Written Answers Nos 860-876
860. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons on waiting lists for driver tests in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12686/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is a matter for the Road Safety Authority. I have referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.
862. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of applications received for the purchase of wheelchair-accessible vehicles; and the number of grants paid for same in each year since 2014, by county in tabular form. [12688/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. It is the NTA which administers the wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) grant scheme for the SPSV sector.
Accordingly, I have 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.
863. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the average waiting period for driver tests in each of the driver test centres; his plans to reduce the average waiting period for these tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12700/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe average driving test waiting times for each test centre are available on the Road Safety Authority (RSA) website at www.rsa.ie and are updated weekly.
The RSA is currently undertaking initiatives in order to increase capacity to deliver extra driving tests. These initiatives include the recruitment of additional driver testers and the delivery of 120 extra overtime tests per driver tester who participates. Other measures include initiatives to reduce the number of applicant no-shows at the driving test, and to reduce the number of non-conducted driving tests. The Authority plans to introduce a new test booking system that will give test applicants much more control over their booking and appointment choice.
While I accept that current waiting times remain too high, I am assured that the measures the RSA has put in place will have the desired effect of reducing waiting times to the public.
864. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of an application by a company (details supplied) for an operator's licence; when same will be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12707/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the application for a Road Passenger Transport Operator Licence by the company (details supplied), my officials wrote to the company on 9 March 2018 outlining a number of issues regarding the application that must be addressed. The company’s response to these queries is awaited.
865. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the upgrade of the interchange at the Jack Lynch tunnel; and if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing traffic congestion on all approach roads to the tunnel during peak traffic hours. [12712/18]
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 operation of individual roads 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.
866. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he is taking to address ongoing insurance price increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12721/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraInsurance companies are private companies. The EU framework for insurance expressly prohibits Member States from adopting rules which require prior approval of the pricing or terms and conditions of insurance products. Neither any Minister nor any Government Department nor the Central Bank of Ireland has the power to direct insurance companies on the pricing of insurance products.
The Cost of Insurance Working Group, of which my Department is a member, and chaired by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy, T.D., in his former role as Minister of State at the Department of Finance, published a Report on the cost of motor insurance in January 2017 http://www.finance.gov.ie/what-we-do/insurance/the-cost-of-insurance-working-group/. The report looked at the circumstances behind the rising cost of motor insurance and set out a range of recommendations to improve the situation.
The Cost of Insurance Working Group, which is now chaired by Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Michael D'Arcy, T.D., continues to meet regularly to keep under review the implementation of the recommendations set out in its January 2017 report on the cost of motor insurance. Regular updates on implementation of the recommendations in the Cost of Insurance Working Group’s Report can also be found on the Department of Finance's website at the link mentioned above. The CSO’s index for motor insurance shows the cost of motor insurance fell by almost 12% between January 2017 when the report was published and January 2018.
867. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 467 of 8 March 2018, the reason six of the seven projects have no Exchequer funding allocation; and the sources and share of non-EU funding of each project. [12739/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe only Exchequer co-funded project listed in my response of 8 March 2018 was the Irish Rail City-Centre Resignalling project.
In relation to the remaining 6 projects, 5 relate to ports and 1 to Gas Networks Ireland. In the case of Ports, under National Ports Policy, Exchequer funding is not provided to port companies for development works. The projects listed are being funded through CEF grants, own resources and borrowings. In the case of Gas Networks Ireland, the project was funded through the Gas Innovation Fund (through allowable customer revenue), National University of Ireland own resources and CEF grants.
868. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the sports capital grants in an area (details supplied) in the past two years. [12775/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra869. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the sports capital grants in an area (details supplied) in the past two years. [12776/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 868 and 869 together.
The Sports Capital Programme is the Government's primary vehicle for supporting the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. The most recent round of the programme closed for applications at the end of February 2017. All valid local applications received from the areas referred to by the Deputy received a grant allocation under the 2017 round. Details of these allocations and all allocations under previous rounds of the programme are published on a county basis on my Department's website at http://www.dttas.ie/sport/english/sports-capital-programme-awards-new.
870. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has provided funding support in the past ten years to local authorities in which an event (details supplied) was located in order to assist local authorities in making necessary preparations to local roads and infrastructure to facilitate the hosting of the tournament; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12813/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra871. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has received a request from Donegal County Council for specific funding to fund the carrying out of local road and infrastructure works required to facilitate the hosting of an event (details supplied) at Ballyliffin in July 2018; if so, the amount requested by the Council; if the requested funding will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12814/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 870 and 871 together.
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads within its area of responsibility are 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 local authority.
I announced the 2018 regional and local road allocations on 29th January and all grant funding available to my Department has now been allocated. Donegal County Council has been allocated €33 million approx. The base grant allocation has increased by close to €3 million from the 2017 initial allocation and in addition €10 million is being allocated this year to assist Donegal with works related to the severe flooding event last summer. It is for the Council to determine its priorities and decide its work programme, taking available grant funding and its own resources into account.
In December 2017 Donegal County Council contacted my Department seeking a contribution to the estimated €3 million road infrastructure costs related to facilitating the Irish Open Golf Tournament. In response my Department notified Donegal County Council that unfortunately, given the competing demands for funding and the continued need to try to restore funding for maintenance/rehabilitation programmes along with funding a limited number of improvement projects under the Capital Plan, the Department would not be in a position to provide funding over and above Donegal's annual road grant allocation to assist with the works proposed on the access roads to the Irish Open Golf Championship in 2018.
In this context my Department's approach in such circumstances is allow the relevant local authority to make whatever adjustments are needed to its restoration programmes arising from works associated with Irish Open Golf Championship. My Department has not identified any instance over the last 10 years where a specific additional allocation was provided to fund road infrastructure works related to the Irish Open. However, Fáilte Ireland and Sport Ireland are providing €500,000 each to support the Irish Open in Donegal this year as part of a three year government-sanctioned deal.
872. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the most recent assessment of interurban journey times by road across all NRA routes. [12869/18]
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 operation of individual roads (including monitoring of the national road network) is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy’s questions to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
873. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if data are available to demonstrate the impact the transfer of freight from rail to road has had over the past five to ten years on traffic volumes and congestion on main routes and in urban areas. [12870/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that data on changes in road and rail freight is available up to 2016 from the Central Statistics Office's Transport Omnibus, which is published annually. For ease of reference, I have provided a table containing estimates of rail and road freight for 2006 - 2016:
Table 1: Rail and Road Freight Measures in Tonne-ms (millions)
|
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
|
Rail Freight |
207 |
129 |
103 |
79 |
92 |
105 |
91 |
99 |
100 |
96 |
101 |
|
Road Freight |
17,322 |
18707 |
17289 |
12071 |
10924 |
9941 |
9895 |
9138 |
9772 |
9844 |
11564 |
|
Rail % of total |
1.2% |
0.7% |
0.6% |
0.7% |
0.8% |
1.0% |
0.9% |
1.1% |
1.0% |
1.0% |
0.9% |
Freight volumes have fallen in general over the time period, while rail freight has been relatively consistent as a percentage of total freight.
The Deputy may also be interested in our Department's 2017 publication The Costs of Congestion - An Analysis of the Greater Dublin Area, which estimated the costs, in terms of time lost to road users, of aggravated congestion in the GDA.
874. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimates that have been factored into the national planning framework with regard to the level of road and rail freight volumes over the period of the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and extending to Project Ireland 2040 in view of the population projections contained in both. [12871/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimates of population used in the National Planning Framework and the decisions which underpin them are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government.
In the light of the predicted population growth and distribution as set out in the National Planning Framework, my Department will in conjunction with its agencies consider the implications of such growth in terms of roads, public transport, rail, ports and airports.
National transport models will be updated to ensure that the selection and sequencing of projects support the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan.
875. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the engagement that has taken place between his Department and the Port of Waterford Company over the past year with a view to generating new business and effecting infrastructural improvements within the port. [12872/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Port of Waterford Company is a State owned commercial company and as such my Department has no involvement in the day to day operations of the company. The Company is directly responsible for its own marketing strategies.
Officials from my Department meet regularly with all port authorities, including Waterford, to discuss business and governance issues. The Port of Waterford is actively seeking new business opportunities and is in regular contact with Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford County Councils and neighbouring ports to promote an integrated approach to business opportunities in the region. The port has a good relationship with Rosslare port and the two ports have recently commissioned consultants to examine the feasibility of developing a Cruise Strategy for the region.
The port has commenced the process of developing a Masterplan and has completed preliminary stage surveys and hydrodynamic modelling in this regard. The Masterplan will involve widespread consultation with key stakeholders.
The plan will help identify key issues such as future infrastructural requirements that will enable the medium to long-term development of the port.
876. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of hotel and guesthouse bedrooms available in each county; and the projected demand for hotel and guesthouse bed nights in each county over the next number of years. [12873/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is an operational matter for the board and management of Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's question to the agency for further information and direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
