Results 4,821-4,840 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Rail Network. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 71, 78 and 82 together. The Railway Procurement Agency is responsible for this project. Work is under way on the preparation of an environmental impact statement and the documentation required to support an application to An Bord Pleanála for a railway order, the legal permission needed to build and operate metro north. The actual construction timescale...

Rail Network. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I understand that, in common with all of these projects, a number of routes were laid out for consultation and such consultations continue. The RPA has indicated clearly, subject to normal procurement rules and regulations, that it will make funding available for residents to get their own technical advice. There have been difficulties in recent weeks in making contact with a member of the...

Disabled Drivers. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: It is not like the Deputy to be caught short.

Disabled Drivers. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I apologise for the absence of my colleague, the Minister for Finance, but I am pleased to clarify matters relating to the disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concession scheme which dates back to 1968, when relief from road tax was made available under section 43 of the Finance Act 1968 for persons with a disability meeting specific medical criteria. Since then, the scheme has been...

Health Services. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I am unsure whether I can talk to the Deputy about Shannon. Having negotiated the programme for Government with the Green Party and the Progressive Democrats——

Health Services. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I am at something of a loss, since there was so much of everything else. I know Deputy Finian McGrath has an interest in disability services and education for persons with special needs, since he was opposite me when I was Minister for Education and Science and we put the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 on the Statute Book. I acknowledge that and remind the...

Light Rail Project. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Deputy Joe Costello will know I have no authority to direct the RPA. Whatever route is finally chosen will be subject to the normal statutory procedures of An Bord Pleanála. In case anybody is trying to make a political point about this, it is not within the remit of the Minister to direct the RPA to choose a particular route.

Light Rail Project. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I thank both Deputies for raising this matter. They are right that it is an important one which would benefit from everybody taking a step back to allow a bit of space. I appreciate the manner in which it has been raised by both Deputies and the way they have addressed it in the House. As they said, this is one of the flagship projects of Transport 21. It is extremely important for the...

Light Rail Project. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I try to be fair. I will not take sides in this.

Light Rail Project. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: If the three of us and everybody else involved keep the overall objective in mind, we can try to restore faith in the processes.

Light Rail Project. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The RPA has received many, and sometimes irreconcilable, requests which will always be a difficulty in these projects.

Light Rail Project. (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I will send the rest of the reply to the Deputies.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006) the Road Safety Authority has responsibility for the oversight of the operation of the driver licensing system including the preparation of proposals for draft regulatory provisions relating to driver licensing and testing. The Road Safety Authority has made a submission to my Department...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The Transport 21 investment programme aims to provide an integrated transport system, which is fully informed by the key policies set out in the National Spatial Strategy (NSS). Key to the strategy is the concept of balanced regional development. To achieve this, a framework of Gateways, Hubs and other urban and rural areas have been established, which will open up new opportunities in the...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 32 together. Transport 21 provides a very large funding commitment for the delivery of an extensive rail based public transport network in the Greater Dublin Area in the period up to 2015. This network is based on the Dublin Transportation Office strategy "A Platform for Change". Transport 21 includes funding for feasibility studies on those elements...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 44 together. A number of magnetic strip integrated tickets which allow transfer between Bus and Dart, Bus and Luas, and Luas and Dart are currently in place. Within the context of Transport 21, a far wider integrated ticketing scheme is to be in place within the Greater Dublin Area, based on smartcard technology. An Integrated Ticketing Project Board...

Written Answers — Cycle Facilities: Cycle Facilities (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: My Department is engaged at present with a number of other agencies, under the aegis of the Dublin Transportation Office, in a review of the current manual on the provision of cycling facilities titled the "Provision of Cycle Facilities — National Manual for Urban Areas" which was published in the late 1990s. This non-statutory publication sets out comprehensive guidance on the design and...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The State Airports Act, 2004 provides the framework for the establishment of Shannon and Cork as independent airports. Under the Act, both the Minister for Finance and I will have to be satisfied as to the state of operational and financial readiness of the three airports before any vesting of assets can take place. All three Airport Authorities will have to finalise business plans for...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The Roads Bill 2007, which will provide the legislative basis for open road tolling, is currently before the House. I hope that it will be enacted before the Summer recess. The principal purpose of the Bill is to provide the necessary statutory basis to facilitate the implementation of free flow open road tolling (also known as 'barrier-free' tolling) on toll-based national road schemes...

Written Answers — Economic Development: Economic Development (28 Jun 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Earlier this year the EU and the US reached agreement on a multilateral air transport agreement 'Open Skies' which envisages more liberalised air service arrangements on the transatlantic market. The agreement on Open Skies follows several years of negotiations at EU US level and marks an historic step in advancing the development of international regulation of aviation and is expected to...