Written answers
Thursday, 6 December 2018
Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Departmental Schemes
Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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233. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the grant and funding schemes operated by his Department; the value of each scheme; and the basis or criteria used for the allocation of funding in respect of each scheme. [51412/18]
Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Please see the information contained in the table.
| No. | Name of Scheme | Summary criteria for allocation of funding | Value of Scheme 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coastal Inshore Mountain and Cave Rescue Grant Scheme | Eligible candidates are mountain rescue teams that are members of Mountain Rescue Ireland and are a declared Search and Rescue resource to An Garda Síochána. Community Rescue Boat organisations that are a declared resource to the Irish Coast Guard are also eligible to apply. | €241,752. (2018) |
| 2 | Grant to the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) | A contribution towards the net costs of CIL’s operations in Ireland. | €6.646m. |
| 3 | Tourism Ireland funding | A grant in respect of Tourism Ireland’s Administration and General Expenses and in respect of the Tourism Marketing Fund | €42.492m |
| 4 | Fáilte Ireland funding | Grant for administration and general domestic promotion and for Tourism Product Development. In turn, Fáilte Ireland allocates capital funding for tourism product development through large and small grants scheme, in addition to strategic partnerships with other public bodies and direct investment in experience brand infrastructure. | €86.055m |
| 5 | Greenways funding scheme | Proposals under this scheme need to conform with criteria set out in the Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways. | €53m for the years 2019 to 2021 |
| 6 | Electric Small Public Service Vehicle (SPSV) Scheme. | A grant of up to €7,000 or €3,500 towards the purchase of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) respectively for vehicles in the taxi/hackney/limousine sector. This scheme is administered by the National Transport Authority. It is available nationwide to applications for both new vehicle licences and existing vehicle licence holders who wish to upgrade their current vehicle, both subject to a maximum of five applications per applicant | €500,000 |
| 7 | Toll Incentive Scheme | As of July 2018, BEVs and PHEVs qualify for 50% and 25% toll reductions respectively up to a maximum €500 annual threshold for private vehicles and a maximum annual threshold of €1,000 for commercial vehicles.This scheme is administered by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. TII estimated that in 2017 alone there were approximately 340 million tolled journeys taken with c.400,000 drivers classified as ‘heavy toll users’. A reduced tolling regime was considered to have potential to provide a meaningful incentive to a large cohort of regular toll users to switch to an electric vehicle. Vehicles will qualify for the scheme if they are battery electric or plug-in hybrid; have a registered toll tag account and are registered in the EU | €500,000 |
| 8 | Regional and Local Road State grants | Details of the regional and local road grant allocations and payments to local authorities are outlined in the regional and local road grant booklets which are available in the Dáil Library. The main grant programmes are:Restoration Maintenance (RM): The purpose of the RM grant is to protect the structural integrity of the road by way of surface dressing through the sealing of the road surface. The purpose of restoration maintenance is to maintain the asset before it requires improvement. Restoration Improvement Grant (RI): The RI grant programme is the main road strengthening programme and caters for surface restoration, pavement overlay works, complete road rehabilitation works and for drainage works where required. Discretionary Grant (DG): Councils have discretion in spending these grants for improvement and maintenance works subject to selecting from a list of eligible works. However Councils are requested to prioritise projects which involve strengthening works, remedying road defects, winter maintenance and drainage works. Bridge Rehabilitation (BR): This programme allows local authorities to apply for monies to undertake bridge rehabilitation works. Safety Improvement Works (BS): This programme allows local authorities to apply for monies to undertake safety improvement works. Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) and a Drainage Programme. The CIS facilitates community involvement in repair and improvement of roads while the purpose of the Drainage Grant is to promote network resilience. Specific Grant and Strategic Grants: Projects considered on a case by case basis taking into account the availability of funding and the outcome of project appraisals. | €433.275m in 2018 |
| 9 | National Road State Grants | The Department provides a block grant to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in respect of national roads. Within its annual budget, allocations to individual local authorities are a matter for TII. | €469.394m in 2018 |
| 10 | Regional Airports Programme | The Programme runs from 2015 to 2019. Within that programme there are four funding schemes, two Capital (CAPEX and PPR-C) and two Current (OPEX and PPR-O). The programme provides Exchequer support to regional airports for investments and expenditure in areas of safety and security. | €42 million is being provided in Capital funding under the National Development Plan for the Regional Airports Programme in the period 2018 to 2022. The Current allocation under the RAP varies from year to year. The 2018 allocation is €11.4m. |
| 11 | Irish Rail | Funding for items 11-17 is allocated in line with agreed Budgetary annual and multi-annual frameworks as appropriate and is provided on the basis of statutory, contractual or administrative arrangements with relevant agencies and bodies. For the maintenance of rail infrastructure under IMMAC programme | €160m |
| 12 | Investment in infrastructure | Programme funded through the NTA. For the funding of infrastructural projects in heavy rail, bus, Luas, Metro, cycling & walking | €243m |
| 13 | Green Schools | Programme funded through the NTA. To educate school children on benefits of sustainable travel and cut number of car school runs. | €1.6m |
| 14 | Smarter Travel Workplace & Campus | Programme funded through the NTA . To encourage large employers and third level institutions to plan more sustainable commuting and travel choices | €600K |
| 15 | CycleRight | The national cycle training programme aimed at primary children. 20,000 pupils trained in 2018 | €430K |
| 16 | Interreg | EU programme to promote cross-border sustainable transport | €2.2m |
| 17 | Bike Week | To promote cycling and encourage occasional or non-cyclists to take up cycling | €400K |
| 18 | Sports Capital Programme | The 2018 guide to making an application includes a section on how the Department will assess applications and this is available on the Department's website at . Furthermore, the full assessment procedure and marking scheme used for the most recent completed round of the SCP (2017) is published on the Department's website at | €40m available for the 2018 round of the programme |
| 19 | Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund | The aim of the fund is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects where the Exchequer investment would be greater than the maximum amount available under the SCP. All project proposals will be subject to appropriate economic analysis and to the published assessment criteria outlined in the scheme which is available on my Department’s website at | At least €100m available in the period to 2027 |
| 20 | Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme | Provides grant aid, to local authorities towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. There are four swimming pool projects remaining in the 2000 round of the LASPP. Any proposed new swimming pool projects will be considered under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund. | Scheme provides for grant assistance up to a maximum of €3.8m. |
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