Results 5,941-5,960 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy may be aware, Fáilte Ireland earlier this year allocated €2.7 million to Trinity College to develop a new setting for the Book of Kells exhibition within the grounds of the college. The proposal is to improve the overall visitor experience of the attraction including redesigned layout, increased space as well as the interpretation of the exhibition. The exhibition featured...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: Fáilte Ireland was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003 to encourage, promote and support tourism. Its primary functions are the development of quality tourism product, domestic tourism marketing, tourism standards, enterprise support, capability building and human resource development for the tourism industry. Tourism Ireland is accountable to the North...

Written Answers — Clamping Industry: Clamping Industry (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of a range of issues which have been raised by members of the public regarding difficulties they have encountered with elements of the private clamping industry. While current legislation permits local authorities to clamp vehicles in public places, either directly or by contract with a clamping company, there is no legislation specifically covering clamping on private property....

Written Answers — Information and Communications Technology: Information and Communications Technology (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The provision of information to tourists including through facilities such as mobile internet devices is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. I am aware, for example, that this Summer, Fáilte Ireland launched a free Discover Ireland app for Apple and Android mobile operating systems. For further information, I have referred the Deputy's Question to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply....

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. I have no function in relation to the...

Written Answers — Inland Waterways: Inland Waterways (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy may be aware, the Ulster Canal project is being progressed by Waterways Ireland, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan T.D. He is liaising with his Northern Ireland counterpart, the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure on this project. I have had no role in the development of the project to date but I...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: My Department does not directly audit the employment in the transport and tourism sectors but does keep under review the statistics which are available. According to the most recent CSO Quarterly National Household Survey, the numbers employed in the "transportation and storage" sector stood at around 95,000 in Quarter 2 of 2011. An estimate of all jobs in the tourism and hospitality...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The matter raised is an operational matter for the State tourism agencies, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. I have referred the Deputy's question to both agencies for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38, 201 and 202 together. I am in regular contact with stakeholders in the tourism sector which keeps me advised of issues of concern to the industry. Recent statistics show Ireland in the second most favourable position from the top of a league table across the EU measuring the annual percentage change in harmonised CPI for restaurants and hotels to August...

Written Answers — North South Co-operation: North South Co-operation (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: Tourism was identified in the Good Friday Agreement as one of the key areas for North/South cooperation, and consequently it is one of the sectors on which the North/South Ministerial Council meets in Sectoral format. The Council meets in this format in order to make decisions on common policies and approaches in the area of tourism. It also takes decisions on policies and actions to be...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The Road Traffic Act 2004 establishes default speed limits that apply to defined categories of roads and which can only be changed by county and city councils through the making of special speed limit bye-laws. Section 9 of the 2004 Act sets out the range of special speed limits that may be applied by local authorities through bye-laws. In accordance with Actions identified in the Road...

Written Answers — Ferry Services: Ferry Services (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: As I previously advised the Deputy on 13 October 2011, and again on 25 October, neither my Department nor any of its agencies has any function in respect of, or finance for, the provision or subsidisation of ferry services on this or any other route. It is not the practice of my Department to subsidise loss-making ferry services nor are there any funds available to my Department for this...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: NAMA has purchased eligible land and development loans and certain associated loans from participating institutions. Hotels loans have transferred only because they have been advanced to debtors who also have land and development loans. I understand from NAMA that it has acquired loans secured by some 83 hotels located within the State, of which 81 are open for business, with an estimated...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The development of particular accommodation sectors including the Bed and Breakfast Sector is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. I am aware that Fáilte Ireland has done a considerable amount of work to assist the sector in recent times particularly in the development of a voluntary classification and categorisation system, supported by a new brand. The sector will also have...

Written Answers — Road Signage: Road Signage (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The new 2010 Traffic Signs Manual (TSM) published in January this year constitutes a direction given to road authorities under section 95(16) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 in relation to the provision of traffic signs, other than regulatory signs. It provides details of the traffic signs which may be used on roads in Ireland, including their layout and symbols, the circumstances in which each...

Written Answers — Tionscal Turasóireachta: Tionscal Turasóireachta (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: Is ábhar feidhmiúil do Fáilte Ireland é an tábhar seo a ardaiodh. Táim taréis Ceist Pharlaiminte an Teachta a chur faoi bhráid Fáilte Ireland le freagra díreach a chur amach. Muna bfhaigheann tú freagra laistigh de dheich lá oibre bheinn faoi chomaoin agat dá bhféadfá mo oifig phríobháideach a chur ar an eolas faoin scéal más é do thoil é.

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The issues raised are operational matters for Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. I have referred the Deputy's question to the agencies for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: Recent figures from the Central Statistics Office show that trips to Ireland for the first eight months of 2011 were up by 11 % compared to the corresponding period in 2010. There were 4,481,800 overseas visitors to Ireland during the eight-month period. All of our main overseas markets showed an increase in visitor numbers for the eight month period with Mainland Europe up by 13 %,...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The operation of the driving test is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority. I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.

Written Answers — Road Fatalities: Road Fatalities (9 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: Responsibility for compilation and provision of road collision statistics rests with the Road Safety Authority. I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten working days.