no closure decisions have been taken. I would emphasise that closure decisions would be premature in advance of my consideration of the outcome of the NTA's public consultation process and subsequent reporting back to Government on my overall approach.
72. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he is engaging with the tourism sector with a view to identifying and offsetting the negative impact of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14227/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn common with the rest of Government there has been deep analysis of the challenges which the tourism industry will face as a result of the outcome of the UK Referendum. There are several inter-departmental groups, each with a specific focus, preparing for BrExit and there has been significant engagement with industry and civic society. These engagements are informing the analysis, research and preparations. Specifically, Minister of State Patrick O'Donovan and I hosted an All-Island Dialogue on the impact of Brexit on the tourism and hospitality sector in Dundalk on 23 January. The feedback from tourism industry participants at the event reaffirmed the Government's analysis in relation to the implications of Brexit for tourism and I am committed to an ongoing dialogue with the tourism and hospitality industry as the Brexit negotiations proceed.
