Results 30,081-30,100 of 33,214 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Semi-State Bodies (16 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company is a commercial State company that operates under the Harbours Acts. It is statutorily independent of government and is not in receipt of any State funding. The payment of expenses to its Directors is a matter for the company. My Department is in regular contact with the Company. As mentioned on 19 December 2013, the Company has taken legal action to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Policy (16 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: A number of submissions/comments have been received concerning the proposals set out in Section 3.1 of the draft National Aviation Policy for Ireland which was published on 21 May 2014.    The draft National Aviation Policy was developed following a public consultation process in 2013.   The consultation process covered all elements of aviation...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Commencement of Legislation (16 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities Provision (16 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The applications submitted by Cavan (with the support of Leitrim) and Sligo local authorities under the National Cycle Network Funding Programme 2014-2016 for the development of sections of the Sligo Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway (SLNCR) were of a high standard, however, the number of applications received in my Department under this programme far outweighed available...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The contributions of the Senators have reflected some of the issues in the Bill. I will pick up on the points Senators O'Neill and Mulcahy made on the objectives of the Bill regarding changes to Shannon Airport and Shannon development. Between 2006 and 2012, Shannon Airport lost two thirds of its passengers. That was the situation when we drafted the Bill. Last year, 1.4 million people...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: This is a pension deficit of €750 million. We are trying to create a legal framework within which resolution can be finally reached. I will not reduce such a serious and complicated problem that will affect so many people to the level of political catcalls across the floor of the Seanad. I am conscious of what the Bill will do, of how long the problem has been going on and the...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Senator Darragh O'Brien for the points made. In the time in which I have been privileged to be in this role, I have spent a huge amount of time going through the legislation and understanding its impact. I am keenly aware, as is the Senator, of the consequences the measure will have on people dependent on the pension fund or who are working at the moment, and I am very much aware of...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Amendment No. 5 is a technical amendment. As originally drafted, the section provided for a fine or a prison term for an individual or a corporate offender who, deliberately or recklessly, dazzled pilots of aircraft with laser lights. The imposition of a prison term can only apply to an individual offender. It is not possible to impose a prison term on a body corporate. The amendment,...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Amendment No. 6 is a technical amendment, which removed an unintended requirement that the consent of the Minister be obtained to establish a car park at an airport.

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Amendment No. 7 added a new section 48 to the Bill, the purpose of which was to restate and update the powers of authorised officers at airports. The powers of authorised officers are set out in several Acts dating from 1973 to 2004. Some of the language in the earlier Acts does not reflect modern usage and the parliamentary draughtsman took the opportunity for this update. The amendment...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank all Senators for their good wishes. I am looking forward greatly to working with all Senators who are interested in the various areas for which I am responsible. I know from my time in this House that Senators are always a source of good advice and proposals on policy areas and legislation. I will always listen to what everyone has to say in respect of anything I am putting forward...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Amendments Nos. 2 and 4 relate to superannuation schemes. Amendment No. 2 refers to section 23 which deals with the superannuation schemes of the Shannon group. This is a technical amendment. When the provisions in section 34 relating to "replacement schemes" were deleted a reference in section 23(8) to a "replacement scheme" was overlooked in error and ought also to have been deleted on...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Contracts (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue raised is a matter for Irish Rail and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.  

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects Expenditure (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The maintenance and construction of public roads is the statutory responsibility of the relevant road authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Under the Roads Act, a person including a semi-State body or private company must have either lawful authority or the consent of the relevant road authority in order to carry out works on a public...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: There are two means by which a person can be disqualified from driving. Firstly, if convicted for certain road traffic offences in Court, the Judge may disqualify a driver and inform him/her accordingly. Secondly, under road traffic legislation provisions, on accumulation of 12 penalty points a driver is automatically disqualified. Notification of disqualification for exceeding the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The Community Tourism Diaspora Initiative is a joint partnership between Fáilte Ireland, Irish Public Bodies (IPB) Insurance and the Local Authorities.  It provides an annual fund of €1m over the next three years to support up to 700 local community based events and festivals with the capacity to deepen diaspora links and networks.   Local Authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I have no plans to amend Section 14(1) of the Taxi Regulation Act.  Action 14 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report, 2011, recommended the prohibition on the transferability of small public service vehicle (SPSV) licences with effect from 1st October 2012. The Report's recommendations were widely publicised to the industry, including through the National Transport Authority (NTA)...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The lifetime of the Government's current capital investment plan runs to 2016 and with the available funding the priority for heavy rail is to protect the operational network and maintain safety standards, rather than the expansion of the network. The bulk of the funding is required for rail safety and renewal. However the Plan did include funding for new rail stations at Kishogue, Hansfield,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Provision (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 730 and 807 together. The direct award contracts for the provision of Public Service Obligation (PSO) bus market services held by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann expire later this year. The awarding of subsequent contracts is the statutory responsibility of the National Transport Authority (NTA).   All Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann routes will...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy (15 Jul 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The Road Traffic Act 2004 established default speed limits that apply to defined categories of roads. These limits may, however, be amended by the elected members of local authorities by means of Special Speed Limit Orders, and Section 9 of the 2004 Act sets out the range of special speed limits available to local authorities for that purpose.   To assist in setting...