Results 4,841-4,860 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 463, 464 and 466 together. IT Procurement in my Department is conducted in accordance with "Public Procurement Guidelines 2004" issued by the National Public Procurement Policy Unit of the Department of Finance which is available on that Department's website or at www.etenders.gov.ie. The guidelines require procurement processes to be open, objective,...

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: For the 2006 calendar year the estimated average IT procurement contract cost is just under €30,000. The estimated median procurement contract cost is about €13,000. These figures relate to 37 actual or planned procurements, 6 of which are expected to exceed €75,000 in value. The maximum procurement contract awarded in 2006 is expected to be under €125,000.

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: The total Exchequer payment for public service obligations to Iarnród Éireann in 2004 was €171.421 million, of which €1.06 million was in respect of DART interest payments. The total number of passenger journeys on Iarnród Éireann services was 34.6 million, of which 23.3 million were carried on the DART and Suburban lines. The Exchequer payment for each passenger carrying was,...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: In announcing the agreement reached with the US authorities last December in relation to a transitional arrangement for Shannon Airport in the context of the proposed EU/US 'open skies' I indicated that I would prepare, in consultation with my colleagues, the Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, a tourism and economic development plan for...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: The State Airports Act, 2004 provides the framework for the establishment of Shannon and Cork as independent airports. Pending these changes, Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) will continue to own and operate all three State airports. As part of the airport restructuring process the boards of Shannon and Cork airports are charged with preparing to assume full responsibility for the management...

Written Answers — Regional Airports: Regional Airports (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: A total of €100 million will be available for investment in capital projects in all regional airports under the Transport 21 framework between 2006 and 2015. Following my announcement of the Transport 21 plan, I received a development plan proposal from Waterford Regional Airport in December 2005. A key element of that proposal was the extension of the runway and associated works. My...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: Section 25 (1) of the Transport Act 1958 provides that the consent of the Minister for Transport is required where either Bus Éireann or Dublin Bus wish to introduce or alter a passenger road service where such service would compete with a licensed passenger road service provided by a private bus operator. In accordance with section 25 (2), the decision made by the Minister under section 25...

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Road Transport Act, 1932 provides the legislative basis for entry to the public transport market by private bus operators. In accordance with this legislation, private bus operators apply to my Department for Passenger Licences to operate coach and bus services within the State. The application referred to by the Deputy was received in my Department on 30th January 2006 and is queued for...

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 475, 476 and 478 together. Under Transport 21, it is proposed that the Navan Railway Line will be developed in two phases. The first phase will involve the construction of a spur off the Maynooth line at Clonsilla to Pace, beyond Dunboyne, due to be completed in 2009. Subject to further studies it is proposed to implement phase 2 of the project, the extension...

Written Answers — Railway Stations: Railway Stations (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: The location of Stations on the rail network is a matter for Iarnród Éireann. The company informs me that the village of Rathwire has a modest population and Iarnród Éireann is not aware of any plans for major expansion. A new station would therefore be totally reliant on park and ride business and these customers already have alternative options at Kilcock, Enfield and Maynooth. Any new...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: Under section 24 of the Transport Act, 1958, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann are not required to hold a licence under the Road Transport Act, 1932. However, the State bus companies are required by Ministerial direction to make notifications to my Department of proposed new services or changes to existing services, at least four weeks prior to their introduction. In accordance with long standing...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: The national and regional road classification system was set out in Statutory Instrument (S.I.) 209 of 1994: Roads Act, 1993 (Declaration of National Roads) Order, 1994 and S.I. 400 of 1994: Roads Act, 1993 (Declaration of Regional Roads) Order, 1994. This system was established in consultation with local authorities and took account of representations received from a wide range of local...

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: The provision of more regular train services between Enfield and Dublin is an operational matter for Iarnród Eireann. However, the company has informed me that they propose to provide some additional services to Enfield in the new schedules to be introduced in December, 2006 and to further develop the service as more new rolling stock becomes available from 2008.

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (4 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: Transport 21 sets out the Government's transport capital investment priorities for the ten-year period 2006 to 2015. In developing Transport 21, my Department took account of the National Spatial Strategy, Regional Planning Guidelines and a range of other sectoral and regional policy and planning documents, including the Galway Transportation and Planning Study. Transport 21 includes a...

Road Traffic Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: It is unnecessary to insert the Irish translation of the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2006 here, as suggested by Deputy Crowe. The Bill will be translated into the Irish language when enacted and therefore there is no need for the amendment. As regards Deputy Shortall's point, we discussed this at length on Committee Stage. While I am not a legal person, I have obtained legal advice to assure...

Road Traffic Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: Essentially, section 3(1) has only one purpose, namely, to put an end to the dangerous practice of holding a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle. The subsection has been drafted to make it illegal to drive a motor vehicle while holding a phone by hand, or supporting it by the neck, shoulder or any other improvised or contrived methods involving the body. It is fair to say that this...

Road Traffic Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: It has been the tradition in all Road Traffic Acts from 1961 onwards and in other Acts, such as the Criminal Justice Act, to refer to the Garda as "the Garda Síochána" in the English language version of the Acts and "An Garda Síochána" in the Irish language version of the Acts. This is standard practice in all our legislation. That is the difference of definition between the two.

Road Traffic Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: This follows on in a more expansive way from Deputy Crowe's amendment. We discussed this matter on Committee Stage and obviously we want to keep the legislative framework as flexible as possible in terms of regulating in-vehicle communications systems. The Deputy is correct in saying that the ever-increasing use of technology is expanding daily. I note that one will soon be able to watch...

Road Traffic Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: There is evidence based on that issue. I have power to make regulations to prohibit and go further. However, we must strike a balance and I would like to get public buy-in to the approach we are taking in all these areas. The Deputy is right to acknowledge we are generally in agreement that we wanted to start with the obvious one. I would like some more information on it. It feeds into the...

Road Traffic Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Martin Cullen: I move amendment No. 7: In page 4, line 25, to delete "to a mobile" and substitute "to the use of a mobile". I indicated on Committee Stage that I would bring forward this amendment. Section 3(7) sets out the defence provisions for the offence of holding a mobile phone while driving under subsection (1) or the offence of using a mobile phone or an in-vehicle communication device contrary to a...