Results 1,941-1,960 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Road Safety. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: A number of reports were done. Two were made public under the Freedom of Information Act 1997 to Deputy O'Dowd. The first was carried out by Martin Kelly in May 2007 and is known as the Kelly report. The second is the one to which he referred by Egis Tunnels in mid-2008. That report formed the basis of the RTE "Prime Time" programme. The NRA dealt comprehensively with all the issues...

Road Safety. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: There is an independent safety officer for the tunnel with whom Deputy O'Dowd has been in contact. The Department also arranged for an expert on the tunnel safety directive in the EU Commission to speak to Deputy O'Dowd but I do not know whether that offer was taken up. With regard to the Dublin port tunnel, the Department has been assured by the NRA that it is fully compliant with the EU...

Road Safety. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Tunnel safety is a matter for the NRA, which commissioned the report. I am satisfied that, according to my departmental officials, the recommendations that were necessary were implemented.

Road Safety. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The report dates back to 2008 and I am assured that on foot of it and the NRA's own work, all the recommendations made at the time were implemented.

Road Safety. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Further action was taken, as I outlined earlier. Additional safety measures were introduced, including the upgrading and replacement of equipment, improvements to equipment maintenance procedures, additional monitoring of the tunnel through the establishment of a dedicated, manned CCTV monitoring system in the control room and an additional drive through patrol of the tunnel by the...

Public Transport. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann report regularly on progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of the Deloitte report on the cost and efficiency review of Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann. In line with the recommendations of the report and taking account of the need to reduce its operating deficit, Dublin Bus is redesigning its network based on the most recent pattern of demand and on...

Public Transport. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The point made by the Deputy on bus services is precisely the finding of the Deloitte report. Bus services have not changed substantially over the past 70 years and vast areas have grown up that are not serviced by regular bus services. This is what implementation of the Deloitte report is designed to try to counteract. Changes to timetables are operational matters for the company. I will...

Departmental Bodies. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Since my appointment as Minister for Transport on 15 June 2007, the following are the only matters brought to my attention that indicated any alleged wrongdoing in companies or agencies under the aegis of my Department. An internal Irish Rail report – the Baker Tilly Ryan Glennon report – was carried out on procurement practices in Irish Rail. The position on this report has been...

Harbour Authorities. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: In September 2006, Shannon Foynes Port Company initiated an internal investigation into allegations made against two members of the board. This led to a number of related legal disputes and the investigation was suspended on foot of this. In October 2007, a confidential out of court settlement was reached between the parties. This process was very costly for the company. In December 2006,...

Harbour Authorities. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: As I said in my reply to the Deputy's question, what happened at Shannon Foynes Port Company during the course of this period was the subject of much investigation and the subject of a report by Deloitte. It is obvious that all was not well in the port. Weaknesses in corporate governance were identified by Deloitte. As a result, the chief executive officer resigned and new board members...

Harbour Authorities. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: That is not really the solution to everything and the Comptroller and Auditor General is busy enough as it is. These are commercial State companies. This company in particular had difficulties. They were not operated on a commercial basis previously but this has changed by legislation. As long as such companies are left in a situation where they would be bailed out by taxpayers and where...

Aviation Industry. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The aviation sector has been cyclical in nature and in the past decade or so, has been significantly adversely affected by events such as the September 2001 terrorist attacks, the SARS outbreak in 2003 and the record peak in oil prices in 2008. The current global recession is the latest crisis to hit the sector which historically, has had low profitability and is also known to be...

Aviation Industry. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Any loss of employment is bad for the country and the individuals affected. Anything that can be done to avoid job losses should be done. However, it would be an even worse outcome if we were to end up with one airline operating in and out of Ireland. Competition and connectivity are cornerstones of aviation policy. The former must be supplied by at least two airlines. If one airline...

Aviation Industry. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I did not do the cost benefit analysis; it was done by the airlines. Obviously, they are trying their best to have the €10 airport departure tax removed. If the tax is causing such grief, perhaps they will examine some of their own charges, for instance, the on-line check in charge of €10 for each leg of a journey, the €5 administration fee for credit cards, priority boarding fees of...

Local Authority Funding. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Since 1997, the Exchequer has provided €5.6 billion for regional and local roads. This major investment, coupled with spending from their own resources, has enabled local authorities to make major improvements in the condition and safety of these roads. When Exchequer grants for regional and local roads are allocated each year my Department does not hold back a reserve allocation at...

Local Authority Funding. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: While the overall amount allocated for local and regional roads was reduced last year, I maintained the level of grant aid to local authorities in the specific area of road safety. Despite the more straitened financial circumstances, about which we will hear later, I hope to be able to maintain the amount provided for accident blackspots, etc., in this year's allocation. The allocation is...

Local Authority Funding. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: As I stated, local authorities are told at the beginning of the year, when they receive their allocation, that they should make provision for weather conditions, including the requirement to grit roads when there is frost. The local authorities should have done this. The role of the Minister for Transport is not to finance local authorities but to supplement the grants they use on roads....

Rail Services. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The 2010 provision for the funding of public transport PSO, public service obligation, services provided by the CIE companies will be published shortly as part of the budget. It will then be a matter for the national transport authority to determine, in the context of the direct award public service contracts recently concluded with the companies, the allocation of this funding across the...

Rail Services. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The Deputy frequently conveys various powers on me but I do not draw up the timetable.

Rail Services. (9 Dec 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Every now and again I examine the timetable to see the services available at various times. Iarnród Éireann is trying to make more efficient use of the capacity in place and there have been changes to services in various areas. The change is based on passenger usage and on trying to ensure in the tightened financial circumstances that it runs the trains at the times sought most by...