Written Answers Nos. 627-637
627. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated spend or cost for the new Castlebar swimming pool; the amount spent to date; and the estimated cost of each phase. [16124/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPhase 1 of this development, in which Galway/Mayo Institute of Technology is a partner, comprises a Swimming Pool and Leisure Centre together with a Training Centre for Outdoor Pursuits at Lough Lannagh. Mayo County Council's estimated cost of this phase is €11.095m.
Castlebar Swimming Pool is in the 2000 round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP) and in October 2015, Mayo County Council was given a formal allocation of €3.8m for the replacement swimming pool. In addition, a Sports Capital Programme allocation of €3.9m was approved for dry facilities including a Training Centre for Outdoor Pursuits adjacent to Lough Lannagh.
Construction commenced in 2016 and last November total payments of €1,950,087 were made by my Department to Mayo County Council for completed work. Work is continuing and my Department expects to receive further claims for reimbursement shortly. My understanding from Mayo County Council is that Phase 2, which comprises a running track, playing pitches and associated facilities, will not commence before Phase 1 is completed. Phase 2 has received no allocation from my Department to date.
628. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the report based on the NTA public consultation on rail will be due for publication. [16017/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, a public consultation process held by the National Transport Authority to start a national debate on the current and future role of rail transport in Ireland was launched in November 2016. 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 both now and into the future-together with a consultation document "The Role of Rail in Ireland and Funding its Delivery". The process concluded on the 18th January 2017.
The NTA is now in the process of analysing the 330 submissions received from elected officials, stakeholder groups and the public. I expect that the resulting consultation report will be produced in Quarter 2 of 2017. When I have had an opportunity to consider its contents, I will report back to Government on the outcome of the consultation process and my overall approach.
629. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the names of all organisations that have applied under the 2017 sports capitation grant, by county, in tabular form. [16036/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA list of all the applications submitted under the 2017 Sports Capital Programme is available on the Department's website at
http://www.dttas.ie/sites/default/files/publications/sport/english/2017-sports-capital-programme-applications-submitted/2017-sports-capital-programme-applications-submitted.pdf
630. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure, when a motorist avails of a voluntary early national car test as invited and encouraged to do, that the new certificate will be dated from the date the previous certificate was due to expire rather than from when the car was tested; if an NCT certificate can be reissued in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16041/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCurrently, there are two options available to motorists who wish to have their vehicles tested before their NCT due date.
They may either have their vehicle tested up to 90 days in advance of their test due date without affecting the validity period of the test certificate issued or the next test due date. Alternatively, a vehicle may be submitted for voluntary early testing more than 90 days in advance of the test due date. Under this voluntary early testing option, depending on the age of the vehicle, that is whether the vehicle is subject to biennial or annual testing, the certificate issued will be valid for either two years or one year from the date of a successful test.
As the Road Safety Authority has statutory responsibility for the operation of the National Car Test, I have therefore referred the details of the Deputy's 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.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
631. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding persons who have purchased tax-saver commuting tickets who have had to pay for private or alternative transport to work during the Bus Éireann strike; if there is a procedure in place to claim back expenses incurred during the dispute; and if there is a procedure in order to claim back moneys paid on the tax-saver scheme in view of the transport that was not available during disputes. [16061/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised is a matter for Bus Éireann and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the Company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
632. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the recent overestimation of breath testing by the Garda will distort the Road Safety Authority's drink-driving figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16107/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recent revelations about Garda figures for numbers of preliminary breath tests conducted, while deeply concerning, do not have any relation to the drink driving figures produced by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), which rely on a different data set.
The Garda figures which have recently been shown to be inaccurate are figures for the number of preliminary breath tests carried out. These preliminary tests are used, predominately at the roadside, to enable members of An Garda Síochána to form an opinion as to whether a person is driving under the influence of alcohol. As such, they are not used in evidence in court.
The RSA's studies of the impact of drink driving on the number of fatalities recorded rely on the outcome of an inquest into a person's death. Figures for road deaths which involve alcohol are therefore based on coroners' reports.
633. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Road Safety Authority will provide details of all alcohol-related pedestrian fatalities over the past ten years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16109/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have referred the Deputy's question to the Road Safety Authority for direct reply.
I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
634. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to a public consultation process which was to have involved the local community and businesses in Ardfinnan and surrounding villages in County Tipperary, prior to Tipperary County Council submitting an application under the bridge rehabilitation scheme for Ardfinnan bridge, with regard to plans to introduce a one-lane and traffic light system on the bridge as part of the rehabilitation works; if the consultation took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16175/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra635. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is in the remit of Tipperary County Council to reallocate the moneys to other projects in the county if the proposed works come under budget following the allocation of €800,000 toward bridge rehabilitation works on Ardfinnan bridge, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16176/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 634 and 635 together.
As the Deputy is aware, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads (including bridges) in Tipperary 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 Council.
I understand that the Council is looking at the possibility of making provision for pedestrians on Ardfinnan Bridge and one option is to reduce traffic to a single lane, controlled by signals. Any public consultation into proposals for traffic management provisions on this bridge are a matter for the Council in conjunction with the local community.
In relation to Specific Grant road projects that are delivered below budget, any proposed transfer of allocations by a local authority is subject to approval by my Department.
636. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of funding expended on the local improvement scheme programme on an annual basis over the period from 2010 to 2016; the allocation for 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16220/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDue to the major cutbacks in roads funding arising from the financial crisis, it was necessary for my Department to cease making separate allocations to local authorities in 2012 in respect of the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS). Details of the allocations in respect of LIS to local authorities for 2010 and 2011 were as follows;
|
Year |
Total LIS Allocation |
|
2010 |
€4,904,338 |
|
2011 |
€4,808,855 |
No monies were provided by the Department for LIS in 2012.
Since 2013, while there is no separate allocation for LIS, the allocation of funding for LIS has been devolved to local authorities, who can use a proportion of their Discretionary grant funding for LIS should they wish to do so. The allowable proportion of Discretionary Grant was 7% in 2013 and this was increased to 15% from 2014 onwards. For example Donegal County Council could use €677,675 of its Discretionary Grant monies in 2017 for LIS should it wish to do so.
Details of the regional and local road grant payments to County Councils in the period 2010-2016 are outlined in the regional and local road grant payment booklets which are available in the Dáil Library. Details of the 2017 regional and local road grant allocations to each County Council are also available in the Oireachtas library.
In light of the provision in the Programme for Government indicating that, as the economy recovers, the Government will promote increased funding for Community Involvement and Local Improvement Schemes, I will review the scope for making a separate grant allocation once the planned Review of the Capital Plan is completed.
637. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if roadside drug testing will proceed as planned or if there will be any changes in view of the recent discoveries regarding Garda roadside testing; when roadside drug testing will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16242/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPreliminary testing for the presence of drugs in drivers is provided for in the Road Traffic Act 2016. It is my intention to commence the provisions relating to such tests from 13 April next.
The recent revelations about the counting of numbers of preliminary breath tests conducted by An Garda Síochána, while deeply concerning, do not have an impact on the introduction of preliminary drug testing. Preliminary drug tests will provide an important new tool in identifying drivers who have taken drugs, just as preliminary alcohol tests provide an important tool for identifying drivers who have consumed alcohol.
The carrying out of these tests and the counting of how many tests have been done are operational matters for An Garda Síochána.
