I thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter. The National Driver Licence Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and is provided under contract. The NDLS processes applications for learner permits and driver licences. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the provision of services, as the Deputy has outlined. As a result, a number of services ceased, including the national car testing service and driver testing, theory tests, and driver licence applications an…

I thank the Deputy. I agree the number of people waiting for appointments is at an unacceptably high level. I believe a further extension of the licences is the correct approach to deal with the issue. The extension is subject to EU approval and my officials have contacted the EU in that regard. We will also be prioritising work on the legislation required to get the online system up and running, which will also help to alleviate the pressure. I do not know the length of the extension. We will have to wait for the …

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Rosslare Europort continues to work closely with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and other Government Departments and offices in preparing for the border controls and other impacts that will arise from Brexit. The port's border inspection post, on a 16 acre site 1 km from the port, is ready for operation and additional staff have been deployed at Rosslare Europort since April 2020. Future Brexit configuration has been incorporated into the overall master pla…

In regard to the free zone, Rosslare Europort is seeking the creation of such a zone at the port to facilitate and encourage the development of businesses. The port has been engaging with Wexford County Council on this matter. Among the business opportunities the port wishes to pursue in the context of a free zone is the creation of a facility to service the growing offshore wind industry. Free zones are secured customs areas within the European Union where non-Union goods can be introduced free of import duties an…

I will come back to the Deputy with a comprehensive response to his query.

I thank the Deputy for his question. I have been engaging with the airline sector over the past week and will continue to do so next week. I am very concerned about the aviation sector, including the consumers involved and the vindication of their rights. It is something I have been working on in my Department. I have also met representatives of travel agents but I will continue to engage with airlines.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I wish to explain that, once funding arrangements have been put in place through the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport under the Roads Acts 1993 to 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. Overall, TII is responsible for the delivery of the national roads programme in accordance with Project Ireland 2040 and the national deve…

I will explain how national roads projects are identified for development. The NDP identifies two categories of national road improvements. The first includes projects to advance to construction, subject to satisfactory outcomes of the project appraisal and development consent approval processes. The second includes projects at pre-appraisal and early planning stages that are being assessed with a view to developing a pipeline of suitable projects for development. Specific inner and outer relief roads in Maynooth, …

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Further to the comprehensive statement provided by the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, last Thursday on the memorandum of understanding with the FAI, I am pleased to provide additional information in response to the Deputy's query. At its meeting on 30 January the Government authorised the then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, to enter an agreement with the FAI to provide additional funding support to the association to address its grave financial crisi…

A nominations committee was formed by the FAI to appoint independent directors to the board of the FAI in line with one of the key recommendations of the governance review group report. Sport Ireland was invited by the FAI to nominate two independent persons to the committee. Its nominees were Olive Loughnane and Peter McLoone. Amrop, a world-leading executive-search firm, was appointed as the search partner to assist with the selection of independent directors. The then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, S…

Once funding arrangements have been put in place through the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Overall, TII is responsible for the delivery of the national roads programme in accordance with Project Ireland 2040 and the national development plan. In that context, TII provides the Department with regular update…

As I outlined previously, once funding arrangements have been put in place through the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for TII in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the public spending code guidelines and the necessary statutory approvals. The N72 and N73 Mallow relief road has been identified in the national development plan. Therefore, TII is working to pr…

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was established as an independent body in 2002 under the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) Act 2000 to investigate marine casualties and publish reports of such investigations involving Irish-registered vessels worldwide and other vessels in Irish territorial waters and inland waterways. Section 8 of the Act provides that the board shall be independent of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in the pe…

I have heard clearly what the Deputies stated. The Department is examining the judgment and has sought legal advice on this in terms of the next steps we will need to take to address the concerns of the Commission. Any proposed new policy approach will be the subject of a future submission for the consideration of the Cabinet. The Deputies can be assured that every effort is being made to progress matters as quickly as possible and to enhance the organisational independence of the Marine Casualty Investigation Boar…

I thank the Deputies for raising this very important matter with me. As an island nation, Ireland is particularly dependent, both socially and economically, on air connectivity. Aviation plays a critical role in our economy. More than 140,000 jobs are supported by the air transport sector in Ireland. The air transport industry, including airlines and industry supply chains, is estimated to support a share of Ireland's GDP worth €8.9 billion. Approximately 6.8% of GDP was supported by air transport and foreign touri…

I have listened very carefully to what the Deputies said. I take all their comments on board, particularly those concerning the Shannon Heritage sites. As somebody who represents the west of Ireland and whose home is only 40 minutes down the road from Shannon Airport, I completely understand its strategic economic and social importance to the region. I propose to undertake a thorough examination of the airport's future viability and sustainability, including restructuring measures, financial supports and any other …