Written Answers Nos. 1 - 40
34. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions held to date at national and EU level on the possibility of having cohesion funding post 2020 provided for road developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17740/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has overall responsibility for EU Cohesion Policy and the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds, at the outset I think I should clarify the position regarding the Cohesion Fund. This Fund is aimed at Member States whose Gross National Income (GNI) per inhabitant is less than 90% of the EU average. For the 2014-2020 period, the countries which qualify for the Cohesion Fund are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. As a budget contributor, Ireland does not qualify for Cohesion funding.
I am, however, fully engaged in exploring future EU funding options for the transport sector. Following the publication of the National Development Plan and the National Planning Framework, Minister Donohoe and I wrote a joint letter in February to Transport Commissioner Bulc and Regional Policy Commissioner Cretu emphasising the considerable challenges facing Ireland in the transport sector and setting out how the NDP and NPF will inform future investments into the regions, including the West, Border and North West regions which will be particularly impacted by Brexit. We made the point that investment in infrastructure has the potential to mitigate the implications of Brexit in these regions.
Over the coming years, Ireland will continue to prioritise key projects on the Core and Comprehensive networks under the National Development Plan with the objective of enhancing connectivity between the Comprehensive and Core networks and thereby enhancing the sustainability and connectivity of our outermost regions and our connectivity to Northern Ireland.
The Connecting Europe Framework (CEF) is the EU funding instrument developed specifically to direct investment into European transport, energy and digital infrastructures to address identified missing links and bottlenecks. Preparations are underway for CEF 2 and my Department has been participating fully in that process. In this regard the Department wrote to the European Commission in March with its comments on the Commission’s draft proposals. This letter again stressed Ireland’s reliance on its road network and the need for investment in strategic road links.
35. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the reliability of the route profitability figures published in the rail review 2016; if his attention has been drawn to anomalies in the figures; if so, the assurances he sought or was given that the figures were robust; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17776/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the Rail Review was undertaken jointly by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Iarnród Éireann and was published in 2016.
The purpose of the Review was:
- to look at the existing rail network;
- to identify the funding required both to maintain the network and to provide for necessary capital works;
- and to consider the gap in funding.
My Department has consulted the NTA on the matter raised by the Deputy and the Authority has advised that it is not aware of any anomalies in the figures published in the Rail Review 2016.
The NTA has stated that it is confident that the route profitability methodology utilised by experienced consultants on behalf of the Authority and Iarnród Éireann is robust and suitable for the comparative analysis that was carried out.
Since the Rail Review was published, there have been significant developments in relation to the level of funding available for rail investment and services.
Budget 2017 allocated over €50m in additional funding to Irish Rail in 2017 bringing the total (current plus capital) funding for the year to the company to over €300m. This significant increase in funding allowed for increasing investment in maintenance and renewal of the network and the rolling stock, and also to provide more funding for safety projects.
In Budget 2018, I secured an 8% increase in the overall Exchequer funding for PSO services across both the bus and rail networks. Budget 2018 also provided 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 2018-2021. This represents a 30% increase over the original Capital Plan allocations for 2018-2021 and includes investment of over €1 billion in heavy rail maintenance and infrastructure.
The public consultation process held by the NTA following the publication of the Rail Review in 2016 helped to begin an informed discussion about the current and future role of rail transport in Ireland. Over 300 submissions were received in response to that consultation process. The NTA has prepared a report of those submissions, and it has recently updated this to reflect the additional funding which will now be available for rail infrastructure and services following on from Budget 2018.
The NTA’s updated report on the consultation was received by my Department in February. I intend to bring the updated report to Government shortly and I would expect that this updated consultation report would then be published shortly thereafter by the NTA.
36. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to develop the tourism potential of the east coast and south-east coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17605/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of developing national tourism policy. It is not directly involved in the management, development or marketing of particular tourism initiatives, which are matters for the tourism agencies.
In the context of overall national policy, Fáilte Ireland has operational responsibility to support the development of tourism nationally and regionally - including along the east and south east coasts - and for domestic tourism marketing. Tourism Ireland is responsible for the overseas marketing and promotions.
At agency level, the tourism potential of the east and south east is developed and promoted in line with the relevant tourism experience brands - namely, "Ireland's Ancient East" and the Dublin brand. Capital funding allocations to Fáilte Ireland from my Department's Vote for tourism product development provide for continued investment by Fáilte Ireland in these experience brands, through the development of attractions and other tourism infrastructure. Current funding allocations allow for the further enhancement and animation of these regions through festivals, business supports, training, and other related programmes. Tourism Ireland market these regions overseas.
With specific regard to the coastal areas of the east and south east, I am aware that coastal villages and Dublin bay are areas of priority and focus for Fáilte Ireland in relation to the Dublin experience brand. Under Ireland's Ancient East, I understand that new opportunities may also arise relating to the rich Viking heritage of the region under further visitor experience development currently underway in the agency.
I have asked Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland to provide the Deputy with further operational detail on their work to support the development of the tourism potential of the east and south east coast. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days
37. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the engagement his Department has had with sports clubs regarding responsibilities under Children First; and the organisations he has met since coming into office with regard to Children First and ensuring all policies are being met by sports clubs in all codes. [9004/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has been in contact regularly with all the Department's agencies including Sport Ireland on the requirements under the Children First Act 2015 and related matters.
This included providing information aimed at assisting them in identifying their responsibilities under the Act and preparing for its full commencement. Resources available from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, were also circulated. This included:
- revised Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children,
- Guidance on Developing a Child Safeguarding Statement, and
- the Guide for Reporting of Child Protection and Welfare Concerns.
The Department has also provided information on the Tusla eLearning Programme "Introduction to Children First".
In relation to sporting bodies, Sport 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. My Department engages directly with Sport Ireland, who in turn engages with the National Governing Bodies of Sport, including in relation to Children First.
Through the Children First Interdepartmental Implementation Group, my Department requested that 25,000 copies of the revised Children First: National Guidelines be provided to Sport Ireland. Sport Ireland have disseminated the Guidelines to NGBs, for onwards circulation to their member sports clubs.
I am informed that the Children First Act has been discussed at a number of Designated Safeguarding Children Officer meetings, held by Sport Ireland 3-4 times a year to update National Children Officers of NGBs. A number of Local Sports Partnership have also delivered workshops on Children First. Sport Ireland held a seminar on the Act for CEOs and NCOs on 11 November 2017, and also communicated by letter to all CEOs on the full commencement of the Act in December 2017. In February 2018 a follow-up letter was sent regarding the preparation of Child Safeguarding Statements and risk assessments, required by the Act to be in place by March 2018.
38. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of meetings he has had regarding the Luas cross city project; the dates of the meetings; the person or bodies with which he has met regarding the project and the disruption arising from its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16272/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince becoming Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I chaired two meetings of the Luas Cross City Project Group on 24 October 2016 and 12 June 2017. This was a group established some years earlier to bring together the relevant State agencies and business groups with a view to ensuring that Dublin city centre remained "open for business" during the construction phase of the project.
The meetings I chaired involved representatives of the various stakeholders: the National Transport Authority (NTA), Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), Dublin City Council, Dublin Bus, An Garda Síochána, Retail Excellence, Dublin Chamber and Dublin Town. Construction of the project finished last year, and the new Luas Cross City was opened in December 2017 and growth in passenger journeys on the Green Line has grown by 28% since then.
On 15 March this year, I held a meeting with the organisations who are involved in delivering and enabling the Luas services: the NTA, TII, the tram operator Transdev, and the tram manufacturer Alstom. Our meeting discussed the electrical fault that had recently come to light involving the newly-commissioned 55-metre trams, the level of availability of trams on the Green Line, and the need to resolve the difficulties, increase peak-time passenger capacity, improve services, and restore passenger confidence in the Luas. The organisations outlined the approaches that they were following to address the problems and the mitigating actions that they would pursue in order to increase the passenger capacity especially at the times of peak demand.
I ensured that, following this meeting, the NTA maintained frequent contact with my Department in order to keep us specifically informed of the progress being made by the State agencies, the operator and the manufacturer in implementing the relevant actions to which they had committed themselves. I am pleased to say that the progress updates are now positive, and that the NTA has reassured us that the situation is much improved with the Luas Green Line performing well in more recent weeks. The full complement of trams to run the current timetable has been made available to Transdev, and the electrical fault in the new longer 55m trams has been diagnosed. Three of these longer 55m trams are now in use for passenger services and the remaining four are being delivered and commissioned.
The NTA and TII are working with all relevant parties who expect that by the end of May, all 7 of the new, longer trams will have been progressively brought into use, thus further enhancing capacity and service levels. Shortly after that, they intend to introduce a new timetable in order to make optimum use of the full, expanded fleet. That new timetable should further improve passenger services across both the Green Line and the Red Line.
39. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when action No. 33 of the RSA Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020 (details supplied) will be enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16271/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAction 33 of the Road Safety Strategy, for which the Road Safety Authority have lead responsibility, is that long term reliance on multiple learner permits should be reduced by introducing measures to ensure that learner permit holders sit a driving test before they can obtain a subsequent learner permit.
I understand from the Road Safety Authority that an action plan has been developed to progress this initiative. However, increases in applications for driving tests coupled with the retirements of driver tester staff have stretched the RSA’s capacity to put the plan in place so it has not yet been launched. As I stated in the debate on driving test waiting times in the Seanad on 25 October 2017, the driver testing service has seen an increase of almost 20% in the levels of driving test applications over the previous four years. This, coupled with the retirements of driver tester staff, has meant that the waiting times for customers for driving tests have, unfortunately, increased.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) currently employs 103.44 full time equivalent driver testers. My Department has sanctioned an additional 28 Driver Testers in October 2016, and all 28 are now conducting driving tests. A further 8 are due to commence work by June 2018.
Sanction was given to the RSA to replace retired testers as required. My Department and the RSA are examining the long term requirements for driver tester numbers to ensure that the Authority can meet future demand.
The RSA is currently undertaking other initiatives in order to increase capacity to deliver extra driving tests. These initiatives include the delivery of 120 extra overtime tests per driver tester who participates. To date, 45 driver testers have delivered the extra tests and I understand that this has yielded more than 5,000 extra tests to date, with further delivery expected over the coming months. Other measures currently being implemented by the RSA include reducing the number of applicant no-shows at the driving test, and making those tests available for other test applicants, better communication with test applicants via text-messaging and via applicants’ Approved Driving Instructors, to reduce non-conducted driving tests, and a new test booking system that will give test applicants much more control over their booking and appointment choice.
The RSA have assured me that they will review their capability to introduce further measures to reduce long term learner permit holding as soon as their capacity to deliver driving tests has increased sufficiently to make that possible.
40. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has reviewed the risk assessment report and the due diligence report into Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company received by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council; his views on these reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17784/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraDun Laoghaire Harbour Company (DLHC) is designated under National Ports Policy 2013 to transfer to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
The Chief Executive (CE) of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council procured consultants to conduct the due diligence of the port company in preparation for transfer and presented the summary report to the Council on 9 January 2017. The procurement and management of the due diligence process is a matter for the CE.
As the due diligence report raised a number of further issues for clarification, the CE engaged a financial consultant to carry out a risk assessment to enable the Council to fully understand the implications of the two different models of transfer, and, the responsibility that will transfer in financial and other terms.
The CE presented the completed risk assessment report to the Council at a Special Meeting held on 6 March 2018. At that meeting the CE concluded, having carried out due diligence and a risk assessment on Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, that the most appropriate model for the company is the transfer and dissolution model. The Council supported the CE in this regard.
I understand that the main issue now outstanding relates to remedial works in the harbour and how those works will be funded.
National Ports Policy clearly states that there is no Exchequer funding for any port company.
My Department has been informed that there is no immediate Health and Safety issue with any pier in Dun Laoghaire.
It is normal procedure in port companies to prioritise engineering and remedial works and to phase those works and the funding to undertake those works, over a period of time (immediate, medium and long term).
The port has a substantial asset which will transfer to the Council.
My officials are in touch with officials in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to discuss any matters outstanding.
