Vol. 262 Wednesday, No. 7 19 December 2018 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 19/12/2018A00100Business of Seanad 587 19/12/2018A00300Commencement Matters 588 19/12/2018A00400Road Projects Status 588 19/12/2018B00300Rail Services 590 19/12/2018C00600Services for People with Disabilities 592 19/12/2018D00200An Bord Pleanála Applications 594 19/12/2018E01100Messages from Dáil 597 19/12/2018G00100Order of Business 597 19/12/2018N00300Report of Committee of Selection: Motion 610 19/12/2018N00600Appropriation Bill 2018 [Certified Money Bill]: Second and Subsequent Stages 610 19/12/2018P00400Appropriation Bill 2018: Motion for Earlier Signature 615 19/12/2018P00700Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second and Subsequent Stages 615 19/12/2018Q01000European Investment Fund Agreement Bill 2018: Motion for Earlier Signature �������������������������������������������������619 19/12/2018Z00100Business of Seanad 619 19/12/2018Z00400Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) 619 19/12/2018SS00100Conflict in Yemen: Motion 644 19/12/2018WW00300Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages 652 19/12/2018AAAA01200Message from Dáil 702 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 19 Nollaig 2018 Wednesday, 19 December 2018 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 1030 am Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 19/12/2018A00100Business of Seanad 19/12/2018A00200An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator Frank Feighan that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide an update on the major road schemes planned for the N4 from Mullingar to Sligo I have also received notice from Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, in conjunction with the Na- tional Transport Authority, to consider an increase in the capacity of the northern commuter rail line I have also received notice from Senator Rose Conway-Walsh of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the closure of the day centre in Áras Attracta, County Mayo. I have also received notice from Senator Michelle Mulherin of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to outline the reason for delays on the part of An Bord Pleanála in making planning decisions, particularly on environmentally designated lands. I have also received notice from Senator Martin Conway of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to outline if the drug Pembro, pembrolizumab, will be made available to all cervical cancer patients I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter: The need for the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works and 587 Seanad Éireann flood relief to provide an update on the Glashaboy flood relief scheme, County Cork. I have also received notice from Senator Tim Lombard of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to consider Lios na gCon ring fort in Clonakilty, County Cork, as a tourism opportunity. The matters raised by Senators Frank Feighan, Lorraine-Clifford Lee, Rose Conway-Walsh, Michelle Mulherin, Martin Conway and Colm Burke are suitable for discussion. I have select- ed the matters raised by Senators Frank Feighan, Lorraine Clifford-Lee, Rose Conway-Walsh and Michelle Mulherin and they will be taken now. Senators Martin Conway and Colm Burke may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise. I regret that I have had to rule out of order the matter raised by Senator Tim Lombard on the grounds that the Minister has no official responsibility in the matter. 19/12/2018A00300Commencement Matters 19/12/2018A00400Road Projects Status 19/12/2018A00500Senator Frank Feighan: I thank the Minister for taking up my invitation to discuss these important road schemes along the N4. As he knows, the N4 is a major carriageway to the north-west region. It is a national primary road running from Dublin to the north west and Sligo. It goes without saying the N4 is a vital artery to this region. There are three major schemes currently planned along the route and it is imperative that we continue to upgrade this national route for a number of reasons. These upgrades will improve road safety for road users, alleviate traffic congestion and reduce journey time to allow people to plan their journeys more accurately. They will undoubtedly generate significant economic benefits for local economies along the route The planned Mullingar to Longford-Rooskey road scheme comprises about 50 km of dual carriageway and has been in the pipeline for some time. The preferred route corridor was an- nounced in June 2010 and the plan is to upgrade the stretch between the N4 Dromod Rooskey bypass and the N4 Mullingar bypass. According to Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, it is in a category of pre-appraisal. The N4, Carrick-on-Shannon to Dromod, upgrade involves an 11 km stretch and according to the TII website, it is also in the category of pre-appraisal. The Minister might shed some light on what exactly this means. Earlier this year, I was glad to note that my colleague, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, earmarked an extra €126 billion for spending on roads and other transport between 2018 and 2021. As part of that, funding approval was given to the N4 Collooney to Castlebald- win road project in Sligo, news which has been welcomed by all of us. I understand the 15 km road widening project involves an overall investment value of over €100 million and undoubt- edly will improve safety on this stretch of road which has, unfortunately, seen so many fatali- ties in the past four decades I thank the Ministe for helping to ensure funding for this project, which has been long awaited It is clear that more focus is being placed by the Government on improving infrastructure and a blueprint for this is contained in Project 2040 As the Taoiseach said during his recent 588 19 December 2018 visit to Sligo, Project 2040 consists of a national spatial plan that is backed up with real money. The money follows the plan and, in the next ten years, all regions and urban centres, particu- larly the north west, will be linked to Dublin by a high-quality road network. It is clear that the Government’s Project 2040 plan is being implemented. Next year alone, I understand we will have a 25% increase in infrastructure spending. I hope my region, the north west, will get a fair share of that funding. I commend the many public representatives, local authorities, chambers of commerce and community groups that continue to campaign hard to ensure that the N4 will benefit from significant investment. 19/12/2018A00600Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Deputy Shane Ross): I thank the Senator for raising this very important matter. I must first emphasise that as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in respect of the na- tional roads programme Under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, the planning, construction and improvement of individual road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland in con- junction with the local authorities concerned The national development plan, NDP, which has been developed by Government to un- derpin the successful implementation of the new national planning framework, NPF, provides the strategic and financial framework for TII’s national roads programme for the period from 2018 to 2027. The proposed N4, Mullingar to Longford-Rooskey and Carrick-on-Shannon to Dromod, road improvement schemes are included in the NDP among a number of major na- tional road schemes that were identified for progression through pre-appraisal and early plan- ning during 2018. The N4, Mullingar to Longford-Rooskey, road scheme is approximately 52 km and located on a trans-European network transport, TEN-T, route. This scheme will improve the regional connectivity to the north west, which is a strategic priority of the national planning framework. A project pre-appraisal plan was submitted to my Department and the plan has been found to be compliant with the public spending code and the common appraisal framework, thus allowing it to progress to the next stage in terms of planning and design The tender process for the engagement of technical advisers to progress the planning and design is now under way. The N4 Carrick-on-Shannon to Dromod road project is also on a TEN-T route and compris- es the improvement