Results 5,681-5,700 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey
- Driving Tests. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: Deputy Broughan's final point about the waiting list is true and nobody has ever tried to deny it. The waiting lists in various areas are published. That is why we are strengthening the RSA. That is why we took in the contractors. The Department's testers within the system have responded magnificently to the commitments the RSA has put in place to deliver on these, and they have increased...
- Driving Tests. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: Constituents of mine have had tests cancelled. It happens occasionally. A driver tester may not know he or she requires sick leave until the last minute and people must be contacted. There are a variety of circumstances where a test must be cancelled. What Deputy O'Dowd outlined in the case of Raheny has happened in other test centres but it is not a general practice. On the questions...
- Driving Tests. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: We have confirmed that all 122,000 applicants who were on the waiting list at the end of October, when we made the changes, will have been tested by early March 2008, presuming they all turn up. They have been offered a driving test, to be completed by March 2008. All applicants for a test will be able to get a test on demand â that is, within a ten-week period â by the end of June 2008.
- Driving Tests. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: Approximately 10,000 tests will be held each week at that stage.
- Public Transport. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The 2008 Estimates provide for an Exchequer subvention to CIE of â¬313.4 million, including â¬81.8 million for Dublin Bus. This provision represents an increase of nearly 65% on the 2000 provision of â¬190.183 million. This growth in the annual compensation paid to CIE towards the operating costs of its public service obligation services has been complemented by a major increase in...
- Public Transport. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The relevant figure for public transport is â¬58 million. As the Deputy is aware, a ten-year envelope for transport projects, including public transport projects and roads projects, is provided for under Transport 21. The â¬58 million that was not spent has not been lost to Transport 21, as arrangements are in place to ensure it can be spent at a later time. It was not spent this year...
- Public Transport. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: It might have suited the Deputy to repeat the incorrect statement he made earlier. I suppose I will repeat the answer I gave then. There are very good reasons the â¬58 million was not spent. One does not lash money around for the sake of it. It would be wrong to spend this money on 196 buses because they could not be brought into operation this year or next year in the absence of drivers.
- Public Transport. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: On the quality of services, there is a memorandum of understanding between the Department and CIE. The integrated ticketing project is proceeding apace. There would be no point in spending the â¬58 million on that project, given that its total final cost will be â¬49 million. It would be rather silly to spend money on a project that does not need money at this point in time.
- Public Transport. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The money is safe.
- Public Transport. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The envelope that is available under Transport 21 will be used during the window for that project, which lasts until 2015.
- Public Transport. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: It is not lost.
- Road Safety. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012 identifies the need to legislate for and introduce a reduction in the legal blood alcohol level content for drivers, but it does not specify what the level should be. I am awaiting the advice of the Road Safety Authority on the matter. I am aware that the authority has sought the advice of its policy advisory panel and expects that recommendations will be...
- Road Safety. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The only recommendations on this matter I received from the Road Safety Authority were contained in the road safety strategy published at the end of October. The Deputy is referring to a draft document that was for discussion and part of a series of discussions that took place in respect of all the road safety strategies and all the 126 recommendations. I was not and am not privy to what...
- Aviation Regulation. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: EU legislation relating to air navigation services, known as the Single European Sky, SES, legislation, requires that there be functional separation of the activities of air navigation service provision and regulatory oversight of those services. This requirement for functional separation has been implemented by the Irish Aviation Authority. However, in implementing SES legislation, most EU...
- Aviation Regulation. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I, of course, welcome any action taken by the regulator to ensure that airline customers get the kind of service they should receive. If I thought the regulator's office was overstaffed or overpaid, I would do something about it. I have no plans to do that. As I said in the body of the answer I gave, we are looking at whether we should continue with the current situation where safety and...
- Aviation Regulation. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I gave no resources other than resources for ELS. There have been discussions in recent years and the number of staff has gradually increased, as Mr. O'Leary has noticed. It is at about optimum level. Obviously, if more responsibilities were given to it, we would have to review that. If changes were made and some functions were taken away, one might give it other ones. I am satisfied...
- Light Rail Project. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 48 together. My Department has agreed with Limerick local authorities that the terms of reference for the proposed Limerick planning, land use and transportation study will include an examination of the feasibility of introducing light rail transit and-or bus rapid transit. I understand that Limerick local authorities hope to engage consultants by the...
- Light Rail Project. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The Department has agreed with the Limerick local authorities that the terms of reference of the land use and transportation study will include this study on light rail transit and rapid bus transit. Not much progress has been made on priority or quality bus corridors. The council is willing but the public is not responding. Much work remains to be done. I have not examined the detail of...
- Light Rail Project. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I agree with Deputy O'Dowd. There is a focus on these four cities because they are cities and because of commitments in the programme for Government. I encourage as many local authorities as possible, in places such as Drogheda, Dundalk and Navan, to consider these opportunities. The scenario has changed fundamentally. The footprint of Cork city, to which Deputy O'Dowd referred, is...
- Light Rail Project. (6 Dec 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I will raise the matter. I did not mean to ignore the question. I will not discuss the decision but, more generally, policy on rail freight is a matter I will raise.