Written Answers Nos. 671-685
671. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the passenger numbers at Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Knock and Kerry airports, respectively, in each of the years 2004 to 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32071/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPassenger numbers (per million) from 2004-2016 for the airports referred to by the Deputy are outlined in the following table:
|
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
|
Dublin |
17.14 |
18.45 |
21.20 |
23.29 |
23.47 |
20.50 |
18.43 |
18.74 |
19.10 |
20.17 |
21.71 |
25.05 |
27.91 |
|
Cork |
2.25 |
2.73 |
3.01 |
3.18 |
3.26 |
2.77 |
2.43 |
2.36 |
2.34 |
2.26 |
2.14 |
2.07 |
2.23 |
|
Shannon |
2.40 |
3.30 |
3.64 |
3.62 |
3.17 |
2.79 |
1.76 |
1.66 |
1.40 |
1.40 |
1.64 |
1.71 |
1.75 |
|
Knock |
0.37 |
0.53 |
0.63 |
0.56 |
0.63 |
0.61 |
0.59 |
0.65 |
0.69 |
0.67 |
0.70 |
0.69 |
0.73 |
|
Kerry |
0.38 |
0.38 |
0.39 |
0.39 |
0.42 |
0.36 |
0.38 |
0.31 |
0.29 |
0.31 |
0.29 |
0.31 |
0.33 |
672. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reinstate the continuous white line outside a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32082/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the road in question is a national road.
The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects on national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Accordingly, 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.
673. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding requirements for Donegal Airport through each of the various approved schemes by capital funding and current funding, respectively, for each of the years 2017 to 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32128/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Regional Airports Programme, the four regional airports, including Donegal airport, submit their funding requirements in response to an invitation issued to them each year by my Department for proposals. It is a matter for the airport authorities themselves to identify the projects and activities in the areas of safety and security that they wish to submit for grant support each year under the Programme.
Under this year's call for projects, grant aid of €22,500 was approved last month under the PPR1-Capital scheme for Donegal airport towards navigational charts. While this was the only new project submitted this year, Donegal airport also has approval from my Department from last year for a major safety extension to the apron which I understand has been delayed somewhat due to planning considerations. Grant approval under the CAPEX scheme for this project, when the airport is in a position to proceed with it, amounts to €337,500.
Allocations for the regional airports under the OPEX and PPR-Operational2 schemes are also administered on an annual basis towards the end of each year and my Department will be consulting with the airports, including Donegal airport, in due course.
1. Public Policy Remit Capital Expenditure Grant Scheme
2. Public Policy Remit Operational Expenditure Grant Scheme.
674. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of funding for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32131/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards, including the allocation of funding across its various programmes. Sport Ireland channels funding for sport through the relevant recognised National Governing Bodies of Sport. Sport Ireland has no mechanism to allocate funding to organisations outside of this process.
Mountain biking is an off road discipline of Cycling Ireland, the National Governing Body for cycling. I would suggest that the person, referred to in the details supplied, contact the relevant National Governing Body directly to see if they can be of assistance. Details are Tel: 01 8551522 or email: heather@cyclingireland.ie.
There is no funding or grant aid available through my Department for the purpose outlined by the Deputy.
675. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason and the mechanism by which the Athletics Association of Ireland's participation in World and European Championships is restricted to representing the Republic of Ireland and not the island of Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32166/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by Sport Ireland that Athletics Ireland is the National Governing Body for athletics in Ireland. Since 1924, Athletics Ireland has been affiliated to the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF), the world governing body for the sport.
Under IAAF statutes, Athletics Ireland's jurisdiction at international events covers the 26 counties of Ireland and, as such, the status of Ireland at European and World Athletic Championships is on that basis.
All National Governing Bodies of Sport are independent, autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own governance procedures and competition rules for their sports. I would suggest that the Deputy contact Athletics Ireland directly for any further information in relation to this matter. Contact details for Athletics Ireland at (01) 8869933 or email admin@athleticsireland.ie.
676. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if consideration will be given to introduce a fairer system for taxi drivers that wish to retire and sell their taxi businesses, in view of the fact that this is a unique problem for taxi drivers here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32266/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra679. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the Taxi Regulator should consider the need for all taxis operating here to be equipped with both inside and road facing video recording cameras in order to protect the passengers whilst also helping to reduce the cost of insurance for taxi drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32404/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 676 and 679 together.
The regulation of the small public service vehicle industry, including issues pertaining to vehicle standards and licensing requirements, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
I have therefore referred your Questions to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
677. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the Transport Infrastructure Ireland service station at the M11 site outside Gorey will open; the cost in terms of building and maintaining the station to date by category and year; and the estimated lost revenue from the service station since work finished on the station in 2015. [32328/17]
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, including service areas, is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
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.
678. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1874 of 20 June 2017, the number of prosecutions for non-compliance that have ensued. [32343/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther to parliamentary question number 1874 of 20 June 2017, following is a list of prosecutions in relation to logbook offences for the years 2016 and 2017:
|
Year |
Court location |
Offences |
Fines |
|
2017 |
Skibbereen District Court |
Failure to record details in the vessels logbook |
€850 |
680. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of plans to extend the Luas to Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32406/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Transport Authority's (NTA) Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) 2016-2035 provides the overarching framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the GDA over the next two decades.
The strategy includes a number of proposals to further develop the light rail network in the GDA including the Luas. These include Luas Cross City; New Metro North light rail link from the south city centre to Swords, via Dublin Airport; Capacity enhancements and upgrade to the Luas Green Line from the south city centre to Bride's Glen; Extension of the Luas Green Line to Bray; Extension of Luas Cross City to Finglas; Luas to Lucan; and Luas Red Line extension to Poolbeg. The strategy does not include a proposal for a light rail extension to the wider Dublin 15 area.
681. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will examine the existing public transport services serving James Connolly hospital in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15; his plans to improve the public transport services to the hospital; the status of the future transport plans for the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32407/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area and the NTA's Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035 provides a framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the region over the next two decades.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have referred the Deputy's question to the Authority for a more detailed reply in relation to public transport services and plans relating to James Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown. 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.
682. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will organise and facilitate the co-ordination of his Department and the Departments of rural and community affairs, Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to jointly finance the construction of the western distributor road in Sligo town for a total amount in the region of €15 million which is ready for tendering and is necessary to open lands owned by the IDA for use in view of the fact all other lands owned by it in the greater urban Sligo area have now been exhausted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32449/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads (such as the Western Distributor Road) is the statutory responsibility of the relevant local authority (in this case Sligo County Council), in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the local authority's own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
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 (including the Western Distributor Road) in the Plan given the overall funding envelope available.
As regards the possibility of additional funding within the Plan period, the Capital Plan Review process is under way. 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.
Notwithstanding the above, it is for Sligo County Council (as the responsible Road Authority) to identify appropriate sources of funding for the project and in this context I understand that the Council has been liaising with the IDA. My Department has been facilitating the development of the project for a number of years and has provided an allocation of €100k to Sligo County Council in 2017 to progress the detailed design of the project.
683. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will request TII to reinstate the continuous white line directly outside of a school (details supplied) between Kells station and Deelis bridge, Caherciveen, County Kerry on completion of road works it is currently carrying out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32452/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the road in question is a national road.
The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects on national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Accordingly, 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.
684. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the unallocated spend within his Department for 2017; the expenditure allocated to programmes in 2017 which are due to cease in 2017; the funds that will become available within his Department's expenditure profile in 2018 due to changes in demand for services and goods and or changes to costs within his Department and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32498/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor 2017 my Department has an allocation of over €1.1bn capital and €680m current. There is no unallocated spend and I anticipate that the total allocation will be spent this year.
In relation to 2018, my Department has input into the Spending Review and the mid-term review of the Capital Plan that is currently underway by Government. This input will form part of the Government's deliberations on Budget 2018.
685. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the cost of implementing a living wage of €11.70 for all employees directly employed or in agencies funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32487/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPolicy making in relation to the terms and conditions, including the determination of pay rates, for all public servants including staff in the State Agencies under the aegis of my Department is a matter in the first instance of my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
The living wage is voluntary and is currently not a statutory entitlement. Should the living wage be implemented in the future, the calculation of the costs arising will be considered in the context of the overall staffing budget.
