Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Jun 2017

Vol. 956 No. 1

Priority Questions

European Fund for Strategic Investments

Robert Troy

Question:

22. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department and transport agencies under its aegis are promoting the use of the European Fund for Strategic Investments, EFSI, in terms of background work on identifying public infrastructure projects that may meet the criteria for project selection in terms of additionality and revenue generation and may attract private co-financing investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30503/17]

Deputy Robert Troy

I compliment and congratulate the newly appointed Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Griffin. I look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead. I ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport what level of engagement his Department and the transport agencies under his remit have or are engaged in to promote the use of the European Fund for Strategic Investments in terms of background work on identifying public infrastructure projects that may meet the criteria for project selection in terms of additionality and revenue generation to attract private co-financing investment, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I join the Deputy in publicly congratulating Deputy Griffin on joining me at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. I am delighted at his appointment. I also thank Deputy Patrick O'Donovan for the work he did in the Department and congratulate him on his new role.

The European Fund for Strategic Investments is one of a number of European Investment Bank, EIB, and other financing options available to transport project promoters. There has been ongoing liaison with agencies under my remit on EU co-funding and financing options, including the EIB. My Department, in conjunction with the EIB, the European Commission and the Innovation Network Executive Agency, hosted an information day on 30 May 2017 for project promoters on funding opportunities from the Connecting Europe Facility and on EIB financing options, including EFSI. This follows a similar information session in 2015 that was also hosted by my Department. The objective of these information sessions was to raise awareness of EU co-funding and financing options for project promoters and to facilitate one to one discussions between the EU institutions and the project promoters.

The potential of Exchequer-funded projects to participate in EU co-funding and financing is subject to the spending constraints of the public finances. However, as part of its work on a mid-term review of the capital plan, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has set up a high-level group to provide the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with an evidence-based analysis and recommendations on the future role of using public private partnerships, PPPs, as a procurement option in the delivery of capital infrastructure compared with traditional procurement methods. This will include an assessment of risks arising from traditional as compared with PPP procurement of large capital projects. Decisions on the financing aspects of public transport projects will take account of the outcome of this work.

Deputy Robert Troy

The Minister would have to agree that there is a huge deficit in investment in our transport infrastructure and the consequences of that are quite serious in terms of the deficit in our road, rail and public transport systems.

Whenever we have raised the issue of the need for additional funding, the Minister has always stated the current capital plan is adequately funded and that new projects must be reviewed as part of the review of the new capital plan. Last week I was part of a party delegation in Brussels meeting with the European Commission's Directorate General on Mobility and Transport. What was patently clear was that the Government is not making applications for potential EU funding. The Commission wants the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and agencies under the auspices of that Department to put forward transport infrastructure projects to avail of the funding under the Juncker plan. Why has the Minister not been doing this? Will he publish his Department's submission to the review of the capital plan?

Deputy Shane Ross

The Deputy is correct about the deficit. We would like to have an enormous amount of additional money for infrastructure. That is absolutely true. We are exploring and have sent out many signs to Europe that we are interested. We have drawn down from the EIB more than €523 million in transport financing in Ireland in the 2014-2017 period. This includes €143 million for the Gort to Tuam motorway, €21 million for the New Ross bypass, €100 million for the Dublin Port development, €150 million for the Dublin Luas cross-city project and €109 million for the M11 from Gorey to Enniscorthy, which amounts to €523 million. The Deputy referred to the European Fund for Strategic Investments, EFSI, and I note a project involving the Irish Continental Group has used €75 million in EFSI funding and a total investment of €154 million was approved on 1 June 2017. This project involves the construction of a cruise ferry, and is a very useful one.

Deputy Robert Troy

Is the Minister saying his Department has made an application and has been successful in accessing funding under the EFSI? Our information is that no application has been made, despite the fact that €500 billion is available at extraordinarily low interest rates. Once a project meets the necessary criterion, that is, is able to attract private funding, we as a country can avail of that. Metro north was shelved, the DART underground was shelved and the M50 and M20 need to be upgraded, as does the M4 motorway in my own constituency. All of these critical infrastructure projects have been delayed or postponed for the want of funding, and at the same time the European Commission told us last week that applications are not forthcoming from this Government. Why is that? Will the Minister publish his submission to the review of the capital plan? The previous Taoiseach said there should be no reason not to make public that submission.

Deputy Shane Ross

I spelled out some figures on projects which have been successfully drawn down. The Deputy must realise that all borrowing must comply with Government borrowing procedures and in turn the State must comply with the EU fiscal rules. There has been a great deal of interaction with the EFSI, as I explained in my earlier reply. In 2015 the Department arranged, as part of an event, for a number of bilateral introduction meetings between the EIB, the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency, INEA, and transport companies and agencies. A similar information session was arranged on 30 May 2017. The Deputy asked why the EFSI take-up is so low for transport project promoters. That is a fair question. I can only answer that the introductions have been made, one-to-one meetings have been held and the take-up is somewhat low. Anecdotal feedback to the question the Deputy has asked suggests that EFSI take-up is low due to a number of factors, including Exchequer co-funding limitations, and the fact that there are more attractive loans available from the EIB and other financial institutions in other places.

Deputy Robert Troy

Is the Minister going to publish the review of the capital plan?

Deputy Shane Ross

I am not going to publish it in the next fortnight but I will consider publishing it shortly.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

Perhaps the Minister will communicate with Deputy Troy directly.

Deputy Shane Ross

I will do that.

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

Imelda Munster

Question:

23. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the discrepancy in his Department in which seven chief executive officers, CEOs, of semi-State bodies have been in situ for longer than the seven-year limit deemed appropriate in codes of practice for the governance of State bodies, some of whom are employed under contracts of indefinite duration; whether he has considered amending the Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) Act 2003 in respect of CEOs of semi-State bodies; the way in which he plans to remedy this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30242/17]

Deputy Imelda Munster

I ask the Minister to provide clarity on the discrepancy in his Department in which seven CEOs of semi-State bodies have been in situ for longer than the seven-year limit deemed appropriate in the codes of practice for the governance of State bodies, some of whom are employed under contracts of indefinite duration, whether he has considered amending the Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) Act 2003 as it relates to CEOs of semi-State bodies, how he proposes to remedy this anomaly, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Deputy Shane Ross

I thank Deputy Munster for this question, which was due for a run at the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach recently but which for legal reasons was not. I am happy to answer as far as I can here and hope the reply will be full and adequate.

The remuneration of chief executive officers of commercial State bodies had historically come within the remit of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector established in 1969. A major feature of the review body's Report No. 37 in 1996 was its recommendations for the introduction of new  remuneration arrangements predicated on the introduction of a fundamental change in the nature of the contracts, including tenure, for such positions.

 As a result of the above, the policy adopted by the Government was that statutory positions such as CEOs of State bodies should serve for a limited term, thereby ensuring that top management in the body benefits from fresh perspectives and new thinking.  Arising from this, Government policy was that CEOs of State agencies should be engaged on contracts not exceeding seven years. Initially, the standard CEO template contract, which is drawn up by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, was an annual rolling contract for a maximum term of seven years. Subsequently, based on legal advice provided to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, the standard template for CEO contracts in commercial State companies was changed to provide for an initial contract period of three years and on expiry, at the discretion of the board, a further single contract period of up to four years.

With regard to the CEOs of agencies within the remit of my Department, there have been a number of challenges taken under the Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) 2003 Act, or assertions of a right to a contract of indefinite duration as a result of that Act, which have resulted in a contract of indefinite duration being confirmed. Where CEOs have challenged or threatened to challenge the nature of the fixed-term contracts, it is ultimately a contractual and legal matter between the board and the CEO. My role and that of the Department is to provide the shareholder view. In the addition to these CEOs, there are also two CEOs who are on contracts to retirement age.

The 2003 Act does not come within my statutory functions but my Department has highlighted previously the potential conflict between the Act and the nature of the contracts concluded with CEOs. This has been taken on board and the standard template contract currently provided to new chief executives is for a single fixed-term contract of not more than seven years and not normally less than five years. 

Deputy Imelda Munster

Members all know that for many years, the Minister has been very outspoken about his disdain for and intolerance of cronyism, clientelism and jobs-for-the-boys appointments. We have some guidelines when it comes to governance of semi-State bodies to ensure that semi-State bodies are governed properly right across the public sector. However, the Government is issuing guidelines and contracts that are not in line with the 2003 Act. There is an anomaly there which allows for loopholes. Why has the Minister worked so hard on changing the manner in which judges are appointed and yet he ignores very poor governance in an area governed by his own Department? Some of these CEOs have been in their positions for 15 years. Some have contracts of indefinite duration. The guidelines are not worth the paper they are written on.

They are not worth a fiddler's. Why has the Minister chosen to ignore it thus far?

Deputy Shane Ross

I will put my hands up for what happened in the past if the Deputy wants me to. I am quite happy to do so. I am not happy with what has been happening here. It is quite obvious that it is unacceptable. What happened has been remedied in that new chief executives now get a single fixed term of anywhere between five and seven years. We have to rely on the findings of the courts, which we have done, the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC or the Labour Court. Virtually every time a chief executive officer, CEO, took a case it was found in their favour and they were awarded contracts of indefinite duration which they were given if objective grounds had not been given to them for getting a full-time contract. They seem to have won. That is in the past. That is not acceptable. We did run ourselves into a lot of trouble as a result. There are many cases which the Deputy has pointed out. I think she will find this is now being resolved satisfactorily and if not I will move on it.

Deputy Imelda Munster

Does the Minister agree that overall it is blatant bad governance and does he accept that until legislation is changed the guidelines are not worth the paper they are written on because there are loopholes? The Minister knows that legislation supersedes guidelines and that no contract supersedes law. Will he amend the underpinning legislation for semi-State chief executives? He can change the law, as he is doing now in respect of the judges. Would he amend section 30 of the Harbours Act 1996? That would stamp it out once and for all. It is quite a simple thing to do and it would be sorted if there was a will to do that.

Deputy Shane Ross

The Deputy has made a good case. She is correct to point out what happened retrospectively and it was wrong. If she wants me to take the blame for what happened before my tenure I will take it willingly. I have no problem with that. The Deputy is asking me to change the law now specifically to address this problem. I will not do it now because we have made new rules for between five and seven years.

Deputy Imelda Munster

They are guidelines.

Deputy Shane Ross

If those rules do not work-----

Deputy Imelda Munster

They are guidelines.

Deputy Shane Ross

If they are contested for some reason, although I cannot see why they should be because these are single fixed term contracts, not three and four as we had before, I will seriously consider changing the Act.

Deputy Imelda Munster

Legislation supersedes guidelines.

Deputy Shane Ross

I want to see whether this works or not. I will personally monitor those and report back to the Deputy. If she sees any sign of this happening she can flag it to me.

Olympic Council of Ireland

Robert Troy

Question:

24. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will publish the Moran inquiry into the OCI ticketing process; and his views that this long delay is not acceptable. [30504/17]

Deputy Robert Troy

When will the Minister publish the report of the Moran inquiry into the OCI ticketing fiasco and can he explain why there is such a long delay in its publication? Is he happy about this delay? When will the House and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport have an opportunity to debate the findings of this report, as originally promised when this inquiry was established?

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Deputy Shane Ross)

That is a very fair question from Deputy Troy. I can only say I am as impatient as he is to see and publish it.

Judge Moran presented his report to officials of my Department  on Monday, 12 June 2017. For reasons, which I will now outline to the Deputy, neither I nor Ministers of State O'Donovan and Griffin have yet seen Judge Moran's report.

On the preceding Thursday, 8 June 2017, one of the parties who is referred to in the Report raised certain legal matters by way of letters to me as Minister, the previous Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, and the Attorney General. These matters relate to due process and natural justice and reference is made to a number of points of Brazilian law. The matters raised by that party, along with the contents of Judge Moran's report, are currently being considered by the Office of the Attorney General. I have decided that the most appropriate course of action is to defer my consideration of the judge's report until the Office of the Attorney General has completed its consideration.

Following consultation between officials in my Department and the Attorney General's office, it was agreed that it would be prudent to seek independent legal advice from Brazil. When that independent advice is received, expected in the coming days, the Attorney General's office should be in a position to finalise its advice.

In respect of the publication of the Moran inquiry report, the timing of its publication will be subject to consideration of that legal advice. While I accept that the inquiry has taken longer than expected, anticipated or wished, the matters at issue are complex. It is my considered view that a thorough, deliberative approach must be followed but I would like to assure the Deputy that I am disposed to publication of this report at the earliest possible date.

Deputy Robert Troy

The Minister says he is as impatient as I but the only difference between us is that he is in a position to do something about it, I am not. He is the Minister. This inquiry was established as a non-statutory inquiry because the Minister told us all stakeholders signed up to participate in this inquiry freely and fully. If all stakeholders signed up to participate freely and fully, why now are some of them trying to thwart the publication of this report, as we are led to believe? It is almost ten months since the process commenced although originally it should have taken 12 weeks. The criminal investigation is on the other side of the world. Is the Minister saying that an investigation in another jurisdiction prevents us from publishing this report? Have the Brazilian authorities written to the Department asking it not to publish the report?

Deputy Shane Ross

Deputy Troy is quite right I am in a position to publish the report if I wish to and if I thought it was wise. I think it would be extraordinarily foolish in light of what the Deputy has already heard to publish this report having referred it to the Attorney General. It is absolutely incumbent on me to seek the advice of the Attorney General when we receive correspondence of that sort. It is, however, my intention and my wish to publish it and I am not in any way hesitating to do so, I am just taking what I think is a prudent course so that we should not in any way affect things which will happen on the other side of the world.

Did the Deputy ask have we received any information from the Brazilian lawyer suggesting we do not publish the report?

Deputy Robert Troy

The Brazilian authorities.

Deputy Shane Ross

Not to the best of my knowledge. I think we are expecting a communication from Brazil in the next day or two. I do not think we have received anything of that sort at all.

Deputy Robert Troy

The purpose of the non-statutory inquiry was that everyone agreed to participate. There was no need for a statutory inquiry. The non-statutory inquiry was established to be short and efficient. Everyone was going to play their part but obviously they are not doing so and the Minister's decision to establish the non-statutory inquiry was the wrong decision.

Is the OCI's budget for this year being held up pending the outcome of the publication of the report? What legal costs has the OCI incurred to date as a result of this inquiry and how is this affecting funding for athletes? It is not fair and I fail to see how an investigation on the other side of the world should prevent publication of this report.

This report is about more than one individual. It is about, and goes to the very heart of, the administration of sport by a public body. The new officers elected at the OCI wish to see the report published so that they can implement its recommendations and move on to restore confidence in a worthy body in which trust has been eroded by the actions of a number of people over the past few years.

Deputy Shane Ross

If I were to do something imprudent which affected the administration of justice in any part of the world, not just in Ireland, Deputy Troy would be the first person down my throat saying how foolish a thing it was to do.

Deputy Robert Troy

They have not asked the Minister not to publish it.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

The Minister should be allowed to speak without interruption.

Deputy Shane Ross

Deputy Troy has asked the question, if I may reply. We have to make a judgment on this and wait for the advice of the Attorney General. That is something for which I am prepared to wait and it is imminent.

I will also answer the Deputy's question on the budget of OCI. This is a matter for Sport Ireland but I will tell the Deputy what I know about it. I think it is in the public arena. Sport Ireland has not funded the OCI because it is also waiting for the publication of the report. Sport Ireland has made that clear publicly. If it has not, I am telling the Deputy right now. That is the position. Obviously, we would have to look at it again at some stage if the report were not published. For the moment, however, let us just see if we can get the report out into the open. That is our objective.

Marine Casualty Investigations Board

Mattie McGrath

Question:

25. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied that the Marine Casualty Investigation Board, MCIB, is fit for purpose; the details of the appeals mechanism open to families or persons dissatisfied with the findings of the MCIB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30240/17]

Deputy Mattie McGrath

My constituents, Mr. John O'Brien - Ms Anne Marie O'Brien's brother - and his good friend, Mr. Pat Esmonde, died tragically on 23 May 2010 while on a fishing trip at Helvick Head, County Waterford. The subsequent investigations by the MCIB and Dungarvan gardaí and the coroner's report have not only raised serious issues about the appropriateness of the judgment handed down, they have also given rise to concerns around current marine safety practice in Irish waters. I ask the Minister to make a statement on the matter.

Deputy Shane Ross

The question tabled is somewhat different to the one the Deputy just asked. However, I will answer the first question first and, if it is all right with the Deputy, reply to the second in a supplementary. I will try to fit them both in because I am not avoiding them. It is just that the question the Deputy has asked is somewhat different from the one of which he gave notice, which is fair enough. He asked about the MCIB being fit for purpose and the details of the appeals mechanism open to families or persons dissatisfied with its findings. I will certainly deal with that first and go as far as I can with the Deputy on the second matter after that.

The MCIB was set up under the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) Act, 2000 to investigate marine casualties and publish reports of such investigations. Marine casualties relate primarily to death or serious injury, loss of a person overboard, significant loss, stranding, damage, collision with a vessel or property or significant damage to the environment which involves a vessel in Irish waters or an Irish-registered vessel in waters anywhere. The purpose of an investigation is to establish the cause or causes of a marine casualty with a view to making recommendations for the avoidance of similar casualties. Under the Act, it is specifically not the purpose of a report to attribute blame or fault. To date, the board has published 212 reports of investigations and made a valuable contribution to maritime safety both in investigating accidents and, sadly, fatalities in many cases and in highlighting actions to improve safety and increase safety awareness.

While there is no formal appeals mechanism provided for in the Act, the board is required to send a draft of its report before publication to certain people who have 28 days to submit observations.  The board may also reopen a completed investigation if it is satisfied that there is new evidence available which could materially alter the findings of the investigation and if the purpose of the investigation could be served by re-opening it. It is, of course, open to any person to bring any such evidence to the attention of the board. The Minister has certain powers under the Act also. For example, the Minister may, after consulting the board, direct that an inquiry be held into a marine casualty or that a completed inquiry be reopened if he or she is satisfied there is new evidence likely to materially alter the outcome.

That is the broad outline of the powers of the MCIB. I will try to apply that to the Deputy's specific question in my supplementary reply.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

I do not know if the Minister is happy with the MCIB but I am not. Its members do not seem to have any experience in what they are doing.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

Please ask a question.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

I am beginning the question. In the UK, the relevant board has one member with 30 years' seagoing experience while another has 40 years' maritime experience. The MCIB consists of an air accident investigator, a barrister and former executive with the British Potato Council, an accountant, a fire station manager and a solicitor. The board is clearly not fit for purpose. Who from the MCIB goes to the scene of an accident and when? Who from the MCIB oversees the investigation in circumstances where gardaí are not trained or equipped to go to sea? Are witnesses interviewed by the MCIB and, if so, when and where does that happen? Who in the MCIB can read GPS reports downloaded from vessels involved in fatal accidents? Who from the MCIB-----

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

Ceist amhain.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

This is all relevant to the question, if the Acting Chairman would leave me alone. Who from the MCIB is a bow wave expert? It was spoken about at length in the coroner's report.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

The Deputy can come back with a supplementary.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

There are huge question marks over this investigation. An Garda Síochána failed to make a public appeal for witnesses on the day of the incident.

Deputy Shane Ross

I very much understand the passion with which Deputy Mattie McGrath introduced this matter. He brought the people involved to meet me and my sympathy and that of the House extends to them in this terrible situation. The Deputy would not ask me to comment publicly on the investigation, which I cannot do, particularly as he is pushing to have it reopened. If he is asking me to do that, he would certainly not be asking me to comment on what the result might be. I refer the Deputy to section 38, which provides that the Minister may, where he considers it necessary after consulting the board, direct that an inquiry be held into a marine casualty. The section sets out the procedure to be followed. Under section 40, the Minister may, after consulting the board, direct that a completed inquiry be reopened if satisfied there is new evidence available which is likely to materially alter the outcome of an inquiry. It is something that is really up to the very unfortunate people involved to produce new evidence. If they produce new evidence which satisfies the Minister, that would put me in a position where I could look at it.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

I hope they will be able to invoke section 40. The O'Brien and Esmonde families have suffered huge trauma for seven years. There was no Garda appeal for information, notwithstanding that the incident happened on a splendid summer's day when there were lots of vessels and people at sea. We need to get closure and explanations on this. I have told the Minister about the membership of the board. While it hires in expertise, there was no meaningful engagement. Do the members of the MCIB visit the scenes of accidents? Do they have seagoing experience? Could they carry out an investigation without considering the GPS report? It is issues like that. It was stated in the report that there was a large floating tyre which may have played a role in both men going overboard. The tyre was not recovered and the witness who said there was a tyre in the water later changed his statement. They do not go to inquests at the request of gardaí or the coroner.

There are too many unanswered questions here when two lives were lost. There are 138 lives lost annually in maritime and river incidents in Ireland. The Minister makes a huge play of road safety and bringing down the death toll there, which I support, but 138 deaths annually is a staggering figure yet there are no investigations. If, unfortunately, someone is killed on the roads, the scene is secured and sealed off, there is a huge public inquiry and requests for information are made. None of that happened in this case. Gardaí do not have the equipment to go out but they can look for public information and assistance. They refused to do that. I am very unhappy at the way this was handled by Dungarvan Garda station and the MCIB. I thank the Minister for meeting the family and I appeal to him to look at the matter under section 40.

Deputy Shane Ross

On a general level, the Deputy has made a very good point that 138 water tragedies is extraordinary. Perhaps he is right that it does not receive the attention it deserves, including from me. That is very fair because one tragedy is one too many. It is something which is not highlighted, I suppose, because it is so common.

I take the Deputy's point about the family needing closure. If they have not received adequate explanations, it is even more difficult for them. I can only say to the Deputy that he is, of course, at liberty to say what he said just now. I do not doubt it for one second. I am not in a position to comment one way or the other, particularly if the Deputy is asking me to make a judgment on new evidence in the future. I hope the Deputy will do that. It would be something I could look at in the context of section 40. I am not giving the Deputy any guarantees or anything about it. However, if he can produce what is new evidence, I would be prepared to look at it.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Will the Minister look at the make-up of the board because it is ridiculous?

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

I remind the Deputy that there are plenty of other questions that need to be asked and we are eating into other Members' time.

Greenways Provision

Eamon Ryan

Question:

26. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the introduction of six proposed greenways, namely, the Liffey, Santry, Bray to Balbriggan, Clontarf to city centre, River Dodder and canal loop routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30397/17]

Deputy Eamon Ryan

Our transport emissions are rising. The most recent CSO figures show that Dublin continues, despite all our efforts, towards an unsustainable transport system. Road deaths of cyclists have doubled over the past year. In the 2018 budget, will the Minister invest in and deliver by the end of 2020 the Liffey, Santry, Bray to Balbriggan, Clontarf to city centre, River Dodder and canal greenway loops? These are all currently in design or planning stages. Given the huge benefits they would bring to the city, will the Minister afford them priority and give a commitment to deliver them?

Deputy Shane Ross

I thank the Deputy for his question. It is an important one and I know it is of particular importance to him in the area in which he operates in Dublin.

The National Transport Authority, NTA, is responsible for the development of public transport and sustainable transport infrastructure projects in the greater Dublin area, GDA.  The six cycle schemes identified by the Deputy form part of the greenway network of the GDA cycle network plan, which was published by the NTA in 2014.

Work is currently ongoing on a number of elements of those schemes by means of funding provided from my Department's sustainable transport measures grants programme. Sections of the Royal Canal greenway are under construction at present.  A section of the east coast trail through Clontarf, also known as the Sutton to Sandycove scheme and referred to by the Deputy in his question as the Bray to Balbriggan scheme, opened to the public last month. Design work is ongoing on the Liffey cycle route and a number of possible schemes relating to its implementation have been discussed by Dublin City Council.

The NTA recently launched the BusConnects project which proposes a radical transformation of the bus system in the greater Dublin area.  The BusConnects project has, as a key component, the implementation of safe cycling facilities along the main bus corridors proposed for improvement which will form the core bus network.  As part of that project, it is intended that cyclists will be provided with safe cycling facilities along each of these core bus network corridors, largely segregated from other vehicular traffic.  Delivering those routes to completion will represent an unprecedented uplift in the quality of cycling facilities in Dublin.

A number of the listed greenways will be progressed in tandem with the larger upgrading being implemented through the BusConnects project. The individual schemes and sections of routes to be progressed each year will be determined by the NTA in line with available funding. As the Deputy is aware, a mid-term review of the capital plan is under way and I am seeking additional funding for public transport and other sustainable modes in that context.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, was at the national economic dialogue today where he said that the entire Government will have to shift its thinking to act on climate. Will the Minister go to him with these six projects? There is a whole range of different things we could do, but these six greenways would give rise to huge benefits. The Liffey route would be 6 km long between the Phoenix Park and the port. If we got the same increase in capacity that we saw with the canal network, we would have a 50% increase in the numbers cycling and that then would be the dominant mode of transport on the quays and would bring about huge transport benefits.

If we invested a relatively small amount of money in the Santry greenway, we would, using existing parkland resources, connect schools, sports facilities and workplaces. The same applies in respect of the other greenways. These are incredible connecting devices. If we built the Sutton to Sandycove route, which I would extend to Bray and Balbriggan because I think the people of those towns deserve it, that coastal route would be an incredible leisure as well as commuting facility. It would be a huge tourist draw for this city.

These are facilities that benefit those who walk and cycle. We concentrate on the greenways because, more than anything else, they would see Dublin develop as a green city, using the incredible resources that we have, namely, our coast, canals and rivers. Will the Minister prioritise this? Will he go to the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and ask for the money for this particular project? At the moment, for all the good talk, there is no money to do it in the timeframe and with the urgency required. Will the Minister push that as a package in the revised capital plan?

Deputy Shane Ross

Let me just say that the Deputy is not the only person in this House who has a passion for greenways.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

I know.

Deputy Shane Ross

This kind of monopoly which he claims on greenways, particularly in the Dublin area, does not exist.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

The Minister could support them.

Deputy Shane Ross

There are people with real passion for greenways in this House, all of whom have as good a case as the Deputy for their greenways, some of which cannot be done or provided for.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

What can-----

Deputy Shane Ross

Let me answer the Deputy's question. I ask him not to interrupt.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

The Minister, without interruption.

Deputy Shane Ross

I did not interrupt the Deputy and I have no intention of doing so. I never interrupt regardless of whether he is in full flow or not.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

Minister, through the Chair please.

Deputy Shane Ross

Let me say this to the Deputy about these greenways. On the Grand Canal cycleway from Blackhorse to Portobello, an allocation of €60,000 has been provided to Dublin City Council this year in order to complete the preliminary design necessary to progress the scheme to Part 8 planning approval. On the Dodder greenway, an allocation of €500,000 has been provided to Dublin City Council to develop and progress sections of the route. Part 8 planning approval for the Dodder flood alleviation works between Herbert Park and Anglesea Bridge, with which the Deputy will be familiar, is expected in the third quarter of this year, with detailed design, tender preparation and construction to follow.

Dublin City Council has commenced feasibility and preliminary design work on a section of the route located to the rear of Milltown golf club between Orwell Road and Churchtown, with which both I and the Deputy are familiar. I will deal with the Royal Canal later.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

Deputy Eamon Ryan has a final supplementary question.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

No one has a monopoly on the benefits of greenways. Everyone can see those benefits. They are seen in different parts of the country. We need them everywhere. There is an opportunity, urgency and requirement to transform and improve our city in order to save lives and improve emissions reductions, commuting times and leisure facilities and for us to really make a bold statement. To do that, funding allocations need to go beyond €60,000 here and €500,000 there. This needs to be packaged into one big capital project whereby we get high-quality design, certainty around speed of delivery and a real public and international win. People would see our capital start to become a model green city.

I am not saying that we have a monopoly on that. However, I am saying that the Minister has the opportunity and, I believe, the responsibility, particularly as a Deputy representing some of the areas that would benefit from it, to grasp this opportunity to put them together and to show leadership and say that we will do it. I will thank the Minister and commend him just as much as anyone else. However, I do not want to see a continuation of the current system whereby bits and bobs of work are carried out here and there but there is no real clear commitment or big-bang approach. The latter is something which I believe we need. If we did that, it would transform our city and it would transform cycling. It is time to do it. There are many other actions we need to take but this project would shift the entire debate and the sense of where the city is going, which is why I am passionate about it.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

Níor chuala mé ceist ar bith.

Deputy Shane Ross

I would like to thank the Deputy in advance for his thanks, which obviously will be coming. It will be a new feeling and a great feeling of warmth.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

There will be lots of love.

Deputy Shane Ross

I anticipate it with great glee. However, I cannot promise that any particular greenway will get preference at the expense of others. I sympathise with the Deputy and support what he says. Of course I do, and he knows I do, but he knows full well that there are massive financial constraints as well. There will not be any special pleading for my constituency, which the Deputy mentioned, or anyone else's, including the Deputy's, because we have preferences for that.

In recent days we have done a great deal of work in meetings we have had on cycling. We acknowledge the need for greenways and safety in cycling and we are taking action, as a matter of great urgency, on the deaths in cycling. We recognise these things.

It is a good thing that Deputy Ryan makes those pleadings but he should not accuse us of not being sympathetic or supportive of what he is doing as we work within the constraints imposed upon us.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

May I make a brief supplementary point?

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

No. If I let Deputy Ryan in, I have to let everyone else in. Everyone is concerned about greenways in every part of the country and would like to see them developed.