Seán Canney
Galway East · Independent · Ireland
“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. Manna Air Delivery holds such an authorisation from the IAA.”
“The national policy framework for UAS, agreed by the Government, was published by the Minister in August last year. The policy framework aims to guide high-level strategic planning and development in the drone sector in Ireland through support, growth and innovation, while ensuring safe and secure operations.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. I note Manna Air Delivery's recent statement that it will for now cease deliveries by drone in Ireland.”
“It proposes 16 actions under three main areas: the use of airspace and planning; compliance and enforcement; and enterprise and innovation. Actions in the policy framework include the establishment of a national working group on UAS geographical zones to develop transparent processes and procedures for the designation of these zones; the…”
“This new route provides passengers travelling from Charleville to Cork with a morning service at 7.05 a.m. and a service from Cork to Charleville at 5.45 p.m., Monday to Friday. This new route is part of the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan, a major public transport initiative.”
“I thank the Deputy. I reassure him again that the Department, its Minister, Deputy O’Brien, my fellow Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are fully committed to delivering a more sustainable, inclusive and accessible transport system for the benefit of current and future generations.”
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“For example, the urban bus fleets are accessible, as are most of our rural bus fleets. The motion calls for the completion of a next-generation ticketing system in 2026. The NTA's project in this regard will provide for a transformative upgrade to the ticketing system for public transport passengers in Ireland. The project will facilitate a variety of payment methods on public transport services, involving a new-generation account-based ticketing scheme incorporating both mobile- and card-based payments for passengers. In 2024, the NTA awarded an overall framework contract to Indra Sistemas, a Spanish information technology company that has designed, installed and operated similar systems internationally. Implementing such a major and complex system across multiple transport operators requires significant co-ordination.”
“The recently established consolidated contact centre within the NTA will provide significant opportunities to gather comprehensive data from all public transport operators and to generate detailed reports and analytics, thereby providing insights to enhance customer experience. The 2024 Transport for Ireland customer satisfaction survey shows that 82% of users are satisfied with public transport, reflecting the effectiveness of the current initiatives. We are supporting the roll-out of increased service levels on existing routes and the introduction of new routes. The Government has allocated increased levels of funding for accessible public transport for disabled people in recent years and, as a result, significant progress has been made towards improving accessibility on public transport.”
“On the call to deliver on the implementation of a transport security force in 2026, there is a strong commitment in the programme for Government. The transport security force will operate under the NTA and have similar powers to the airport police and customs officers. This is a priority for the Government. My Department is working with stakeholders to examine options for the establishment of such a force. It is important to note that primary legislation is likely to be required for its establishment and this can have a significant lead-in time. In the meantime, we will continue to work with operators to support interim measures such as the recent extension of the Dublin Bus security pilot scheme. The motion calls for the establishment of a new public transport passenger experience office.”
“Most recently, the NTA commenced implementation of a new fares strategy, which is making fares fairer and moving towards a distance-based system, with significant reductions for many travellers as a result. These measures are further enhancing affordability. While keeping fares low is a priority in line with the programme for Government, factors such as frequency and reliability are equally important in attracting and retaining users. Therefore, funding for public transport services is focused on existing fare initiatives and service improvements such as BusConnects in the five cities, expanding town services in the larger towns and rolling out Connecting Ireland in rural Ireland. Transport security is another issue.”
“However, while the overall objective of the motion is broadly in line with the principles of the Government, there are some points within it that require clarification. Those points will be highlighted throughout the ministerial contributions. On the fares initiative, as Deputies are aware and as outlined in the Programme for Government: Securing Ireland's Future, the Government is committed to keeping fares low and affordable. To support that objective, my Department has secured some €658 million in funding for public service obligation, PSO, and Local Link services this year. The package includes funding for the continuation of the various public transport fare reduction initiatives and the extension of free child fares on PSO services to five-to-eight-year-olds.”
“On behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy O'Brien, who will deliver the closing remarks, and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, I thank Deputy O'Gorman of the Independent and Parties Technical Group for the opportunity to speak in the Dáil on the public transport experience and our plans to deliver on the programme for Government commitments. I am confident we can all agree it is essential that the Government continues to invest in the public transport network and that we be supportive of the Government's commitment to deliver an accessible, affordable and reliable public transport network throughout the country. We are not opposing the motion that has been tabled.”
“Everybody in the House has people who are suffering, whether it is young people or front-line workers, because of the lack of service. We just cannot allow it to continue. I will be using all of my energy and will be tick-tacking with my officials on an ongoing basis. I will be monitoring the progress being made by the RSA at two-week intervals to see if we are achieving the targets set down. I have asked the authority to look at putting in place contingency measures if necessary. Deputy Michael Murphy, who is present, is chair of the transport committee. He will also be working closely with me and the Department to ensure that we get this problem resolved, not just in the short term but also in the interests of making sure that driving test delays will not be a subject that every public representative has to deal with daily.”
“My officials and I are actively engaging with the RSA on how it can accelerate the recruitment and deployment of additional driver testers and we will be receiving a fortnightly report on progress across the coming months. With the first new recruits entering service in April, we should see some progress in reducing waiting times by the end of May. That is not too long away. This progress will accelerate across the summer as additional tranches of recruits complete their training and enter live testing. With this additional capacity, the RSA plans to achieve the ten-week target in September. In the longer term, the reform of the RSA and the introduction of a revised curriculum and testing regime will be important measures in delivering a better service.”
“As with the RSA reform process noted above, a longer term priority under this action plan will be the comprehensive review of the driver testing curriculum to ensure it adequately prepares drivers for modern driving conditions. As part of this exercise, measures that can help to improve the driving test pass rate from its existing level of around 50% will also be considered. Ultimately, these reduce demands on the service in the form of retests. Everyone in this House is acutely aware of the hardship being caused by excessive driving test wait times. The Government does not consider the current situation acceptable and significant staffing sanction has been put in place to help alleviate this issue.”
“Vision Zero is the aspiration to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2050 while increasing safe, healthy and equitable mobility for all. As an interim target, countries across the EU are aiming to halve deaths and serious injuries this decade. Together with road safety partners, the Department of Transport is leading the development of the phase 2 action plan under the strategy, which will run from this year to 2027. This plan, which will be adopted in the coming months, will set out high-impact actions that will contribute to Ireland achieving the goal of reducing road fatalities by 50% by 2030 and putting Ireland on track to achieve Vision Zero.”
“This review was motivated in part by the underperformance of the authority in the delivery of key public services, including the driver testing service. On 5 November 2024, the Government approved publication of the review and noted the proposal to radically reform the RSA. This reform will seek to separate out the customer service aspects of the RSA, such as driver testing, from its advocacy role. Ultimately, a more focused approach in each area will hopefully contribute to improved road safety outcomes and service delivery. The Government's current road safety strategy, which runs to 2030, follows international best practice, aligns with EU targets and the Vision Zero ambition for 2050.”
“To provide greater transparency, the RSA publishes detailed monthly information on the driver testing service on the CSO website, including the breakdown of waiting times and distribution of testing capacity by test centre. Deputies have raised concerns in relation to the number of driving test centres around the country and I am informed the RSA is collaborating with the Office of Public Works regarding the driver testing estate. Several options have been reviewed where issues with existing centres have arisen. New test sites are being proactively sought in south Dublin and Drogheda, and I hope to hear that these efforts have reached a successful resolution soon. While new testers will bring additional capacity in the short term, the Department of Transport in December 2024 commissioned an external independent review of the RSA.”
“Candidates are recommended to check regularly as they may be able to secure an earlier booking slot than would otherwise be the case. This change to the system has also brought the percentage of testing slots utilised up to 98% today, having historically averaged around 95%. This measure alone has created thousands of additional tests each year. There are also no limits on overtime provided hours worked remain within the European working time directive. Last year, around 10% of tests were being delivered through overtime outside the core driver testers’ hours, while staff working in other roles within the RSA who had previously trained and worked as driver testers carried out thousands of additional tests at the weekends. I commend the staff for their efforts in this regard.”
“While the long-term fix for this issue will be the recruitment and onboarding of new driver testers by the RSA in the months ahead to reach its sanctioned staffing ceiling, this process takes time. In the meantime, the RSA has brought in some other measures to assist to some extent. I acknowledge the work of the existing cohort of driver testers over the past 12 months. They have done their best in very challenging circumstances to mitigate growth in waiting times to the greatest extent possible, particularly in view of the mismatch between testing capacity and demand. In late 2023, the driver testing booking system was updated to allow for unused test slots to be made available for candidates to take up at short notice. The RSA makes such appointments available for candidates to book on the MyRoadSafety portal daily.”
“The total permanent sanctioned driver tester headcount is 200, representing a doubling of the permanent headcount in just over two years from 2022 . The recruitment process is under way and the first tranche of new testers are being deployed into service. As additional testers enter the system, testing capacity will increase and progress should be seen on reducing waiting times in the months ahead. Additional testers are being assigned to test centres nationwide as the candidates complete their training. I understand the home bases of the first tranche deployed at the end of April are in counties Cork and Dublin, though it is important to note that driver testers can be deployed anywhere in the country in response to demand pressures. The home base is therefore not always relevant.”
“It is also important to highlight that average driving test waiting times significantly improved as a result of this sanction, from a peak of 30.4 weeks in August 2023 to 14.9 weeks in April 2024. However, the total number of testers in employment at any point never exceeded 176 and, as already outlined, declined during 2024. At the end of April, the current figure for full-time testers was 141, with many of these involved in training the new recruits currently rather than delivering tests. Following its long-term assessment of capacity requirements, the RSA prepared a business case for the permanent sanction of additional driver testers. On receipt of this business case, the Department moved swiftly to sanction 70 additional driver tester posts on a permanent basis in September 2024.”
“From what I understand, some candidates are failing to notify driver testers that they cannot make tests and are therefore denying slots to other people. I accept that emergencies can happen on occasion, but 8,000 no-shows is simply not good enough. The Department of Transport has sought to support the RSA in meeting this demand and addressing the issue of lengthy driving test waiting times by sanctioning additional driver tester positions to increase capacity in the system. In March 2023, in response to a request from the RSA for the sanction of temporary driver testing roles, the Department issued sanction for up to 75 additional driver testers on fixed-term contracts of up to two years.”
“Waiting times increased last year from April onwards as the number of driver testers in employment declined due to a mix of retirement, fixed-term contracts reaching their conclusion and testers taking up alternative offers of employment. To try to meet the demand, there was extensive overtime working by driver testers to mitigate the impact on customers, an incentive programme for testers to deliver additional tests, the introduction of the short notice cancelled slot system and the continuation of a priority list for healthcare workers. In total, over 250,000 tests were delivered last year. As it impacts the service, I also highlight that over the last two years 8,000 people have not shown up for their driving tests. This is not acceptable either.”
“This is an unacceptable amount of time to be waiting for a test and it has been trending in the wrong direction. These rising wait times have been driven by rapidly increasing demand as the population has grown. This demand can be seen by the number of learner permits in circulation and the record number of advanced driving instructors now working in the sector to deliver lessons to drivers. The busiest year in the history of the service was 2024, with the RSA receiving just under 275,000 new driving test applications, which was 10% above the RSA's projections. These applications also add to the backlog that arose following the pandemic and has persisted as a result of incoming demand outstripping the RSA’s capacity to deliver tests.”
“I have asked the RSA to publish this plan on its website next week, report progress against it on a fortnightly basis and publish that report on its website. If the fortnightly targets are not met, I have requested that contingency planning begin immediately to add additional testing capacity to the system if it is needed, such as availing of temporary support from retired testers or the driving instructor sector. However, I would much prefer to see the RSA outperform its targets in the coming months and bring the achievement of the ten week target forward to August. The driver testing wait time is currently far above the service level agreement of ten weeks. As I noted, at the end of April the average wait time was 27 weeks and at some of the busiest test centres, the current wait time is 43 weeks.”
“I met the RSA leadership team on 1 May to discuss its plans for restoring the service to target and the associated timeline of November for doing so. I rejected this plan and made it clear to the RSA that, after several years of significant delay in obtaining an appointment for a test, people cannot wait another six months for the service to be restored. I asked the RSA to take the proposals away and return to me with an improved plan within two weeks. Following a meeting with the CEO this morning, I am pleased to say that, with some additional measures, the RSA now believes it can bring forward the date at which it will reach its full staffing complement by three months and can achieve its target of a ten week wait time in September.”
“With these caveats noted, the Deputies may wish to learn that the first new recruits from the September 2024 recruitment campaign have been carrying out live tests since April, with a second tranche entering training this week and a third to commence training before the end of May. With additional tranches of new testers entering the service across the month, I am confident that we have turned the corner and expect that we will see wait times begin to reduce this month, with the pace of that reduction then accelerating across the summer. Everyone in this House has heard from their constituents about the issues and challenges that extended driver test wait times are causing, the serious impact they are having on people's ability to work and study. Since coming into office, I have prioritised progress on this issue.”
“To address this capacity issue, sanction was issued in September 2024, and remains in place today, for up to 200 permanent driver testers. This represents a doubling of the comparable sanction at this point three years ago. Recruitment is ongoing, but it takes time for a national competition of this scale. Once new recruits are employed, they also must undergo an intensive training programme to ensure they are equipped to carry out a very important role relating to the safety of our citizens. I will go into it in more detail shortly, but I have asked the RSA to consider options to compress the training period without compromising standards or quality assurance.”
“I acknowledge Deputies' legitimate concerns and frustrations about this issue which is having a negative impact across the country and I agree it is vital that the public experience an efficient and dependable driver test service when undertaking their learning to drive journey. The growth in wait times has arisen due to a fundamental mismatch between the demand for driver tests and the available testing capacity in the RSA in recent years. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, understandably, given the public health measure introduced at the time, a large backlog of tests built up. However, incoming demand is now at record and growing levels, driven by such factors as inward migration and a rising population, which means a significant backlog has persisted.”
“I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the national driver test service. I will share time with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer. By way of background, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, has statutory responsibility for the national driver test service under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006. The service has a target average wait time of ten weeks between when someone applies to sit a test and the test taking place. As Deputies are aware, however, the current wait times are far in excess of the ten week target. At the end of April, wait times had grown to 27 weeks on average nationally, while in the locations with most demand this was in excess of 40 weeks.”
“The Bill ensures that cash remains a sustainable and accessible option for Irish society as a whole and in doing so, it protects people's ability to participate in society. Once again, I thank my colleagues here and in Dáil Éireann for their input and careful consideration of the Bill. I am happy that the Bill has passed all stages and will now go to Uachtarán na hÉireann to be signed into law.”
“This legislation remains a priority for the Government and attention will now turn to the making of regulations, as provided for in the Bill, as soon as possible. The data necessary to set the access to cash criteria and appoint design entities cannot be collected on a statutory basis until a commencement order has been made and laid before the Oireachtas. It is anticipated that this will be done in the coming weeks. Cash is the preferred method of payment for people for a variety of reasons. Budgeting and privacy are still key benefits of cash and it is a consistent and reliable way to make a payment. This legislation will help to ensure that cash is available when people want it and need it.”
“The general scheme of this Bill was published in January 2024 and officials from the Department of Finance appeared before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach in February 2024. The committee published its pre-legislative scrutiny report in March 2024 and I thank the members of that committee for their constructive contributions at that stage in the legislative process. I note that many of the recommendations of the committee's report were subsequently included in the Bill. The publication of the Bill was a priority for this and the previous Government and its smooth passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas would not have been possible without the co-operation of Members across both Houses.”
“I thank both the Senators who are present today and who attended the debates on the previous Stages of the Bill in this House and I thank those who attended the debates on the Bill in Dáil Éireann for their contributions and constructive engagement on the legislation. The objectives of the Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Bill 2024 are to ensure sufficient and effective access to cash in the State, provide a framework to manage future changes in cash infrastructure in a fair, equitable and transparent manner, and bring cash-in-transit providers and independent ATM deployers within the regulatory parameter of the Central Bank of Ireland. The 2022 review of retail banking in Ireland by the Department of Finance recommended that a framework be put in place to manage future changes to cash infrastructure in the State.”
“The NPS proposes that all Departments and bodies under their aegis accept a range of electronic and non-electronic payments, including cash. If a body cannot accept cash directly, it must arrange immediately for the facilitation of cash payments via a third party. In November 2024, the Secretary General of the Department of Finance wrote to all other Secretaries General notifying them of this recommendation.”
“It allows individuals such as the elderly or those with special needs to maintain their financial independence. Cash is also necessary for the day-to-day revenue and expenses of many SMEs. The Bill ensures payments in cash remain a sustainable and attainable option for Irish society as a whole. In doing so, it ensures certain vulnerable groups are not excluded from participating in society due to the shift to digital payment options. There is still very strong support for cash and the need for access to cash infrastructure in Ireland. On Government bodies accepting cash, it is important to state the national payment strategy, NPS, recommends cash acceptance or facilitation in the public sector where a public body levies fines or fees, or where it provides goods and services for a charge.”
“Cash use in Ireland has been declining gradually. A decline in cash demand of 15% may occur as a result of an external shock to the economy or rapid change in cash demand. This may be driven by technological developments or demographic shifts. The inclusion of the 15% decline criterion for a review allows the Central Bank to undertake a review in the event of an external shock or rapid change in demand. The other criteria allow for a review following changes of a more incremental and responsive nature. The Department of Finance 2022 retail banking review highlighted that cash still has an important place in the economy, and it is important to consumers in all walks of life. Cash is important because it is a private, secure and instant form of payment. It is also a budgeting tool for many people.”
“I thank Senator O’Reilly. On the question on why a 15% drop in cash demand has been used, the legislation contains provision for the access to cash criteria to be reviewed in tandem with the updating of census figures and if cash demand drops by more than 15% in a calendar year by comparison with the preceding calendar year, or on the request of the Minister. The Central Bank of Ireland may also undertake a review on its own initiative at any time. Data published by the Central Bank show that cash withdrawals in Ireland declined by 9.69% between June 2023 and June 2024. This year-on-year change is less than 15% and, based on the proposed legislation, not sufficient to result in a review of the access to cash criteria by the bank. However, Eurostat data indicate that a drop in demand of 17% was observed between 2018 and 2019.”
“Senator Boyhan's request is probably covered under my generalised point that other groups may be considered for consultation as appropriate. I would strongly advocate that Irish Rural Link be included.”
“The purpose of a cash service point is primarily to cover the lodgment function and to fulfil the critical secondary purpose of facilitating assisted cash services for people who, for whatever reason, including disability, cannot use ATMs by themselves. I have covered most of the queries.”
“Cash-back services were excluded from the scope of the Bill because, number one, they are voluntary services. A retailer can start and stop offering the service at its own discretion, and retailers come and go. The customer must make a purchase in addition to obtaining cash. Balance inquiry services are not always available. If cash usage and demand were to decline, this would affect the reliability of the service. In addition, retailers are limited by the amount of cash available in their till. Cash service points are locations where cash can be deposited and withdrawn, with in-person assistance available during normal business hours. Bank branches and post offices satisfy this definition.”
“These service standards may include a minimum percentage of time for which an ATM must be operational, withdrawal limits, communication and signage requirements and denomination stocking. Under section 31, ATM operators will have to notify the Central Bank of any business change that could potentially impact on the cash system as a whole. This means that if an ATM operator intends to withdraw a number of ATMs, the Central Bank will receive sufficient notice to notify designated entities of the upcoming change. Cash-back services offered by retailers when a customer is making a purchase do not fall within the remit of this legislation. A cash-back service is available in many locations countrywide but it does not provide a viable and sustainable alternative to the withdrawal of cash from ATMs.”
“It is very significant legislation that will have far-reaching positive implications for credit unions in the years to come. I will raise the issue the Senator referenced with the Minister for Finance and will get back to him on it. Senator Kyne spoke about Storm Éowyn. One of the objects of this legislation is to ensure the resilience of our cash infrastructure. Recent events in Europe have demonstrated the importance of ensuring such resilience. The Bill contains a number of features to protect cash infrastructure from major disruption as a result of a number of potential issues, including protracted power outages. Section 31 empowers the Central Bank to prescribe by regulation service standards for ATMs.”
“The Bill provides for the Minister for Finance to consult the Central Bank and other persons as appropriate when making an order in regard to access to cash. These provisions will ensure the bank's regulation-making powers are exercised in a proportionate and non-arbitrary way. Senator Duffy raised an issue with credit unions in his county. The credit unions are financial co-operatives in which members can save and lend to each other at fair rates of interest. They are non-profit organisations that have a volunteer ethos and community focus. The Government is supporting and enabling the credit union movement to grow. The Credit Union (Amendment) Act 2023, which was signed into law on 13 December 2023, aims to bring about significant reforms in the sector.”
“The Central Bank of Ireland will take on the function of monitoring compliance with the requirement for access to cash and local deficiency criteria. Information on the cash infrastructure in the State gathered under sections 6 and 12 will be analysed by the bank and used on an ongoing basis to determine whether the access to cash criteria prescribed under legislation are being met. In addition, section 5 provides that the Central Bank shall consult certain groups and representative organisations when preparing its report on access to cash, namely, the designated entities, bodies representing consumers, persons with disabilities, older people, SMEs, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors, and other groups, as it may consider appropriate.”
“There were a lot of questions and I will try to get through as many as I can. As of December 2022, there were 4,200 ATMs in the State. Breaking that number down, there were 397 in the Border region, 440 in the west, 417 in the mid-west, 349 in the south east, 630 in the south west, 1,159 in the Dublin area, 560 in the mid-east and 237 in the midlands. Per 100,000 of population, there were 94 ATMs in the Border region, 90 in the west, 82 in the mid-west, 76 in the south east, 85 in the south west, 79 in the Dublin region, 73 in the mid-east and 74 in the midlands. The average number of ATMs in the State per 100,000 of population was 82. We have a good spread of knowledge regarding the baseline of December 2022.”
“Investment in our built and archaeological heritage delivers broad public benefits and as the Deputy rightly noted, enhances the character and amenity of our cities, towns, villages, and landscapes, and brings back into use buildings and other assets which currently lie vacant, closed or in a dangerous place. As Minister of State, I will endeavour to maintain and enhance this investment to the greatest extent possible and to ensure that funding is directed where those initiatives which deliver best public value. I take on board what the Deputy has said. I will go back to my officials and see how we can enhance grants that are there or focus a bit more on the heritage of the area.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising his important points and for his suggestions. Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000 sets out arrangements for the protection of our architectural heritage. While the planning authority is responsible for adding buildings and features to the record of protected structures, primary responsibility for preventing endangerment of protected structures then rests with the owner overseen by the planning authority. As I set out previously, there is a wide range of supports available to help local authorities and owners to discharge this responsibility. There may be some parts of Dún Laoghaire Harbour that should be placed on the record of protected structures. The local council is best placed to assist with that.”
“Over the last three years, these conservation schemes have allocated more than €50 million for works to historic buildings, public realm, and monuments. Projects awarded funding under the schemes include conservation of the metal man beacon in Rosses Point, County Sligo and the Knight’s Pier in Belmullet, County Mayo. In addition to the conservation schemes described above and the fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme, local authorities seeking funding should, depending on the exact circumstances of the structures and buildings in question, engage with the urban regeneration and development fund, the rural regeneration and development fund, the LEADER programme, the THRIVE programme, and Údarás na Gaeltachta funding schemes.”
“Where the structures concerned are protected or are within a designated architectural conservation area, the built heritage investment scheme, BHIS, and the historic structures fund, HSF, can provide support for repair and conservation works. The BHIS provides grants of between €2,500 and €50,000, while the HSF provides funding of between €50,000 and €200,000 for works at a larger scale. These schemes are now closed for 2025. The application window for the 2026 BHIS is expected to open in July 2025, with the HSF to follow in December 2025. Where the structure in question is an archaeological monument, the community monuments fund, CMF, can provide grants of up to €100,000 for conservation works. The CMF is now closed for 2025. The application window for the 2026 CMF is expected to open in November this year.”
“Ratification by Ireland of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage is also under consideration. This is a key international instrument, which provides an agreed shared framework for co-operation among state parties with regard to maritime cultural heritage. I am aware of calls to restore historic harbour structures such as the sun shelter on the East Pier of Dún Laoghaire Harbour. I note that the primary responsibility in this case rests with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council as both the owner of the structure and the responsible planning authority. However, my Department funds a range of relevant grant schemes intended to support local authorities and other owners in these circumstances.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. It is important to say that broader investment in harbour maintenance and refurbishment is typically funded directly by the responsible local authorities and port companies and through the fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme managed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. As outlined in the programme for Government, the Government is fully committed to the protection and preservation of our maritime cultural heritage, as the Deputy has outlined. Work is under way within the National Monuments Service on a draft national strategy to protect Ireland's underwater cultural heritage, which is understood to include historic harbours, ports and jetties. It is anticipated that this will be ready for public consultation later this year.”
“However, the rationale for, and objective of, any prospective private investor investing in the airport is likely to differ from that of the Government. It is reasonable to expect that the State would have its investment protected also. Compliance with state aid rules on funding to regional airports must also be considered. I understand that the former Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy James Lawless, met with the airport management to discuss this matter. The current Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, has also had engagements with the Ministers of State, Deputies Mary Butler and John Cummins, on this issue and also looks forward to positive engagement with Waterford Airport on this matter. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, will be taking it up further.”
“I thank the Deputies. I feel and hear their frustration. The programme for Government commits to working with all stakeholders to quickly progress the Waterford Airport project to lengthen and widen the runway, building on the previous Government. The Government recognises the huge value of the aviation sector in supporting international connectivity, economic development, and tourism via our airports. The Deputies will be aware that the infrastructure guidelines set out the value-for-money guidelines for the evaluation, planning and management of public investment projects. The arrangements apply to all public bodies and all bodies in receipt of Exchequer capital funding. Some may argue that given the level of private investment being proposed to support this development, such due diligence is not required by the State.”
“While this assessment was submitted to the former Minister, Eamon Ryan, and the then Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, for review and consideration of next steps on 19 September 2024, next steps were not determined at that time. I understand that the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, is currently considering the next steps in this regard and is looking forward to positive engagement with Waterford Airport on this matter. Any potential Government support will be considered when this engagement and appraisal process is complete.”