Written Answers Nos. 4-22
4. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on proposals (details supplied) from a constituent in respect of what they believe are a double payment for passport documents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26337/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 15 of the Passports Act, as amended (“the Act") provides the basis for the issuing of emergency passports and emergency travel certificates (ETCs) in situations where travel documents are required urgently and there is insufficient time to obtain a passport by the normal means.
Our Embassies and Consulates abroad do not have the facility to print passports or passport cards, but can issue citizens with ETCs to facilitate their return to Ireland if their passport has been lost or stolen. It should be noted that the primary purpose of this document type is to enable those in difficulty to travel home quickly. ETCs are valid for a single journey.
The fees charged for passport and consular services are set out in the Diplomatic and Consular Fees (Amendment) Regulations of 2019 (S.I No. 259/2019). The fee for an ETC issued by an Irish Embassy or Consulate is €30 (or local equivalent). If the ETC is issued outside of office hours, an additional €80 fee can be charged.
The fee for a standard adult passport card, valid for five years, is €35. The fee paid for an emergency travel document issued by an Irish mission overseas, does not cover the cost of replacing the lost passport and/or passport card, as they are essentially two different travel documents issued with different validity.
5. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue to a person in County Galway (details supplied); the reason for the delay in issuing said passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26351/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, further supporting documents for this application were received on 14th June 2024. Turnaround time from the receipt of further supporting documents is 15 working days.
6. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when he last spoke with the United Arab Emirates ambassador to Ireland. [26477/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have spoken with Foreign Minister Al-Nahyan of the UAE, most recently in February on the situation in Gaza and in December during COP 28.
Officials from my Department meet and speak with the Ambassador and his staff regularly, while our Ambassador in the United Arab Emirates and her staff are in frequent contact with the UAE authorities.
7. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of WTE staff, by job title, working in the embassies of Ireland based in Seoul, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok as of 4 June 2024, in tabular form. [26478/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of civil servants of my Department working at the Embassies of Ireland in Seoul, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok as of 04 June 2024 are provided by grade in tabular form below:
|
Grade |
Seoul |
Tokyo |
Kuala Lumpur |
Bangkok |
|
Assistant Secretary |
1 |
|||
|
Counsellor |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
First Secretary / Equivalents |
2 |
|||
|
Third Secretary / Equivalents |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Executive Officer |
1 |
8. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26367/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland.
The premises in question is in the BLUE area on the broadband map. The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The Department defines high-speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload.
The activities of commercial operators delivering high-speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and the Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. There may be a choice of operators offering this service in any given area. Further information in this regard is available at www.comreg.ie/compare/#/services.
If a person lives in the BLUE area and after contacting their Retail Service Provider are told they cannot get access to greater than 30Mbps, they should raise a query via the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) webform at https://secure.dccae.gov.ie/forms/NBP-Customer-Service.aspx and the department will escalate with the commercial operator to investigate this matter further.
As per records made available to this Department the premises in question is currently capable of getting over 60Mbps from open eir’s local HSBB cabinet GBH1_E01.
Additionally, the premises is included in open eir's Full Fibre deployment programme which will provide a full fibre Gigabit connection with speeds up to 2 Gbps.
9. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason there is a deliberate campaign by Inland Fisheries Ireland officers preventing anglers from removing dace, an invasive coarse fish, from the Shannon and Mulkear rivers (part of the Lower River Shannon SAC), given that dace are classed as highly invasive in Ireland under the European Communities - Birds and Natural Habitats Regulations 2011 (S. I. No. 477 of 2011) and their protection is contrary to Ireland’s legal obligations under the EU Habitats Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26390/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFisheries protection operations on specific water catchments are a matter for Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and neither I nor my Department have any function. IFI officers carry out their duties in accordance with relevant EU and national legislation, including regulations.
IFI has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that queries in relation to operational matters can be addressed promptly, in line with IFI’s objective to deliver services to the highest standards. The email address is oireachtas@fisheriesireland.ie
10. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department’s officials in the inland fisheries division will continue to legislatively conserve invasive dace and invasive roach in the River Allow in County Cork (part of the Blackwater River SAC) under the Conservation and Prohibition on Sale of Coarse Fish Bye-Law (No. 806) 2006, to the detriment of native salmonids, which will severely impact any future rehabilitation of this SAC river, following the press release by Inland Fisheries Ireland on 10 June 2024 confirming a large fish kill of at least 5,000 mortalities in the River Allow, in which many native salmonids (trout and salmon) were killed plus invasive coarse fish such as dace and roach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26391/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the Conservation of Coarse Fish Bye-Law No. 806 of 2006, I wish to advise the Deputy that IFI in conjunction with my Department is carrying out a review of relevant inland fisheries bye-laws in force for 10 years or more and their continued application and Bye-Law No. 806 of 2006 and indeed the Conservation of Pike Bye-Law No. 809 of 2006 are being examined and reviewed as part of this exercise.
Fisheries protection operations on specific water catchments are a matter for Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and neither I nor my Department have any function. IFI has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that queries in relation to operational matters can be addressed promptly, in line with IFI’s objective to deliver services to the highest standards. The email address is oireachtas@fisheriesireland.ie
11. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the budget allocation for the National Cyber Security Centre in the years of 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [26482/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe NCSC budget ( 2022-2024) is as follows:
|
Year |
Current (Non-Pay) € |
Capital € |
|
2024 |
7,900,000 |
2,800,000 |
|
2023 |
5,500,000 |
5,450,000 |
|
2022 |
2,500,000 |
2,600,000 |
12. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the amount spent by the Defence Forces on purchasing military equipment from German-based companies in 2022, 2023 and for the first five months of 2024, in tabular form. [26318/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvestment in new equipment for the Defence Forces is provided for under various Subheads of the Defence Vote relating to defensive equipment, mechanical transport, aircraft, ships and naval stores, engineering, communications and information technology equipment etc.
I am informed by the Defence Forces that their records indicate the amount spent on purchasing military equipment from companies based in the Germany in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024 was as follows:
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2022 |
€2,551,546 |
|
2023 |
€2,868,370 |
|
2024 (up to 13 June) |
€91,640 |
I would also like to advise the Deputy that the Defence Organisation routinely publishes details of Purchase Orders for goods and services valued at more than €20,000. This information is published on the Department of Defence website – www.gov.ie/en/collection/b61276-purchase-orders-over-20000/.The Department has published details of Purchase Orders including those placed for weapons and equipment by the Defence Organisation for the years 2022 to the last quarter 2023. I am advised that a small number of Purchase Orders for that timeframe were excluded from the published list for security and operational reasons.
Details of Purchase Orders placed in Quarter 1 of 2024 are currently being compiled and will be published shortly.
13. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the amount spent by the Defence Forces on purchasing military equipment from Japanese-based companies in 2022, 2023 and for the first five months of 2024, in tabular form. [26319/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Defence Forces that their records indicate there was no expenditure on purchasing military equipment from companies based in Japan in the period referenced by the Deputy.
14. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he plans for funding to upgrade buildings on the Curragh military campus, which are in extremely bad condition. [26408/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Defence Forces Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP) sets out a programme of project delivery for the years 2023 to 2027. Under the programme, the following capital works in the DFTC, (Curragh Camp, Kildare) are completed or nearing completion:
• Cadet School
• Engineers Logistics Office
• Engineer Stores
• New Electric Target Range
• Upgrade of Accommodation at Plunkett Barracks
The Deputy may also wish to know that the following additional capital works for the DFTC are included in the IDP and are at various stages of the design and procurement process:
• CIS Corps Workshop and Stores
• New Army Ranger Wing HQ Block
• Refurbishment of 1 Accommodation Block Ceannt Barracks
• New Garaging Facility
• Military College Auditorium Suite
• New Student Accommodation Facility.
My Department also allocates funding each year to the Defence Forces for the maintenance, repair and upkeep of its building stock. This devolved budget is a regular feature of the Delegated functions assigned to the Defence Forces by my Department. The individual prioritisation of specific projects to be carried out is solely a matter for the Defence Forces in keeping with the delegated nature of this budget.
15. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Transport if lighting will be installed at junction 11 at Kilcullen, southbound on the M7, as this junction is extremely dangerous, and it is only a matter of time before there is a fatality. [26414/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Infrastructure Guidelines and the necessary statutory approvals. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
16. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Transport if he will request that Irish Rail include train services from Woodlawn on the Galway to Dublin route Monday to Friday, on either the 07.30 or the 9.05 train to facilitate students going to Athlone and people with hospital appointments in Dublin, and likewise for people going to Galway from Woodlawn Monday to Friday, to install train services on either the 11.05 or 13.05 train; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26312/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra17. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Transport if he will request that Irish Rail add a train service from Woodlawn on the Galway to Dublin route at 20.50 from Monday to Saturday; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26313/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra18. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Transport if he will request that Irish Rail provide a stop in Woodlawn on the 09.25 train from Dublin to Galway Monday to Friday/Saturday as Woodlawn has no service between 09.33 and 13.15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26314/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra19. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Transport to re-instate the 16.35 train service from Woodlawn on the Galway to Dublin route on Sundays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26315/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 17, 18 and 19 together.
As 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 issue raised by the Deputy in relation to increased train services to and from Woodlawn is a matter for Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to Irish Rail for direct response to the Deputy.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
20. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Transport to provide more train services coming to and from Woodlawn on the Galway to Dublin and Dublin to Galway routes as the Woodlawn station serves a wide hinterland including the villages of New Inn, Kilconnell, Ballymacward, Castleblakeney and Mountbellew in view of the growing population and increase in traffic into Galway city, and to facilitate 3rd level students commuting due to accommodation shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26316/24]
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 for decisions in relation to these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.The issue raised by the Deputy in relation to providing additional train services to and from Woodlawn is a matter for the NTA in conjunction with Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to the companies for direct response to the Deputy.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive replies within ten working days.
21. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Transport the pay and any other benefits, including any loyalty payments or bonus or other benefit in kind, of each CEO of State agencies under the remit of his Department for each year since 2021, in tabular form. [26320/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Transport has 19 agencies in total, 12 commercial and 7 non-commercial which have either a CEO or Commissioner running the organisation. All CEO/Commissioner contracts under the aegis of my department have terms and conditions based on sanction received from the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. All CEO salaries and benefits are published in the company’s Annual Report and Financial Statements in keeping with the Business and Financial Reporting requirements of the 2016 Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.
Information on pay and other benefits as requested by the deputy is outlined in the table below.
Department of Transport Agencies
Commercial Agencies
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
CIÉ Group |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
190,000 |
47,500 |
|||
|
2022 |
190,000 |
47,500 |
|||
|
2023 |
190,000 |
47,500 |
|||
|
2024 |
190,000 |
47,500 |
|||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Iarnród Éireann |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
225,000 |
25% of basic salary |
Use of a car |
||
|
2022 |
225,000 |
25% of basic salary |
Use of a car |
||
|
2023 |
225,000 |
25% of basic salary |
Use of a car |
||
|
2024 |
225,000 |
25% of basic salary |
Use of a car |
||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Bus Éireann |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
210,000 |
53,000 |
Use of a car |
||
|
2022 |
210,000 |
53,000 |
Use of a car |
||
|
2023 |
210,000 |
53,000 |
Use of a car |
||
|
2024 |
210,000 |
53,000 |
Use of a car |
||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Bus Átha Cliath |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
200,000 |
Use of a car |
|||
|
2022 (1) CEO term of office concluded 30/06/2022 |
141,762 |
Employer contribution of 25% of salary |
Use of a car |
||
|
2022 (2) New CEO commenced 1/12/2022 |
16,667 |
Employer contribution of 25% of salary |
|||
|
2023 |
200,000 |
Use of a car |
|||
|
2024 |
83,355 to 31/5/2024 |
Use of a car |
|||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
daa plc |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind/taxable benefits |
|
2021 |
235,903 |
150,216 pension & other taxable benefits |
Health and Car |
||
|
2022 (1) |
172,612 |
167,661 pension & other taxable benefits |
Health and Car |
||
|
2022 (interim) |
70,597 |
12,581 pension & other taxable benefits |
|||
|
2023 (Interim) |
15,628 |
1,449 pension & other taxable benefits |
|||
|
2023 (New CEO) |
267,837 |
79,620 pension & other taxable benefits |
Health and Car |
||
|
2024 |
Figures not available yet |
||||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
The Shannon Airport Group |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind/taxable benefits |
|
2021 |
190,000 |
47,500 |
Other Taxable Benefits 24,419 |
||
|
2022 |
190,000 |
47,500 |
Other Taxable Benefits 23,689 |
||
|
2023 |
190,000 |
47,500 |
Other Taxable Benefits 16,142 |
||
|
2024 |
Figures not available yet |
||||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
205,000 |
73,000 |
Use of a car |
||
|
2022 |
225,000 |
81,000 |
Use of a car |
||
|
2023 |
205,000 |
74,000 |
|||
|
2024 |
195,000 |
21,000 |
|||
|
Air Nav Ireland (ANI) |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2023 New agency from 1/5/2023 |
168,000 |
54,000 |
Use of a car |
||
|
2024 |
225,000 |
81,000 |
Use of a car |
||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Shannon Foynes Port Company |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
118,000 |
€35,625 |
Car allowance 25k and Director fees of €8k |
||
|
2022 |
117,500 |
€35,625 |
Car allowance 25k and Director fees of €8k |
||
|
2023 |
117,500 |
€35,625 |
Car allowance 25k and Director fees of €8k |
||
|
2024 |
Figures not available yet |
||||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Dublin Port Company |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
185,000 |
46,000 |
Car allowance 15k and 13,000 board fees |
||
|
2022 |
162,000 |
46,000 |
Car allowance 10k and 8,000 board fees |
||
|
2023 |
210,000 |
53,000 |
|||
|
2024 |
Figures not available yet |
||||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Port of Cork Company |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind/taxable benefits |
|
2021 |
175,000 |
46,200 & other taxable benefits |
Health |
||
|
2022 |
175,000 |
46,335 & other taxable benefits |
Health |
||
|
2023 |
175,000 |
47,137 & other taxable benefits |
Car |
||
|
2024 |
Figures not available yet |
||||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Port of Waterford Company |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
110,000 |
27,500 |
Use of car |
||
|
2022 |
112,500 |
28,100 |
Use of car |
||
|
2023 |
120,000 |
30,000 |
Use of car |
||
|
2024 |
Figures not available yet |
Non-Commercial agencies
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Transport Infrastructure Ireland |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
190,000 |
||||
|
2022 |
202,000 |
||||
|
2023 |
215,000 |
||||
|
2024 |
Not yet available |
||||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Road Safety Authority |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
157,683 |
||||
|
2022 |
170,275 |
||||
|
2023 |
175,692 |
||||
|
2024 |
84,088 up to 6/6/2024 |
||||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
National Transport Authority |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
192,109 |
||||
|
2022 |
211,364 |
||||
|
2023 |
218,825 |
||||
|
2024 |
225,986 |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Commission for Railway Regulation |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
151,816 |
||||
|
2022 |
159,513 |
||||
|
2023 |
165,143 |
||||
|
2024 |
Not yet available |
||||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Medical Bureau of Road Safety |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
112,998 plus director allowance of 11,978 |
24,994 |
|||
|
2022 |
118,889 plus director allowance of 11,978 |
26,173 |
|||
|
2023 |
122,627 plus director allowance of 15,463 |
27,618 |
|||
|
2024 |
63,709 plus director allowance of 6,994 to date |
14,140 |
|||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Commissioner of Irish Lights |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
150,375 |
45,564 |
|||
|
2022 |
153,019 |
46,365 |
|||
|
2023 |
166,902 |
50,571 |
|||
|
2024 (up to 31 June) |
70,212 |
20,900 |
|||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) |
Salary |
Pension |
Loyalty Payments |
Bonus |
Benefit in Kind |
|
2021 |
163,000 |
29,000 |
|||
|
2022 |
170,000 |
42,000 |
|||
|
2023 (CAR dissolved 30/04/2023) |
61,000 |
15,000 |
|||
|
2024 |
N/A |
22. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the proposed new Local Link bus route from Ballyshannon, County Donegal, via Ballintrillick, County Sligo to Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26360/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including TFI Local Link and the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan.
In light of the NTA's responsibilities for the rollout of services under the Connecting Ireland, including in Counties Donegal and Sligo, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
