Results 2,981-3,000 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: My Department has a long-standing policy of supporting City of Derry Airport, in the interests of North-South co-operation and in recognition that the catchment area served by the airport includes east Donegal. In 1999, my Department provided Derry City Council, the owners of the airport, with capital funding of approximately €1.9 million towards runway improvements, under a co-funding...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: Transport 21 has been developed with a view to supporting implementation of the national spatial strategy, NSS, for 2002-20, the purpose of which is to promote more balanced regional development. In this regard, Transport 21 will deliver significant improvements in transport links both within the north-west and between it and other regions, including: improved connectivity along the western...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including the Dublin Port tunnel, is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the local authorities concerned. Claims submitted by the contractor in this case are a matter for Dublin City Council in the first instance. The making of a claim by a contractor does not inevitably lead to additional payments....

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 443 together. The three State airport authorities continue to work on preparing their business plans, with the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, co-ordinating the process. In this context, there is a range of issues, including the unsustainable cost base at Shannon Airport, the recent airport charges determination for Dublin Airport by the Commission for...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The tables provide the information requested by the Deputy on salary. The salary costs are based on current salary scales. The overall expenses including overtime incurred by the Minister's office over the past year — November 2004 to November 2005 — is approximately €160,000. This includes travel and subsistence costs for staff and all other associated office costs. Office Total...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 433 and 434 together. The Railway Procurement Agency, RPA, is currently preparing a detailed implementation plan for the metro north line. This will include public consultation which will commence in early 2006. The final location of stops will be defined through the public consultation and statutory approval process. RPA's current proposal for metro north...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: As I have indicated in answer to several previous questions about red zones, the responsibility for including such areas in local development plans, and for taking those areas into consideration in planning applications, is, and has always been, a matter for the planning authorities. It is normal practice for the planning authorities to consult the public about changes to development plans....

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The competition in question is being managed by the Public Appointments Service and I refer the Deputy to the PAS for more detail. The Department has been informed by the PAS that it will be holding the stage one tests of its shortlisting process on 16 and 17 December in the RDS in Dublin.

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: Transport 21 provides for the phased development of the western rail corridor from Ennis to Claremorris. The project will be the subject of a procurement process. In view of this process it is not possible to give details of the costings included in Transport 21 in advance of receipt of tenders.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The person concerned was scheduled for a driving test in Tralee at 9.15 a.m. on Tuesday, 15 November. Unfortunately, the driver tester scheduled to conduct the test was absent due to illness on the day. As the test concerned was the first test of the day it was not possible, given the short time span involved, to put alternative measures in place. A new driving test appointment has been...

Written Answers — British-Irish Council: British-Irish Council (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 440 together. Under the structures of the British-Irish Council, Northern Ireland is the lead administration for organisation and co-ordination of issues arising in the transport sector. The work of the transport group is focused on road safety and transport links between BIC members. The BIC transport group has met on five occasions and a ministerial...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 441 and 442 together. Rosslare Port is currently owned by the Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours Company, which is a British registered statutory company, jointly owned by CIE and Stena Line. The legal status of Rosslare Port is governed by various legislation dating back to 1894. The Department has been reviewing this legislation with a view to...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (22 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: As the planning, design and implementation of national road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority, the detailed information being sought by the Deputy is held by the NRA. To facilitate the Deputy, the Department has asked the NRA to forward the requested data directly to him.

Estimates for Public Services 2006: Motion (Resumed). (23 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I wish to share time with my colleague, Deputy Andrews. I welcome the opportunity to speak in the annual Estimates debate. The capital envelope for the Department of Transport is now framed by Transport 21 which will be rolled out in the next few years. The Estimate was agreed before Transport 21 was finalised and capital spending plans in the next few years will become evident when the...

Estimates for Public Services 2006: Motion (Resumed). (23 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: How can the Deputy say that? A sum of €16 billion was invested in public transport. It is time to come up with a better tune as the old one is becoming pathetic.

Written Answers — Transport Initiatives: Transport Initiatives (23 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 171 together. Transport 21 is a fully costed programme. The €34.4 billion is based on the aggregate costs of the constituent projects and these are in turn primarily based on costs provided by the transport agencies. The agencies have confirmed that the costs and underlying assumptions are as rigorous as possible, taking account of the various stages...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (23 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 401 of 25 October 2005. That reply is set out as follows and the position remains unchanged. If it would assist the Deputy, my office would be happy to arrange for the Deputy to discuss these issues with the relevant officials from my Department. Traffic and parking regulations made in 1997 under section 35 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 provide...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (23 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 440 of 8 November 2005. That reply is set out as follows and the position remains unchanged. The Road Traffic Acts provide that a member of the Garda Síochána may require a person in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle to provide a preliminary breath specimen where the vehicle is involved in a road collision, where a garda considers that...

Written Answers — Transport Initiatives: Transport Initiatives (23 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The projects within Transport 21 will be subject to normal statutory procedures where required, capital appraisal in line with the Department of Finance guidelines and the value for money initiatives set out in the Minister for Finance's speech of 20 October last. Some elements of the overall investment programme, including metro north and the rail investment programme for the greater Dublin...

Air Services. (24 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: As I have stated in the House on many previous occasions, it is clear that an EU-US open skies agreement is inevitable and I am delighted with the successful conclusion of the negotiations in Washington last week that bring open skies even closer. I expect that all member states will find the contents of the draft agreement to be acceptable and that the only issue left to be considered before...