Results 6,521-6,540 of 9,471 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage: Wind Energy Generation (15 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The Derrybrien wind farm was first referred by the European Commission to the Court of Justice of the EU in 2006, case C-215/06, and has been the subject of infringement proceedings, and the subject of a lump sum fine of €5 million and significant daily fines of...

Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage: Wind Energy Generation (15 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The ESB is a commercial State company. It has accepted the decision of An Bord Pleanála and is in the process of preparing for the decommissioning and removal of the wind farm. As previously stated, the Government has explored all avenues and impacts in this regard and is satisfied that there is no legal basis for its continued operation. The Government is committed to pursuing the...

Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage: Bus Services (15 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Deputy Ó Cathasaigh for raising this important topic, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. As the Deputy will be aware, while the majority of public transport in Ireland is provided by the publicly-subvented bus and rail services funded through NTA's public service obligation, PSO, programme, the public transport system also includes...

Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage: Bus Services (15 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I raised this issue regarding the timeline with the Minister to try to get clarity for the Deputy. Licensed bus and coach operators are an integral part of the overall public transport system, especially in areas not covered by existing public service bus and rail services. While it is regrettable that a family-owned bus operator like Suirway, which has been providing services in the east...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Traffic Accidents (15 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: Statistics and analysis of road fatalities in Ireland are in the public domain, and are published by the Road Safety Authority (RSA). The Deputy can consult these reports here - Provisional reviews of fatal road collisions. (rsa.ie) - and here - www.rsa.ie/road-safety/statistics/road-collisions-annual-rep ort.The latter reports include county-by-county statistics. As it takes time for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (15 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The operation of the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA). I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days. I am very aware of the challenges that the RSA and the NCTS are currently facing to meet demand and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (15 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The operation of the national driving test service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA). Information on the driving test waiting times is held by the RSA. I have therefore referred this part of the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days. Due to the suspension...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Airport Policy (15 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: While I have no role in this process, I can advise the deputy that the Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Act 2019 (the Act of 2019) established the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA). The Act provides a wholly independent aircraft noise regulation process in accordance with EU Regulation 598/2014, ensuring that development at Dublin Airport is subject to assessment and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Traffic Offences (20 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The project that enables electronic transfer of driver disqualifications details from the Courts Service to my Department's National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) has now been successfully completed. The Courts Service have started to use the new electronic interface since early September 2022, and this has replaced the manual process. The new solution will enhance road safety by...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Authority (20 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: This is a matter for the Road Safety Authority. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (20 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The operation of the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA). I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days. I am very aware of the challenges that the RSA and the NCTS are currently facing to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (20 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The operation of the Driver Testing Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA). I am therefore passing the Deputy's question to the Road Safety Authority for direct reply. If a reply has not been received within 10 working days, the Deputy should contact my office.

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: Section 32 of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993 provides: The Minister shall, at least once in the period of 3 years beginning on the vesting day [of the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, 1 January 1994] and in each subsequent period of 3 years... appoint a person to carry out an examination of the performance by the company of its functions in so far as they relate to the application and...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: If the period provided in section 66 was five years, then it would require the appointment of a person to undertake the performance of that examination by 7 May 2025. With the amendment I am bringing forward, which stipulates a three-year time period, section 66 would require the appointment of a person to undertake the performance of that examination by 7 May 2023.

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: In September 2020, following an open competition, Mr. Diarmuid Ó Conghaile was appointed aviation regulator and CEO designate of the IAA on a fixed-term contract of seven years. In August of this year, Mr. Ó Conghaile announced his intention to resign his position. He will cease employment with the IAA on 31 October this year. The IAA is in the process of running a recruitment...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: Section 68, which amends section 38 of the Act of 1993, provides that the first chief executive of the new IAA appointed after the commencement of the section shall be appointed for a period not exceeding seven years and each subsequent chief executive shall be appointed by the Minister after consultation with the directors of the IAA for a period not exceeding seven years. The Minister...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: On Senator Craughwell's amendment, the 1993 Act specifies a term of up to seven years for the chief executive of the IAA and this Bill mirrors that. In terms of the complexity around a stand-alone aviation regulator and what is envisaged here, having that window of up to seven years would be important given the importance of the role and the restructuring, which is what this Bill is all...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: As I have stated in previous addresses to the Seanad around the expertise, and as Members know, the IAA has extensive and highly regarded technical expertise as it operates as part of the executive framework, but with an obligation to decide on matters within its own remit, and it works on an independent basis. A different approach may be appropriate where it is necessary to have expertise...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I have already replied to the expertise issue. It is important to get the message out there that it is open to anyone to apply for this position. It is an open competition. They will be running a recruitment campaign for a replacement CEO. There will be two processes, one through the Public Appointments Service and there will also be an executive search company in place to support the...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Sep 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: Yes, the board will appoint the interim CEO designate.