Results 20,201-20,220 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (7 Nov 2013)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry, including enforcement, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. NTA currently has 8 enforcement officers and it carries out enforcement activities nationally in conjunction with An Garda Siochana, whose members are also authorised persons for the purposes...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Bike Schemes (7 Nov 2013)

Alan Kelly: Work is well advanced within the National Transport Authority on finalising proposals for the roll out of public bikes in regional cities (Limerick, Cork and Galway). Significant progress has been made in relation to the award of the contract for the supply, installation, operation and maintenance of the bike schemes. It is hoped that this contract can be awarded early in 2014 with...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities (7 Nov 2013)

Alan Kelly: My Department will expect local authorities who receive funding under the National Cycle Network Funding Programme 2014-2016 to maximise value for money in project delivery as far as possible and to secure all possible savings in the procurement process without compromising standards. Decisions related to project management and delivery will be a matter for the successful authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Provision (6 Nov 2013)

Alan Kelly: Decisions regarding the location and operation of taxi ranks in Dublin City are a matter for Dublin City Council. Under section 84 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended by Section 15 of the Road Traffic Act, 2002, each local authority, in consultation with the Commissioner of An Garda Siochána, is responsible for the making of bye-laws in respect of its area of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services (5 Nov 2013)

Alan Kelly: I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.  Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) in December 2009, the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), such as Real Time Passenger Information, comes under the remit of the NTA.  Noting this I have referred the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (5 Nov 2013)

Alan Kelly: The provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013, as is the norm in the process of preparing draft legislation for presentation to the Oireachtas, were subject to review by Advisory Counsel of the Office of the Attorney General. Any legal challenge would be a matter for determination by the Courts. The Taxi Regulation Act 2013, under Section 74, amends Section 52 of the Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services (24 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 271 and 272 together. I refer the Deputy to my reply to the Topical Issue on this matter on Tuesday 22nd October. I also met with the Chief Executive of Irish Rail yesterday and raised the concern of Deputies with regard to the issue of reduction of the number of Dart carriages at certain times.  In some cases, Irish Rail have already responded...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (24 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I gave an answer to the Deputy's question on the 26th of September.  Under Sections 11 and 50 of the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has powers to give financial assistance to Local Authorities for the development of infrastructure for the small public service vehicles services.  I indicated that the question would...

Topical Issue Debate: Rail Services (22 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I will respond to the Deputy's last question first. The reason for the disruption is that a significant resignalling programme is going ahead this weekend. I accept the Deputy's concerns but because it is required from a safety point of view to carry out testing over three consecutive days, the alternative would be to do carry it out on a bank holiday weekend during the summer. It is...

Topical Issue Debate: Rail Services (22 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Regarding the IR situation, matters are progressing towards a satisfactory solution. There is some movement and I am confident that it is going in the direction. I will take up with the chief executive tomorrow the possibility of advance signalling of the number of carriages on trains in terms of safety concerns. It is a fair point, as is the point regarding ventilation. The real time...

Topical Issue Debate: Rail Services (22 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. While the provision of DART services is an operational matter for Irish Rail in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, NTA, I have been in touch with both parties in respect of this issue today. Irish Rail states that a peak times, over the past 18 months it has operated a mix of four, six and eight-carriage DART trains. It monitors...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Programme Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for implementing the restructuring of the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) announced by me on 9 July 2013.  The purpose of the restructuring of the RTP is to protect the provision of rural transport services into the future. I am advised by the NTA that during the restructuring of the RTP, their priority is to ensure the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Programme Funding (22 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: The budget allocation for the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) in 2014 is €9.446 million which includes €950k in Community Service Programme funding transferred from the Department of Social Protection Vote. The 2013 RTP allocation is €9.633 million which includes a one-off €500k to support the restructuring of the Programme announced by me on 9 July 2013....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (17 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: The Taxi Regulation Bill 2012, as passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas, sets out clearly the offences under the Bill which are fixed payment offences and which are demerit offences. Fixed payment offences are specified under Section 48 in the Bill and demerit offences are prescribed under Section 34 in the Bill. In addition, Section 35 in the Bill contains a table which shows...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I begin by sharing a short story from last week, when I had the pleasure of leading a trade mission to Russia on behalf of this country. As part of such trips, one meets emerging business leaders who have an Irish background - this was in one of the world's largest growing economies. One member of the diaspora I met was the director general of a large multinational in Russia and the wider...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: This is not an easy budget - I will be the first to say that and there is no point pretending otherwise. After seven years of austerity some of these measures are very difficult. This country has gone through an extraordinary journey during those years. Among other things, we have had to deal with pension levies, the Croke Park and Haddington Road agreements, promissory notes, Anglo Irish...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Do not forget that, nor that you were one of the men who bailed out Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: That fact will be with the Deputy for the rest of time. I can be proud that I did not do so.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: All of us are still paying for this greed and will be doing so for some time. I only say this to put the budget in context. As a general rule, I do not like to dwell on the past because Irish people do not need to be reminded of how bad previous Administrations have made their country. We all know this and will know it forever. I view this budget as a further step for our great country...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: As a Labour Party Minister, who also knows the travails of having a very young family, I am extremely proud of this measure.