Written answers

Tuesday, 30 November 2021

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Pension Provisions

Photo of Carol NolanCarol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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181. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if legal action is being pursued against his Department by the European Commission following failure to comply with reporting or other obligations under a European Union directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58505/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As of 26 November 2021 the Department of Transport has four active infringement cases.

The first case relates to the Operation of the Irish Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) in the implementation of Directive 2009/18/EC on the investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector. The European Court of Justice made a judgment in this case on 9 July 2020. The Department has since acted upon the decision of the Court and communicated completion of these actions to the European Commission on 23 October 2020. The Department of Transport is awaiting the views of the European Commission.

The next two cases relate to Letters of Formal Notice issued in relation to delays in transposition of Council Directive (EU) 2017/159 of 19 December 2016 implementing the Agreement concerning the implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention and Directive (EU) 2018/645 on the initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain road vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers. On 7 September 2020, my Department communicated to the European Commission that Directive 2017/159 had been transposed in full. On 23 July 2021, my Department communicated to the European Commission that Directive 2018/645 had been transposed in full. The Department of Transport is awaiting the views of the Commission in these cases.

The final case relates to a recently issued Letter of Formal Notice regarding Directive (EU) 2019/520 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the interoperability of electronic road toll systems and facilitating cross-border exchange of information on the failure to pay road fees in the Union. On 26 November 2021, my Department received a Letter of Formal Notice regarding late transposition of this Directive. The Department is working on the competition of this transposition and will respond to the Commission on its progress within the two month response deadline window.

The Department of Transport continues to put in place the necessary measures to improve the transposition, implementation and enforcement of transport law in Ireland. A dedicated EU Coordination Unit within my Department is responsible for engaging with the European Commission on these issues and works closely with responsible Officials in the Department of Transport, and other Departments as required, in response to each case.

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