I thank the Deputy. Again I want to say that as part of the programme for Government regional connectivity is absolutely critical. There have been limited funding resources even around the regional airports programme and there are lots of requests to come in under that, including for the City of Derry Airport. To be very to the point, there are limited resources. Particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic we wanted to try to support our regional airports as much as possible in the midst of a crisis. I can say to the…

As in passenger transport, enabling the freight sector and businesses to avail of cleaner and more efficient delivery alternatives will be necessary to reduce Ireland's transport emissions and meet our climate goals. Currently, heavy goods vehicles account for around 20%, and light goods vehicles for 18% of national transport emissions. In the coming months, my Department will publish a ten-year strategy for the haulage sector. The Government's aim is to develop a strategy that will focus on generating efficiencies…

Much really good work is happening across some of our local authority areas. There are pilot schemes in place. Dún-Laoghaire Rathdown County Council is piloting cargo bikes for businesses. It is a six-month cargo-bike pilot scheme. Cork City Council has the cargo bike library. In this regard, some €45,000 has been provided by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with the aim of establishing a cargo bike fleet library. Businesses and community groups will be allowed to borrow a bike for six months as part…

The EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme focuses on optimising logistics. This is all part of what we are looking at through the ten-year haulage strategy. The programme is called SENATOR and the aim behind it is to create a new urban logistics model for enhancing city sustainability. The project will develop a smart network operator as a control tower supported on an ICT platform that will work as a support tool for decision-making, integrating and the planning of logistics operations. These are the i…

The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. An Post is a commercial State body with a mandate to act commercially and a statutory responsibility for the State’s postal service and the post office network. In addition, Irish post offices are typically independent businesses that are run by postmasters. I have met the new chairperson of An Post and the chief executive and they fully understand the Governm…

I have met the Irish Postmasters Union on several occasions. I spoke at the IPU annual conference last October. My Department engages in weekly meetings on the viability of the post office network throughout the country. The Deputy can be assured that it is a high priority for me, as Minister of State with responsibility in this area, to ensure that we have a viable and sustainable post office network. As I said, weekly meetings take place and nothing is being ruled in or out in relation to consideration around thi…

I thank the Deputy. As for the interdepartmental group, that report is under active consideration within the Department. I also am acutely aware that there are a number of issues that we need to consider as a Government. As I said, my Department is doing that on a weekly basis around the future sustainable viability of the network. The questions the Deputy is asking are exactly what is under consideration within my Department, both with officials in my Department and with others. The Deputy can be assured of this, …

I thank Senator McGahon for his question. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic. I am answering on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, so I will be relaying the Senator's comments to him. I understand that the Senator's question is on the inclusion of the commercial bus sector in the young adult card initiative. It has always been the intention of the Minister to include commercial bus operators in this exciting fares initiative. I want to be very clear that licensed bus and coach operato…

I hear the sense of urgency around getting this over the line. I reassure the Senator that both the NTA and the Department of Transport have been engaging directly with commercial bus operators to help inform policy decisions in respect of the transport sector. On the working group I mentioned earlier, the Department of Transport has been liaising with the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland, CTTC, since May 2020. To date, 22 meetings have taken place and a further meeting is scheduled to take place late…

I thank Deputy O’Donnell for giving me the opportunity to update the House on this topic. As Members are aware, Shannon Group informed my Department in summer 2020 that it was necessary to consider a comprehensive and radical adjustment to its structure. This was necessary due to the capital investment required to maintain the heritage sites and the lack of expertise in maintaining the sites in the group. This was further impacted by the onset of Covid-19. In 2021 several options were presented in a memorandum for …

I reiterate that the Government recognises the importance of King John's Castle to the people of Limerick and also to the mid-west region. I too want to compliment Limerick City and County Council for its endeavours and goodwill in regard to the engagement. Work is ongoing between my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage around that funding gap. We are doing everything we can to ensure that happens as quickly as possible. As I said, we are engaging today with the Department of Tour…

The Deputy will have been aware that the Doolin volunteer team was stood down due to concerns about the safety of its operations in the circumstances pertaining at the time. I am happy to confirm that the unit has been reconstituted on an interim basis, with a core group of volunteers who, the Coast Guard believes, can work and operate together. This follows extensive engagement by Coast Guard management with volunteers in Doolin, culminating in my appointment of Mr. Kieran Mulvey as mediator. Mr. Mulvey’s report m…

On the complement of the team, there are currently eight members. It is difficult to comment on the numbers of the reconstituted team. There will perhaps be 12 members of the team to start with. Currently, additional cover is being provided from Kilkee and Killaloe. Helicopter and other emergency services are also being provided. The other recommendations of the Mulvey report are being actioned by the Coast Guard in relation to the areas outlined by the Deputy. As part of the recommendations, I have recommended an …

What we all want is a fully functioning Coast Guard in Doolin. It is important to state that the current and only recognised representative group for volunteers is the CUAG, which has been in existence for more than 20 years. What I want to do, and what is happening as part of this review, is to ensure that any gaps that are there from the CUAG's perspective, whether around grievance or disciplinary procedures, are addressed and volunteers are represented fully. According to the terms of reference, the CUAG is the …

I thank the Deputy for raising the issues currently facing the transport sector and hauliers, in particular. The current spike in energy prices arises from the global recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in conjunction with current international tensions and supply constraint issues. It is being witnessed across the European Union as well as many other regions. In order to mitigate the impact of fuel price increases for hauliers, the diesel rebate scheme offers a partial excise refund to qualifying operators. In lig…

I thank the Deputy. I am not taking away from the crisis for the sector, but just to outline what the Government has done, in budget 2020, arising from Brexit challenges, the marginal rate of compensation relating to the diesel rebate scheme was doubled. That increase has been maintained since. In budget 2022 there was an expansion of the accelerated capital allowance scheme for gas vehicles and refuelling equipment. There is also the alternatively fuelled heavy-duty vehicle purchase grant scheme of March 2021 whic…

On the final issue raised by the Deputy, the logistics supply chain group is working with all stakeholders to consider, and ensure movement is happening on, issues within the logistics and supply chain sector. That includes the skills shortage. It involves working with the third level sector and raising awareness of the apprenticeships in Institute of Technology Sligo and the technological universities in Cork and Dublin, as well as communicating the courses and careers that are available. That work is ongoing. We …

Irish driving licence law is framed by the requirements of EU legislation. Under the EU directives, a person with an identified or specified illness, such as diabetes, is required to provide a medical report when applying for a learner permit or driving licence. The medical report must be completed by a general practitioner, GP, and a licence may be issued for one, three or ten years. The period of issue is based on the GP's assessment of the applicant and his or her recommendation. This is based on the medical adv…

I will contact the RSA on the licence fee issue. The other issue may be a Department of Health one as it involves going to a doctor for a medical checkup. It is not my area but I do not believe that is covered by the GP card. I will certainly talk to the RSA around the licence fee issue. I reiterate that this is a vital road safety tool and I appreciate the Deputy has not questioned that. GPs have to do their work and many conditions are degenerative or may be volatile if they are not managed properly. That is wher…

Just to confirm, my understanding is that the GPs do not have to issue shorter licence periods for specified illnesses. It is up to them, as they are the medical experts, to give the clinical assessment as to somebody's ability to drive. It is completely within their remit. That comes from the National Office for Traffic Medicine, which was jointly established by the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland and the Road Safety Authority, and which brings the specialty of traffic medicine to Ireland. It was brought in…