Results 20,641-20,660 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (12 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 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: Taxi Regulations (7 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 262 and 263 together. I am informed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) that the current number of SPSV driver licence holders is 33,717 and there are currently 22,830 SPSV vehicle licences. There are eight enforcement officers in the NTA. An Garda Síochána also plays a major part in the enforcement regime.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport (7 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Westmeath Rural Community Transport Association Ltd has been allocated €129,353.00 of the 2013 RTP budget from January to June 2013, with a further proposed, allocation of €129,353.00 from July to December. Additionally, €32,234.50 of Free Travel Pass funding has been allocated to Westmeath Rural Community Transport Association Ltd from January to June, 2013, with a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Public Transport Access (6 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Senator Conway is a gentleman whom I know well. I congratulate him on his media performance last Friday night.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Public Transport Access (6 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I will bring the matter of the provision of a wheelchair lift in Ennis railway station to the attention of the NTA. I will keep the Senator informed of developments in that regard. The matter has been raised previously in the House. I assure the Senator that I will be in touch with him. I refer to the principal issue raised by Senator Conway. Regulation (EU) 181/2011, which came into...

Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (6 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank Deputy Ann Phelan for raising this important issue. I know it is of concern to her as she has spoken to me about it privately. The poor fitting of replacement vehicle windscreens is currently a consumer affairs matter relating to the delivery of a service, for which the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has no functional responsibility. However, if there are apparent flaws...

Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (6 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Both the Department and the RSA would welcome such developments and in general support any efforts that will improve the standard of the national fleet including upskilling and training of those involved in the maintenance and repair of vehicles in the national fleet. In the meantime, in the absence of such industry-wide agreement on this issue, it is each vehicle owner's responsibility to...

Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (6 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: Road traffic law places the onus on users of vehicles on public roads to ensure that their vehicles comply with the law and are safe. I thank the Deputy for raising a really important issue which the Department and the RSA will take quite seriously.

Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (6 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: I again thank the Deputy for raising the issue which gives food for thought. We are investigating whether a code of practice can be encouraged. The Deputy's comments on the NCT are ones we will be pursuing through the Department to see if there is a requirement to revisit the standards and if something needs to be addressed. The issue raised was worthy of discussion, and I thank the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (6 Mar 2013)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry, including the circumstances where transfer of an SPSV licence is permitted, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009. I have referred the Deputy’s Question to the NTA. If you do not receive a response within ten working days please notify my private Office.

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

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including issues relating to suitability tests and the area knowledge test in particular, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003. I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response...

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

Alan Kelly: The transport requirements of people with disability and others living in rural areas was an important consideration of the Review Group responsible for the Taxi Regulation Review, which included representatives from rural areas and representative groups for consumers and people with disabilities. The view of the Review Group, giving rise to Action 40 of the Review Report, is that...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (28 Feb 2013)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry, including issues pertaining to the transfer of small public service vehicle (SPSV)  licences, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009.   Since January 2009 SPSV licences, including vehicle licences for taxis, wheelchair accessible taxis, hackneys, wheelchair...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2013)

Alan Kelly: This amendment is unnecessary. Section 56 requires that at least two members of the taxi advisory committee shall be from organisations which, in the opinion of the Minister, represent the interests of consumers. The Consumers' Association of Ireland, the National Disability Authority and the Competition Authority are all represented on the committee. The Senator has referred to the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 62 provides for the insertion into section 34 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 of fixed payment offences under section 17 of the Bill and as otherwise prescribed in regulations by the Minister under the Taxi Regulation Bill so that these fixed payment offences can be enforced by members of An Garda Síochána. Amendment No. 63 allows 11 specific fixed payment small public service...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2013)

Alan Kelly: I will not be moving amendments Nos. 46 or 48, as they relate to section 11, which I intend to amend on Report Stage. However, I will reintroduce the substance of amendment No. 46 along with the amendment to section 11 on Report Stage.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2013)

Alan Kelly: Section 31(1) provides for demerits to be endorsed on driver licence records held by the National Transport Authority, NTA, where the alleged offender makes a payment pursuant to a notice for a fixed charge offence issued by the Garda or a fixed payment notice issued by the NTA. Amendment No. 49 relates to the demerits to be applied in respect of offences arising under the small public...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2013)

Alan Kelly: These are technical amendments and provide for the reduction in the number of demerits from five to four, including upon conviction of an offence under sections 23(4) and 27(2), respectively, in line with other specified demerit offences. Those offences relate to the restrictions on the use of the word "taxi" and the failure to provide accurate information to the licensing authority with...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2013)

Alan Kelly: This is a technical amendment on the advice of the advisory council. Section 37 provides for the prohibition on the use of unroadworthy or defective vehicles as SPSVs. This amendment allows for a more precisely worded legal expression of the degree of discretion to be exercised by an authorised person in finding an SPSV to be unroadworthy, defective or non-compliant with the standards...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2013)

Alan Kelly: This is a minor textural amendment and does not change the principle of section 37, which relates to the prohibition on the use of unroadworthy or defective vehicles as SPSVs.