Results 29,441-29,460 of 33,214 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Policy (2 Dec 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: We are all agreed on the need to prioritise safety on our roads.  This is particularly the case for vulnerable road users, including cyclists.   The figures for cyclist deaths this year, at 11 as against 5 for the whole of last year, are concerning.  There is of course no single measure or factor which alone will deliver safety on our roads.  We are pursuing a range of...

Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: On Tuesday, 9 December.

Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: When I was responding to Deputy McNamara earlier, I made reference to the fact that this Bill would be in the Seanad. I wish to correct that because it was dealt with in the Seanad under my predecessor. I want to make that clear on the record of the Dáil because I would not want to mislead the Deputy unintentionally in any way. I take a considerable amount of legislation through the...

Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to respond to what Deputy Pringle said on the administrative burden. My Department will undertake any administration that is necessary if a port needs to be recognised, or not, as a port of registry. I am sure the Deputy is already familiar with section 30 of the Bill, which lays out that ports may be added to or removed from the list in the Bill, by order, but that this must be...

Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I move amendment No. 2:In page 13, to delete lines 24 to 26 and substitute the following:“(10) A person shall have access to the Register in accordance with regulations made by the Minister and such regulations may include—(a) the nature and extent of such access, (b) different categories of access, and (c) the amount of any fee to be charged for such access.”.

Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I will respond to three points raised by Deputy McNamara, after which I will respond to Deputy Naughten's comments. Deputy McNamara made the point that if there is a degree of regulation in this regard, the net effect is to state this is a register to which the public does not have access. I respectfully take a different view, as the Government is maintaining the access that exists at...

Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a good point that I will check and I will be clear on that point as I move through. However, as I speak to the Deputy now, I am not aware of such difficulty. Given that I am maintaining the access that exists at present and am including the word "shall", if that difficulty is not there at present and if the provisions are being strengthened by the inclusion of the word "shall", at the...

Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, but I wish to do justice to the points the Deputies have put to me because likewise, Deputy Naughten came into the Chamber to support another Deputy on a matter of principle. He could have been doing other things and I wish to respond to his point. This is something I will consider. As for what officials may or may not advise me, I am making this change here because Deputy McNamara...

Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. Deputy McNamara has been present on all Stages of the Bill, including by attending a meeting of a committee of which he is not a member. He has put forward and cogently argued a detailed line of thinking on this matter. He and I have been in correspondence at different points concerning how to address this matter. It is important to emphasise...

Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 217 together.   It should be noted that it has, for some years, been an offence to use a vehicle on public roads without a valid NCT certificate. Currently, this is a 'straight-to-court' offence which attracts 5 penalty points on conviction. The change I will be implementing shortly - by commencing section 10 of the Road...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Ireland Funding (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The position is that the Dursey Island cable car is owned and operated by Cork County Council and I have no function in relation to its operation or the provision of investment funding.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Authority (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Currently there are 311 staff in the Road Safety Authority with a full time equivalency of 300.33.These staff are deployed in administrative, operational and field based driver testing and enforcement roles in the Authority.  The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has to date been funded through a combination of Exchequer and non-Exchequer funding.  Exchequer...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Improvement Schemes (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads such as the R190 is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants.  The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: That said, I understand the need for hotels to set prices in a way that allows them to invest in, say, improving facilities, as pointed out by Senator Craughwell. This investment will not come from the taxpayer but from the owners. I accept the need for them to set prices in such a way as to make that sustainable. The sustainability goes both ways. There has to be pricing that is...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: They must continue to do so. As I have not had the opportunity to address Senator Craughwell before, I congratulate him on his election to the Seanad. I wish him the best of luck in the contribution he will make to it. He is correct with regard to the importance of airports and the contribution they make to how a tourist first views the country. The establishment of Terminal 1 and Terminal...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank all the Senators for their contributions. I will respond to the main point each Senator has made to me to conclude this debate. I thank Senator O'Sullivan for his contribution. I am always reluctant to describe any part of our economy as being a good news story because we do so at the cost of forgetting - not that Senator O'Sullivan did - how difficult things were for quite a while...

Topical Issue Debate: National Car Test (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Let me respond to the various points the Deputy put to me. The first concerned the online indication as to when an appointment can be secured. I have discussed this with the Road Safety Authority and have been told that the indicator shows the average waiting time but that if somebody who needs an NCT to meet his legal requirements telephones his centre directly, he will receive an...

Topical Issue Debate: National Car Test (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this important matter. I will not be able to provide answers to all the questions he posed. I will, however, revert to him on those to which I am not in a position to respond now. I will be able to address some of the broad points he has raised. I agree with the Deputy regarding the importance of NCT certificates and the difference they make in terms of...