Results 6,601-6,620 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Tourism Promotion (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I welcome the Deputy's suggestion. The cost of the entire greening initiative overseas was less than €20,000. It was money very well spent by Tourism Ireland. A third of the money for that project came from the Northern Ireland Executive, thankfully. Most of those involved agreed to turn the landmarks green without looking for any money at all. I would actually be a little disappointed...

Tourism Promotion (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: We should definitely have a campaign internationally to have the Irish overseas convince their universities or towns to go green. It would be very nice to achieve this at home also. One should bear in mind many foreign tourists come to Ireland over the St. Patrick's Day period, at which time the tourism season really begins. Tourists would comment if they noticed the entire city of Cork or...

Aircraft Operations (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's question relates to the flight time limitations of air crews. The current EU rules on flight time limitations for commercial air transport operations are in place since July 2008 and were agreed following difficult negotiations in the European Council and Parliament. Under EU regulations, the European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, is now charged with developing detailed...

Aircraft Operations (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: This is largely a regulatory issue. The IAA is the competent authority in this regard but I am keeping abreast of the matter. I agree with Deputy Dooley that this is primarily a matter of safety, and decisions will be based on scientific research. It is not primarily a labour relations issue. There has been much scientific research published but it can be somewhat subjective taken in...

Aircraft Operations (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: It was not discussed at the Council meeting as it was not on the agenda, but there was an informal discussion over lunch among the Ministers. Participants just compared notes and no decision was made.

Aircraft Operations (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: As I stated, under Irish law the IAA is the competent authority regarding the EASA regulations. The IAA represents Ireland on the Commission's EASA committee and EASA's Advisory Group of National Authorities. As such, I have every confidence in the professional and technical expertise of the IAA to carry out its statutory duties in this regard.

Regional Airports (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I have no information on the matters raised by the Deputy. Galway Airport is a privately owned entity. Its future plans, including any possible sale, are matters for the owners and management of the company in which I have no function.

Regional Airports (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The airport is not a publicly owned but privately owned entity. I understand the current owners are looking for a buyer but I have no involvement in that. It is no longer subsidised by the State. The only airport subsidies are regional airports in the west are for Ireland West Airport at Knock which obviously will not be able to go for ever either.

International Sporting Events (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Who paid Deputy Boyd Barrett's fees?

Pension Provisions (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 42 together. The Deputies' questions relate to the Irish airlines superannuation scheme, IASS, and its relationship with the proposed sale of the Government's minority shareholding in Aer Lingus. The pension deficit in the IASS, the multi-employer scheme involving Aer Lingus, the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, and SR Technics, was not a factor in the...

Pension Provisions (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I have not taken a hands-on approach because I do not want to create the impression that the State, Exchequer or taxpayer is in any way liable in this case. The taxpayer and the Exchequer are not liable for deficits in semi-State companies' pension funds, be that company the ESB, CIE or Bord Gáis. In this case the company is not even a semi-State. In this three-employer fund, one employer...

Pension Provisions (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The individuals in question are not State employees or public servants. The contributions they made through their working lives went into this pension fund. Public servants and officeholders make their pension contributions directly to the Exchequer, which subsequently pays their pensions. As the contributions in this case were made to a pension fund rather than the Exchequer, the...

Pension Provisions (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: To clear up any confusion that may have arisen, there is no connection between the State's minority stake in Aer Lingus and the pension deficit. The size of the State's stake in Aer Lingus has no bearing on the situation. The taxpayer is not liable for deficits in private pension funds. That applies equally to CIE, Irish Rail, Cork Port and the other bodies which we are not considering for...

Pension Provisions (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The reason for setting up State companies is because they can operate on a commercial basis. The State is the shareholder but they are not part of the public service and their workers are not State employees. The Exchequer is no more liable for their pension costs than the shareholders in Tesco or any other private company. The pension contributions were not paid to the State. They were...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 15, 19 and 46 together. The Deputies questions relate to the potential offered to the tourism industry in Ireland by tourism from China and other BRIC markets, as well as from the visa waiver scheme. The recent visit of Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping was a wonderful opportunity to showcase Ireland to potential holidaymakers in China. A large media...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 26, 33 and 37 together. The Taxi Regulation Review Report proposes 46 separate actions aimed at improving standards, administration and enforcement of the regulations for the taxi sector. The National Transport Authority (NTA) is the lead agency with responsibility for the implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report. The...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's question relates to the cost benefit analysis ratio of LUAS BXD, Metro North and DART Underground. Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) on 1st December 2009, the provision of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), such as LUAS BXD, Metro North and Dart Underground, now comes under the remit of the NTA. A comprehensive review of...

Written Answers — Haulage Industry: Haulage Industry (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 20, 56 and 66 together. The Deputies' questions relate to cabotage regulations generally and in particular the concerns of the haulage industry in relation to the enforcement of such regulations by the United Kingdom authorities. Provisions in relation to road haulage cabotage are set out in EU Regulations 1072 of 2009, which came into effect on 14 May...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (28 Mar 2012)

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 implementation of individual national road schemes, including Public Private Partnership projects, is a matter for the National Roads Authority in accordance with the Roads Acts 1993-2007. In particular, the statutory power to levy tolls on...

Written Answers — State Assets: State Assets (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 272 together. The Deputy's questions relate to the future of the Government's shareholding in Aer Lingus. In terms of State asset disposals, two Working Groups were established by the Government in 2011, one to consider the best approach in progressing the proposed part-sale of ESB and the other to undertake a similar analysis of a number of other...