Written Answers Nos. 352-371
352. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he travelled abroad as part of the St Patrick's Day celebrations; the locations he travelled to; the duration of the trip; the cost of the trip including travel and accommodation in addition to other expenses incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18902/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI did not travel abroad as part of the St Patrick's Day celebrations.
353. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a review of the sports capital programme will be completed. [18917/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA new round of the Sports Capital Programme valued at €30m was announced last December. The new round included a number of changes designed to simplify and streamline the application process including a much shortened application form. By the closing date of the 24th February, 2,320 applications were received. These applications will be assessed by officials in my Department over the coming months and an announcement regarding allocations will be made later this year.
In relation to any future reviews of the Sports Capital Programme, the Economic and Financial Evaluation Unit (EFEU) of my Department undertakes Value for Money Reviews (VFM) and Focused Policy Assessments to evaluate existing programmes and projects in line with the Public Spending Code. These reviews form part of the EFEU's ongoing work to deliver improvements in areas of evidence-informed policy making and monitoring by ensuring that programmes are meeting their objectives and providing value for money from public expenditure. A VFM of the Sports Capital Programme is scheduled to commence this year which will use applications under the 2017 round of the programme for some baseline data. The VFM is expected to be complete in 2018.
354. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has advised members of all State boards under his control of the revised code of practice for the governance of State bodies in 2016. [18924/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra364. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has advised the members of all State boards under his control of the role of the board and responsibility to set proper ethical standards from the top down. [19107/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra366. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the deadline by which all members of State boards will have received a code of practice for the governance of State boards and a stakeholder expectation letter, if they have not already received same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19116/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 354, 364 and 366 together.
My Department informed the agencies of the revised code of practice for the governance of State Bodies in September 2016. It is the agencies responsibility to inform the board members.
355. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will liaise with the Dublin Airport Authority to improve cycle access on roads being upgraded or built as part of the north runway project to improve access for persons who cycle to work in the airport from Swords and the surrounding area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18950/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe matter raised by the Deputy is primarily a matter for the daa and the planning authorities.
Accordingly, I have forwarded the Question to the daa for direct reply.
If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
356. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the advantages the Drogheda Port Company obtains from having its own stevedoring subsidiary; his further views on the advantage of having only a half-owned subsidiary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18966/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra357. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is transfer pricing between a subsidiary and its sister company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18967/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 356 and 357 together.
Drogheda Port Company is one of eight State commercial port companies established and operating pursuant to the Harbours Acts 1996-2015. The Minister for Transport,Tourism and Sport is the principal shareholder in the port company and his relationship with the company is governed by both the Harbours Acts and the Companies Act. As a limited liability company, the port is responsible for the management, control, operation and development of its harbour and is directly answerable to its Board of Directors.
The financial management of the port is a matter for the port concerned. I am not involved in day to day operational issues in any port company.
Ports have a number of different methods of organising stevedoring services. The model chosen and the advantages conferred on the port in relation to that model, are operational matters for the port.
358. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the purpose and the outcome of the meeting he had in recent times with a group (details supplied) in connection with the N59 in Connemara; if he has instructed Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Galway County Council to give this road priority resources both financial and human; if the upgrade of the N59 in County Galway will be given priority in the forthcoming Government capital plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18983/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister 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 (including the N59) is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with Galway County Council.
As the Deputy is aware, I facilitated a meeting between the N59 Action Group and the representatives from TII and Galway County Council regarding the N59 road on 21 February 2017 and I wrote to the Action Group after the meeting indicating my understanding of the current position regarding planned overlay work and the upgrade of sections of the route.
As the Deputy is also aware work on the upgrade of the Oughterard to Maam Cross section of the route is subject to the agreement of method statements by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and such agreement has not been reached to date. It is also the case that planning consent was refused for the upgrade of the Maam Cross to Clifden section of the route and the alignment, therefore, needs to be re-examined before a revised scheme can be considered. The upgrade of the N59, therefore, involves significant planning consent issues in which I have no role. These are the primary issues, rather than the priority given the N59 under the Capital Plan.
As regards the allocation of resources to progress planned work in relation to the N59, within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of funding for individual projects is a matter for TII in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act. I have referred, therefore, the Deputy’s question to TII for further 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.
359. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has oversight on the operations of the NTA in regard to its licensing of private bus operators and the enforcing and policing of the conditions of such licences. [18992/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra360. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a company (details supplied) operated for 44 weeks in breach of its licence and without the proper authority to provide passenger services; and if he will ensure such breaches are dealt with by the relevant authorities. [18993/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra361. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will review the operations of the NTA with regard to the regulation and enforcement of regulations on private operators in passenger bus services to ensure full compliance with health, safety and conditions of their licences. [18994/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to answer Questions 359 to 361, inclusive, together. The National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the regulation of the bus market in Ireland. Responsibility for the licensing of public bus passenger services transferred from my Department to the NTA in 2010 under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. Accordingly, my Department does not have a role in day-to-day bus licensing operations.
However, as the Deputy may be aware, the NTA submitted a review of the operation of Part 2 of the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009 to my Department in late 2016. Part 2 of the Act relates to the operation of the bus licensing regime. The findings of the NTA's review are currently being considered by my Department. The NTA's review is primarily concerned with procedural and compliance issues related to the licencing system and includes recommendations for certain legislative changes that would enable the NTA to deal more efficiently with its bus licensing functions, including enforcement issues.
In relation to the matter raised by the Deputy regarding potential breaches of licence conditions by a specified bus operator, 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 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
362. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding that has been allocated for the National Cycle Network in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19005/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Capital Plan €100m is committed to smarter travel and carbon reduction measures, which includes funding for the development of greenways and other cycling infrastructure.
The last National Cycle Network funding programme was for the period 2014-2016 and some remaining claims under that programme will be paid this year. However, it is not intended to issue a further funding call in the immediate future. As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Partnership Government commits to making additional funding available for greenways and I am pursuing this funding in the context of the mid-term review of the Capital Plan. In addition, my Department is developing a new Strategy to underpin investment in Greenways and I expect that the Department will go out to public consultation in the near future seeking views on relevant issues to inform the development of the Strategy.
When the capital plan review is finalised and there is clarity on the totality of the funding that will be available for greenways in the coming years, my Department will issue further funding calls and local authorities would then be able to submit projects for funding.
363. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when it is expected to finalise applications for the 2017 sports capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19093/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll of the 2320 applications received under the 2017 Sports Capital Programme will be assessed by officials in my Department over the coming months. Given the number of applications received and the detailed information submitted, it will take a number of months to complete this process and I expect that allocations will be made in September.
365. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has sent a shareholder expectation letter to all members of State boards. [19115/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraShareholder expectation letters are only issued to the Chairpersons of commercial State Bodies under the aegis of my Department. They were issued to the CIE Group, daa, Irish Aviation Authority and Shannon Airport Authority. Letters to the remaining commercial State Bodies will be issued shortly.
367. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for the information technology infrastructure across his Department; the amount spent to date; the progress to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19291/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe annual allocation over the lifetime of the plan for information technology infrastructure across the Department is currently €2.2 million per annum. To date, each years allocation has been fully spent, and good progress has been made. This progress includes projects that have been advanced in various sectors including Maritime, Irish Coast Guard and the National Vehicle and Driver file areas.
368. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount which has been spent of the €1.1 billion provided for under the capital plan for Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and local enterprise offices; the initiatives and projects that have been funded and completed; the number of projects that are planned; the expected cost of these planned projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18752/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra“Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021” was published in September 2015 by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on behalf of Government at that time.
The capital plan set out that an indicative amount of €3.01 billion in capital investments would be made through the Department’s Vote primarily through the enterprise agencies covering the period 2016 – 2021 inclusive.
The funding is to support the jobs, enterprise development and innovation agendas and is, in the main, in the form of multi-annual capital grant supports to agency client companies and research and development investments made through Ireland’s higher education institutions.
A large portion of the agency grant supports are multi-annual in nature and typically span a three to seven year period across many thousands of client companies and associated projects. In addition, a significant portion of the funding provided is through competitive calls on an annual or bi-annual basis.
The indicative distribution of the €3.01 billion envisaged in the capital plan in autumn 2015 was that €1.1 billion was earmarked for general enterprise supports (i.e. non R&D funding) to be made to the client companies of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, the Local Enterprise Offices, InterTrade Ireland, the Interreg Programme, the Credit Guarantee Scheme and the National Standards Authority of Ireland for the period 2016 to 2021. This funding also includes €150 million to fully deliver on the IDA Regional Property programme that commenced in 2015. The IDA Regional Property programme is a series of new Advance Facilities and infrastructural upgrades to existing business parks spanning 34 regional locations.
The remaining indicative €1.9 billion in the published capital plan figures is envisaged to support Ireland’s research, development and innovation investments through Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions, Tyndall National Institute and to pay for Ireland’s membership of, and participation in, various international research organisations such as the European Space Agency.
For some context the 2015 Revised Estimates Volume capital allocation made to the Department was €489 million along with Capital Carryover of €20 million. The annual capital provisions to be made to the Department as published in the capital plan in September 2015 were as follows:
Table 1: Indicative annual JEI Capital allocations as published in the Capital Plan, September 2015
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
Total |
|
€495m |
€525m |
€490m |
€500m |
€500m |
€500m |
€3.01 billion |
Since publication of the capital plan the Department has subsequently secured additional capital funding for 2015-2017. DJEI’s total capital expenditure in 2015 was €548m and in 2016 it was €557m. For 2017 the capital allocation secured is €555 million.
The 2015 and 2016 capital expenditure levels were augmented by the provision of additional capital expenditure of €50 million and €45 million for 2015 and 2016 respectively which was secured through Supplementary Estimates approved by the Oireachtas in December of both years.
This resulted in a combined 2015-16 capital expenditure totalling €1.1 billion across the Department’s Vote. Of this, as can be seen in Table 2 below, some €597 million was expended through Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices with a further €344.5m has been secured for investment in 2017.
Table 2 - EI, IDA and LEOs capital 2015-17
|
- |
2015 capital expenditure |
2016 capital expenditure |
2017 capital allocations |
|
Enterprise Ireland (Subhead A7 - general enterprise supports and Subhead B4 - EI R&D) |
€160.68m |
€167.25m |
€185m |
|
IDA Ireland |
€116.00m |
€115.65m |
€137m |
|
Local Enterprise Offices |
€18.50m |
€19.50m |
€22.50m |
|
Totals |
€295.18m |
€302.40m |
€344.50m |
The Deputy should also be aware that some of the agencies, such as Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, are also, subject to sanction from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, allowed to utilise Own Resource Income to support their respective grant programmes and associated activity.
It is also the case that Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland receive Exchequer funding from sources other than my Department’s Vote such as via the National Training Fund and, as in the case of Enterprise Ireland, from the Vote of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, for the Beef Fund and the Food Competitiveness Programme.
The Deputy should also be aware that some of the projects and programmes supported through my Department’s capital expenditure are co-funded on a North-South basis, such as InterTrade Ireland, or on a North-South-UK-EU basis, such as the Interreg programme. It is also the case that, for example, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres, require 30% funding contributions from industry partners.
As at the end of 2016, the capital investments made through the Department via the enterprise agencies were directly supporting over 435,000 jobs in the economy in the client companies of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices.
Last year the enterprise agency supported client companies, which number well in excess of 10,000, delivered over 45,000 gross new jobs. Allowing for jobs churn across their client base, the net additional jobs created was close to 25,000 and equivalent to 67 net new jobs being delivered per day. In addition Ireland is now recognised as being the 7th most Innovative country in the world and ranked 10th for the quality of our scientific output. This is primarily, though not exclusively, down to the significant public investment in research and development made via the capital supports of Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and other R&D investment areas across the Department’s Vote.
Given the scale of the enterprise agency client base alluded to above, it is not practical to list the 10,000+ client enterprise agency grant recipients nor the several hundred live Science Foundation Ireland grant awards in this response. I will arrange for an update on the IDA’s Regional Property Programme to be provided to the Deputy in the coming days.
The Deputy may be aware that the Government is currently undertaking a Mid-Term Review of the Capital Plan. I, and my Department, are working closely with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and his Department on this process.
369. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount of funding which was provided for under the capital plan for regional building programme office space; the amount that has been spent to date; the amount planned to be spent; the buildings that have received funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18754/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn February 2015, the Government launched a five year strategy aimed at accelerating the jobs recovery in every part of the country. This included the delivery of a €150 million IDA Ireland led regional property programme. Its objective is to help attract foreign direct investment into different parts of Ireland by improving the availability of marketable serviced land as well as office and industrial/manufacturing buildings. In practical terms, the programme entails the upgrading of business and technology parks, investments in strategic utility-intensive sites and the construction of new advance technology buildings. To date, IDA Ireland has received €61 million in exchequer funding in support of the programme.
Construction is nearing completion of the first three advance facilities - located in Castlebar, Sligo and Tralee - that were planned under the programme. The total capital budget for the delivery of all nine planned facilities is approximately €45 million.
The tables below set out the current status of the six remaining buildings under the programme. These are at various stages in terms of concept and design and therefore individual costs have not yet been finalised.
Advance Technology Buildings (ATB’s)
|
Location/Unit |
Current Status |
Completion Objective |
|
Galway |
Final Design stage |
Q4 2017 |
|
Athlone |
Initial Concept Design Stage |
Q4 2018 |
|
Waterford |
Initial Concept Design & site selection evaluation ongoing |
Q4 2018 |
Advance Office Buildings (AOB’s)
|
Location/Unit |
Current Status |
Completion Objective |
|
Limerick |
Planning Stage |
Q4 2017 |
|
Dundalk |
Planning Stage |
Q4 2017 |
|
Carlow |
Initial Concept Design & site selection evaluation ongoing |
Q4 2018 |
370. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she travelled abroad as part of the St Patrick's Day celebrations; the locations she travelled to; the duration of the trip; the cost of the trip including travel and accommodation in addition to other expenses incurred; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18898/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that as part of the Government’s St Patrick’s Day schedule to foster opportunities for development of Irish businesses and international links, I visited the United States of America (USA) and visited Chicago, St Louis and New York. My trip was for 8 days from 8th March to 16th March.
The cost of the flights from Dublin to Chicago and internal flights within the USA from Chicago to St Louis, St Louis to Chicago and Chicago to New York was €1,112.21. An additional flight cost of €1,120.32 was incurred due to the adverse weather conditions in New York necessitating a flight from Chicago to Dublin to ensure my return to Ireland. The cost of gifts amounted to €89.80. Accommodation and other expenses incurred were not processed at the time the question was tabled.
In addition, the Ministers of State of my Department travelled as follows.
Minister John Halligan, TD, Minister of State for Training, Skills and Innovation, visited Brazil (Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, 2 days were in each city) from 12th March to 20th March (8 days of which 2 were travelling). The cost of the flights was €2229.48 which included the internal flight from Sao Paulo to Brasilia. The cost of the remaining internal flights for Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo was covered by the Irish Embassy in Brazil and these have not yet been invoiced to the Department. Minister Halligan stayed with the Irish Ambassador in Brasilia - there are no accommodation costs for Brasilia. The cost of the remaining accommodation for Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo was covered by the Irish Embassy in Brazil and has not yet been invoiced to the Department. The cost of gifts amounted to €323.59.
Minister Pat Breen, TD, Minister of State for Employment and Small Business, was on an Enterprise Ireland Trade Mission in the USA, (Texas - Austin and Houston) and was not on a St. Patrick's Day trip. The Minister attended a St Patrick’s Day event in Oklahoma on 15th March, expenses incurred were not processed at the time the question was tabled.
371. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on a recent report by an organisation (details supplied) which shows that the proportion of State infrastructural investment going into Dublin-related projects reaches 48%. [19032/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is engaging directly with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the allocation of public capital investment, for which they have immediate responsibility. In regard to infrastructural investment, the State needs to make clear, strategic and evidence-based choices to support the productive sector in the first instance. In that context, my Department supports the prioritisation of investment to address bottlenecks that are constraining growth today, minimise new bottlenecks, invest where economic development is likely to occur, and unlock potential of regions throughout Ireland, with a particular focus on realising the benefit of investing in combinations of infrastructures. Strategic investments within the overarching national context, and actions focused on maximising the competitive advantages and potential of each of the regions, including Dublin, are key to ensuring that each region can both benefit from and contribute to Ireland’s future national growth.
The ongoing review of the public capital programme, the development of the new National Planning Framework, and meetings of the relevant Cabinet Committee/Senior Officials Group have all provided opportunities for my Department to inform strategic and evidence-based choices which support enterprise, innovation, and employment.
