Results 20,601-20,620 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Other Questions: Public Transport (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Unfortunately, given the capital constraints, there are no plans to open the line from Mullingar to Athlone. I understand the argument the Deputy is making but the constraints are there. Dublinbikes has been incredibly successful and there are plans to roll it out in other areas. The NTA is always looking at how this can be expanded because it has been so successful, with many commentators...

Other Questions: Public Transport (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy. The reality, from a public finance point of view, is that we were not able to proceed with a number of good projects, as the Deputy is aware. We have prioritised linking up the Luas lines, a measure the Deputy supports. It is a good project that is progressing. It was unfortunate but there have been other significant investments. For example, there was a requirement to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Bodies Expenditure (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for his questions. He raised a couple of specific issues. The accounts were late this year because the board would not sign off on them until many of its questions had been answered from an auditing point of view. I think that is rigorous. As the Deputy is aware, there have been many changes at board level in CIE and its subsidiaries. He also asked about the issue of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Bodies Expenditure (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: There is a robust plan in place. The subvention will decrease this year. The planned subvention for this year is €226 million. That has to be the case, obviously, in light of the economic situation. I would like to give the Deputy some welcome news. Recent figures have shown that the number of people travelling across the various services is stabilising and in some cases is on an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Railway Safety Issues (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: This question relates to manual road crossings on the rail network. As has previously been outlined to the Deputy, matters relating to upgrading works at individual level crossings on the rail network are operational day-to-day matters for Iarnród Éireann. My Department is fully aware of the importance of railway safety and continues to provide...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Railway Safety Issues (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: There is merit in what the Deputy says about level crossings. When I took up my role in the Department, one thing that struck me straightaway was the volume of funding going towards railway safety measures. A substantial amount, €1.9 billion, has been invested since 1999. There is probably just cause to say priority should have been given to particular crossings during the years. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Railway Safety Issues (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: The work is ongoing and we meet the NTA to discuss this crucial issue. The Deputy is aware that a serious volume of work has been done on heavily used lines. Speeds and journey times have improved considerably in recent months. The work will continue and we will ensure that where work is necessary from both an efficiency and a safety point of view, it will be prioritised.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Bodies Expenditure (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Both the Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, and I, with the Department, are in regular contact with CIE and its subsidiaries on the current and future financial situation of the group. The Department, supported by NewERA, has engaged extensively with CIE on its financial and business planning. CIE's draft annual report and financial statements for 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 47 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Services Provision (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Since 1st April 2012 responsibility for managing the Rural Transport Programme has been assigned to the National Transport Authority (NTA) as part of new arrangements for integrated local and rural transport approved by Government in January 2012. Currently, the Programme is administered by Pobal in conjunction with the NTA as part of the Programme transition. Thirty-five groups covering...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Earlier this month I met with the Irish Taxi Forum, representing taxi driver’s interests, concerning the Taxi Regulation Bill 2012. At the meeting the Taxi Forum raised a number of matters including an appeals process regarding decisions of the National Transport Authority, representation by the industry on the Taxi Advisory Committee, vehicle licence transfer, and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Services Provision (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 April 2012, responsibility for managing the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) has been assigned to the National Transport Authority (NTA) as part of new arrangements for integrated local and rural transport approved by the Government in January 2012. The Programme is managed by Pobal in conjunction with the NTA as part of the Programme transition. Thirty-five groups covering...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009 and the NTA is also the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011, including the implementation of the new taxi driver check smartphone app. I have referred your question to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (27 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including issues relating to the SPSV driver identification, 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.

Topical Issue Debate: Driving Licence Issues (26 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I do not doubt the Deputy's sincerity in raising the issue. Unfortunately, in some cases where modernisation happens, disintermediation occurs in various sectors, of which this is a small example. The RSA which is conducting this process has its own good reasons, from a technological point of view, for wanting to deal with photographs in this way. I will not second-guess it, but I will...

Topical Issue Debate: Driving Licence Issues (26 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I welcome the opportunity to address this matter, which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar. Many Deputies have raised questions regarding photo capture under the new national driver licensing service run by the Road Safety Authority. This is a good opportunity to address the detail of the matter. The factual basis of what...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (26 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including vehicle standards, is a matter for the NTA under the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009.  I answered a similar Question on the 12th of March relating to the person in question. I am informed by the NTA that it communicated a response on the 19th of March directly to the Deputy who...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (26 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility to develop, procure, implement, operate and maintain the integrated ticketing Leap card system in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). In addition, the Authority’s remit in relation to integrated ticketing has been extended to the rest of the State. I understand that the NTA and the Department of Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Services Provision (26 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Since 1st April 2012, responsibility for managing the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) has been assigned to the National Transport Authority (NTA) as part of new arrangements for integrated local and rural transport approved by the Government in January 2012. The RTP is managed by Pobal in conjunction with the NTA as part of the Programme transition. Thirty-five groups covering...

Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Code (20 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I am taking the debate on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection. Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the class S rate of 4%, which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension, contributory, and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension, contributory. Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay class...