Results 3,141-3,160 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: This is a technical amendment to change section 23(1)(e) in order to provide that the commission may send urgent notifications to railway undertakings by e-mail. As Members are aware, fax machines are rapidly becoming obsolete and e-mail is now the normal means by which written documents are communicated. This might have arisen when Members discussed the matter.

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: This amendment is consequential to that discussion.

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The purpose of this amendment is to increase the level of CIE's guaranteed borrowing power from €317 million to €600 million. The current borrowing limit was set by the Transport Act 1985 and has been in place for 20 years. This increased borrowing limit will allow the speedier progression of management of projects by providing additional cash flow facilities. While the investment...

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: Such borrowing must be referred to the Minister and the Department.

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: This is a technical amendment to correct an anomaly in section 40 of the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001. The current subsection (1)(b)(iv) provides that submissions in regard to a railway order may be made to a Minister within 14 days of the end of its period of public display. However, subsection 3 provides for a submission period of 30 days. I intend to correct this anomaly by...

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: While this new Part 17 will form part of the Road Traffic Acts, the main reason for the amendment is to address the extremely serious risks to the railways posed by the continual striking of rail bridges by vehicles. Iarnród Éireann and the road authorities throughout the country have become increasingly concerned about the number of bridges struck by high vehicles each year. I share that...

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: That is correct.

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I thank the Deputy for that. I do not disagree with Deputy Shortall. While this is a delegated function, I wish to bring some clarity to the issue. My understanding is that the average height restriction on trucks throughout Europe is approximately 4.2 m, while I believe the tunnel is limited to a height of 4.65 m. I restate that I believe that we must reintroduce a height restriction in Ireland.

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I have allowed for a wide consultation. I agree with the Deputy.

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy has asked a straight question and I am trying to be upfront about this matter.

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I am giving a straight answer.

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Minister of State has a delegated function in this regard. However, I want to bring this issue to a conclusion quickly. I am determined, as Minister for Transport, to so do. I agree there has been ample time for debate. Everyone has had a good and wide-ranging discussion on the issue and it is time for a resolution. The impact of this provision will have a limited effect on a small number...

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: This amendment repeals section 55 of the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001, which extends the drink driving provisions of the Road Traffic Acts to tram drivers. The House will be aware of the extensive provisions in Parts 9 and 10 of this Bill dealing with drug and alcohol testing of safety-critical railway workers. These provisions also apply to tram drivers and it would not be...

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: This amendment transfers to the Railway Safety Commission the functions of the Minister under section 15A(a) of the Roads Act 1993. That section requires the consent of the Minister for the construction of a bridge over a railway. The purpose of this consent function is to ensure railway safety and, as such, it is more appropriately performed by the commission rather than a Minister.

Railway Safety Bill 2001: From the Seanad. (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I thank the Members of both Houses and my officials for facilitating this Bill and I welcome some of the remarks that were made on its passage. Deputy Shortall is absolutely correct that I seem to be characterised as somebody who actually makes decisions. Based on what she said, I should make no decisions. I defy anybody to question the decisions I have made in only 12 months in the...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Services: Rural Transport Services (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 196 together. The provision of transport services for older people in rural areas is a core feature of the rural transport initiative, RTI, which has been operated by my Department on a pilot basis since 2002. All 34 RTI pilot projects throughout the country provide transport services for older people as part of their public transport remit. Indeed,...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The design and specifications for disabled persons' parking bays are prescribed in the Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations 1997 — SI 181 of 1997. The regulations provide that a roadway marking consisting of the symbol of a wheelchair user be provided in a disabled person's parking bay and that the symbol and bay markings are white. There are no requirements set down on the colour of the road...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to my answer to a priority question dealing with Ireland-US aviation relations on 24 November 2005, and to subsequent answers to similar questions. The conclusion that open skies will be good for Irish tourism, aviation, business links and the economy generally is clear, therefore I do not intend to delay those benefits further by commissioning another study on the impact...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: The latest available analysis from the National Roads Authority, NRA, of the factors contributing to fatal and injury accidents, as published in Road Collision Facts — Ireland 2003, indicates that behaviour of drivers, at 86%, and pedestrians, at10%, are the key contributory factors, whereas road factors were identified as contributory factors in only 2.8% of fatal and serious injury...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (30 Nov 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 201 to 208, inclusive, together. The national climate change strategy, NCCS, published by the then Department of the Environment and Local Government in 2000, sets out Ireland's approach to meeting its Kyoto Protocol target, which is to limit growth in national greenhouse gas, GHG, emissions to an average of 13% above 1990 levels in the 2008-12 period. The...