Results 3,721-3,740 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (13 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: An implementation steering group has not been established. However, many of the Study's objectives can be pursued by the Local Authorities from within their own resources. Progress at a national level is dependent on provision of funding through the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: This technical amendment amends the wording used in the definition of "subsidiary" in section 2. It deletes a reference in the definition to a later section that was deleted on Committee Stage.

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: I thank Senators for their comments but I understand this matter was discussed on Committee Stage. On that occasion the Minister, Deputy Dempesy, indicated he was anxious to maintain a coherence between the greater Dublin area — as mentioned in section 3 — the existing regional authority and regional planning boundaries. There is a general acceptance of what the greater Dublin area is....

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: This amendment seeks to change section 10(a). On Committee Stage, the Minister agreed to revert to this matter on Report Stage with a Government amendment implementing Senator Donohoe's suggested rewording of section 10(a) once no legal issues arose over what was suggested. I am happy to report that no such issues arose and this amendment basically gives effect to the change of wording.

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: A discussion took place on Committee Stage, which was prompted by Senator Donohoe's proposed amendment highlighting the importance of cycling and walking in the wider transport context. On that occasion, Senator Donohoe suggested that the Bill, as initiated, may have treated cyclists and walkers as being of secondary concern. That was certainly not the intention. The provisions regarding...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: This amendment proposes some additional text to section 12(5)(f). On Committee Stage the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, agreed to revert with a preferred wording to incorporate the spirit of the amendment tabled by Senator Paschal Donohoe. This was to include a specific mention of transport and travel trends within the greater Dublin area to which the authority shall have regard when...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: Amendment No. 8 is one of a series of three Government amendments which oblige the authority to consider the views of the people and organisations with which it consults when preparing its transport strategy at section 12, its integrated implementation plan at section 13 and its strategic traffic management plan at section 64. The amendments arise from amendments tabled by Senator Paschal...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: As with the previous group of amendments this amendment is one of a series of three Government amendments placing an onus on the authority to seek written submissions while preparing its various plans and strategies. The amendment seeks to provide the intent of amendments which were tabled by Senator Brendan Ryan on Committee Stage and which the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, agreed to...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: As the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, indicated on Committee Stage it is not possible to accept the Senator's amendment. The purpose of this amendment seems to be to allocate responsibility to the Oireachtas for approving the proposed authority's draft transport strategy. I am concerned the amendment transgresses the accepted boundary between the executive function of Government and the...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: On Committee Stage I believe the Minister indicated that he was in favour of providing for the possibility of local authority members becoming members of the authority. He has tabled a number of amendments to section 40 to provide for that. However, the Minister is opposed to making it a mandatory requirement that a local authority member be appointed to the authority. It is believed that...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: This amendment, as proposed, would undermine one of the central tenets of the Bill which is the establishment of a strong, independent, strategic body that will have responsibility for all surface transport in the greater Dublin area. The inclusion of members of existing public transport authorities in the membership of the authority is not being considered. Furthermore, as the authority...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: I hear what the Senator is saying but the amendment attempts to amend the Bill now on the basis of what might happen in the future. It is not necessary at this stage. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has just published the Green Paper on local government reform and it includes a proposal for a directly elected mayor for the Dublin region who may become the...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: As I said, if that happens legislation will be brought forward at that stage. Any change that may seem likely or possible will happen at that stage. It is neither necessary nor sensible to do it now. I understand what the Senator is saying. I am sure the Minister, Deputy Gormley, and the Government generally will be delighted to have the Senator's wholehearted support for what is...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: The Dublin city manager must play a key role in the authority's advisory council. To even up representation of the other local authorities in the greater Dublin area, it is proposed to have two of the other six county managers sitting on the advisory council. The composition of the advisory council as it stands provides adequate and appropriate representation for both local authority...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: I understand the Senator's concerns but cannot accept the amendment. Under section 25, the authority must receive the consent of the Ministers for Transport and Finance before establishing any subsidiary. Such consent would not be given lightly. Both Ministers would have to be satisfied there were real and substantial reasons for establishing a subsidiary. Also, the Department of...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: The Minister for Transport indicated on Committee Stage that disclosure requirements in respect of the authority will be met through the role of the Standards in Public Office Commission which implements the Ethics in Public Office Act and the Standards in Public Office Act. The current procedure involves the Minister for Finance making a regulation to add new bodies to the existing list of...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: Amendment No. 24 tidies up the terms in section 40(1) due to the more substantive amendment No. 25. Amendment No. 25 amends section 40(1)(d) removing the requirement that a member of the authority must relinquish such membership on becoming a member of a local authority. It gives effect to an amendment tabled by Senator Ryan. Amendment No. 26 removes a clause in section 40(5) which...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: The purpose of section 43, based on provisions in section 19 of the Roads Act 1993, is to ensure no one can seek to claim damages from, inter alia, the authority or a subsidiary of the authority in circumstances where the authority or its subsidiary fails to conform or comply with its statutory functions. In other words, we are ensuring that no one can take any action against the authority...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: I regret I cannot accept the amendment. This chapter of the Bill supports the continued provision by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann of the existing subvented bus services in the greater Dublin area. It also provides that any future growth in the market for subvented services will be addressed by way of public service contracts which will be granted following open tendering, which will allow...

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (15 May 2008)

Noel Ahern: While the new EU Regulation 1370/2007 will have full effect from 3 December 2019, following the ten-year period in which it takes effect, member states are being encouraged to take measures to gradually comply with its provision. This chapter of the Bill provides for the first time in Irish transport law a contracting regime to govern the subvention of public bus and rail passenger services...