The Minister, Deputy Ryan, aims to publish the sustainable mobility policy framework before the end of this year. It will set out a strategic framework to 2030 for walking, cycling and public transport to support Ireland's overall requirement to achieve a 51% reduction in carbon emissions by the end of the decade. The framework will primarily focus on measures to promote and facilitate active travel and public transport for all and, in so doing, encourage less private car usage nationally to support our climate com…

The Deputy is entirely correct that this will require an approach across a number of areas, such as the safe routes to school initiative. However, it is not just about children in primary and secondary school having safe access; it is about local accessibility in towns and villages. It is not just an urban programme but one that will also work for rural areas. It is about enabling schools to work locally with their local authorities, particularly in tricky rural settings, to come up with solutions and models that c…

The Deputy is right to mention Connecting Ireland. When we talk about public transport, there is the issue that people have a vision focusing on urban Ireland and our cities. Connecting Ireland is about delivering public transport in rural towns and villages throughout the country. That is key if we want to ensure people in rural Ireland have connectivity. However, we also need to be practical and realistic in recognising that not every rural area will have a public transport option. The aim is to maximise the pote…

As Minister of State in the Department of Transport, I have no role in regard to the installation of cameras. Road traffic legislation sets out the standards for the use of such cameras and their effect in terms of road traffic law. Under section 81 of the Road Traffic Act 2010, electronic apparatus, including cameras, may be used to provide evidence in regard to offences under a number of the provisions of the Road Traffic Acts. The enforcement of road traffic law is a matter for the Garda Síochána, with some powe…

Following the completion of the pilot, a review of the overall system was undertaken, and in 2019, An Garda Síochána confirmed acceptance of the review recommendations and that the pilot installation could be confirmed as permanent. However, it was necessary to retender the technical and operational parts of the project, as the original installation was a pilot project only. Under procurement legislation, the larger permanent operation requires a new, publicly advertised tender process. Due to Covid commitments, th…

I hear the Deputy's concerns. There is no legislative barrier to this. The Department does the legislation and it is up to the agencies - the NTA and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, An Garda Síochána and the local authorities - to roll out these projects. I take her points on accessibility on public transport. We have increased Garda resources in this budget. The Deputy made reference to antisocial behaviour on our public transport services. This came up earlier, with other Deputies. The Minister, Deputy Hum…

I thank the Deputy for his question and the opportunity to discuss the issue of increased capacity and the frequency on our rail lines, specifically the Dublin-Rosslare rail line. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, has responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport, however, neither he nor my Department have a role in the day-to-day provision, operation, or maintenance of subsidised bus and rail services. That is the responsibility, first and foremost, of the NTA, in conjunction with publi…

Iarnród Éireann, supported by the NTA, is at an advanced stage in the tender process to order the largest and greenest fleet in Irish public transport history, for up to 750 electric and battery-electric powered carriages over a ten-year timescale. As well as increasing the Dublin area capacity, it will also see intercity carriages in use on commuter services allocated to intercity routes to increase capacity and frequency of services. With regard to the possibility of increasing the DART frequency on the Dublin to…

I thank the Deputies. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is attending Cabinet this morning. That is why he cannot be in the Dáil to take questions. However, if there are any further questions Deputy Brady wants answered, I can certainly relay them to him. The climate action plan will be published later today, so that is why he could not attend. In relation to-----

The rail services are critical. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to invest in public transport, including in rail. Part of that is the national rail review. This is a review of rail both North and South and it will be completed next year. All of the issues that the Deputy has raised about what the NTA is looking at will be considered and examined as part of that process. That is the correct process to ensure we take an all-island approach to rail services in looking at what is required. I will …

A Department internal audit report in 2019 recommended improvements in Coast Guard procurement. Implementation of these recommendations was underway prior to the Comptroller and Auditor General raising the issue of procurement of vehicles in 2020. In particular, new internal controls in accordance with best practice procurement procedures have been put in place. Additional resources have been allocated to the area and training has been enhanced. Insofar as this specific issue is concerned, it was identified as a de…

It is important to say that improved procurement procedures have been implemented within the Coast Guard area. In 2019, my Department’s internal audit unit carried out a procurement gap analysis, which identifies a number of areas with significant scope for improvement. The following eight recommendations are contained in the March 2020 audit report: the Irish Coast Guard, IRCG, procurement procedures are to be documented; there is to be better procurement documentation filing and retention; there is to be a live c…

It is critical that we have a robust and well-resourced search and rescue, SAR, capability in Ireland. We are all aware in our own communities of the excellent volunteers who do critical, Trojan work in coming to people’s rescue in their hour of need. It is critical. I am committed to ensuring that whatever resources and supports are needed are in place to ensure that we have continued service. On the Deputy’s point about Doolin, search and rescue and the Department are engaged in providing whatever supports are ne…

The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the management and improvement of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in conjunction with local authorities. A key priority in the NDP, in line with the Department’s investment hierarchy, is to maintain the quality of the existing national road network. T…

I thank the Deputy. Ensuring that minimum standards are kept is a matter for local authorities. Local authorities, with TII, identify roads that need to be further maintained. The maintenance, protection and renewal budget was protected, which recognises the importance of road connectivity and safety for all road users. It is critical that we have new road infrastructure built as part of that. Public transport uses roads. We also need to make sure that we maintain and upgrade our existing road network to ensure we …

I thank both Deputies. A list of projects is mentioned in the NDP. Projects currently under construction are the M50 traffic control management unit, the N5 from Westport to Turlough, the N56 from Dungloe to Glenties, the N22 from Baile Bhuirne to Macroom, the M8 Dunkettle interchange, and the N5 from Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge. There are other projects earmarked to begin construction within the coming months, for example, the N59 Moycullen bypass and the Listowel bypass. Deputies may feel that other projects are …

As the Deputy knows, and this is probably the reason he is asking, in the programme for Government we committed that €360 million in cross-Government funding will be spent on walking and cycling infrastructure per annum over the lifetime of the Government. This investment will help to support the delivery of about 1,000 km of new and improved walking and cycling infrastructure by 2025 as well as additional investment in greenways. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this year we have seen a significant increase …

I think €287 million or quarter of a billion euro is a significant figure, especially in the context of Covid-19, given that greenways, which are part of this, were not considered essential works during the lockdown. That may have brought the figure down slightly but as the resources are allocated to local authorities in relation to active travel projects, we will see - and we will monitor this - an increase year on year in the roll-out of active travel infrastructure. I note what the Deputy says on rural towns and…

Absolutely. It is said by people who engage in and spearhead cycle buses that hopefully one day we will not need them and will have safe routes to school and protected infrastructure such that parents feel confident to let their children cycle to school appropriately. What is important about the safe routes to school programme is that the schools are actively involved in these solutions. It is not just the local authority coming in and proposing something outside of the school space. It is the schools working with …

I thank the Deputy. Providing a sustainable low-carbon transport system is a key priority for the Department. The programme for Government commits to 7% average annual emissions reductions to 2030. Ultimately, the goal is for a zero-emission mobility system by 2050 and electrification will be key to achieving that in the transport sector. EVs are the most prominent transport mitigation measure in the 2019 climate action plan and Ireland has set an ambitious target of 936,000 EVs on our roads by 2030. This target is…