Results 201-220 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Airport Development Projects: Airport Development Projects (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: I have checked the record of the relevant debate in Dáil Éireann and I can confirm that the comments attributed by the Deputy to my predecessor are essentially correct. My reply to the Deputy's earlier Question No. 636 of 27 April 2004 on this matter is not inconsistent with those comments.

Written Answers — Airport Development Projects: Airport Development Projects (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: When Environmental Resources Management, ERM, was preparing its report on public safety zones, it consulted with the local authorities in question a number of times. During those consultations, which took place over a period of about one year, ERM have advised that they used a number of different maps that were shown to the local authorities. ERM have advised that as the study was...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: The Road Traffic Acts provide for the direct application of speed limits to all roads. A broadly based working group that was established last year to review speed limit policies, against the backdrop of the adoption of metric values for such speed limits, have presented a comprehensive report that incorporates recommendations across a range of areas. The report is available on my...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: I have been advised by the Attorney General that the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2002 are open to challenge in the Courts on the grounds that they may be ultra vires. A legislative framework to address the overall regulatory questions arising from the development of in-car technologies, which would include mobile phones, is being...

Written Answers — Driving Instruction: Driving Instruction (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: There is no grant assistance available from my Department for driving instruction. Applicants for a heavy goods vehicle or a bus driving test who are unemployed for a continuous period of 12 months on the date of the application, and who are registered with FÁS, are not required to pay an application fee to undergo the driving test.

Written Answers — Aviation Arrangements: Aviation Arrangements (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: Officials from my Department met US officials in Washington DC on 4 and 5 May 2004 to explore the Ireland-US bilateral aviation arrangements in the context of progress on an EU-US open-skies agreement. My officials emphasised the importance of Shannon Airport for the economy of the west of Ireland, in particular in the context of Ireland's national spatial strategy which aims to...

Written Answers — Airport Development Projects: Airport Development Projects (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: Galway airport is the trading name of Corrib Airport Limited, a subsidiary of Galway Chamber of Commerce and Industry which holds 90% of the issued shares in the airport company. A proposal by the management team at the airport for a management buy-out of the chamber of commerce's shareholding in the company was recently declined by the chamber. It is understood that the matter is now closed....

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: While waiting times in Waterford and Dungarvan have not improved since 1 April 2004, an additional driver tester has been assigned to the Waterford test centre for a period of at least six months. He will commence work in the centre with effect from 8 June 2004. He will also carry out tests in the Dungarvan test centre while on rotation from Waterford. This will provide additional capacity at...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: In accordance with a commitment under An Agreed Programme for Government, the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 was enacted in July 2003 to provide a legislative basis for the establishment of a commission for taxi regulation and an advisory council to the commission for taxi regulation. This legislation followed amending regulations made in 2002 to provide for the phased introduction of a taximeter...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: CIE has provided the information requested by the Deputy which is outlined in the following table.

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (25 May 2004)

Séamus Brennan: The penalty points system, which is provided for in the Road Traffic Act 2002, is now operational in respect of speeding, driving without insurance and seat belt wearing offences. Penalty points are applied to the driving licence records of those convicted of such offences, and to those who pay a fixed charge, in the case of speeding and seat belt wearing offences, to the Garda to prevent the...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (1 Jun 2004)

Séamus Brennan: A driving test will be arranged as soon as possible for the person concerned.

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (1 Jun 2004)

Séamus Brennan: I am informed by CIE and the Rail Procurement Agency that they have held discussions with the National Development Finance Agency, or NDFA, regarding options for financing major capital projects. Such discussions have included the scope for public private partnership arrangements.

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (1 Jun 2004)

Séamus Brennan: It is my policy that Iarnród Éireann should remain in the rail freight business, and I am aware that the company has made great strides in the past year in restructuring that element of its operations. As part of an overall plan to address its difficult financial position, Iarnród Éireann is undertaking a restructuring of its rail freight business. Its strategy is to develop the...

Written Answers — Railway Stations: Railway Stations (1 Jun 2004)

Séamus Brennan: The issues raised by the Deputy are day-to-day operational matters for Iarnród Éireann. However, the company has informed me that the lift in question at Tara Street was in operation on Saturday, 22 May 2004. It is accepted that the lift operates very slowly as it has constantly been subject to abuse and vandalism. Options to improve the performance of the lift are being reviewed. Iarnród...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (1 Jun 2004)

Séamus Brennan: Applicants for heavy goods vehicle tests are given a higher priority than other categories as my Department is aware that such applicants usually require the driving test for employment purposes. Separate statistics on the waiting times for such tests are not compiled.

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (1 Jun 2004)

Séamus Brennan: The Railway Procurement Agency has informed me that it will monitor capacity levels on the Luas lines once passenger services commence and it has assured me that there is some flexibility to increase service frequency should the demand so require.

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (1 Jun 2004)

Séamus Brennan: All buses purchased by Dublin Bus since the year 2000 are low-floor wheelchair accessible vehicles. The implementation of this policy has resulted in 42% of the Dublin Bus fleet now being comprised of wheelchair accessible vehicles. Following discussions with my Department, it is now company policy that all new buses purchased are low-floor accessible vehicles. I understand that under current...

Written Answers — Departmental Audits: Departmental Audits (1 Jun 2004)

Séamus Brennan: As the Deputy is aware the Department of Transport was formed in June 2002. Following is a table listing internal audits carried out in this Department from mid 2002 to date. Summary List of all Internal Audits carried out since January 2001 EU Audits Report Number Title Fund Type of Report Date EUIAR 8 Energy Efficiency Measure ERDF- Economic Infrastructure Operational Programme...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (1 Jun 2004)

Séamus Brennan: Article 38 of the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 provides that where the appropriate traffic sign is provided by a local authority, a vehicle whose unladen weight exceeds the weight specified on the information plate accompanying the sign shall not be parked in the said area. For the purposes of the regulations, a vehicle includes the drawing component of an articulated...