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Vol. 627 Wednesday, No. 1 8 November 2006 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DA´ IL E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Wednesday, 8 November 2006. Leaders’ Questions ……………………………… 1 Ceisteanna—Questions Taoiseach ………………………………… 12 Requests to move Adjournment of Da´il under Standing Order 31 ……………… 22 Order of Business ……………………………… 23 National Oil Reserves Agency Bill 2006: Order for Report Stage …………………………… 28 Report Stage ……………………………… 28 Ceisteanna—Questions (resumed) Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Priority Questions …………………………… 51 Other Questions …………………………… 67 Adjournment Debate Matters …………………………… 78 National Oil Reserves Agency Bill 2006: Report Stage (resumed) …………………………… 79 Private Members’ Business Energy Resources Motion (resumed) ……………………… 123 Adjournment Debate Special Educational Needs ………………………… 157 Ambulance Service …………………………… 161 School Accommodation …………………………… 162 Schools Building Projects …………………………… 166 Questions: Written Answers …………………………… 169 1 2 DA´ IL E´ IREANN DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL OFFICIAL REPORT Imleabhar 627 Volume 627 De´ Ce´adaoin, 8 Samhain 2006. Wednesday, 8 November 2006. ———— Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar 10.30 a.m. ———— Paidir. Prayer. ———— Leaders’ Questions. vicinity of the Ballyowen roundabout have lost a sense of hope that anybody can do anything Mr. Kenny: I want to ask the Minister for Fin- about this. ance about traffic congestion every morning in I put forward a number of practical suggestions Dublin, particularly on the M50, and to refer to a that could relieve some of that congestion and number of related matters. Yesterday I met a ease the movement of traffic in the short term. family by the name of Price in Lucan and they For instance, the Government is discussing with are typical of 100,000 families caught in this bind. National Toll Roads the question of raising the The Taoiseach, speaking at the Ard-Fheis last toll barriers and the Government will decide on weekend, made the point that people should that matter, but surely a mechanism should be imagine the changes that are yet to come in trans- put in place so that when traffic backs up as far port. I know that the Government cannot wave a as the bridge, an arrangement would be made for magic wand and sort all this out overnight, but the toll barriers to be lifted, which would ease the the Price family are commuters — commuting congestion in getting on to the M50 in the first generally means movement — and in their case it place. It is obvious that when school term begins, takes between 25 and 47 minutes to get their up to 40,000 extra car journeys are made by three-year old to a cre`che and a similar time to parents delivering children to and from school. get from there back on to the main route into Perhaps in that area a specific facility for special- Dublin. ist school bus runs would be helpful in relieving The M50 roundabout is a major contributory that pressure and congestion. Will the Minister factor to rising stress levels, lack of productivity consider that those two suggestions are practical and consternation among hundreds of thousands and implementable? I have a few more besides of commuters, including those coming into the for him. city from outside the greater Dublin area. The Price family is no exception to this. Having spent Minister for Finance (Mr. Cowen): There are two hours out there and having seen at first hand two aspects to this. Obviously, the Minister, the the chaos and confusion, one can understand that NRA, the traffic authorities concerned and the a great number of people in Lucan and in the Garda look at any possible practical short-term 3 Leaders’ 8 November 2006. Questions 4 [Mr. Cowen.] operators, another 100 buses in addition to those measures that are realistic and viable. We all which have been spoken about by Government, recognise that there is a particular problem but, and the immediate establishment of a Dublin unfortunately, when problems are highlighted transport authority for licensing so that people people then suggest that no progress is being who want to use public transport or private made on any front. As Deputy Kenny will be licensed transport will have that facility? Having aware, there is a major investment plan for the spoken to people at first hand, they will avail of upgrading of the M50, which the Minister for such transport. The endless frustration and con- Transport is pursuing with the NRA, and we have sternation experienced by so many people who seen such works being carried out successfully on just sit in their cars every morning and evening other major routes such as the Naas Road. is unnecessary when in the immediate term the While it is not for me to decry any suggestion Government can take action which would result that may come from anybody who is dealing with in an improvement in the situation. these matters — I am sure they can be looked at I realise the Government is providing money in a practical way by the authorities concerns — for longer-term projects, but these will not bring a genuine priority is being accorded to a major results over night. The Government could investment to increase capacity there. The implement five or six proposals immediately to suggestion that lifting barriers would deal with ease this pressure and I recommend strongly that existing capacity rather than attract further capa- it does so. city and cause further gridlock is another issue to which traffic management experts refer. There is Mr. Cowen: Operation Freeflow is being co- no simple obvious solution to this problem. ordinated currently and preparations are Changing the interchanges, widening the motor- ongoing. It will come on stream in the usual way. way and providing more capacity is the genuine The question of how it can be prolonged beyond solution and of course that takes time. In the the normal Christmas period is an issue for the meantime anything that can be done to alleviate Ministers for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, what I acknowledge is a difficult situation can the Environment, Heritage and Local Govern- be considered. ment and Transport to consider. The bus fleet has increased significantly. It is Mr. Kenny: I am not here to decry all the incorrect to say capacity has not increased in ongoing efforts. The Price family, for instance, as 2006. Almost 1,000 bigger and better buses have one of 100,000 families in that area, make the been brought into service since 1997 and the bus point that each week Catherine Price spends two fleet is much more modern, efficient and effec- and a half working days in her car and her hus- tive. Capacity has increased by 40% in that time band spends another working day in his car. and, therefore, there has been a substantial Three and a half days over 100,000 families renewal and increase in line with commitments equates to approximately \3 billion in terms of under the national development plan. The sub- lost productivity, pressure on time etc. vention provided to Bus A´ tha Cliath has also By the end of this year the Government will increased significantly from \8.8 million to \70 have spent \173 million on quality bus corridors, million annually, which reflects increased capital but between 2000 and 2006 Dublin Bus was not investment and capacity. Under Transport 21, the given any additional buses. That is obviously a Government has made a serious commitment to matter that should be dealt with. Having spoken public transport as the best way to deal with the to the drivers of Dublin Bus and of Morton’s situation. An investment of up to \500 million is private buses, neither company has been able to being contemplated in the bus fleet, quite apart get on to the quality bus corridor in that area. from the major extensions of the Luas and the Commuters are being cheated on both fronts. If metro, which have proceeded to planning. The they take public or private licensed transport, question of investment in public transport being they still cannot make any movement to get out a key to relieving the long-term problem is on to the main road. acknowledged in Transport 21. It is a central part Will the Minister for Finance consider that of the investment framework going forward. immediate implementation of Operation Free- With regard to the more immediate issue, flow would be of assistance? Having gardaı´ at Operation Freeflow is being co-ordinated and every relevant junction to keep traffic moving is preparations are concluding so that it can be important? The M50 is being upgraded but it will undertaken in the normal way. not be finished until 2011. When the Dublin Port tunnel opens it is expected that between 4,000 Mr. Rabbitte: I would like to ask the Minister and 6,000 trucks will emerge on the platform to for Finance about the electoral register mess. Will get on to the M50. With the work at the new ter- he take a personal interest in the situation that minal, this will obviously cause further congestion has been created? Some 600,000 names were in that area. removed from the register but the problem is they Perhaps the following would be helpful. are not the correct names. The Minister for the Immediate implementation of Operation Free- Environment, Heritage and Local Government, flow, allowing an extra 100 private licensed bus who is responsible for the register, describes these 5 Leaders’ 8 November 2006. Questions 6 as “inadvertent deletions”. An estimated 20% of Mr. Rabbitte: This is a cornerstone of the basis people on the register should not be on it but, on which we should conduct elections.