Written Answers Nos. 166-182
166. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport the progress to date to ensure all services run by Local Link Cork are wheelchair accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29754/24]
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 accessible, integrated local and rural transport, including TFI Local Link services and the roll-out of services under the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan.
In light of the NTA's responsibilities for accessible public transport services, including TFI Local Link in County Cork, 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.
167. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport for an update on providing an increased number of e-car public charging points for Cork city and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29784/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network over the coming years.
The number of publicly available charge points in Ireland has increased from 1,700 in September 2022 to 2,400. To achieve Ireland’s EU targets under the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), it is expected that there will be 3,200 – 6,210 public chargers required nationally by 2025.
The EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2022-2025 sets out the Government’s ambition regarding the delivery of this network to support up to 195,000 electric cars and vans by the middle of the decade.
Arising from this strategy, the National EV Charging Network Plan, published in May 2024, will see chargers installed every 60km on major roads.
The Draft Regional and Local EV Charging Network Plan, published for public consultation in May 2024, focuses on neighbourhood and destination charging locations and will be led by Local Authorities in partnership with both public and private sectors. Local Authorities are ideally suited to accelerate the delivery of charging infrastructure at the local level that is financially sustainable and best ensures equitable access for all.
The plan provides a pathway for the accelerated delivery of regional and local networks of public EV charging infrastructure in cities, towns and villages across Ireland, in line with both national and European ambitions for cleaner transportation.
Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) have been engaging extensively with Local Authorities and will provide funding and guidance to them for developing their strategies and subsequent implementation plans.
The Department of Transport does not currently maintain information on available publicly accessible EV charging stations because they are owned and operated by commercial charge point operators, who are not currently obliged to share this information. Any data available at present is sourced from market operators who provide EV information services to charge point operators to facilitate drivers in locating charge points. This is operational data and it has not been possible for ZEVI to fully verify this data.
ZEVI are at present developing a Data Strategy in line with the provisions of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) which, when implemented, will give the Department better visibility on the number, location and status of EV charge points across the network via a shared and open data system, and depending on information provided by charge-point operators.
The system will collect the near-real-time data provided by charge-point operators regarding the charge-points. The obligation on charge-point operators and owners to share this data via API, at no cost, to all data users, is legislated for within AFIR. This should facilitate data users, including the Department, to build a fuller data set. This data system is expected to be in place by April 2025.
168. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport the number of public e-car charging points available for the years 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, by location, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29785/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Transport, through Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) are investing €100m between now and 2025, in the delivery of EV infrastructure, as part of the EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy.
The number of publicly available charge points in Ireland has increased from approximately 1,700 in September 2022 to over 2,400 in 2024.
The Department of Transport does not currently maintain information on available publicly accessible EV charging stations because they are owned and operated by commercial charge point operators, who are not currently obliged to share this information. Any data available at present is sourced from market operators who provide EV information services to charge point operators to facilitate drivers in locating charge points. This is operational data and cannot be considered as either complete or verified.
However, ZEVI are at present developing a Data Strategy in line with the provisions of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) which, when implemented, will give the Department better visibility on the number, location and status of EV charge points across the network via a shared and open data system, and depending on information provided by charge-point operators.
The system will collect the near-real-time data provided by charge-point operators regarding the charge-points. The obligation on charge-point operators and owners to share this data via API, at no cost, to all data users, is legislated for within AFIR. This should facilitate data users, including the Department, to build a fuller data set. This data system is expected to be in place by April 2025.
In the meantime, a summary of the number of EV charge points is provided below:
Estimated Number of publicly accessible EV charge points by year:
As of Jan 2023 - Approximately 1700
As of September 2023 - Approximately 2100
As of June 2024 - Approximately 2400.
169. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 171 of 15 February 2024, when the changes will come into effect on Bus Éireann route 243 covering Bweeng and Grenagh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29812/24]
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 the scheduling and timetabling services, including the 243 route, in conjunction with the relevant operators.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
170. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Transport to outline the expenditure, over each of the past ten years, on the draft plans for a proposed road scheme (details supplied); the companies to which these design contracts were awarded; the payments to each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29835/24]
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 planning, design and construction 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.
I can confirm that the N4 Mullingar to Longford Scheme received an allocation of €1.44 million for 2024. As with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for this project will be kept under review for 2025 and in future years and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII.
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.
171. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Transport if he has read a recent paper (details supplied); if he accepts that the patchwork of primary and secondary legislation on road safety makes it too easy to challenge in the courts and harder for the authorities to enforce; if he will commit that the next legislation on road safety will be a road safety consolidation Act; and if he has discussed this with the Attorney General. [29838/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the recent article referred to by the Deputy. The Deputy may also wish to note that the same publication subsequently published an update on progress made by my Department in the area of consolidation of the Roads Traffic Acts.
There is general agreement that the Road Traffic Acts, which date back to 1961 and have been amended on multiple occasions, are in need of consolidation. However, I am not aware of any case where an absence of consolidation per se has led to additional challenges and, most important in this context, I am not aware of any prosecution which has failed for want of consolidation. In fact it could equally be argued that the long standing nature of most of these provisions mean the law around them is settled and less open to experimental or novel arguments. The parameters of the various measures are well understood and initial exploration has been narrowed by Court decisions over time. There is significant authority from decisions of the Court of Appeal in particular, which offers guidance in this area and the legislation must be considered in conjunction with those authorities.
That said, we have committed in the Programme for Government to address consolidation. On coming into Government, we prioritised the need for urgent road traffic legislation in a number of areas, such as legalising electric scooters, and we have now dealt with this, as well as legislating for urgent road safety measures passed earlier this year in the Road Traffic Act 2024, which was brought forward in light of the recent rise in road deaths.
Consolidation is not a simple business. It will require careful consideration of the existing legislation, with identification and correction of any lacunae. In recent months, my Department has been engaging with the Law Reform Commission (LRC), which has expert knowledge in this area, on how best to approach the project of consolidation. From this engagement, a scoping exercise is now complete and consideration of the resources needed for a projected team is well advanced. I anticipate that a project team will be in place in September of this year and will be working on bringing this project forward from its early preparatory stage.
The work on consolidation has been discussed between the LRC and the Attorney General and both are supportive of the project.
This is not a simple project, and it is important that we do it properly. It will not be clear until some way into the work whether there are substantial issues to be addressed, but at a conservative estimate the project will take at least two years.
172. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the provision of the new L14, L15, L1 and L2 local bus routes in Wicklow; when the new routes will start operating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29859/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, BusConnects is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, providing better bus services across our cities. It is the largest investment programme in the bus system in the history of the State, and is managed by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
The NTA recently revised plans for the L1, L2, and L3 routes following consultation with Wicklow County Council. The Network Redesign for the entire network across the Greater Dublin Area will continue in the coming years.
Overall, BusConnects will transform bus services in our cities, allowing passengers to travel more conveniently, quickly and sustainably, and I look forward to its full implementation.
The NTA has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including BusConnects. Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
173. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to reliability issues with a bus route (details supplied); the actions he will take to engage with Bus Éireann to address these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29913/24]
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 query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Bus Éireann. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
174. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport if he will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of the pension entitlements of former employees of a commercial State company under his Department’s aegis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29940/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFrom the outset I would like to clarify that as Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ Group, and their employees.
The case in relation to the rules governing the 1951 scheme are currently subject to ongoing legal proceedings before the Commercial Court. The Hearing commenced on 24 May 2022 for 4 days. While original indications were that a judgement would be expected in the Autumn of 2022, the matter was deferred on multiple occasions, with the judgment being delivered on 19 April 2024. In his judgement, Mr. Justice Mark Sanfey found that both CIÉ and the 1951 Scheme members were both obliged to provide funding to the pension scheme to resolve any solvency issues.
Justice Sanfey instructed both sides to consider what orders should be made on foot of the judgment ahead of a hearing date on 14th June 2024, this date was adjourned to 28th June, 5th July, and currently relisted on the 16th of July 2024. The Department continues to engage with CIÉ, and advisors in NewERA in relation to this matter.
While it is true that for the first time in many years the 1951 Scheme now meets the Pensions Authority’s Minimum Funding Standard (MFS), the scheme deficit is still significant. The MFS indicates the scheme’s ability to ‘wind-up’ as it currently stands, as opposed to its ability to fund an increase in pension benefits.
The CIÉ Board has been advised by the Scheme Actuary that the current MFS position does not create sufficient headroom to grant pension increases at this time, as such a move would put the Scheme at risk of having a deficit on an MFS basis again. In line with industry norms, and in order to achieve stability and security for all members, a MFS funding level (including the Risk Reserve) of materially in excess of 100% is required to give the Scheme sufficient resources to withstand the investment losses that could result from investment market falls.
Any proposal to increase pension benefits would be dependent on the advice of the Scheme Actuary at the time an increase is proposed and must be done in agreement with the Trustees of the Schemes. Awarding discretionary pension increases remains a goal of the CIÉ Group, but it is not envisaged that any such increases can be awarded from the Scheme in the near term.
Concerning pension increases for CIÉ pensioners, it is understood that an increase for pensioners would only be possible when the Scheme is capable of sustaining such increases. CIÉ are actively engaging with the Department to give effect to labour court recommendations for the 1951 Scheme, as passed by a ballot of trade union members in May 2021, in order, and minimise risk and liability to the 1951 Scheme. Further, changes are required to bring the scheme into compliance with the IORP II EU Directive, transposed into Irish law in 2021, of which the scheme is currently non-compliant.
Accordingly, I have forwarded the aspect of Deputy's question related to an increase in pension payments for 1951 pension scheme members to CIÉ for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
175. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport if he has made any progress regarding the mutual recognition of heavy goods vehicle driving licences with Argentina. [29970/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIrish driver licensing law operates within a framework of EU law and standards for driver testing are set at EU level. This ensures that those licensed to drive on our roads meet the required standards of safety.
Ireland may make bilateral agreements on licence exchange with non-EU jurisdictions. These agreements can be made only when the relevant authorities in each jurisdiction are satisfied that the two licensing regimes are compatible. On the Irish side, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
The RSA’s examination of the Argentinian driving test and licensing system found that it does not currently meet the requirements for on-road tests set out in Directive 2006/126/EU on driving licences. Accordingly, the RSA has not recommended a licence exchange agreement with Argentina at this time.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that an agreement on licence exchange has recently been reached with Georgia and those arrangements are now in place.
176. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport to provide the number and detail of the public helplines operated by his Department; whether calls are recorded on each helpline; and, if not, whether he would consider recording calls for transparency and training purposes. [30004/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number and details of the public helplines operated by my Department are outlined in the following table.
|
Telephone No. |
Opening Hours |
Calls Recorded |
|
|
Motor Tax Office |
0818 411 412 or +353 61 365005 |
Monday to Friday 10:00 - 13:00 |
No |
|
Road Transport Operator Licensing Division |
LoCall 076 100 1601 or +353 91 872950 |
Monday to Friday 10:00 - 13:00 14:00 - 17:00 |
No |
|
Air Accident Investigation Unit |
+353 1 8041538 |
Monday to Sunday (24 Hours) |
No |
|
Railway Accident Investigation Unit |
+353 1 6041050 |
Monday to Sunday (24 Hours) |
No |
|
Irish Coast Guard |
999 or 112 |
Monday to Sunday (24 Hours) |
Yes |
177. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider enacting laws to restrict vulture funds’ activities, akin to the UK Parliament’s legislation that prohibits vulture investors from exploiting its courts for their gain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29666/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe activities of non-bank entities are already regulated by the Central Bank in Ireland under the provisions of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2015 as amended. The legislation ensures that relevant borrowers whose loans are sold to non-bank entities maintain the regulatory protections they had prior to the sale, including the protections provided by the Central Bank’s statutory Codes of Conduct and Consumer Protection Code.
As of 30 December 2023, non-bank entities are also subject to the European Union (Credit Servicers And Credit Purchasers) Regulations 2023 which transposes the EU Credit Servicing Directive into Irish law.
It is a matter for the Courts to determine whether a particular litigation constitutes a malicious abuse of court process.
178. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the revenue that would be raised by applying a 1% rate of stamp duty to all forms of share buybacks, in first- and full-year terms; and the estimated revenue raised in each of the years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively. [29032/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Finance has opened its pre-budget costings service. This is available with effect from 1 July 2024. The procedures for availing of this service are set out in a letter dated 1 July 2024 from the Secretary General of the Department to all recognised parties and technical groups in Dáil Éireann. To ensure efficiency and fairness all costing requests should be made in this manner, via the standard request format template, instead of the Parliamentary Question system at this time.
179. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the banking levy is in the tax base, under the stability programme update, in each of the years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively; and the amount in the base in each of those years. [29033/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra186. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Finance if scheduled carbon tax increases out to 2030 are included in the SPU revenue projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29181/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra198. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the budget allocated to the rent tax credit and within the base under the stability programme update, for the years 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028, respectively, in tabular form. [29533/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra199. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the help-to-buy scheme is in the tax base, under the stability programme update, in each of the years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively; and the amount in the base in each of those years. [29534/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 179, 186, 198 and 199 together.
When forecasting tax revenues, measures introduced as part of prior budgets are considered to be part of the tax base. When a tax expenditure with a sunset clause in legislation expires, there is a corresponding increase in the tax revenue forecasts in a given year to reflect this. In the same manner, the expiration of a revenue-raising policy measure leads to a corresponding decrease in receipts. The Stability Programme Update (SPU) is produced on a no-policy-change basis. As such, the revenue projections assume the expiration of measures with sunset clauses as currently planned.
My Department has not produced fiscal projections beyond 2027.
The rent tax credit was introduced as part of Budget 2023 and amended as part of Budget 2024. This measure, and the Help To Buy scheme, are incorporated within the tax base as part of the SPU projections and are assumed to expire at end-2025.
The cost of Budget 2024 tax expenditures was set out in the Tax Policy Changes document published on Budget Day and available at the below link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/de3d4-budget-2024-taxation-measures/
Revenue-raising measures are treated in the same manner as tax expenditures. On this basis, the SPU projections incorporate €200 million in revenue raised from the bank levy. This is assumed to expire at end-2024.
If these measures are extended beyond their current expiration date, estimates will be subject to revision based on the latest available data at the time.
Finally, my Department includes indicative estimates for future carbon tax increases in the SPU projections. These are produced on a technical basis and are subject to revision.
180. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Finance to detail the types of financial instruments used to hold the Social Insurance Fund investment account; the effect the Social Insurance Fund investment account has on the general Government balance when held in sovereign Irish debt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29040/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll funds in the Social Insurance Fund investment account are currently invested in Irish sovereign debt in the form of exchequer notes. Consequently, the Social Insurance Fund investment account has no impact on the general government balance when held in Irish sovereign debt.
181. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Finance the current level of GGD that is made up of the FIF, ICNF, NTF and the SIF investment accounts; the projected share of the GGD that will be made of the FIF, ICNF, NTF and the SIF investment accounts out to 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29041/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe General Government Debt (GGD) represents the total consolidated government liabilities. It measures the gross borrowings for the general government sector.
The investment accounts for FIF, ICNF, NTF, and SIF are part of the general government financial assets. As a result, they do not affect the current or the projected levels of GGD.
182. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the Revenue Commissioners’ IT issues with the filing of personal income tax returns for 2023, which have been ongoing since 12 June 2024, and the consequent delay in issuing assessments that are urgently needed for mortgage and SUSI grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29086/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by Revenue that recent issues experienced by taxpayers and agents filing 2023 Income Tax returns arose following a system update on 15 June but that these issues were fully rectified on 26 June. Returns are being filed and processed as normal since then.
Revenue engaged with the tax practitioner bodies and some third-party software providers in relation to the issues during that time. Revenue continually monitors its pay and file systems, and any necessary fixes and upgrades are carried out as quickly as possible.
