Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 March 2023
69. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the number of the 248 new posts for active travel teams in local authorities that have been filled; the number that currently remain outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14072/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra70. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of the 248 new posts for active travel teams in local authorities by county, in tabular form; the number that have been filled to date; the number of vacancies at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14073/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 70 together.
My Department initially announced funding for up to 248 new posts in local authorities to expand walking and cycling facilities all over the country. Following discussions with local authorities and the National Transport Authority (NTA), I wrote to the County and City Management Association (CCMA) in January 2021 confirming an allocation of a higher figure of 282 posts around the country. This figure was subsequently revised once again in April 2021 to 320 posts, given the required increase in capacity particularly in local authorities outside the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) and the regional cities which did not previously have an Active Travel Programme in place.
This significant increase in resourcing reflects the €1.8 billion in funding committed to walking and cycling over the planned lifetime of the Government. The additional staff will be dedicated to delivering and promoting Active Travel in Ireland and will work across design, communication, community liaison and construction oversight.
Recruitment processes have met with varying degrees of success, with some local authorities finding it difficult to fill certain vacant roles due to a number of factors including a shortage of applicants given the strength of the economy and the impact of both COVID-19 and Brexit on the traditional movement of potential recruits around Europe. The NTA has been working closely with all the local authorities to deliver the additional resourcing plan for Active Travel, and reports progress on this recruitment to my Department on a quarterly basis.
The latest figures from the NTA show that as of 1 March 2023, 241 Active Travel staff are employed within local authorities across the country. The table below shows a breakdown of recruitment to date in each local authority.
|
Local Authority |
Active Travel Staff |
|
Carlow County Council |
4 |
|
Cavan County Council |
4 |
|
Clare County Council |
3 |
|
Cork City Council |
16 |
|
Cork County Council |
15 |
|
Donegal County Council |
3 |
|
Dublin City Council |
38 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
12 |
|
Fingal County Council |
11 |
|
Galway City Council |
12 |
|
Galway County Council |
4 |
|
Kerry County Council |
6 |
|
Kildare County Council |
10 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
3 |
|
Laois County Council |
3 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
4 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
18 |
|
Longford County Council |
3 |
|
Louth County Council |
4 |
|
Mayo County Council |
4 |
|
Meath County Council |
10 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
4 |
|
Offaly County Council |
4 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
4 |
|
Sligo County Council |
3 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
10 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
4 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
8 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
4 |
|
Wexford County Council |
4 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
9 |
|
Total |
241 |
It is understood that recruitment processes are ongoing in many of the local authorities, and my Department is monitoring this closely, together with the NTA , in order to ensure that Councils around the country are well equipped to deliver high-standard, safe and user-friendly infrastructure and other Active Travel initiatives going forward.
