Priority Questions
24. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the proposal to remove the slip road tolls in Drogheda for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann which is taking place in the town in August 2018; the steps he has taken to pursue the removal of the tolls; the engagement that has taken place with relevant stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18030/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy in respect of national roads. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects on national roads is the responsibility of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 in conjunction with the relevant local authority. More specifically, the statutory powers to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll by-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors are vested in TII under Part V of the Roads Act 1993, as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007.
The Deputy’s request has been considered in conjunction with TII and it has been determined, with some degree of regret, that the slip road tolls in Drogheda should not be removed. A number of factors have influenced this decision. Any loss of toll revenue incurred by lifting the road tolls for Drogheda during August 2018 would have to be paid by the Exchequer to the road toll company. Lifting the tolls would also create a precedent for any other toll charges to be lifted where an event was organised near a toll plaza. In addition, it would be administratively impossible to distinguish between those attending the fleadh and those simply avoiding the toll.
TII conducted studies on the removal of tolls at slip roads entering Drogheda. These showed that removal of the slip tolls would lead to diversions from the M1 to this junction to avoid the mainline toll and would attract traffic that currently avoids the junction because of tolling. North-facing ramp flows would increase from 3,000 to 18,800 vehicles per day, leading to a significant increase in light and heavy vehicular traffic on the Donore road, the Duleek road and the R152. The residents living adjacent to these roads would experience higher levels of congestion and associated negative impacts on the road pavement, air quality, road safety and noise. These roads do not have the capacity to carry the additional 15,800 vehicles per day.
In any event, those attending the fleadh and travelling north along the M1 can avoid tolls by diverting at junction 7, Gormanstown, onto the R132 and into Drogheda. Traffic travelling south along the M1 can also avoid tolls by diverting at junction 10.
Over 400,000 visitors to Drogheda are expected during the fleadh. As the Minister knows, it is an internationally recognised festival with massive tourism potential. I contacted the Minister and we had our first meeting on 31 January. He was to get back to me by the end of February. I have contacted his office for a follow-up response on five occasions. That is a cowardly way to do business. I had to table a priority question today in order to get a response from the Minister. At my request, he gave a commitment that he would personally meet Celtic Roads Group to plead the case. Did he do that? What case did he make? Did he even press for a reduction in the tolls during the fleadh? We are talking about a one-week festival. The Minister said that there would be engagement with the Garda and the local authorities in respect of the effect of the slip road toll. I had told the Minister that there would be queues for miles up the M1 during the fleadh, when 400,000 people are expected to visit Drogheda, if he does not lift the toll on the slip roads for the duration.
I understand the Deputy's passion and I understand why she is doing this. I did say that it is with regret that I have decided that this request will have to be turned down. I made a pledge that I would contact Celtic Roads Group, CRG. The Deputy is absolutely right about that. I made a pledge that I would be in contact with TII about this. The Deputy is absolutely right in that regard. I met the Deputy to discuss this matter at some length and I have taken trouble with it. I contacted CRG and TII about it in recent weeks. The conclusions are those which I outlined in my response. CRG would certainly need compensation if this was to be done. TII supplied the information I have provided to the Deputy, which simply says that this would set a precedent TII would find difficult to stand over in other cases. It has to be funded from somewhere. If it was done for Drogheda, it would have to be done for a large number of other places located close to tolled motorways and where fleadhs are held. While it would be wonderful if we could open the roads without tolls, it would have to happen in other cases as well. That is why I reluctantly feel that it would not be a good decision.
I have told the Minister previously that no precedent would be set here because Drogheda is the only town in Ireland which has a tolled slip road. There is no precedent to be set here at all. The Minister is responsible for both transport and tourism and he has put absolutely no effort into securing the removal of the slip road toll in Drogheda for just one week. He has put absolutely no effort in. Again, he is afraid to upset private business. He is putting private business before people again. He has said that compensation would be necessary but, by his own estimation, it would cost between €115,000 and €130,000 to remove the toll for the duration of the fleadh. When compared to the sports grant of €150,000 the Minister gave to Wesley College for parochial purposes, the removal of the slip road toll during the fleadh would have an enormous effect of tourism and would benefit Drogheda, the fleadh, the people of Louth and, in particular, the 400,000 visitors who will come. Those visitors will mainly be families, but also voluntary musicians not just from Ireland but from right across the world. The Minister has let the people of Drogheda and the people of Louth down and he has also most definitely let 400,000 potential visitors down.
Ní bheidh am do na Teachtaí Dála eile.
I reiterate that I am sorry we cannot do this for everybody. I am sorry we cannot lift tolls for everybody everywhere all the time. TII tells me that it has received numerous requests for local tolls to be waived when festivals are being held. Such festivals have included the Waterford leg of the Tall Ships Races, Limerick City of Culture 2014, the Dublin leg of the Tall Ships Races in 2012 and various other festivals. Tolls have never been waived for such events.
We are not talking about the main toll. The Minister knows what we are talking about. It is the slip road toll, not the main toll.
What we are talking about is waiving tolls for festivals and creating a precedent. I would absolutely love to do it. I wish there were no tolls in the country at all but we do not live in that sort of a world. I accept Deputy Munster's special pleading for Drogheda. It is fair to point out that Drogheda is the only town which has a tolled slip road leading into it. However, it is also served by toll-free access points. Perhaps I could list a couple of them for the Deputy.
The Minister is out of time.
From the south, via the M1, one can take the exit at junction 7. From the north, via the M1, one can exit at junction 10. From the north, via the R132, one can come in from Monasterboice and from the west one can come in via the N51 from Slane.
The Deputy will have to read them. Rachaimid ar ais go dtí an Teachta Troy.
23. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the ongoing pensions issue at CIÉ involving approximately 16,700 members; and the steps he is taking to address the matter. [18008/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI apologise for being late. What is the status of the ongoing pensions issue at CIÉ group involving approximately 16,700 members and what steps has the Minister taken to address this issue, which has been brought to his attention on a number of occasions? My colleague, Deputy O'Dea, brought the matter to the Minister's attention in November. The Minister was to revert back to him. I do not think he did so. We had a discussion on this issue at a recent meeting of an Oireachtas committee. What steps is the Minister taking to address this issue?
I thank Deputy Troy for the question. It relates to a matter which is exercising the minds of a large number of active pensioners at CIÉ. He is right to raise this in the House, even though it is not one with which I am very directly involved. However, I think the information that will come out of this debate will be useful to many of those people involved in the scheme. Issues in relation to CIÉ ’s pension scheme are primarily a matter for the CIÉ Group, their employees and the trustees of the pension scheme. The schemes are also subject to independent regulation by the Pensions Authority.
The employees of CIÉ are provided pension benefits on retirement from one of two defined benefit schemes; the regular wages scheme and the superannuation scheme. In common with the overwhelming majority of defined benefit schemes, they are facing significant challenges in maintaining solvency to ensure prudent provision is made to fund the cost of future pensions in a low interest rate environment. As I have pointed out previously in this House and elsewhere, CIÉ is on record at the Workplace Relations Commission as making two significant commitments.
First, CIÉ has committed that it will not impose any change that it proposes without the agreement of the active members of both schemes. Second, CIÉ commits that it will continue to contribute to both schemes in accordance with the rules of the schemes. These commitments are important and reassuring.
I have previously outlined the challenges faced in addressing the solvency of the schemes and the process under way to address the deficit. The process involves detailed discussion between CIÉ and employee representatives, facilitated by the WRC.
Deputies will be aware that members of one of the CIÉ pension schemes have highlighted particular concerns. These were communicated to public representatives and raised in the House, with the Committee of Public Accounts and with the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport. I understand that CIÉ issued a comprehensive response to these queries on 22 February.
As the Deputy knows, CIÉ also appeared before the joint committee on 7 March to discuss the matter, explain its position and set out the facts. Following that meeting, CIÉ has written to the committee formally conveying the company's willingness to pursue two measures that could help support constructive engagement between the company and the unions regarding the pensions issue.
In its letter CIÉ has made it clear that it is willing to fund independent advice for the trade union group. This would help determine matters of fact, whether through a process facilitated by the WRC, or alternatively through some other mutually agreeable process.
CIÉ has also indicated to the joint committee its willingness to participate in a process, chaired by a suitable independent professional person or body appointed by CIÉ and the trade union group, TUG, with a view to determining past matters currently at issue. In the event that the parties fail to agree on a mutually agreeable body, CIÉ proposed that the Director General of the WRC could be requested by the parties to appoint such an independent body.
The Minister is right: it is primarily a matter of concern for the CIÉ group. However, since the amalgamation of the five schemes into two by way of primary legislation in 1994, that responsibility has been there on a statutory basis in respect of how these schemes must be funded. As the sole shareholder in the CIÉ group, the Minister has a responsibility to ensure that the CIÉ group adheres to the legislation as agreed by the Houses of the Oireachtas in 1994. When the groups were before the Oireachtas committee earlier this year, SIPTU representatives produced a document which, it is alleged, came from the CIÉ group. They themselves suspected in 2009 that CIÉ had a minimum legal requirement to fund its two pension schemes by an additional €11 million but that it may also be legally necessary to fund its two pension schemes by an additional €26 million. Has the Minister ever found out whether this document originated or was brought about by CIÉ itself and whether it compiled the document? Furthermore, the Minister said today that the CIÉ group indicated that it was prepared to give funding for independent legal advice. From engaging with representatives of this pension scheme, that is not my understanding.
It is certainly mine. My understanding is that CIÉ is prepared to fund that, provided it is independent advice, but I will check the matter with CIÉ after Question Time because there is obviously a complete and fundamental difference of opinion there.
The question the Deputy asked before that was whether I will investigate the governance of two CIÉ pension schemes. Members of one of the CIÉ pension schemes have highlighted particular concerns and made allegations which they have communicated to public representatives, who have raised them in the House, with the Committee of Public Accounts and with the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport. CIÉ is willing to engage in an independently chaired process with the unions to determine past matters that are currently at issue regarding the pensions situation. As the Deputy knows, CIÉ made that proposal to the joint Oireachtas committee. It would likely be a very technical exercise, so a mutually acceptable professional person would be needed to chair it. If the two sides are unable to find a suitably independent chair, CIÉ is prepared for the WRC to nominate a suitable person to investigate that. I am sure the unions will agree to this. I hope they will.
I would appreciate if the Minister could ascertain which of us is right and which of us is wrong because my understanding, from talking with various representatives, is that the offer on the table is one to get independent advice from a company that CIÉ wishes the trade unions to use. That would not be independent advice, to my mind. The representatives of the pensioners wish to seek independent legal advice to be able to get their own legal opinion, which CIÉ would fund. On obtaining that independent legal advice, they then wish to have an independent body with the relevant expertise in pensions to adjudicate on behalf of both themselves and the CIÉ group. If that is something that is on offer today and that the Minister is confirming the CIÉ group has relayed to him, that would be a welcome development.
Yes, without getting involved in the detail of any dispute between CIÉ and the workforce, which I will not do. Obviously, I want to see this resolved amicably and in a mature way. Any offer of an independent expert advice to the trades unions to help them clarify facts regarding the pensions issues should be welcomed. That offer, as far as I know and am told, is still on the table, and I hope that all parties in this dispute will get together and do this. I also hope that the funding proposals to the Pensions Authority go ahead to get the schemes back on track. We have a very serious situation here, which the Deputy acknowledges, for the workforce and I have a great sympathy for them. I will do anything I can without intervening to encourage them to get back to the WRC and discuss these matters, which of course affect their future and the future of other people. It is certainly my duty, not so much as a Minister but as a public representative, to see that their fears are assuaged. They have the legitimate fears of anyone who is in such a pensions trap, and it is not unique to CIÉ. I was even looking at some of the pension funds and the comparison between the performance here and the funding gap in CIÉ. It is not unusual and it is one they share with a large section of the workforce.
25. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to address capacity shortages that exist across the Dublin transport system; and the short and medium-term steps he is taking to address the matter. [18009/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn light of the serious capacity shortages that exist across the public transport system of the capital, Dublin, what short and medium-term steps is the Minister taking to address the issue?
This is not a new question but it is one in respect of which the reply should be updated regularly. The Deputy is right: there are short-term problems which must be addressed and the medium-term steps are equally important. I know he regularly says we do not have a vision and we should have both a long-term and a short-term vision of what will happen. I think we can offer that to the Deputy today.
The Dublin City Centre Transport Study, published jointly by Dublin City Council and the National Transport Authority, NTA, in 2015, recognised that a rebalancing of the available road space would be required on various streets to facilitate the introduction of additional capacity for public transport, cycling and walking. Through a multi-agency approach by the NTA, DCC, and TII working in conjunction with the various public transport operators, the measures set out in the 2015 study are being progressed so as to ensure that the Dublin city transport system is capable of operating efficiently and reliably, with consistent journey times, and that it facilitates the city's continued development and growth.
The NTA's Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-35 provides the overarching framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services for Dublin over the next two decades. The measures proposed in the strategy are linked to an analysis of current and projected levels of travel demand across the region.
Recent investment in public transport, allocated through the NTA, was targeted to provide additional capacity and alternative choice for private car users. This included investment in new cycling routes and expansion of public bicycle share schemes, integrated ticketing and real-time passenger information, renewal and expansion of the bus fleet, commencement of city centre rail resignalling, opening of the Phoenix Park tunnel, the progressive and ongoing introduction of city centre traffic management measures, reorganisation of bus services and the introduction of Luas cross city.
Budget 2018 provides for an increase in the multi-annual capital investment for public transport with a four-year capital envelope of €2.7 billion over the period from 2018 to 2021. The national development plan, which was launched earlier this year by the Government as part of Project Ireland 2040, confirms a number of key investment priorities. These will be delivered progressively and steadily over the short, medium and long term, to deliver a comprehensive public transport network to match transport demand, alleviate congestion and deliver a range of benefits over the next decade.
There is nothing new in the Minister's reply in terms of what will happen here and now. If one considers capital investment in transport, it was €3.8 billion in 2008 but fell to €1 billion in 2016. Congestion costs the State millions of euro every year and it robs people of their lives by ensuring they spend long periods commuting to and from work. The NTA only advises Dublin Bus annually on what funding it will get. It cannot plan even 12 months in advance in terms of ordering new buses, for which there is a lead-in time of nine to 12 months. The Minister spoke about cycling and increased investment in cycling infrastructure. This is factually incorrect. The Minister's reply to another parliamentary question I tabled stated that, in 2015, a sum of €18.8 million was invested in cycling infrastructure whereas, last week, the Minister confirmed at the committee meeting on the Estimates that in 2018, only €8 million would be invested.
We are going over somewhat old territory but it is probably worth listing some of the short to medium-term measures we will introduce. As the Deputy knows, it is a very ambitious plan. We will have additional Luas capacity, with new longer 55 m trams and lengthened existing trams being introduced on the green line. There will be the introduction of a new service timetable to make optimum use of the new longer trams, which we expect to be fully introduced in service by the end of May, which is very short term. We will commence the roll-out of BusConnects to overhaul the current bus system. We will complete the city centre resignalling project. We will deliver priority elements of the DART expansion programme. We will manage the traffic flow on the M50. We will invest in park and ride. There will be an investment of more than €750 million for BusConnects. This is something the Deputy and I seem to have some sort of a constant disagreement about, but up to 2021 we will have investment of more than €110 million for new urban cycling and walking routes in the greater Dublin area and in the Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford city areas.
When the Minister speaks of all of these plans he never once gives a timeline. He talks about BusConnects but that is 2027. At present, 60% of new Dublin Bus buses are replacement buses, at a time when the number of passenger journeys on Dublin bus has increased from approximately 120 million to 150 million per annum in three years. This year, 15 of the new buses are actually replacement buses. The funding that has been spent on cycling infrastructure in the past three years has decreased from €18 million to €8 million. The Minister spoke about longer trams. Was the Department made aware of the technical fault? It is my understanding these longer trams are the first of their type anywhere in the world. Do we have confidence that when they come back at the end of May they will work satisfactorily? When they come back at the end of May, will they provide the same chaos that was provided to other modes of transport in the capital city? With regard to College Green, when will An Bord Pleanála adjudicate on the future plaza on College Green?
I certainly cannot interfere with the planning process, and I certainly cannot tell the Deputy when An Bord Pleanála will report.
I did not ask the Minister to interfere.
I will not do that. That is matter for An Bord Pleanála. I hope it does it very quickly. I absolutely share the Deputy's frustration but I will certainly not go in there and tell it to get on with it, if the Deputy is going to suggest that I do so.
I did not ask the Minister to interfere, and I ask him not to misinterpret what I said.
I am just telling the Deputy I will not. I do not know and I will not do anything about it. That planning process is something which is sacrosanct and I will not interfere with it.
With regard to new buses and BusConnects, there is an investment of more than €750 million. The Deputy said it will not happen until 2027. The public consultation on the core bus corridors will be starting in a couple of months. The public consultation on the redesigned bus network for BusConnects will happen in the third quarter of 2018. The public consultation on core corridors at the detailed level will happen in the third quarter of 2018. The submission of the application of BusConnects to An Bord Pleanála will happen certainly in 2019. The implementation of BusConnects redesigned services will be in 2019 and the commenced construction of core bus corridors will be in 2021. That is a long way from 2027.
26. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure that the implementation of the proposed amendment to the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017, which seeks to impose penalties on the owners of vehicles operated by unaccompanied learner drivers, does not cause driver test waiting times to worsen, in view of the fact that driver test waiting times are lengthy in most parts of the State and there has been a significant drop in the number of driver testers; if the wait times for both the scheduling of tests and the time spent waiting for tests have reduced in the past quarter; his further plans to assist the Road Safety Authority, RSA, in reducing the waiting times for driver tests, including agreeing to the formation of a panel of driver testers; the assistance he has given to the RSA regarding the establishment of additional driver test centres and increased recruitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18031/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is a chronic shortage of driver testers throughout the State and waiting times for driver tests in test centres throughout the State has spiralled out of control, with a waiting time of up to seven months in many cases. What assistance has the Minister given to the RSA regarding the establishment of additional driver test centres and increased recruitment? Will he make a statement on this matter?
I thank Deputy Munster for this question, which I must say is a fair question. It is one we have to address. The Deputy is identifying a potential problem, which we are addressing in fact, but she is right to bring it up here.
The Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017, currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas, will introduce amendments regarding sanctions for owners of mechanically propelled vehicles who allow learner drivers to drive the vehicle unaccompanied. There are nearly 250,000 learner permit holders in Ireland, many of whom are on their second or subsequent learner permit. The Road Safety Authority envisages that the legislation will bring about an increase of between 53,000 to 119,000 driving test applications within the first 12 to 18 months of its introduction.
Over the past four years, driver test applications have increased by almost 20%. This has meant that the waiting times for customers for driver tests have increased. The current national average waiting time for a driver test is 13 weeks. The objective of the RSA is to have a national average waiting time of no longer than ten weeks.
The RSA currently employs 103.44 full-time equivalent driver testers. My Department has sanctioned an additional 28 driver testers since October 2016, and 23 are now conducting driver tests. The remaining five testers will be in place shortly. The RSA recently ran a recruitment campaign for driver testers and will have a panel of 100 candidates in place.
The RSA has forwarded a driver test demand scenario planning submission to my Department, which seeks approval to appoint, on temporary contracts, 67 additional driver testers and 17 support staff on a phased basis for a period of 12 to 18 months to manage the possible surge in driver test applications. My officials are considering this proposal at present, and it is my intention to have any necessary supports in place to handle an increase in driver test applications.
The RSA is also undertaking initiatives to increase capacity to deliver extra driver tests. These initiatives include 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 driver test, and systems to reduce the number of no-shows and non-conducted driver 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.
As the Minister has said, ten weeks is the desired waiting time. As I stated earlier, recent figures have shown waiting times of up to 28 weeks. It is seven months in Tralee, Cavan is next at 25 weeks and Cork and Monaghan are at 24 weeks. Given the forthcoming legislation, which the Minister mentioned, on unaccompanied learner drivers, this is totally unacceptable. The issue of rural areas where public transport is not reliable has been raised previously. Somebody who needs a car for work cannot be left to wait upwards of seven months for a driver test. The Minister said there are 28 new driver testers from a panel of 100. This is far short. What priority has the Minister put on this and when can we expect to see improvements in this area?
The Deputy and I are on the same side. I think she was in favour of the amendment to the Road Traffic Act that actually tackled the issue of unaccompanied drivers. I think she was in favour of that, as am I. This is certainly one of the unintended consequences but we accept that it is better than having unaccompanied drivers on the road. We are taking the appropriate measures, as the Deputy can see.
I have set out the initiatives that I hope are a very proactive effort to bring the numbers down. I understand why the Deputy does it but I think it is probably a bit unhelpful for her to always point out the worst cases. The average is 13. Yes, there are some areas where it is longer than 13 weeks but there are other areas where it is shorter than 13 weeks, which the Deputy did not point out. This is why the average comes to 13. It is something we are addressing aggressively. As the Deputy will understand, the number of no-shows is large. These are people who do not turn up for their driving test because their applications count in a way that is advantageous to them.
Road safety is one issue. The Minister is right; I am fully supportive of his legislation. The buck stops with the Minister regarding tackling delays in waiting times at driving test centres and the chronic shortage of driver testers. Given that he has been forthcoming with the legislation, he should have pre-empted the increase that was obviously going to occur in respect of the number of people clamouring to take tests. There is also a shortage of driving test centres. There is no driving test centre in Drogheda, which is the largest town in Ireland, and there is a waiting list of over 2,500 there. This figure has quadrupled. In other areas, the increase is even larger. What is the Minister doing about the backlog and about instructing the RSA regarding the establishment of more test centres to deal with the backlog?
I think I addressed that.
Test centres.
An extra 120 overtime tests per driver tester who participates have been delivered. To date, 6,600 extra tests were delivered in the six months to the end of March 2018. There has been a reduction in the number of applicant no-shows at driving tests. The RSA contacts applicants it identifies, from previous behaviour, as being likely to not show. In other words, people who have not shown up before are telephoned by the RSA and asked if they are going to show up. If they say they are not going to show up, which happens in a lot of cases, the RSA can fill these places with people who have an urgent need for a test for work or other reasons. In cases where an applicant states that it is his or her intention not to attend, the RSA, with the prior agreement of the applicant, cancels the appointment and offers it to another applicant who has indicated a need for an urgent driving test. Measures taken have reduced the number of no-shows by almost half in recent months. There has been a reduction in the number of non-conducted driving tests. Currently, 4% of driving tests do not proceed on the day because of various faults or issues with either the vehicle presented or the necessary documentation. This is despite applicants being fully informed in advance of all requirements. The RSA communicates with test applicants via text messaging and applicants' approved driving instructors and provides some key messages about the requirements closer to test appointment dates in an effort to reduce non-conducted driving tests.
27. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to fund the restoration of over 12,000 km of secondary roads deemed to be in severe structural distress by the National Oversight and Audit Commission, NOAC, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17769/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am very interested in hearing the Minister's plans to fund the restoration of over 12,000 km of secondary roads throughout the country deemed to be in severe structural distress by the NOAC. I raise this as a Deputy who represents Dublin Fingal, which, on the face of it, is close to Dublin but which has a massive network of primary and secondary roads, some of which are in atrocious condition and will not find their way into a works programme this year or possibly next year because of a lack of resources.
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is a statutory function of each local authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by Exchequer road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded from these moneys is a matter for each local authority.
In this context, I wish to clarify the position regarding the basis for the figures published in the NOAC performance reports mentioned in the Deputy's question. My Department has been supporting the development of a road asset management system for regional and local roads over the past number of years. The Road Management Office, RMO, has been established as a shared service between 31 local authorities. The RMO and the Department have been working with local authorities to ensure that the MapRoad pavement management system includes a record of all pavement-related works and information on road surface types and road pavement condition.
The road pavement condition information generated by the MapRoad system actually forms the basis for NOAC performance reports. It is the case that the performance reports show the impact of the significant cuts in funding for roads during the recession. The reality is that until funding reaches a steady-state level and progress is made on addressing the backlog, there is likely to be a disimprovement in the ratings reported by the NOAC.
The objective of the MapRoad pavement management system and the NOAC reports is to provide the data needed for evidence-based prioritisation and management of both annual work programmes and multi-annual programmes by each local authority in its capacity as the statutory road authority for its area to enable local authorities to use the resources available to them as effectively as possible.
As regards funding, the grant assistance provided by my Department has increased from €324 million in 2017 to €417 million this year. The capital plan also provides for the gradual build-up in capital funding over the next number of years. The grant assistance provided by my Department does not, however, represent the total investment in regional and local roads. Exchequer grant funding is in addition to the own resources local authorities invest in their roads.
The report from the NOAC indicates nothing short of a crisis when it comes to potholes. I know people will say - the Minister has said it - that potholes are a matter for councils and councillors. That is true to some extent. However, when the problem is so widespread on a national scale and councils are so starved of money that they cannot afford to fix these problems, it is most definitely a matter for the Minister. The fixing of the damage to our secondary roads is not merely an aesthetic choice. It is a health and safety imperative. We need to make our roads safer for our drivers to minimise accidents and reduce damage to vehicles. The league table presented by the NOAC indicated that 4% of Fingal's secondary roads were in need of restoration works. As the Minister knows, Fingal is the biggest local authority in Dublin with a large rural area and a large population base of very heavy users of secondary roads, probably more so than any other local authority in Dublin. We need a plan beyond what the Minister has given in his reply.
I understand, as I do with regard to Deputy Munster, special pleading because I know the roads in Deputy Brendan Ryan's area are in dire need of repair. The local road allocation has been made for this year and there were very large increases, particularly for restoration. I will provide some figures, which might indicate to the Deputy the importance the Government places on this and the generosity we have shown, although, obviously, it has not been anything like enough. I acknowledge the need is there but it cannot be met to the extent required by the Deputy in this case. In line with the financial position in the capital plan, there is a significant increase in capital funding for regional and local roads in 2018. The increase is allowing a 18% increase in the allocation for road strengthening works and 17% for road surfacing from a combination of current and capital funding. Under the 2018 allocation, there are restoration improvement grants of €195 million, €33 million for restoration maintenance, €15 million for restoration maintenance supplementary and €70.6 million for discretionary grants.
Fingal County Council can only self-fund so much. Freak weather events have a disproportionate effect on damaged roads. Frost and ice permeate existing cracks and holes and make them bigger, deeper and even more dangerous. I see evidence of this as I drive around. We need a fund for these repairs and for a new priority to be placed on making these roads safe. We are talking about road safety here.
I ask that a fund be set up in order to allow for the remediation of secondary roads. These are not big infrastructure projects whereby Cabinet Ministers cut ribbons and walk down new motorways, over new bridges or new overpasses or through new tunnels, they are the roads that connect our citizens to their shops, schools, families and places of work. These are the roads on which tyres are being punctured and vehicle chassis are being damaged. They are dangerous roads that present lethal conditions for drivers, passengers and pedestrians. As part of this year's budget, the Minister needs to set up an emergency fund for allocation to local authorities.
As I understand it - the Minister can confirm this - Fingal did not receive anything from the national fund.
There are cries coming from every local authority on this issue. It is indicative that the plea for more funds came very soon after the large increase they got. Every local authority was told that it should make provisions for road maintenance and restoration or contingency items of this sort. They have been given notice of this. That is cold comfort to them because I know the local authorities feel the requirements on them are as great as those on the national Exchequer. We have told them quite simply that they should certainly send in their clean-up costs, which they are doing at the moment, to the relevant Department. While it is early in the year, as things stand no supplementary money will be going for damage. That does not bode very well for those who are anticipating inclement weather or storms coming in the next year. However, they should be aware now that the Exchequer has paid, as far as I know, up to its limit for these amounts.
