Written Answers Nos. 162-181
162. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Transport to immediately examine and address an extremely dangerous junction (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36841/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra163. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Transport when the extremely dangerous road (details supplied) through a town in County Kerry will be brought up to a safe and acceptable standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36843/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together.
As 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 regarding this junction.
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.
164. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Transport when a person (details supplied) can expect to sit a driving test, which he needs in order to start his apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36903/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. This includes all application and scheduling matters. Neither I nor my officials are involved in the service at an operational level or in individual cases.
Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct, detailed reply. Please contact my office if a response is not received within ten days.
165. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the implementation of active travel projects in Cork in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [36938/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who, in partnership with local authorities, have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area.
Noting the role of the NTA in the matter, I have referred your question to that agency for a more detailed answer. If you do not receive a reply within 10 working days, please contact my private office.
166. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the number of drivers currently employed to deliver the Cork city bus service and the number considered a full cohort. [36939/25]
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.
167. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the amount paid in fines by Bus Éireann to the NTA in Cork, by reason for fine, to date in 2025, in tabular form. [36940/25]
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 National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators, in this case Dublin Bus.
The performance of all public transport operators is monitored by the NTA as part of the contractual arrangements in place between it and the operators. These contractual arrangements allow for not just the monitoring of performance by the NTA and the publication by it of annual performance reports, but importantly, the contracts also allow for the imposition of financial penalties where performance does not meet the required standard.
In light of the NTA’s responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
168. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the amount spent on the M20 to date and the estimated final cost. [36941/25]
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, 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 on the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project.
I can confirm that an allocation of €4,500,000 was made to the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project in 2025.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply updating you as to the costs and latest status of this project. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
169. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the amount spent on the northern distributor road to date and the overall estimated cost. [36942/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Northern Distributor Multi-Modal Route, which is planned to link the N22 (Carrigrohane Road) to Glanmire, was established in the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy. It is intended that the Northern Distributor Multi-Modal Route will include both car traffic and bus lanes, as well as cycling and pedestrian facilities.
Cork City Council launched a public consultation on the emerging preferred route for this project earlier this year. That process is now completed and the Public Consultation Report is being finalised. It is expected that the Preliminary Design stage of the project will commence before the end of the year.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the Cork Northern Distributor project.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
170. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the amount spent on maintenance and renovation of the Parnell Place bus station in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [36943/25]
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.
171. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport whether he is aware that Bus Éireann is running no additional buses for the hurling semi-final on 5 July 2025; and that only one Bus Éireann bus will leave Cork with sufficient time to attend the match, with all public transport options sold out. [36966/25]
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.
172. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of investment in new bus routes versus existing services from 2020 to 2025 for Dublin, in tabular form. [36968/25]
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 National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport 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.
173. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of the funding that has been invested in new bus routes versus existing services from 2020 to 2025 in Dublin, by year, in tabular form. [36969/25]
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 National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport 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.
174. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport the regulations enforcing and protecting disability parking spaces on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36972/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, I am happy to set out the regulations underpinning the use of disabled parking bays on public roads.
Regulation 44 of the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 (SI 182/1997), as amended, sets out the statutory requirement to display a valid disabled parking permit in order to be allowed park in a designated disabled bay. A driver who parks in such a bay without a permit risks incurring a penalty of €150.
Under the Road Traffic (Parking in Disabled Person’s Parking Bay) Regulations 2022 (SI 427/2022), it is also an offence for anyone who is not themselves the holder of a disabled parking permit to attempt to use a permit for their own convenience, rather than for the direct benefit of the person to whom the permit was issued. The penalty for this offence is currently set at €200, which is among the highest of all fixed charges for traffic and parking offences.
175. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport the regulations enforcing and protecting disability parking spaces on privately owned roads or in private car parks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36973/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise the Deputy that disabled parking regulations can only be enforced on public roads and car parks. The installation and enforcement of disabled bays on private roads and car parks, such as those attached to shopping centres and other commercial premises, is the responsibility of the individual owner.
176. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider expanding the criteria for help-to-buy in order for more essential workers to have access to the scheme and to settle in the areas they work in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36882/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Help to Buy (HTB) incentive, is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. An increase in the supply of new housing remains a central and priority aim of Government policy. For this reason, HTB is specifically designed to encourage an increase in demand for new build homes in order to support the construction of an additional supply of such properties.
The incentive gives a refund of Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) paid in Ireland over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in the legislation.
Based on the latest available data (30 May 2025), the HTB scheme has supported more than 56,000 individuals or couples to buy their own home.
The Programme for Government 2025 commits to the retention and revision of the HTB scheme. However, and as the Deputy will appreciate, decisions regarding taxation measures are made in the context of the annual Budget and Finance Bill processes, at the appropriate time, having regard to the sound management of the public finances and the impact any proposed changes would have on the broader housing market.
177. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing a temporary tax relief or reimbursement scheme for families who incurred out-of-pocket expenses for private dental check-ups for their children, due to the suspension or delay of HSE dental services during and following the Covid-19 pandemic; the options currently available to such families under existing tax or PRSI-based schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36687/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 469 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (“TCA”) provides for tax relief where an individual proves that they have incurred costs in respect of qualifying health expenses. These can be costs paid for by the individual in respect of their own health expenses, those of a family member or any other individual.
Only “health expenses” incurred in the provision of “health care”, which has been carried out or advised by (in certain circumstances) a “practitioner”, will qualify for tax relief.
Health care is defined as the “prevention, diagnosis, alleviation or treatment of an ailment, injury, infirmity, defect or disability”. Health expenses are defined as “expenses in respect of the provision of health care” and include "expenses representing the cost of maintenance or treatment necessarily incurred in connection with the services of a practitioner".
Section 469 TCA specifically excludes “routine dental treatment” from the definition of “health care”. “Routine dental treatment” is defined as “the extraction, scaling and filling of teeth and the provision and repairing of artificial teeth or dentures”.
However, while non-routine dental treatment is not defined in the legislation, the list of dental treatments for which relief is allowed is included on the Form MED 2, which can be accessed on the Revenue website, as linked below. To claim relief on a dental treatment, the Form MED 2 must be signed and certified by the relevant dental practitioner and provided to the taxpayer for onward submission to Revenue if required.
Further guidance on tax relief for qualifying health expenses can be found at the following links:
• Revenue’s Tax and Duty Manual Part 15-01-12 - www.revenue.ie/en/tax-professionals/tdm/income-tax-capital-gains-tax-corporation-tax/part-15/15-01-12.pdf
• Revenue's Website - www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/health-and-age/health-expenses/dental-expenses.aspx
• MED 2 form - www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/documents/med2.pdf
In response to the Deputy’s question, I do not intend to provide for a temporary tax relief in the manner suggested. Also, while health expenses tax relief is available and may be claimed by individuals for non-routine dental treatment, I do not intend to extend the relief to "routine dental treatment". I would note that the health expenses relief is a longstanding and broadly availed of relief. In 2022, the cost of tax relief for health expenses (excluding nursing home expenses) was €201.1 million and it was availed of by 662,900 claimants.
PRSI schemes are a matter for the Minister for Social Protection and that Department. An overview of the Treatment Benefit Scheme is set out at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/services/treatment-benefit-scheme/
178. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Finance the steps being taken, outside of NCT checks, to address the proliferation of illegal vehicle registration plates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36689/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra179. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Finance the number of fines issued by the Revenue Commissioners for failure to comply with vehicle registration plate regulations in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36690/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 179 together.
The Finance Act 1992, as amended, provides for the registration of vehicles, the charging of vehicle registration tax (VRT) and the assignment of a unique identification mark to each vehicle upon registration. The Vehicle Registration and Taxation Regulations, 1992 (as amended), set out the detailed requirements for the format of vehicle registration plates. Certain characteristics of Irish plates are aligned with other countries across the EU by Council Regulation (EC) 2411/98 and by the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.
It is an offence to display a false registration number, the wrong registration number on a vehicle, or the registration plate in an incorrect format. Revenue and An Garda Síochána actively collaborate to tackle vehicle registration offences, which include regular engagement on multiagency checkpoints. These joint efforts aim to ensure compliance with vehicle registration legislation and deter illegal activities.
In line with the Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024, a member of An Garda Síochána is fully empowered to issue a fixed charge (FCN) of €60 to a driver who fails to comply with number plate requirements. The Minister for Justice may be in a position to provide the Deputy with details of Garda activity in this area.
Provisions introduced by the Department of Transport under the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 extend number plate enforcement powers, including the issuing of FCNs, to officers of the Revenue Commissioners. These measures will be commenced as soon as the necessary operational preparations have been completed by Revenue in conjunction with other agencies, and work is ongoing in that regard. In advance of the completion of this work, Revenue has not had a legal basis on which to issue FCNs for failure to comply with vehicle registration plate regulations.
180. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance the length of time the pension levy for Aer Lingus pensioners has been in place; and the amount collected each year since the pension levy on Aer Lingus pensioners was put in place. [36694/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra181. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance if he will end the end the pension-annuity levy on Aer Lingus pensioners; if he will compensate the Aer Lingus pensioners for the money removed from their pensions-annuities, given the removal of the income cap to senior management at a bank (detail supplied), which makes it immoral to withhold the pensions-annuities of former staff. [36695/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together.
I assume the pension levy the Deputy is referring to is the levy which was charged on pension schemes from 2011 to 2015 in accordance with section 125B Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999. This levy was not specific to Aer Lingus but was rather a levy that applied to pension schemes generally.
The levy was introduced in 2011 during the wake of the financial crash. It was charged on the market value of assets in pension schemes held on 30 June in each year at a rate of 0.6% (2011 to 2013), 0.75% (2014) and 0.15% (2015). It is important note that this levy was discontinued from 2016 and therefore is no longer in force.
Liability for the levy rested with trustees of pension schemes and others responsible for the management of pension fund assets. Under the legislation, the payment of the levy was treated as a necessary expense of a pension scheme and it was a matter for the trustees or insurers to decide when and how the levy should be passed on to scheme members and to what extent, given the particular circumstances of the pension schemes for which they were responsible.
I have no detailed information on the decisions made by any pension fund trustees or others in relation to the passing on of the full or a partial impact of the levy to the current, deferred or former (retired) members of pension schemes. Therefore, I am not in a position, nor is it within my remit, to comment on the specifics relating to the application of the pension levy to Aer Lingus pensions.
I am aware, however, that where trustees have made the decision to pass on the impact or part of the impact of the levy to pensioners that a smaller reduction in pension payments over the lifetime of the pension may have been made in many cases in preference to a larger reduction over a shorter period.
I have no plans to introduce any compensation measures to pensioners affected by the levy as suggested by the Deputy. The value of the funds raised by way of the levy have been used to protect and create jobs and this has helped to create the improving financial and economic position of the State during a time that the economy was in serious difficulties.
I am advised by Revenue, that they are precluded under section 851A Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, from commenting on the tax affairs of an individual, business or entity. Revenue is, therefore, not in a position to comment on the specific case or details referred to in this question.
However statistical information in respect of the pension levy is published on the Revenue website at: www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/capital-taxes/stamp-duty/receipts.aspx
