Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is a pleasure to be back in the Seanad. I anticipate an interesting exchange of views and look forward to hearing the comments of Senators.

Since my last visit, road safety continues to be a major concern. As we are all aware, the road safety fatality figures are still at a very high level and it is disappointing that they are running at the same level as last year already, based on recent figures. Industrial unrest in the transport sector still exists, and also there is an increasing awareness of the impact that Brexit poses for the tourism sector. Senators have asked that I comment on these issues today.

The increase in road deaths last year was very disappointing, and I would like to offer my condolences to all those who lost loved ones. I assure the House that I am working tirelessly in the Department and with the Road Safety Authority to tackle the main causes of serious road collisions causing death and major injuries. Road traffic legislation has been strengthened continually in recent years. The Road Traffic Act 2016, signed by the President in December, provides a further range of improvements.An Garda Síochána will now have power to test drivers at the roadside for a wide range of drugs. There will be a new optional speed limit of 20 km/h where appropriate. New measures will ensure that written-off vehicles are recorded and we will introduce mutual recognition of driving disqualifications with the UK. I am working to commence these measures as soon as possible. I am also working on a programme of further legislation for 2017. As a priority, I will bring in a Bill to remove the provision that allows some people who are guilty of drink-driving to receive penalty points in place of disqualification. Shockingly, there is still an average of 152 drivers arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence every week. The ministerial committee on road safety is now meeting more regularly and I and my partners in road safety, the Road Safety Authority, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Garda Síochána, the local authorities, the Health and Safety Authority and the Office of the Attorney General, are working together to tackle the upward trend in road deaths. I welcome the assurance by An Garda Síochána that road safety enforcement is a priority in the Garda policing plan for 2017, that there will be a stronger focus on road traffic enforcement in Garda training and an increase of 10% in the traffic corps, which will result in more checkpoints and greater enforcement of road traffic laws.

I now turn to Bus Éireann. I have no doubt that Senators share my concern about the industrial relations tensions that currently exist. I welcome that the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, will today meet relevant parties to begin exploratory discussions. This is an important first step in what I have no doubt will be difficult discussions for everybody concerned. However, as I have said, this situation will only be resolved through such discussions and I urge all parties to engage constructively with the WRC. In the context of some of the commentary of recent weeks, I would like to briefly refer to a couple of issues on which I have no doubt Senators will have their own view.

Others have raised the issue of Government subsidy. We need to be clear about what that subsidy is provided for. It is used to fund socially necessary but financially unviable services. It cannot be used to fund commercial services such as Bus Éireann's Expressway services. That is not just a principle; it is a matter of law. The State cannot legally fund one commercial bus operator but not the rest. We have increased the public service obligation, PSO, subsidy over 2016 and again in 2017. Last year, Bus Éireann received 21% more than it received in 2015 and this year it will receive even more thanks to the 11% increase I secured in the budget for 2017 for PSO services generally. As I have said, that subsidy cannot be used to fund commercial services. I have no doubt that Senators will have concerns as regards the impact of any potential Expressway changes upon rural Ireland. I share those concerns but have been assured by the National Transport Authority, NTA, that it will work with any affected rural community to ensure continued public transport connectivity in cases where services are reconfigured. The authority has done that in the past and will do that again. Let us be clear. Bus Éireann loses money. These losses stem from its commercial services. Losses must be addressed and it must do so in consultation with its employees and with a view to restoring the company to a sustainable and viable future. I am hopeful that today’s exploratory talks will provide the basis required for more substantive discussions in the coming days.

Funding is being provided for replacement and expansion of the PSO fleet with 110 buses to be purchased in 2017 for the Dublin region and 70 for the Bus Éireann PSO fleet. Funding is also being allocated for the development or upgrading of quality bus corridors in both the greater Dublin area and in regional cities. The NTA has statutory responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the greater Dublin area, including the new metro north project. The decision to proceed with metro north followed consideration of the Fingal-north Dublin transport study and the NTA’s recommendations on the study, which identified the light rail link as the optimal long-term public transport solution on the Swords and airport to city centre corridor.

It is expected that the service will offer capacity for 9,900 passengers per hour per direction with potential to expand services in the future. Funding for the project is provided under the Government’s capital plan, allowing initially for the planning and design phases of the project, followed by the construction phase, which is expected to commence in 2021 with a view to delivering the project by 2026 or 2027.

I recognise there is considerable evidence emerging of increased travel demand across the Dublin region, with growing traffic levels on many of the region’s roads and streets. The welcome increase in the number in employment has impacted on transport, not only through the beginning of a recovery in public transport numbers but also through increased car use and re-emergence of peak period congestion. As Dublin city centre is the target destination of many of the journeys being undertaken in the region, there is a substantial degree of congestion evident at many locations on the road network approaching the city. A significant deterioration in M50 journey times has also been observed. In so far as congestion issues in Dublin are concerned, my Department is in close contact with the NTA about addressing travel demand growth in the Dublin region with a view to intensifying efforts to combat congestion in the short to medium term through greater use of bus priority, demand management and other alleviating measures.

I must emphasise that a step change in the funding of public transport is required if we are to deliver and maintain a well-functioning transport system that will cater for increased travel demand, deliver modal shift and support economic recovery. A mid-term review of the capital plan has been initiated and I will make the case for increased funding for public transport in that context to cater for increasing demand for public transport as the economy continues to improve and to encourage people to get out of their cars and onto public transport and more sustainable forms of transport.

In common with the rest of Government, there has been considerable analysis of the challenges which tourism faces arising from the UK referendum. In this context, on 23 January 2017, the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donovan, and I hosted an all-island dialogue on the impact of Brexit on the tourism and hospitality sector. Research shows that 7% of people living in Britain say they are less likely to holiday overseas in 2017. The research also indicates that spending patterns are likely to change. For example, 50% of people say they will spend less while on holiday abroad. Tourism Ireland also presented research which estimated that outbound travel from Britain will decline by 2.5% in 2017. Given Ireland’s reliance on Britain, from where 41% of our overseas visitors came in 2016, tourism to Ireland is likely to be more affected than to any other destination. Tourism Ireland’s strategy for responding to Brexit will involve various strands, including defending key segments of the British market, very focused competition in existing markets in Europe and North America and pursuing new, potentially lucrative, markets further afield. A commitment is given on markets further afield in the Government's tourism policy statement, People, Place and Policy - Growing Tourism to 2025, to prioritising tourism marketing efforts towards those markets providing higher revenue returns. The programme for Government commits to implementing the policy objectives in the policy statement and achieving the targets for Irish tourism contained therein. The UK vote does not change this.

In 2017, Tourism Ireland will continue to implement its market diversification strategy and intends to maximise holiday revenue through investment in mainland Europe and North America. In addition, the depreciation of the pound against the euro since the UK referendum means that value for money will be a key message for Tourism Ireland in Britain this year. A strong focus on the culturally curious, who tend to stay longer and spend more, will assist in the defence of the British market. Looking to the medium term, Tourism Ireland is currently finalising its corporate plan for the period 2017 to 2019. This plan will include the agency’s response to marketing Ireland in Britain in the situation that has developed following the referendum. Ireland has successfully cleared the applicant phase of the bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and is now in the candidate phase. We are working closely with our Northern Ireland counterparts to ensure the best possible submission will be made by 1 June 2017. World Rugby will make its selection in November 2017. Hosting the event would provide a platform to showcase the island of Ireland globally. We have the stadiums, the tourism infrastructure and ease of access, and a friendly Irish welcome is guaranteed. We have the confidence and the capacity required to deliver a highly successful Rugby World Cup, with an ideal mix of stadiums throughout the country right in the hearts of our cities and towns.

Ireland is a major international tourist destination, with 10 million visitors to Ireland in 2016. We have the range of accommodation to cater for all fans. Our tourism infrastructure has the capacity to host all visitors we would expect to come for the tournament. Regarding connectivity, Ireland is easy to travel to, and it is very easy to travel around to all parts of the country.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup also has incredible potential to engage with our Irish abroad, the Irish diaspora. That Ireland set a US rugby attendance record for the match against New Zealand underscores Ireland's ability to tap into and mobilise the diaspora, particularly in the United States.

Ireland also has a proven track record of successfully staging major international sporting events and we continue to attract high-profile global events. We are ready to host the Rugby World Cup as one of the premier global sporting events with significant attendance and overseas viewing. Hosting it would provide a unique platform to showcase Ireland globally.

The tournament would have very considerable potential. The direct economic return of hosting the tournament would be derived primarily from the spending by overseas visitors. Based on the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, there would he an estimated all-island economic impact of €800 million from 450,000 visitors.

Rugby, and sport in general, will be a key beneficiary of the tournament's domestic legacy, including a multimillion sustainable investment in the enhancement of existing stadiums. Ireland's 2023 legacy would produce a network of improved community and grassroots facilities for the next generation of players. We will reach out to Ireland's diaspora for its support and we are confident, given the success of The Gathering, that Ireland will see tangible support for a staging of the tournament by way of many of the diaspora travelling to Ireland for the tournament. Should we be successful, we will work closely with the tourism bodies to ensure this happens.

That concludes my overview. I thank Senators for their time and patience and I look forward to hearing their contributions.