Written Answers Nos. 176-196
176. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the current capital works that are ongoing at present at Curragh Camp; when each of those projects will be completed; and the estimated cost of each project, in tabular form. [31967/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following are the current capital works that are ongoing at the DFTC, Curragh Camp. Below sets out the various stages of construction, tender procurement, design or planning of each project, the estimation completion and estimate cost.
|
Project |
Project Status |
Estimated Completion |
Estimated Cost (incl. VAT) |
|
CIS workshops / store |
Construction |
2026 |
€8.6M |
|
Transport Body Workshop and Ancillary Offices Electrical Upgrade |
Letter of Intent Issued |
2026 |
€0.7M |
|
ARW - New HQ Block |
Live on etenders |
2026 |
€13.8M |
|
ARW Training Centre Roofing (Old Cinema) |
Live on etenders |
2026 |
€0.6M |
|
1 Block Ceannt Accommodation Refurbishment |
Design Team Evaluation |
2027 |
€3M |
|
LED External Street Lighting Conversion |
Design / Planning |
2026 |
€0.9M |
|
Military College Auditorium Suite |
Design / Planning |
2027 |
€6.5M |
|
Military Medical Facility and Medical School Upgrade |
Design / Planning |
2027 |
€6.8M |
|
New Bonded Warehouse Building NSRC |
Design / Planning |
2027 |
€3.5M |
|
West Side Locker Facility |
Design / Planning |
2028 |
€1.5M |
|
New Student Accommodation Facility |
Design / Planning |
2028 |
€14M |
The Deputy may also wish to know that the following capital works were completed since 2020 for the DFTC at a total cost of €16.3M.
• New Vehicle Garaging Facility
• New Vehicle Garaging – Coolmoney Camp
• Engineer Logistics Office
• ARW Enabling Works
• Cadet School HQ
• St Bricins Re Location - Barracks Services Engineer Store
• Provision of a new Electric Target Range
• Upgrade of Block 7, Plunkett Barracks Accommodation
In addition, my Department also allocates funding each year to the Defence Forces for the maintenance, repair and upkeep of its building stock. This year a devolved budget of €12.5 million was assigned by my Department to the Defence Forces for these tasks. 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.
177. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the way in which a person can apply for a posthumous medal for a family member who was a member of the Irish Volunteers and Irish Republican Army; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32000/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government decided in January 1941 that two Medals should be struck in respect of service during the 1916-1921 period, one for service during Easter Week 1916 and the second for subsequent service up to the Truce of the 11th July 1921. In May 1942 the Government further decided that the second Medal, the Service (1917-1921) Medal, should be issued as follows:
• Medal with Bar to persons who are in possession of a military service certificate entitling them to a pension under the Military Service Pensions Acts in respect of the period subsequent to 1916 and prior to 11 July 1921 and to those persons not in possession of a certificate who satisfy the Minister for Defence that had they applied for a pension, their service was such as would have merited the award of a pension;
• Medal without Bar to persons who were enrolled in the Irish Republican Army, Fíanna Éireann, Cumann na mBan and the Irish Citizen Army not less than three months prior to 11 July 1921, but who did not qualify for a pension.
In certain exceptional situations a medal can be posthumously awarded if no medal was previously issued. However, in order not to diminish the intrinsic value of such medals, this is only done in exceptional cases and only where there is incontrovertible verified evidence available that the criteria for the award of a medal have been met. Given the lapse of time and the lack of verification process at this stage it is very difficult to satisfy the requirements and therefore the award of such posthumous medals is rare.
It was decided in 2006 that, where 1916 and War of Independence medals had been lost, stolen or destroyed, official certificates, in either Irish, English or both, could issue to an applicant.
Enquiries and requests for application forms should be addressed to Pensions Administration Section, Finance Branch, Department of Defence, Áras an tSáile, Renmore, Galway, H91 AN2E or by email to pensions.admin@defence.ie.
178. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on the outcome of the recent meeting with Galway City Council regarding the proposals for a permeability route adjacent to the grounds of Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa military barracks at Renmore, Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32047/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department has engaged extensively and positively with Galway City Council on proposals for a permeability route which seeks access to part of the roadway which travels along the northeast of Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa Barracks before crossing the bridge immediately in front of the barracks entrance.
A meeting was held with Galway City Council on 8 April to progress these matters and my officials inform me that the Defence Forces are currently assessing a number of options to address these requirements.
179. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has authorised the use of social media influencers by the Irish Defence Forces for recruitment and communications; and his views on whether there may be conflicts of interest caused by social media accounts advertising careers in the Defence Forces while simultaneously sharing partisan content related to live conflict situations and international politics. [32080/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt has not been possible to provide a response within the time frame available. I will respond to the Deputy when information is to hand.
180. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the implications of reduced capacity at Casement Aerodrome (Baldonnel) in relation to the upcoming EU presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32170/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, for reasons of operational and security reasons, it would not be appropriate for me to detail the operational measures to be put in place for the Presidency at this juncture.
181. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence who will be on alert to assist with airborne cover if needed during the EU presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32171/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union are intensifying across all relevant Government Departments and agencies are working to ensure that all necessary measures are in place ahead of the significant schedule of events that will take place in the second half of 2026.
As the Deputy will appreciate, for operations reasons, it would not be appropriate for me to detail the operational measures to be put in place at this juncture.
182. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 27 March 2025, if a meeting has occurred with Galway City Council to progress matters the reopening of the walkway linking Renmore Road and a club (details supplied) at Remore Barracks, Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32367/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has engaged extensively and positively with Galway City Council on proposals for a permeability route, incorporating the walkway in question, which seeks access to part of the roadway which travels along the northeast of Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa Barracks before crossing the bridge immediately in front of the barracks entrance.
A meeting was held with Galway City Council on 8 April to progress these matters and my officials inform me that the Defence Forces are currently assessing a number of options to address these requirements.
183. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department’s website employs analytics tools (details supplied) that track website traffic using UTM parameters (for example, utm_source); if so, whether any visits have been recorded with a specific parameter or similar identifiers indicating traffic from ChatGPT; and to provide the monthly number of such visits, if recorded, for each of the past 12 months, in tabular form. [32496/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's core IT infrastructure and website is provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). I have been advised by OGCIO that in late 2024 the government analytics provider changed for operational reasons. Therefore the data for the period 11 June 2024 to 30 November 2024 is from Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The data supplied for the period from 1 December 2024 to 11 June 2025, is from their current analytics provider, Matomo.
The following table represents the monthly number of any visits to my Department's website which have been recorded with a specific parameter or similar identifiers indicating traffic from ChatGPT for the past 12 months;
|
11-30 June 2024 |
Jul-24 |
Aug-24 |
Sep-24 |
Oct-24 |
Nov-24 |
Dec-24 |
Jan-25 |
Feb-25 |
Mar-25 |
Apr-25 |
May-25 |
1-11 June 2025 |
|
0 |
0 |
92 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
20 |
12 |
48 |
22 |
16 |
14 |
184. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the costs incurred by his Department and bodies under its aegis from contracts awarded to communications and PR firms in 2024; the name of the contractor and a description of the work undertaken in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32636/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a Request for Tender in May 2024 for the engagement of external communications’ consultants to assist the Department of Defence in the completion of a comprehensive Communications’ Strategy, covering both internal and external communications, my Department awarded a contract to 360 FINN Partners. The value of the contract was €20,664.
While the Defence Forces did not award any communications or PR-related contracts in 2024, they do, on the basis of contracts awarded previously, retain the services of a small number of consultants to provide training and advise and undertake surveys in the areas of public perception and media analysis. The Defence Forces advise me that they spent €40, 410 with Fleishman Hilliard in 2024 for the provision of training, research, surveys and counsel.
Of the bodies under the aegis of my Department, only the External Oversight Body awarded a communications or PR-related contracts in 2024. The contract, awarded to Q4 Public Relations, related to the provision of communications advice and the value of the service provided in 2024 was €1,599.
185. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of judicial review cases his Department has defended in each of the past ten years; the number in relation to which proceedings are pending or continuing; the number of cases which were lost and won, respectively, in the same period; the number of cases that settled in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32838/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraJudicial Reviews initiated against the Minister for Defence are managed on the Minister's behalf by the Chief State Solicitor's Office.
Judicial Reviews against the Minister for Defence normally arise in respect of employment related matters (e.g. promotions, enlistments, discharges, disciplinary matters, allowances and so forth) within the Defence Forces.
The number of Judicial Reviews initiated against the Minister for Defence for each of the last ten years is set out in the table below:
|
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
9 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
There are currently 8 Judicial Reviews with proceedings pending or continuing.
In respect of outcomes during the period set out above:
- 7 judgments were awarded against the Minister for Defence
- 21 cases were settled
- 17 cases were otherwise disposed on the basis that the case was withdrawn by the Applicant, dismissed by the courts, or struck out without a contested hearing.
Please note, not every case is disposed of in the same year that it was initiated. Therefore, the outcomes set out above will not correlate precisely to the cases received in the same period.
Given the nature of each of these proceedings, it would not be appropriate to discuss the details of any individual case.
186. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport the powers the Irish Aviation Authority holds to address situations where an airline knowingly misleads customers about their rights under EU law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31795/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra187. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport the actions his Department or the Irish Aviation Authority can undertake to ensure that an airline honours its obligations under Article 9 of EC261/2004 by reimbursing the cost of meals for a passenger whose flight has been cancelled (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31796/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together.
The Irish Aviation Authority ("the IAA") is the designated National Enforcement Body for Regulation (EC) 261 of 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights ("EU 261"). The IAA investigates alleged breaches of this Regulation based on information provided by members of the public.
Where a flight cancellation occurs, Article 9 of Regulation EU 261 provides that passengers shall be offered free of charge meals and refreshments in a reasonable relation to the waiting time; and hotel accommodation in cases where a stay of one or more nights becomes necessary or where a stay additional to that intended by the passenger becomes necessary.
The IAA recommends that passengers who believe their rights under Regulation EU 261 were infringed lodge a complaint with the air carrier in the first instance. In the event that they do not receive a satisfactory response, they may, in turn, complain to the IAA regarding the alleged breach. Information on how to make a complaint to the IAA is available on the IAA website www.iaa.ie.
Section 45a of the Aviation Regulation Act 2001, as amended, sets out the IAA's enforcement powers under Regulation EU 261. It provides that where the IAA is of the opinion that an air carrier has failed to comply with or is infringing the Regulation, it may issue a direction to the carrier to comply with the Regulation or cease the infringement and to comply with any instructions contained in the direction.
The carrier may, within 14 days of the issue of the direction, make representations to the IAA, which the IAA shall consider. The IAA shall, where it has received such representations, reply in writing to the carrier within 2 months of such receipt. The IAA in its reply may confirm, vary or withdraw the direction. Where the direction is confirmed (with or without variation) the direction takes effect on the date the reply is given. If an air carrier to fails to comply with a direction made by the IAA, it commits an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or, on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding €150,000.
188. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if he will address concerns (details supplied) raised by CIÉ pensioners regarding their pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31800/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra208. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Transport the person or body currently responsible for running the CIÉ superannuation scheme 1951, given that the trustee committee has not been fully in place since November 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32050/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra209. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Transport the details of the Interim Pensions Administration Body set up by CIÉ to deal with the CIÉ superannuation scheme 1951; the persons on the body; the role of the body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32051/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra223. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the status of board-appointed trustees of CIÉ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32240/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra224. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Transport for the role of the interim board of trustees of CIÉ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32241/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra225. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Transport when the members of the CIÉ superannuation scheme will be made aware of who the interim board members are; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32242/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra226. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Transport to list the members of the interim board of trustees of CIÉ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32243/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra227. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Transport if the CIÉ superannuation scheme's governance is compliant with the occupational retirement provision (IORP II Directive); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32244/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra258. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Transport the steps his Department are implementing to help restore proper governance of the CIÉ Superannuation Scheme 1951; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32828/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 208, 209, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227 and 258 together.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport in Ireland.
Issues in relation to Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ Group and their employees.
The questions raised by the Deputies in relation to the 1951 scheme are operational matters for CIÉ. I have, therefore, referred the Deputies question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
189. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline his responsibilities relating to the Protected Disclosures Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31806/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra190. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline his responsibilities relating to EU Directive 2019/1937; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31807/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 189 and 190 together.
I propose to take PQs 31806/25 and 31807/25 together.
The EU Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law was adopted on 23 October 2019 and sets minimum standards for the protection of whistleblowers across the EU. This Directive was transposed by the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022. The transposition deadline for the Directive was 17 December 2021.
The Protected Disclosures Act was enacted in 2014. This legislation was further enhanced by the Protected Disclosures Amendment Act 2022 (the 2022 Act) which commenced in full on 1 January 2023.
The 2022 Act provides statutory protections for workers. It protects workers from penalisation for speaking up about wrongdoing in the workplace. Persons who make protected disclosures – often referred to as “whistleblowers” – should not be treated unfairly or lose their job or face legal proceedings because they have made a protected disclosure.Protected disclosures can be made by workers in the both the public and private sectors. This includes, not only ordinary employees of an organisation, but also any persons engaged under contract by the organisation, such as contractors, agency workers and paid trainees as well as volunteers, board members, shareholders and job applicants.
There are three main channels for making a protected disclosure open to all workers:
(i) Internal disclosure to the employer:
(ii) External disclosure to a person prescribed by the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (PEIPSRD) or the Protected Disclosures Commissioner. Prescribed persons are usually regulatory bodies with powers to investigate and take enforcement action in relation to wrongdoing in a particular sector (for example, the Health & Safety Authority, HIQA and the Data Protection Commission are all prescribed bodies); and
(iii) Disclosure to any other third party – this could include public disclosure to a journalist or a member of the Oireachtas. This channel is subject to more stringent conditions to qualify for protection. In general, this channel should only be used as a last resort if the other channels fail to operate as intended.
Under section 8 of the Amended Act, workers in public bodies can make a protected disclosure to a relevant Minister of the Government. Under the amended Act, all protected disclosures made to the Minister for Transport will be sent to the Protected Disclosures Commissioner for onward transmission to the most appropriate person to address the concern raised.
Section 8.6 of the https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/statutory-guidance-document.pdf provides further information on all reporting channels including disclosures to Ministers.
191. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline his responsibilities relating to EU Regulation 376/2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31808/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraRegulation (EU) 376/2014 (Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on the reporting, analysis and follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation aims to improve aviation safety by ensuring that relevant safety information relating to civil aviation is reported, collected, stored, protected, exchanged, disseminated and analysed. The sole objective of occurrence reporting is the prevention of accidents and incidents and not to attribute blame or liability. The Regulation has been fully implemented and applied in the State
EU Regulation 376/2014 provides for Member States to designate a competent authority responsible for implementing the provisions of the Regulation. In 2020 the then Minister of Transport, in S.I. No. 195/2020 - European Union (Reporting, Analysis and Follow-up of Occurrences in Civil Aviation) Regulations 2020, designated the Irish Aviation Authority as the competent authority in the State for the purposes of Regulation (EU) No. 376/2014.
In addition, S.I. No 195 of 2020 designated the IAA as the “just culture body” responsible for the implementation of paragraph’s 6, 9 and 11 of Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 376/2014 (protection of information source).
192. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the steps required to finalise the UAS policy framework for publication; to indicate whether he expects this document to be ready before the summer recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31831/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWork on the National Policy Framework for Unmanned Aircraft Systems is well advanced. Many of the issues addressed by the Policy Framework fall directly within the remit of the Department of Transport, while other issues will cross-over into areas of responsibility of other Government Departments and agencies. Given its cross-sectoral nature, the Policy Framework will be subject to government approval and I plan to submit it to cabinet in the near future.
193. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport to clarify who holds responsibility for managing UAS activity in areas where multiple operators are providing delivery services under the specific category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31832/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EU regulatory framework for civil unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), established through Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 on the procedures and rules for the operation of unmanned aircraft and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 on unmanned aircraft and on third country operators of unmanned aircraft systems, is directly applicable in Ireland. The EU UAS regulations are implemented and overseen by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) under its remit as the national civil aviation regulator.
Regulation (EU) 2019/947 details the process to allow UAS to operate within the European Union. The oversight and regulation of UAS operations is risk-based. This means that the more complex the operation, the more restrictions and safety mitigations are required, to ensure the safety of the public.
UAS delivery operations fall into a medium risk, ‘specific’ category, which requires an explicit authorisation from the IAA. This type of authorisation is recognised in all European Union Member States. To obtain an operational authorisation, an operator must provide a comprehensive safety portfolio which includes assessing and addressing both ground and air risks with appropriate mitigations. These might include, for example, coordination with Air Traffic Control and the fitting the UAS with a parachute and flight termination system.
In certain areas, such as those with an expected large number of simultaneous operations of UAS or areas where UAS operate alongside manned aircraft, the safe, secure and efficient integration of UAS in the airspace necessitates the introduction of additional specific rules and procedures for their operations.
Regulation (EU) 2019/947 provides for the establishment of “UAS geographical zones”. UAS geographical zones are portions of airspace where drone operations are facilitated, restricted, or excluded. The IAA has established UAS geographical zones to address safety and security risks, imposing specific conditions for certain or all UAS operations or allowing access only to UAS equipped with certain technical features.
As the numbers of UAS entering the airspace and increased complexity of operations of UAS beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) rises it may necessitate the designation of certain UAS geographical zones as ‘U-space airspace’. The concept of U-space emerged to support commercial operations with UAS, especially those entailing greater complexity and automation, to provide for the safe integration of a number of proximate UAS flights in a volume of airspace.
The access by UAS operators to such U-space airspace would be conditional on the use of certain services (‘U-space services’) that allow the safe management of a large number of UAS operations. Regulation (EU) 2021/664 outlines the service providers and services required to establish U-space. At a minimum these must include network identification, traffic management, flight authorisation and geo-awareness. U-space full services are not envisaged until 2030. The implementation of U-space will require the adoption of high-level strategic decisions and possible regulatory developments, as well as close collaboration, cooperation, and coordination with relevant State entities and the UAS sector itself.
My department and the IAA are initiating a programme of work to identify the requirements, timeline, and costs of a U-space delivery programme.
194. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the amount of funding provided to date for the development of U-Space in Ireland; to outline the estimated total cost for its development and implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31833/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Commission in conjunction with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency developed an enabling regulatory framework (Regulations (EU) 2021/664, 2021/665, and 2021/666) that allows for the safe development of the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) services market and the integration of UAS into our airspace.
Regulation (EU) 2021/664, the U-space Regulation, provides for a digital system that aims to keep UAS operations safe, secure, and green. The concept of U-space emerged to support commercial operations with UAS, especially those entailing greater complexity and automation, to provide for the safe integration of a number of proximate UAS flights in a volume of airspace. The implementation of the U-space regulation will facilitate greater growth in the UAS sector by enabling increased density and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.
Regulation (EU) 2021/664 outlines the service providers and services required to establish U-space. At a minimum these must include network identification, traffic management, flight authorisation and geo-awareness. U-space full services are not envisaged until 2030.
Many EU member states are finding the implementation of U-space challenging. The U-space regulation leaves it up to each State to designate U-space airspace and to choose the model of provision of U-space services (centralised or distributed). The implementation of U-space will require the adoption of high-level strategic decisions and possible regulatory developments, as well as close collaboration, cooperation, and coordination with relevant State entities and the UAS sector itself.
The Department of Transport and the IAA are initiating a programme of work to identify the requirements, timeline, and costs of a U-space delivery programme. As a first step the Irish Aviation Authority has established a dedicated Airspace and U-space Division that will work closely with the current IAA UAS and Air Navigation Services Divisions on the establishment and oversight of an unmanned air traffic management system. The IAA is also collaborating with Lero, the Research Ireland Centre for Software, Maynooth University, Dublin City Council and UAS industry bodies on a project, the Drone Innovation Partnership, that will inform the development of a unmanned air traffic management system in the Dublin city region. To date no funding has been allocated for the development and implementation of U-space.
195. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Transport when the timetable for the Bus Éireann route 161 which serves Dundalk to Newry via Carlingford in County Louth was last reviewed; and if there are plans to revise or improve the service. [31861/25]
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.
196. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport his Department’s timeline for building the new motorway from Cork to Limerick. [31884/25]
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 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 on the N20 Cork to Limerick project.
The project design team is currently engaged in the Design and Environmental Evaluation Phase. It is anticipated that this will be completed in early 2026, after which a Preliminary Business Case will be submitted to my Department. TII allocated €4.5 million to this project for 2025.
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.
