Public Affairs Ireland
Chapter 15 Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport Introduction • Deliver on the national roads programme as part of the National Development Plan and to implement the Governments roads safety strategy. • Provide a well functioning, integrated public transport system and ensure improved public transport provision by delivering new public transport infrastructure and facilities. • Ensure that aviation practices and procedures comply with best international standards. Promote the development of a vibrant, competitive and progressively regulated aviation sector. Provide adequate airport infrastructure and competitive airport services. • Establish, promote, regulate and enforce maritime safety and security standards. Provide emergency response services and safeguard the maritime environment. The department is also responsible for ports and shipping policy.
• In the sport sector, the department focuses on the formulation, development and evaluation of policy which is implemented primarily by the Irish Sports Council; overseeing major sporting projects such as the development of a sports campus at Abbotstown and the administration of the Sports Capital and the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programmes. • In the tourism sector, the department aims to facilitate the continued development of an economic and environmentally sustainable and spatially balanced tourism industry. The department seeks to achieve this through formulating, monitoring and reviewing a range of supporting policies and programmes, particularly within the framework of the National Development Plan and North/ South Co-operation. The department is also responsible for overseeing and monitoring the implementation of the strategy for Irish Tourism development as set out in the report of the Tourism Policy Review Group published in September 2003.
Core areas of responsibility • National roads programme
• Regulation of aviation practice
• Road safety
and procedures
• Vehicle standards regulation
• Aviation infrastructure
• Road transport operator licensing
• Airport services
• Driver licensing and testing
• Irish Coast Guard
• Provision of new public transport
• Maritime Safety Directorate
• Infrastructure and facilities
• Sports Policy
• Public transport standards regulation
• Sports Capital Projects • Tourism Policy and Development
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Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
The mandate of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, which was established following the General Election in 2011 is to: