Written Answers Nos. 432-445
432. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if Irish Rail will launch a new confidential text message scheme for members of public to report anti-social behaviour on the rail network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20527/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am concerned to ensure that the necessary arrangements are in place to ensure the safety of all passengers and staff travelling and working on our rail network and take this matter very seriously. The safety and security of passengers and staff, including arrangements to deal with anti-social behaviour on the rail network, is a matter for Iarnród Éireann, in conjunction with, as appropriate, An Garda Síochána.
I previously wrote to all three CIÉ companies in relation to the incidence of anti-social behaviour and all of them stressed the strong and close working relationships with An Garda Síochána. I also sought the views of the Minister for Justice and I understand that he is liaising with An Garda Síochána on the matter. The allocation of all Garda resources, including the manner in which Garda personnel are deployed, is solely a decision for the Garda Commissioner and his management team.
I have been advised that An Garda Síochána has also met with the Railway Safety Advisory Council (RSAC) in relation to the issue of anti-social behaviour on our public transport network and that further engagement and initiatives are planned. The RSAC is an independent body established and operated under the provisions of the Railway Act 2005; among others, it includes representatives of railway companies and trade unions in the area.
I have forwarded the Deputy's question to Iarnród Éireann for direct reply regarding the particular issue raised. Please contact my office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
433. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of complaints received by the National Transport Authority concerning decisions made by transport co-ordination unit managers in each of the years 2015 to 2018, by transport co-ordination unit; the number of such complaints upheld by transport co-ordination unit; the financial cost of settlement of such complaints by transport co-ordination unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20587/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. It also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of the Rural Transport Programme which now operates under the Local Link brand.
Noting this I have forward the Deputy's Question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
436. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans or the plans of bodies under his aegis to improve the local bus service in Kilcock, County Kildare, with particular reference to the fact that a number of local residents have noted its unreliability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20765/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised is a matter for Bus Éireann, in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
437. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of a sports capital application by a school (details supplied); the timeframe for the announcement of these grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20774/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2018 round of the Sports Capital Programme closed for applications on Friday 19th October last. By that deadline, a record 2,337 applications were submitted seeking a total of €162m in funding. I can confirm that an application has been submitted on behalf of the organisation referred to by the Deputy.
186 of these applications were for projects that were deemed invalid under the 2017 round of the programme that subsequently submitted corrected documents. These applications were assessed first and approximately €7m in allocations to 170 projects were announced on the 17th January.
Work is now underway in assessing the new 2018 applications and allocations in respect of approx. 635 equipment only applications are expected to be announced shortly. For the first time, applicants who have submitted incorrect documentation under this round are being given the opportunity to correct their application during the assessment period. While there will be no undue delay in completing the assessment process, in view of the opportunity to correct documentation, the record number of applications received and the detailed information contained in each application, it is likely to take a number of months to have all applications assessed. Accordingly, I expect that it may be the third quarter of this year before the full set of allocations under this current round of the programme are announced.
438. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when construction works on the new national velodrome and badminton centre will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20810/19]
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 development of the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus at Abbotstown.
Under the National Development Plan 2018-2027, €16m has been committed to develop a National Velodrome and Badminton Centre at the National Sports Campus in 2020 and 2021. The proposed facility will comprise a 250-metre cycling track, 12-16 Badminton Courts in the in-track area, spectator seating and ancillary facilities including office space. Preparation has begun for tendering and Sport Ireland anticipates publishing a tender for the project in Q4 2019.
439. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the urgent need to improve and expand a bus service (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20871/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
440. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the need to provide much greater railway carriage capacity on the northern commuter line service; if urgent steps will be taken to provide additional train carriages in view of the fact that many trains are at capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20872/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport. The operation of the heavy rail network and for assessing rolling stock requirements for the network are a matter for Iarnród Éireann in conjunction with the National Transport Authority (NTA) which also has statutory responsibility for the development and implementation of public transport in the Greater Dublin Area.
Noting the responsibility of the agencies, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply on the specific issues raised. Please advise my office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
441. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Cross bypass will open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20931/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting the above position, I have referred the question to TII for a more detailed reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
442. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the costs incurred by his Department in respect of advertising in all forms to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21128/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below sets out the costs incurred by my Department in respect of advertising in all forms to date in 2019.
|
Expenditure Item |
Amount |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€20.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€31.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€31.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€31.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€31.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€31.00 |
|
Office of Public Works |
€31.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€42.00 |
|
Finnerty Graphics |
€45.40 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€53.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€62.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€62.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€84.00 |
|
Iris Oifigiúil |
€84.00 |
|
Finnerty Graphics |
€627.30 |
|
Public Appointments Service |
€4,649.41 |
|
Total |
€5,915.11 |
443. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funding is available for a childcare facility (details supplied). [20395/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am committed to ensuring childcare is affordable, accessible and of a high quality. Capital funding is aimed at increasing the capacity of services, creating new services and maintaining and improving existing services.
Each year my Department reviews the capital programmes as a whole and determines the priorities for Early Learning and Care and School Age Capital grants. The capital strands have been made available to achieve the strategic priorities for 2019 as determined by my Department, having regard to the funding available, developed using analysis of the current state of the childcare sector, learnings from previous capital programmes and feedback and input from stakeholders, including childcare providers and Pobal.
This year I focused the funding of the 2019 Early Learning and Care and School Age Capital programme on the expansion of early learning and care places for 0-3 year olds and school age childcare places where this is most needed.
In 2019, I secured €6.106m in funding for the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Capital programmes.
This funding will be delivered in three strands, as follows:
- €4.231m has been allocated to Strand A, which will offer grants of up to €50,000 in value to early learning and care providers for the creation of new 0-3 places where demand for these is clearly evidenced.
- €0.875m has been allocated to Strand B, which will offer individual grants of up to €15,000 in value to aid community/not-for-profit early learning and care services in addressing fire safety issues that have been highlighted in inspection reports by Tusla, the HSE or Local Authorities.
- €1m has been allocated to Strand C, which will offer individual grants of up to €20,000 in value to school age childcare providers for the creation of new school age places where demand for these is clearly evidenced.
Funding was available to providers nationwide in a competitive process, with the application window open from Monday 25th February. The application window for the Capital programmes closed on 27 March 2019 and Pobal are currently in the process of appraising all applications received.
The service in question may have been eligible to apply for Strand A and Strand B. If the service applied for either of these strands decisions are due to be delivered in June 2019 with the anticipation that capital works can begin as soon as possible following this.
444. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the details of the initiative to reduce the waiting times for counselling for victims of domestic violence further to her statement on 25 April 2019 (details supplied); the funding allocated; the persons or bodies it has been allocated to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20404/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing clarification with the Deputy's office, I understand that the Deputy wishes to ask about the use of additional funding for Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) services, and in particular funding to reduce the waiting times for counselling for victims of sexual violence.
As the Deputy will be aware, I secured an additional €1.5m in funding for DSGBV services in 2019.
On Thursday 25 April, 2019, I announced that the additional €1.5 million in funding will be used to provide:
- A 10% increase in funding to sexual violence services.
- 12 new outreach workers for women and children affected by domestic violence to improve access to support services.
- National roll out of a 12 week healing programme for children who have been impacted by domestic abuse, which also helps parents/guardians to understand their child’s experiences and support their recovery.
- Opening in the Autumn of a new refuge in South Dublin.
- A specific initiative to reduce the waiting times for counselling for victims of sexual violence.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is responsible for the allocation and administration of funding to DSGBV services. Over the coming weeks, Tusla will work closely with sexual violence services to prioritise and address areas where there are long waiting lists and waiting times for counselling services for victims of sexual violence.
445. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the provision of childcare facilities at a location (details supplied). [20652/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, my Department does not directly provide childcare services - rather we administer a number of schemes and initiatives to support accessible, affordable and high quality childcare. These schemes are available to regulated childcare providers which include individuals, companies and community/not-for-profit groups.
Following the closure of the existing childcare provider in this location, I requested that Pobal and Longford County Childcare Committee (CCC) work with local bodies and potential partners in relation to the re-establishment of a service for the local community. Unfortunately, they did not receive a viable proposal for the creation of a childcare service at that time.
However, my Department has approved the terms of a procurement process that Longford CCC will oversee over the coming months concerning the provision of childcare facilities in this location. It is my understanding that advertisements seeking tenders in respect of this process have already been placed in a number of local newspapers. Funding to assist a childcare provider in this area remains available pending the outcome of the procurement process.
