Results 20,561-20,580 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Programme Issues (23 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: An overall budget of €9.133 million has been allocated by my Department to the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) for 2013, representing a small decrease on the 2012 allocation of €9.77 million, at a very difficult time financially.  My aim is to strengthen the RTP by ensuring a more efficient delivery structure by maximising integration with other state transport...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Programme Expenditure (23 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: The Rural Transport Programme (RTP) was launched in February 2007 and developed from the Rural Transport Initiative (2002 -2006) which was a pilot project to address issues of unmet transport need from a social exclusion perspective.  The RTP is now operational in every county with 35 community transport groups currently being funded under the Programme. Funding for the pilot Rural...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (23 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry, including issues pertaining to vehicle age limit, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days. 

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Programme Issues (23 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: An overall budget of €9.133 million has been allocated by my Department to the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) for 2013, representing a small decrease on the 2012 allocation of €9.77 million, at a very difficult time financially.  €114,634 of the 2013 RTP budget has been allocated to Seirbhís Iompair Tuaithe Teoranta from January to June 2013, with a further...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Sectoral Plan (2012 Edition): Motion (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: I apologise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Sectoral Plan (2012 Edition): Motion (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: As the committee is aware, a report is being conducted by the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, on the mobility allowance. I understand an interim report will be available in the near future. To be honest, it must come out soon. My colleagues are participating in the report to find an adequate solution to the problem, which members are aware arose following the finding that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Sectoral Plan (2012 Edition): Motion (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: They will not be a problem. I will deal with them as they were asked. Deputy Ellis raised a number of points. The public transport accessibility committee, PTAC, will only deal with issues of transport accessibility. I take on board the Deputy's comments about buses. Indeed, I take everyone's comments on board. I concur as regards Dublin Bus, in that the achievements it has made in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Sectoral Plan (2012 Edition): Motion (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: An issue arises. Wheelchair-accessible vehicle, WAV, licences are available because the cars cost too much. I am trying to create a solution in terms of the cars' specifications, which are too costly. We must reach a happy medium and the cost must be reduced. More than €40,000 for a car is ridiculous. Grants were available for a two-year period to people who wanted to begin...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Sectoral Plan (2012 Edition): Motion (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: This is another significant step towards improving public transport provision for people with disabilities. Transport Access for All, the Department's sectoral plan under the Disability Act 2005, is the outcome of an extensive review process in which people with disabilities played a key role. The 2012 edition of the plan which provides a roadmap for further advancement in public transport...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Sectoral Plan (2012 Edition): Motion (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: I appreciate that.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry, including issues pertaining to vehicle age limit, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. The NTA is the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011. The NTA carried out a consultation on vehicle standards as...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: These are technical legal amendments on foot of a review by the advisory council. They clarify the additional information, including medical assessments, that can be sought by a licensing authority under section 8(5) for the purposes of the subsection, namely, assessing the physical or mental capacity to hold a licence to drive an SPSV.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: This amendment was originally proposed by Senator Sean D. Barrett and provides for consultation by the National Transport Authority with the National Disability Authority on guidelines concerning the physical or mental capacity of a person to hold a licence to drive an SPSV under section 8(5). Following review of the section, it is the case that the statutory power in respect of the medical...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: This is purely a drafting amendment.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: Following the debate on Committee Stage, the Attorney General's office reviewed section 11 concerning the obligation of applicants or the holders of a licence to drive SPSVs to inform licensing authorities of any additional occupation involving the use of driving licences etc. While the policy principle underpinning the section concerning the regulation of SPSV drivers is to ensure passenger...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: The unions are not endeared to me at the moment so I do not think Senator Quinn's suggestion is accurate. The comparison he made is not relevant to the industry we are discussing. I will not accept amendments Nos. 17 and 22. There is no justification for the proposed inclusions. I am not clear on the intention of the Senator. The regulatory framework provided for in the Bill is clearly...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: Common sense alone ordains that somebody who is behind the wheel of a vehicle and who has to get a passenger to a destination as quickly and cheaply as possible, which satnavs do not necessarily guarantee, would know that satnavs are not foolproof and that they just cannot be used to get around everywhere. I am sure that if the Senator used a satnav regularly, he would know that himself.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: I cannot agree to amendment No. 12. Section 7(4) allows the National Transport Authority to make regulations setting different requirements and conditions in respect of different categories and classes of vehicles, SPSV driver and licences as well as under paragraph (b ) for different circumstances and under paragraph (c ) for different areas of the State. These provisions restate similar...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: As I stated previously I am in favour of technological solutions that can assist in providing a better customer service. However, global positioning systems cannot provide a basis for lessening the standard of area knowledge required under the driver skills testing. This may happen over time as GPS technology improves the standard of reliability and effectiveness. In regard to amendment...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: I am aware of those figures.