Written Answers Nos. 262-281
262. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport if he has instructed the Dublin Airport Authority to close non-critical services at Dublin Airport such as the private VIP terminal known as Dublin Platinum Services and redeploy staff to Terminals 1 and 2 in light of the current staffing issues at the airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29045/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe daa has statutory responsibility to operate, manage and develop Dublin Airport and matters with regards to Platinum Services at Dublin Airport fall within the operational responsibility of daa.
My understanding is that while existing bookings are being honoured, the service is not currently available for new bookings and the daa is considering the options in relation to the provision of Platinum Services.
263. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Transport if he will intervene to ensure an improvement to the pay and conditions of security staff in airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29121/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe daa has statutory responsibility to operate and manage Dublin Airport including matters in relation to the terms and conditions of staff employed by daa. I have therefore forwarded your question to the company for direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.
264. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider a review to the upper age limits for taxi drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29122/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no upper age limit for obtaining a driving licence for any category of vehicle, including taxis, provided that the relevant medical report by a registered medical practitioner accompanies the application.
265. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the reason that Skerries and Balbriggan have been excluded from the new Transport for Ireland fare, which allows commuters across Dublin to travel on all forms of public transport and change between services for a €2 Leap Card fare within a 90-minute window; if he will take steps to include these stations in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29162/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport, nor decisions on fares.
It is the National Transport Authority (NTA) that has the statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares in relation to public passenger transport services.
In light of the Authority's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's specific question in relation to the application of the TFI 90 minute fare in the Skerries and Balbriggan areas, to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if a response is not received within ten working days.
266. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Transport the amount of interest that his Department has been charged by financial institutions since negative interest rates were introduced, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29201/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraDepartments have a key role to play in assisting the cashflow of businesses by ensuring that payments are made in a timely fashion.
This is a responsibility that my Department takes very seriously. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has not incurred any bank interest charges, late interest payments or penalty payments since negative interest rates were introduced.
267. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if he has queried with the Dublin Airport Authority the arrangements it is making for vulnerable or disabled travellers at Dublin Airport given the high volume of passengers travelling through the airport at the moment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29236/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, daa is the body with statutory responsibility to operate, manage and develop Dublin Airport and matters related to arrangements for passengers who are vulnerable or those with disabilities fall within the operational responsibility of daa.
I have therefore forwarded your question to the company for direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.
268. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the amount that has been raised in tolls on the East Link Bridge in each of the past 20 years; and if the Government will reduce or scrap the tolls to ease the cost-of-living burden on commuters. [29254/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Therefore, matters relating to the day to day operations regarding national roads, including toll roads and the establishment of a system of tolls, are within the remit of TII. More specifically, the statutory power to levy tolls, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into agreements with private investors are vested in TII under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended).
Toll revenue is a very important source of revenue for TII and is used to fund essential services including the operation and maintenance of the primary and secondary road network; Dublin Tunnel, the Jack Lynch Tunnel; and TII’s Motorway Control Centre.
Noting the above position, I have referred the question to TII for a direct reply as to the toll income raised by the East-Link Bridge. Please advise my private office if a reply is not received within 10 working days.
269. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Transport if any former Secretary General is seconded from his Department; the location of same; the purpose of the secondment; the remuneration he or she is in receipt of from his Department or additional allocation to the agency or institution to which he or she is seconded, arising from the secondment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29274/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently no former Secretary Generals seconded from the Department of Transport.
270. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Transport the details of all public transport connection to Ireland West Airport, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29352/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally.
In light of the Authority's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's specific question in relation to the provision of details of all public transport connection to Ireland West Airport in tabular form, to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if a response is not received within ten working days
271. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of times he has met Dublin Airport management in 2021 and to date in 2022, virtually and in person; the number of times the Minister of State with special responsibility for international, and road transport and logistics has met same in 2021 and to date in 2022, virtually and in person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29380/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Deputy for his question and I can confirm to the Deputy that I met with daa management on 5 Jan, 28 April, 21 May and 8 Dec 2021. Minster Ryan met with daa management on 28 April, 21 May, 23 Sept and 19 Nov 2021. At these meetings we discussed a range of matters in relation to daa.
This year, Minister Ryan and I have held regular meetings with daa management, and in particular, since the security delay issues first emerged at Dublin Airport at the end of March 2022 including daily meetings from the 1 April to the 22 April 2022. Minister Ryan and I re-established daily management meetings with the CEO of daa, Dalton Philips following the events of 29 May 2022.
Regular meetings will continue to be held with daa management until we are satisfied that the difficulties in relation to security queues at the airport have been satisfactorily solved.
272. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Transport if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined. [29424/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport.
The issue raised in relation to the issuing of a fine for not tagging on the Luas is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the agency with responsibility for the Luas operator Transdev. Therefore, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if a response is not received within ten working days.
273. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Transport the reason that bus route 30/X30 from Dublin Airport to Donegal was cancelled on 31 May with no notification given to waiting passengers arriving into Dublin Airport on late evening and night flights; the reason that the routes from Donegal to Dublin were also cancelled, particularly in view of the recent campaign for persons to use public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29460/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
Further, Bus Éireann's Expressway services, including routes 30 and X30, are commercial bus services and as such responsibility for the operation of those services is a matter for the company. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to Bus Éireann for direct reply. Please advise my private office if a reply is not received within ten working days.
274. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons who were laid-off in 2021 by the Dublin Airport Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29461/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe daa has statutory responsibility to operate and manage Dublin Airport. As the issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter, I have forwarded your question to the company for direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.
275. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons who were employed for security at Dublin Airport by the Dublin Airport Authority on 1 January 2020, 1 January 2021 and 1 January 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29462/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs daa has statutory responsibility for the management and operation of Dublin Airport, including staffing issues, I have forwarded your question to the Company for direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.
276. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport the reason that the route 30 at 7 a.m. and X30 at 8.30 a.m. Bus Éireann services from Donegal town to Dublin did not operate on 29 April; the operational issues that led to these cancellations; the back-up and-or preventative measures that were in place in case operational issues arose; the steps taken by Bus Éireann to avoid cancellations; the time at which the attention of Bus Éireann was drawn to the need to cancel the service; the time at which Bus Éireann informed passengers of the cancellation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29474/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. Further, Bus Éireann's Expressway services, including routes 30 and X30, are commercial bus services and as such responsibility for the operation of those services is a matter for the company. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to Bus Éireann for direct reply. Please advise my private office if a reply is not received within ten working days.
277. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the amount that the Dublin Airport Authority paid in redundancies during the period 2020 to date. [29477/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe daa has statutory responsibility to operate and manage Dublin Airport. As the issue raised is an operational matter for the company, I have forwarded your question to the company for direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.
278. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the amount that the Dublin Airport Authority will have to pay out in compensation for lost flights due to the queues in Dublin Airport. [29478/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe daa has statutory responsibility to operate and manage Dublin Airport. As this is an operational matter for the daa, I have forwarded your question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my Private Office if a reply within ten working days is not received from the daa.
279. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the cost to the Dublin Airport Authority of rehiring workers by outsourcing the recruitment contract to an organisation (details supplied) after the lockdowns and the return of non-restricted international travel. [29479/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe daa has statutory responsibility to operate and manage Dublin Airport. As the issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter, have forwarded your question to the company for direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.
280. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the supports that are available for a bus service (details supplied) which had routes from Tallaght to the airport and from Maynooth to Dublin Airport; if such services are required to be licensed by the National Transport Authority; if so, if there are alternative plans to restore the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29522/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and is responsible for the licensing of public bus passenger services under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009. Therefore, I have forwarded the Deputy's question in relation to a bus service which had routes from Tallaght and Maynooth to Dublin Airport, to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if a response is not received within ten working days.
281. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to introduce a second ESB fast-car charger in Cavan town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29526/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn light of the ESB eCars responsibility in the matter of the provision of charge points, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the ESB for direct response. Please contact my Office if no reply is received within 10 working days.
The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network over the coming years. A draft national charging infrastructure strategy for the development of EV charging infrastructure, covering the crucial period out to 2025 was published for consultation in March. The draft strategy sets out the government’s ambition regarding the delivery of a public EV charging network to support up to 194,000 electric cars and vans by the middle of the decade. Responses and submissions received as part of the consultation are currently being considered in the development of the final Strategy for publication.
Preparations are underway to establish Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland. This Office will play an important role in our transition to zero emission vehicles. It will co-ordinate measures to support the uptake of EVs and the rollout of charge point infrastructure.
€10 million was committed from the Climate Action Fund to support ESB investment in the charging network and this has leveraged a further €10 million investment from ESB, with the infrastructure to be in place by the end of 2022. This intervention alone will result in:
- 90 additional high power chargers, each capable of charging two vehicles - Seventeen high-power chargers distributed across 14 multi-vehicle hubs have been delivered as part of the programme to date.
- 52 additional fast chargers, which may replace existing standard chargers - This work is completed at 36 locations and delivery of new, faster and higher capacity technology is awaited to complete this element of the program, due in August and the upgrade program will resume then. The remaining locations have all been identified and surveyed.
- 264 replacement standard chargers with more modern technology and with each consisting of two charge points - This work is substantially complete. 258 of the chargers have now been successfully replaced.
Further details on the progression of this project can be found at esb.ie/ecars/our-network/network-upgrades.
