Results 3,601-3,620 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Black propaganda.

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: As I came over to this debate in Seanad Éireann, I wondered whether I had missed some fact, issue of substance or policy idea that might not have been considered. As colleagues know, I always enjoy the debate in this House, which is always of a very high quality. I was particularly concerned that those who have been to the fore in discussing this issue, either orally or in written form,...

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I am sorry. I thought I had unlimited time and I apologise.

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: It is important to be calm and to put the facts. All I ask Members to do, as Senator McDowell has done, is to debate the issue on the facts. Members may disagree with the policy decision I make. That is their choice, but they should debate it on the facts. I want to put on record the commitment of the Government, as part of its integrated approach to meeting transport needs, to the...

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Will he not need more time?

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (9 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Very good progress is being made in relation to decentralisation of transport functions to Loughrea. I refer the Deputy to my previous answer to Question No. 128 answered on Wednesday, 1 February 2006, where I set out the position in full.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (9 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Under the decentralisation programme, 90 posts in the National Roads Authority are due to transfer to Ballinasloe. Seven public servants and 59 civil servants have applied on the central applications facility to decentralise. The National Roads Authority has not been identified as an early mover by the decentralisation implementation group. Implementation issues, including the identification...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (9 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: A suitable location has been identified in Letterkenny to facilitate driving tests for articulated vehicles. Final arrangements are being made by the OPW which will allow such testing to resume shortly.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (9 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The driver theory testing service has procedures in place for dealing with complaints, including any concerning a refund of fees, which may be addressed to the Customer Service Manager at P.O. Box 144, Drogheda, County Louth. The driver theory testing service is operated as a public private partnership project. Performance standards which the service must meet are set out in the contract to...

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (9 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: While the deployment of its fleet is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann, I am advised by the company that the frequency of service on the Dublin-Sligo railway line was recently improved from three services per day to five, with the introduction of Iarnród Éireann's new timetable in December 2005. In addition, 150 new railcars are on order and some of these will be deployed by the...

Written Answers — Civil Service Travel Scheme: Civil Service Travel Scheme (9 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The travel pass scheme is operated in this Department according to the provisions of Department of Finance circular 50/2001. Although staff are encouraged to apply for a calendar year pass, a closing date is not operated by the Department as the scheme is available to new entrants throughout the year. All employees employed on a permanent/probationary basis are accommodated in the scheme.

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (9 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: As I indicated in my reply to Question No. 137 of 2 February, the extension of the application of the penalty points system, which will be implemented with effect from April next, is focused on those penalty point offences that relate to driver behaviour. The concentration on that group of offences is supported by the fact that driver behaviour is the primary contributory factor in some 86%...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (14 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 451 together. My Department is currently engaged in a comprehensive review of the Rules of the Road booklet. It is the intention that a draft of the new booklet will shortly be published on the Department's website and that comments and submissions will be invited from the public and interested parties. The new booklet will be finalised following...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (14 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: In accordance with EU Directive 96/96/EC, each member state of the European Union is required to have arrangements in place for the compulsory periodic roadworthiness testing of motor vehicles registered by it. In line with the directive's requirements, the testing of passenger cars in this country is confined to Irish-registered cars. Car testing commenced in this country in January 2000 and...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Services: Rural Transport Services (14 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: A study was commissioned in March 2002 on the feasibility of a ferry service linking Achill Island with the Erris peninsula. It was carried out by Tourism and Transport Consult International and the final cost of the study was €46,355. The study found little evidence to support such a ferry service in terms of demand. It found that the project would be non-viable without financial support...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (14 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 426 and 427 together. The National Safety Council, in consultation with my Department, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and the City and County Managers' Association is developing a template for road safety action plans which will be piloted in ten chosen local authority areas. The results of these pilots will inform the...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (14 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: On receipt of notification from either the Garda Síochána or the Courts Service that a person has paid a fixed charge in respect of an alleged penalty point offence, or has been convicted of a penalty point offence, the appropriate points are recorded on the licence record of that person in the national driver file and a notification is issued. When 12 points have been accumulated on the...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (14 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Government's ports policy statement was published in January 2005. It is available on the Department's website. It comprises several key elements, including proposed measures to give clearer and more focused commercial mandates to the ten State-owned commercial port companies. One such measure is the proposed reduction from three to one in the number of local authority directors on the...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (14 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Road Traffic Act 2004 sets out new speed limit structures and new processes for the application of special speed limits following the changeover to metric speed limits on 20 January 2005. Section 9 provides for the application through the making of by-laws by the elected members of county and city councils of special speed limits in lieu of the speed limits that apply on a default basis...

Written Answers — Irish Aviation Authority: Irish Aviation Authority (14 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Irish Aviation Authority has, since its establishment in 1994, been responsible for the safety regulation of, and the issuing of air operator's certificates to, Irish airlines, including Ryanair, in accordance with the requirements of current European and international standards. The authority exercises continuous surveillance on Irish airlines in accordance with those safety...