Results 5,701-5,720 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Light Rail Project. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I agree.

Airport Development Projects. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The Government decision of May 2005 on the aviation action plan envisaged a tender process being held in relation to the operation of the second terminal at Dublin airport. Now that the planning issues relating to the terminal have been settled and construction has started, I anticipate that the design and running of an appropriate tender process will proceed next year. The tender process...

Airport Development Projects. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Drafting of the tender documents is already under way. It is intended that this documentation will be finalised by the first quarter of 2008. The procedure should take approximately 12 months. The first part of 2008 will largely be taken up with the design of the tender process and various other procedures that have to take place, including notifications to the Official Journal of the...

Airport Development Projects. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The Commissioner for Aviation Regulation has not made a decision in respect of charges post-2010. He has indicated that the T2 project will have some impact but it would not be right for me to second guess him. The commissioner's aim is to ensure that the airport can operate in the most economically efficient manner possible. He also has a role and a remit in the context of protecting...

Public Transport. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: My Department approved total funding of €73 million — in September 2006 and April 2007 — towards the purchase of 235 new buses by Bus Éireann. I understand that Bus Éireann is in the process of taking delivery of the new buses on a phased basis. The deployment of buses, including the new vehicles, is a matter for Bus Éireann and I have no function in the matter.

Public Transport. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I understand that of the 235 buses, 166 are replacement vehicles and 69 are new. A total of 117 are expected to be delivered by the end of December. The balance will be delivered early in 2008.

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 54 and 68 together. 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 must be satisfied as to the state of operational and financial readiness of the three airports before any vesting of assets can take place. The timing of airport...

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The amount in the budget for regional airports does not apply to Shannon and Cork Airports, which are State airports. The Shannon Airport Authority has submitted its plan and the Government could do nothing about restructuring until it was submitted. Discussions have taken place between the SAA and the DAA, with progress being made. If agreement is reached, the DAA will make a submission...

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The report to which the Deputy refers was drawn up by groups in the mid-west as part of a consultation process on a document prepared by the Department of Transport on foot of the open skies policy. It was basically a request for €44 million in market support and €9 million in route support for Shannon. I have explained on many occasions that it cannot be done because it against EU...

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: It is illegal and we would not get away with it. The €44 million sought in market support is equivalent to the entire Tourism Ireland budget. We are providing about €2 billion in transport infrastructure in the Shannon region. About €13 million is being provided for broadband roll-out. The DAA has invested about €100 million in Shannon Airport in the past four or five years. The...

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Shannon Airport Authority wants independence and provided we can come up with a plan, it should get it. It must stand on its own two feet subsequently. There will be an open, competitive environment and restrictive practices of any nature will have to end.

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: We have six of those PSOs on different routes, so we are familiar with the concept. However, they are basically from peripheral regions within the country to a more centralised location. From that point of view, it is different because we would have to get approval from another Government if flights were going to another jurisdiction. That is only the part of the process.

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 34 together. I am conscious that enforcing penalties for road traffic offences on foreign registered drivers raises many legal, organisational and procedural issues, which make it very difficult for any one State to enforce such penalties. For that reason, my Department is pursuing this question at European, British-Irish and North-South levels where...

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: In my experience when I was Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government people in Northern Ireland say the same about drivers from the Republic driving in the North.

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: It is not only Northern drivers coming South but Southern drivers going North.

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Northern Ireland has the lead role for transport matters in the British Irish Council, BIC, and the authorities in that jurisdiction are taking the lead in considering this issue. I have been trying to arrange to meet my counterpart in the UK. Deputy Broughan seems to know him, so he might put in a good word for me to meet the UK transport minister in January to try to move on mutual...

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: When somebody is convicted we have a file created on the national driver file and that person's name, conviction and penalty points are entered in it.

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: This proposal is similar to that of the AA. I saw the article by the AA and it was sent to us as a statement for strategy. I have asked my Department staff in Shannon to examine that to see how we can improve the data and information. I would be grateful for any suggestions anybody comes up with on this. When people come in with a licence they do not have to record it here, neither do we...

Written Answers — Transport Regulation: Transport Regulation (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 13, 38 and 76 together. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to examine a National Transport Regulator in the context of the proposed review of the economic regulatory environment. The first step is, as stated in the Programme for Government, to expedite the establishment of a Dublin Transport Authority which will have overall responsibility...

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: My policy objective is to ensure that Ireland is served by as wide a range as possible of safe and reliable air services for the benefit of business and tourism. A bilateral air service agreement between Ireland and the Russian Federation has been in place since March 1993, which facilitates direct services between Moscow and Dublin. I understand that a Russian airline is planning to...