Written Answers Nos. 1339 - 1359
1339. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if he has satisfied himself that this expenditure was a proper and appropriate use of taxpayer's money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19873/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1340. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if he has taken all reasonable steps to limit this expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19874/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1341. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if he has satisfied himself with the conduct of all persons directly or indirectly employed by his Department, Sport Ireland and its predecessors in connection with this matter. [19875/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1342. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if he has satisfied himself with the conduct of all professional advisers who acted for Sport Ireland and its predecessors CSID and NSCDA in relation to the advice given and actions taken in the matter which led to this litigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19876/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1343. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if he has satisfied himself that using over €80,000 of taxpayer’s money in a failed attempt to defeat FOI requests was an appropriate and proper use of taxpayer’s money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19877/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1344. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, his Department has always dictated the overall case strategy in relation to the manner in which FOI requests were handled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19878/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1345. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, the identity and grade of the persons in his Department who have dictated the overall case strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19879/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1346. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if his Department has rejected proposals that would have limited or reduced this expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19880/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1347. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if his Department has undertaken a risk assessment into the merits of defending the current litigation with a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19881/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1348. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if his Department received a quotation of likely legal expenditure from solicitors (details supplied) for this case preparation and presentation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19882/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1349. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if he has satisfied himself that it is appropriate for him to retain the same firm for both the 2005 and 2016 proceedings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19883/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1350. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, the rates that are being paid for each grade of solicitor and barrister in this case in view of the significant amount of taxpayer’s money being committed to this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19884/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1351. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1235 of 21 March 2017, if he will provide an itemised account of legal expenditure on the case to date, for pre-court case advice, court attendances, post-case costs and counsel fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19885/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1339 to 1351, inclusive, together.
I am satisfied that expenditure on legal fees is a proper and appropriate use of taxpayers' money by Sport Ireland in situations where it considers that legal advice is required. It is a matter for Sport Ireland to satisfy itself in relation to the procurement of such advice and the rates payable. I am not aware of any formal proposals to limit expenditure on legal fees in any of the areas mentioned by Sport Ireland in its response to the Deputy's question of 21 March 2017.
Sport Ireland is a public body for the purposes of the FOI Acts and decisions in relation to FOI requests made to Sport Ireland are entirely a matter for Sport Ireland, in accordance with the provisions of the FOI Acts. My Department has no role in such decisions and does not direct Sport Ireland or dictate any strategy as to how it processes FOI requests.
Sport Ireland is the defendant in the legal case mentioned by the Deputy. I am not a party to the case. As the case is currently before the Courts, it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment on the case itself or on any action taken in relation to it. While all related material would be subject to legal privilege, I can inform the Deputy that there has been engagement between the Department and the Office of the Attorney General and also with Sport Ireland and its legal advisers in relation to the case.
While I have been kept informed by Sport Ireland in relation to legal fees payable by it to its legal advisers in the case, matters relating to the procurement of the legal advisers, including quotations and rates payable are a matter for Sport Ireland. I have forwarded the Deputy's questions to Sport Ireland for direct reply in relation to the procurement of legal advisers, the rates payable and an itemised account of costs to date. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply is not received within 10 days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
1352. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a scheme (details supplied) can be included in the capital investment plan 2016 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19918/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. Within its annual budget the planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. As indicated previously to the Deputy, the N2 was not included in the Capital Plan published in September 2015. Decisions on the transport elements of the Capital Plan were framed by the conclusions reached in my Department’s Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport. Based on the findings in that report it is envisaged that maintenance and renewal of the road network will continue to be the main priority over the next period and the bulk of the roads capital budget, approximately €4.4 billion, is earmarked for such essential work with a further €600 million allocated for implementation of the PPP road programme which is already underway. In this context the N2 scheme was one of a range of projects that it was not possible to include given the overall funding envelope available. As regards the possibility of funding as part of the Capital Plan Review, my Department is making a strong case for additional funding, including the development of a project pipeline for national road schemes. The final decisions on allocations are, however, matters for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Government as a whole.
1353. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the criteria used to allocate funds by TII to local authorities for roads; the allocations to each county in 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19925/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and 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 (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Details of the allocations to each local authority in respect of national roads are available in the Dáil library. However, details of the criteria used to allocate funds for these roads are a matter for TII. 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.
1354. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a cost benefit analysis has been carried out on the possibility of building a high speed railway line between Dublin and Belfast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19947/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1355. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if discussions have taken place to date in relation to the possibility of building a high speed railway line from Dublin to Belfast; the estimated cost of such a project; the discussions that have taken place with the EU in relation to funding this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19948/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1354 and 1355 together.
A cost benefit analysis has not been carried out on upgrading the Dublin-Belfast rail link to a high-speed link.
The Northern rail line plays an important role in linking communities North and South of the Border. Iarnród Éireann and Translink have established a joint Enterprise Board chaired by the CEO's of both companies aimed at implementing improvements to the Enterprise cross-border Dublin/Belfast service.
While the main emphasis of funding for the rail network in the Government's Capital Plan is on the maintenance of the existing network to ensure it remains safe and fit for purpose, funding has been allocated for electrification of the Northern Line as far as Balbriggan. Funding has also been allocated for the completion of the City Centre Re-signalling Programme and the construction of a new Central Traffic Control Centre which will enable the DART expansion projects to progress as well as generally improving national rail movements, including the Enterprise service.
The role of heavy rail in Ireland's transport sector is currently under review. A public consultation process on the Rail Review prepared jointly by the National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann concluded on 18 January and the NTA is currently preparing a report about the process which I intend to bring to Government in due course. No decisions on any changes to the rail network will be made until the outcome of the public consultation process has been evaluated and NTA's report considered.
1356. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has received a submission from Monaghan County Council (details supplied); the specific projects that he plans for County Monaghan arising from the mid term review of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Plan 2016 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19969/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1357. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the national primary and secondary network; the specific projects that he plans for County Cavan arising from the mid-term review of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Plan 2016 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19970/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1358. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if specific funding will be provided to the National Roads Authority in respect of the necessary upgrading of a road which carries a heavy volume of traffic and is inadequate at present for such a level of traffic (details supplied); if this project will be included in the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Plan 2016 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19971/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1359. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided in the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Plan 2016 to 2021 to enable Transport Infrastructure Ireland to progress a proposed road project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19972/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1356 to 1359, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy is aware, decisions on the transport elements of the Capital Plan 2016-2021 were framed by the conclusions reached in my Department’s Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport. Based on the findings in that report it is envisaged that maintenance and renewal of the road network will continue to be the main priority over the next period and the bulk of the roads capital budget, approximately €4.4 billion, is earmarked for such essential work with a further €600 million allocated for implementation of the PPP road programme which is already under way. In this context it was not possible to include a range of projects in the Plan given the overall funding envelope available.
As regards the possibility of additional funding within the Plan period, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is now commencing the Capital Plan review and has indicated that the additional capital funding for allocation totals €2.6 billion. A number of local authorities (including Monaghan County Council) have made submissions to my Department outlining the case for funding for roads and my Department is making a strong case for additional funding, including the development of a project pipeline for road schemes. While there is a strong case for additional funding for the transport sector, there are a multitude of possible national, regional and local projects around the country, the cost of which far exceed available funding and unfortunately, this means that only a limited number can be put forward for funding.
The final decisions on allocations are, however, matters for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Government as a whole.
