Results 441-460 of 20,758 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Smarter Travel Project: Smarter Travel Project (14 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: The result of the National Competition for Smarter Travel Areas was announced on 1 February. Limerick city, Dungarvan and Westport will share in funding of €23 million over a five-year period to transform into Smarter Travel areas, promote cycling and walking, increase the use of public transport and reduce car travel. The three successful areas put forward excellent proposals for...

Road Network (15 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: My constituency is in the heart of Ireland and to get anywhere one has to go through it, hence the motorway. I am taking this debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Varadkar, and I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to address this issue in the House. The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local...

Road Network (15 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: As I said, if money had not been spent in my constituency people would not be able to travel around the country. As the Deputy knows, Bantry is a town I know exceptionally well. As a former MEP I visited it quite a bit and I accept the comments of the Deputy on the typography. I know the structure of the lands. I had regular knowledge of the mussel festival and many other events take...

Public Transport (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: The smarter travel areas selected for funding were drawn from a recommended and ranked selection made by an independent panel formed to provide recommendations on the smarter travel areas competition. The panel comprised representatives of my Department, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and an independent expert in sustainable travel. The adjudication...

Public Transport (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy. The information she requested is available from the Department and I would be happy to provide it to her. The competition was delivered with independent assessment and was run in a very fair manner. The assessments were based on what was put forward by each local authority. Given the economic circumstances there was a restricted budget of only €23 million. I am aware...

Public Transport (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: The responsibility to develop, procure, implement, operate and maintain the integrated ticketing system in the greater Dublin area became the function of the National Transport Authority with effect from 30 September 2010, in accordance with section 58 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. I am informed by the NTA that the Leapcard scheme has got off to a strong start and is proving...

Public Transport (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for that enlightening contribution which was humorous at times. Maybe the first thing Deputy Dooley should do is ring his former colleague, Noel Dempsey, to ask how it took this length of time and why it took someone in this Government to bring it to fruition. It is a bit rich for Deputy Dooley to complain that the card was launched by this Government when it had to take...

Public Transport (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: Rubbish.

Public Transport (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: Perhaps it is because Deputy Dooley is a Clare man, but maybe he should use the Leap Card more often. I do not know if he has one. This Government came into office and had to take control of the situation and deliver it for the people of Dublin. That is what we have done and what we will continue to do because Fianna Fáil was incapable of doing so.

Taxi Regulations (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 17, 26 and 56 together. The Government-endorsed taxi regulation review report published last month contains 46 separate actions aimed at improving standards, administration and enforcement within the taxi sector. The broad aim of the report is to increase consumer confidence in the sector and to remove rogue elements therein. We also want to ensure that...

Taxi Regulations (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: I understand it will be before the committee in the next two weeks. It may even be next Wednesday. The Taoiseach has already committed to having a debate in the House following a question. There will be time provided for this. I take on board what the Deputy is saying on many of the issues. I welcome the debates in both fora because they are necessary. I have heard many comments on...

Taxi Regulations (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: The report is publicly available. Many of the taxi representatives have digested it already, judging from the significant volume of representations coming into the Department. I do not know if any other Minister has met with the taxi groups as often as I have. I brought four different people from the taxi industry on to the review group. I have had and will continue to have dialogue with...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (16 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: There is no specific carbon reduction target for the transport sector but the sector has been contributing to reductions in emissions. The most recent EPA figures for greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector are for 2010, and these figures show that they have fallen from a peak of 14.33 million tonnes in 2007 to 11.76 million tonnes in 2010, representing a decrease of nearly 18%. A...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (28 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: All matters relating to the regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry are the responsibility of the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003. The NTA is also the lead agency with responsibility for the implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report. The actions contained in the Review Report are grouped into...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (28 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003. The NTA is also responsible for passenger bus route licensing, which was transferred from my Department to the NTA with effect from 1 December 2010, under Statutory Instrument No. 566 of 2010. I have referred the Deputy's Question to the NTA for direct reply. If...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (28 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: Responsibility to develop, procure, implement, operate and maintain the integrated ticketing scheme in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) became a function of the National Transport Authority (NTA) with effect from 30th September 2010 with the commencement of section 58 of the Dublin Transport Authority (DTA) Act 2008. Furthermore in accordance with section 63(1) of the DTA Act 2008, the...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (29 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry, including issues relating to the use of the English or the Irish language for identification purposes with regard to licensing, is a matter in the first instance for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003. I have arranged for the Deputy's request for clarification to be sent to the NTA. If you do not get a response...

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (29 Feb 2012)

Alan Kelly: The Department is funding an ongoing programme of traffic management and public transport improvements in the four regional cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, and this programme is being administered on the Department's behalf by the National Transport Authority (NTA). In this regard and following consultation with the relevant local authorities, the NTA are finalising their...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Services: Rural Transport Services (6 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: The local area hackney licence is one of a range of actions proposed in the Taxi Regulation Review Report, which was approved by Government and published in January. This proposal aims to facilitate low cost entry to the hackney market for transport provision in rural areas that, otherwise, would be unlikely to have such services. The local area hackney licence was proposed as a medium-term...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Services: Rural Transport Services (7 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: Following a recent Government decision, I announced plans on 28 February 2012 to achieve greater levels of transport integration and co-ordinated delivery across a range of exchequer funded local and rural transport services incorporating the RTP, HSE non-acute transport, school transport and voluntary transport initiatives. A key element of this decision was that the National Transport...