Results 7,741-7,760 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Public Transport. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Capacity has increased by 30% while passenger numbers are falling. The simple question that must be asked is whether the buses available are being deployed to the best effect. The answer is "No" and this must be addressed to increase the numbers. Deputy O'Dowd's earlier point on congestion certainly is one of the causes of the problem of the service's unreliability. I refer to the scenario...

Departmental Agencies. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 73 and 117 together. I have nothing to add to my earlier answer.

Departmental Agencies. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The report stated that the Department of Transport makes every effort to ensure compliance with the code of governance by the agencies. The Department's responsibility is to ensure they comply with those codes. The report suggests the Department must adopt a strategic approach to the governance of the agencies, particularly in the context of the large number and variety of agencies under...

Departmental Agencies. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: That means the Department should monitor the outcomes, not that it should respond to every complaint that is made by the public to the Department——-

Departmental Agencies. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: ——which is what it is doing.

Departmental Agencies. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I am responsible in this House for policy on the agencies and I am answerable to it. The agencies are responsible and answerable to the House through the committees as well. They are also answerable through the Committee of Public Accounts.

Departmental Agencies. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The types of questions generally turned down in the Ceann Comhairle's office are ones that ask about specific operational matters for which we are clearly not responsible.

Departmental Agencies. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Deputy Morgan is welcome to intervene, even if transport is not one of his briefs. If he was here for all of the other Question Times he would be aware that his two colleagues on the other side have always held me to account very ably.

Departmental Agencies. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: There is no division at all. These bodies are accountable to me.

Departmental Agencies. (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: They actually are accountable to me. They report to me and we have in place, from the middle of this year, even stronger accountability procedures on reporting to me directly. I have no difficulty with them.

Written Answers — Departmental Accommodation: Departmental Accommodation (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: My Department was established in 2002 and since then it has experienced significant functional and staffing change that has contributed to the present situation whereby the Department's staffing complement of approximately 450 Dublin-based staff is dispersed in six locations. This level of dispersal has posed considerable operational difficulties in the delivery of a satisfactory standard...

Written Answers — Customer Service Surveys: Customer Service Surveys (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The results of the Customer Surveys for 2003 and 2005/2006 are accessible under the 'Other Information' link on my Department's website. We are currently updating our Customer Charter and Action Plan, which will apply for the period 2009-2011. A customer service survey will be carried out early in 2009 as part of this exercise and the results will be published. While the 2003 Customer Service...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Bus services in Co Cork are provided largely by Bus Éireann. The company has a fleet of 164 buses in Co Cork. Of these, 116 are wheelchair accessible which represents over 70% of the fleet and, as older buses are replaced, all new urban buses are required to be wheelchair accessible. In fact, all bus services in Cork city are operated with low floor buses. My Department's Sectoral Plan...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I have confidence in the technical ability and competence of my officials in the information and communications technology area to deliver quality service to my Department. However, I agree with the findings of the recently published Organisation Review Programme Report (ORP) that long-term unfilled vacancies together with increased workload consequent, inter alia, on the acquisition of new...

Written Answers — Cycling Strategy: Cycling Strategy (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: It is my intention to publish a national cycling policy as early as possible in 2009 following the publication of the Sustainable Travel and Transport Action Plan. This is in line with the commitments that I made earlier in the year and which never included a target of the second quarter 2008 for publication. The final approved policy will set out the detail of the measures which will range...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I expect to receive shortly the cost and efficiency review of both Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann and I will arrange to have it published on my Department's website in due course. When I have considered the Report I will be in a position to determine if any amendments to legislation are required.

Written Answers — Transport Infrastructure Projects: Transport Infrastructure Projects (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77, 83, 88 and 120 together. At the launch of Transport 21, the Government identified the projects in the national roads, public transport and regional airports sectors that it wishes to see prioritised for development in the ten-year period from 2006 to 2015 and provided indicative completion dates for the major projects contained. Significant progress has...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Meaningful progress towards reducing transport greenhouse gas emissions will only be achieved through undertaking a comprehensive set of measures over an extended period. The present National Climate Change Strategy contains a number of measures to reduce transport emissions, including technology improvements, excise relief for biofuels, traffic measures in the Greater Dublin Area,...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: As part of an overall review of my Department's staffing requirements and following a review of ICT strategy, 8 additional posts were allocated to Information Services Division during 2007. While a number of these vacancies were filled, a number of other staff left the Division due to, for example, promotions, staff rotations and the need to release staff under the Decentralisation programme....

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (17 Dec 2008)

Noel Dempsey: As already stated in my answer to question numbers 28 and 33 on 1 October last and to eight subsequent questions in the House, the Finance Act 2008 provided for the removal of excise duty reliefs in the bus sector with effect from 1 November 2008. Since this is in line with our EU obligations, there is no power to restore the scheme. The position in regard to school transport is a matter for...