Written answers

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Departmental Agencies

Photo of Seán KyneSeán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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635. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form all of the State agencies, bodies, organisations and working groups under his Department's remit; the core duties and functions of same; the number of staff at same; the budget of each for 2013 and proposed budget for 2014; the date of establishment of the agencies or organisations; and the legislation, primary or otherwise, from which they derive their powers. [37213/14]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy regarding the agencies, bodies, organisations and working groups under the Department's remit, their core duties and functions, the date of establishment and the legislation from which they derive is available in the following table.

The staff numbers of each agency are available in the Annual Reports of the Agencies while the 2013 budget of each and the proposed 2014 budget are available in the book of estimates.

Name of Agency/Body/Working GroupsCore Duties/functionsDate of EstablishmentLegislation (primary or otherwise
Port of Cork CompanyManagement, control, operation and development of harbour/port03/03/1997Harbours Act 1996 (No.11/96)
Drogheda Port CompanyManagement, control, operation and development of harbour/port03/03/1997Harbours Act 1996
Dublin Port CompanyManagement, control, operation and development of harbour/port03/03/1997Harbours Act 1996
Dun Laoghaire Harbour CompanyManagement, control, operation and development of harbour/port03/03/1997Harbours Act 1996
Shannon/Foynes Port CompanyManagement, control, operation and development of harbour/port11/09/2000Harbours Act 1996
Galway Harbour CompanyManagement, control, operation and development of harbour/port03/03/1997Harbours Act 1996
New Ross Port CompanyManagement, control, operation and development of harbour/port03/03/1997Harbours Act 1996
Port of Waterford CompanyManagement, control, operation and development of harbour/port11/01/1999Harbours Act 1996
Wicklow Port CompanyManagement, control, operation and development of harbour/port26/04/2002Harbours Act 1996
Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB)The function of the MCIB is to carry out investigations into marine casualties that take place in Irish waters or involve Irish registered vessels.June 2002Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) Act, 2000.
Railway Safety Commission(1)To foster and encourage railway safety

(2) to enforce the Railway Safety Act 2005 and any other legislation relating to railway safety

(3) To investigate and report on railway accidents and incidents for the purposes of determining compliance with safety management systems and safety targets.
1 January 2006Railway Safety Act 2005
Medical Bureau of Road SafetyThe functions of the Bureau include:

• The receipt and analysis for intoxicants of specimens of blood and urine forwarded to the Bureau.

• The issue of certificates of analysis.

• The provision of equipment for the taking or provision of specimens of blood and urine.

• Approval, supply and testing of equipment or apparatus for indicating the presence of alcohol in the breath.

• Approval, supply and testing of equipment or apparatus for determining the concentration of alcohol in the breath.

• Research on drinking and drugs in relation to driving, including the methods of determining the amount of alcohol or drugs in a person’s body and theepidemiology of driving under the influence of intoxicants.

November 1968

Road Traffic Acts 1968 –2014
Road Safety AuthorityThe functions of the Authority include:

·Developing and implementing information and education campaigns to increase awareness of road safety and promote safer driving

·Improving vehicle standards

·Establishing and monitoring a standard for driver instruction

·Overseeing the system of driver licensing and undertaking certain enforcement activities

·Working with stakeholders to ensure a co-ordinated response and ensure our collective resources are used wisely and efficiently

·Undertaking accident and road safety research in order to develop measures and recommendations to improve road safety

·Advising the Minister for Transport on road safety policy

·Producing road safety strategy documents and monitoring their implementation

September 2006 Road Safety Authority Act 2006.
Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU)Responsible for the investigation of aircraft accidents, serious incidents, and incidents (Occurrences) that occur within Ireland.  In addition the AAIU provides assistance to foreign safety investigation authorities who conduct investigations into occurrences of Irish registered and / or operated aircraft abroad. Furthermore, in some cases Foreign States may delegate Investigations back to the AAIU as the state of registry/operator.

Furthermore the AAIU is responsible for the investigation of accidents to Irish registered/operated aircraft that crash in international waters.
AAIU was formed in 1994 within the then Department of Transport, Energy and Communications. It coincided with the formation of the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) as the aviation regulator.  Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 205 of 1997 Air Navigation (Notification and Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Regulations, 1997 came into effect on the 25 July 1997.



SI No. 205 has since been replaced by SI No. 460 of 2009, Air Navigation (Notification and Investigation of Accidents, Serious Incidents and Incidents) Regulations, 2009 and came into effect on 9th December 2009. 



The AAIU is also subject to EU Regulation  No. 996/2010 and International Convention Annex 13
Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) The Irish Aviation Authority is responsible for the management of Irish controlled airspace, the safety regulation of Irish civil aviation and the oversight of civil aviation security in Ireland

1993Irish Aviation Authority Act, 1993.
Commission for Aviation Regulation

(CAR)
Commission is responsible for:

- regulating Dublin Airport Authority’s airport charges at Dublin Airport.

- regulating the Irish Aviation Authority’s aviation terminal services charges. -approving ground handlers.

- licensing Irish air carriers.

- enforcing consumer protection regulations which focus on the rights and entitlements of passengers travelling by air.

- implementing certain aspects of community legislation in relation to slot allocation and schedule coordination, and

- licensing travel agents and tour operators in Ireland
2001

Aviation Regulation Act, 2001
Dublin Airport AuthorityManagement, operation and development of Dublin & Cork airports.21.07.04State Airport Act 2004 (No. 32)
Cork Airport AuthorityManagement, operation and development of Cork airport.21.07.04State Airport Act 2004 (No. 32)
Shannon Group plcOversee the exercise by Shannnon Airport and  Shannon Commercial  Enterprises of their  functions, promote the development of aviation and other business activities  around Shannon airport.05.09.14State Airports (Shannon Group) Act 2014 (No. 27)
National Facilitation CommitteeThis Committee was established to bring together the main players operating at Irish airports to provide a forum to ultimately improve the passenger experience.25.04.12The need for the committee arises from a provision of Annex 9 of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Convention which requires the establishment of a National Facilitation Committee.
Sub-Group on Airport Immigration MattersSub-group was been established to deal with the full range of issues concerning immigration at airports, including the introduction of new technology and passport matters.19.11.13None - Sub-group of the National Faciliation Committee
Railway Procurement AgencyResponsible for managing the construction and operation of Luas, to procure new light rail lines and Metro through a number of means including Public Private Partnership (PPP) 2001Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001
National Transport Authority



Responsible  for securing the provision of public passenger land transport services, including the provision of subvented bus and rail services by Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus and Irish Rail. The NTA also has responsibility for the regulation of the taxi industry.In the Greater Dublin Area the NTA has the functions relating to Strategic Planning of transport and investment in public transport infrastructure.December 2009Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 as amended by the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009
Córas Iompair Éireann

Through its subsidiaries, CIÉ is the main provider of land public transport services within the State.The organisation structure is a holding company and three major operating companies – Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann.

Each of the three CIÉ operating subsidiaries have PSO contracts with the NTA under the provisions of the DTA Act 2008 as amended.
January 1945Transport Act 1950 and the Dublin Transport Authority  Act 2008



Bus Átha Cliath-Dublin Bus



The principal objectives of BÁC are to provide passenger services by road for the city and county of Dublin.  BÁC is also required to operate commercially to the maximum extent possible taking account of the public service obligations of the company.1986Transport (Re-Organisation of CIE) Act 1986 
Bus Éireann-Irish Bus



BÉ is empowered to provide a wide range of bus and coach services throughout the country including expressway coach services linking major cities and towns; local bus services in rural areas; city bus services in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.  They are also responsible for the operation of the national school transport scheme on behalf of the Department of Education & Skills.1986Transport (Re-Organisation of CIE) Act 1986 
Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail

The principal objectives of IÉ are to provide a railway service and a road freight service.  It is the general mandate of the company to operate commercially to the maximum extent possible, taking account of the public service obligations of the company and to manage, maintain and develop the rail network infrastructure.1986Transport (Re-Organisation of CIE) Act 1986
National Roads Authority (NRA)General duty to secure the provision of a safe and efficient network of national roads, overall responsibility for the planning and supervision of works for the construction and maintenance of national roads and other functions assigned to it under the Roads Act 1993, as amended.23 December, 1993Roads Act, 1993, as amended and Statutory Instruments made under the Act, as amended and relevant EU Directives.
Irish Sports CouncilImproving standards in high performance sport; increasing participation rates in sport; facilitating standards of fair play; combating doping; producing research and communicating information on sport.1 July 1999Irish Sports Council Act, 1999
National Sports Campus Development AuthorityDevelop a sports campus on the Abbotstown site; Furnish and equip the sports campus; Manage, operate and maintain the sports campus; and Encourage and promote the use of the sports campus by professional and amateur sports people and members of the public.June 2006National Sports Campus Development Authority Act 2006
Failte IrelandEncourage Promote and Support Tourism28 May 2003National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003
Tourism Ireland LimitedTourism Ireland is the all-island tourism marketing company established under the Good Friday Agreement. Tourism Ireland's role is to help grow overseas tourism revenue and visitor numbers to Ireland, and to help Northern Ireland to realise its tourism potential.Tourism Ireland Ltd was formally incorporated on 11thDecember 2000.Its Memorandum and Articles of Association govern its operations and it is accountable to the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) established under the Good Friday Agreement.

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