Results 8,641-8,660 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Members had a good discussion on this issue on Committee Stage and I will reiterate what I said at that time. Section 28 of the Harbours Act 1996 contains a detailed list of requirements regarding the information a port company must return to the Minister of the end of each accounting year. It includes a statement of all significant developments that occurred during the year, including any...

Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: It looks like I am for it now.

Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I am so deeply upset by the remarks of Deputy Sheehan that I will stay in order and address the points that Deputy Broughan made to me on marine pilots.

Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Deputy Broughan made several points that we rehearsed very carefully on Committee Stage and I do not want to rehash them. The Deputy was very specific in the queries he raised on the age specified and whether we can change it from 60 to 65. As I explained on Committee Stage and reiterated here, it was the intent of my colleague, the former Minister of State Deputy Noel Ahern, to try to amend...

Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Yes. It is an issue that needs to be resolved. Now the problems have been identified, we should be able to identify solutions. I will do that and ensure that the provision is in the Bill. The situation is more complicated than people thought because of existing contracts. With regard to the other matters, in section 13 there is already a well established system for harbour and pilotage...

Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Yes, just the Harbours Act 1996.

Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I thank the Deputies for their passionate pleas on this issue. As Deputy Sheehan said, I indicated on Committee Stage that I would give very careful thought to this matter before Report Stage. I take issue with the Deputy in saying that I made any commitment other than to consider his passionate and carefully worded statement on Committee Stage. I do not wish to reignite the debate, but...

Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: What I am trying to do here is to provide an added option when the future of Bantry Bay, Tralee and Fenit is considered. All this Bill will allow us to do when enacted is allow that a Minister may establish a private company in respect of the harbour, may transfer control to a relevant local authority or, subject to a statutory consultation period, transfer control to a port company control....

Drug Treatment and Prevention (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and for affording us this opportunity to clarify the position. I will begin by setting out the national context with regard to this issue before dealing with the specific situation in Cork. At a national level, the HSE...

Rural Transport Scheme. (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter, although he strayed somewhat from the subject of the Adjournment matter on the rural transport programme. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to the rural transport that underpins the rural transport programme launched in February 2007. The principal function of the rural transport programme is to address social exclusion in rural...

Flood Relief. (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I also take the opportunity to express my sympathy to all those who have been affected by the recent flooding in County Mayo, outlined by Deputy Flynn. In September 2004, the Government confirmed the Office of Public Works as the State's lead agency in flooding, to be tasked with delivering an integrated, multifaceted programme aimed at mitigating...

Disability Services. (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this matter. My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has asked me to reply to the Deputy on his behalf. I wish to outline the comprehensive policy and strategy that is in place in this area. The National Disability Authority, NDA, received a formal request from the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Michael...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The amount spent on mobile phones assigned to me by the Department (including roaming charges) since I was appointed Minister in June 2007 is set out in the following table. Year Total 2007 €1,686.13 (includes roaming charges of €568.33) 2008 €3,607.36 (includes roaming charges of €1,501.85) 2009(Jan – June) €1,417.78 (includes roaming charges of €171.67)

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: There are no accumulated costs in relation to court cases taken by my Department in the past five years.

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Measures to strengthen provisions were put in place in amendments to the Road Traffic Acts from 2004 to 2007. Offences include submitting a false declaration in the application for a permit, and forgery, alteration or other illegal use or lending of a permit. Gardaí and local authority traffic wardens have powers to inspect permits and to detain any permit that is invalid or is being used...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006) this is a matter for the Road Safety Authority.

Written Answers — Airport Development Projects: Airport Development Projects (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Preclearance is scheduled to become operational at Dublin Airport after the completion and opening of Terminal 2 in November 2010.

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The initiation or alteration of a bus service by Bus Éireann is subject to compliance with a requirement to give advance notice to my Department and to compliance with the provisions of Section 25 of the Transport Act 1958 concerning competition with licensed private operators. Where proposed services by the Company are deemed to be in competition with services that are the subject of a...

Written Answers — Disability Act: Disability Act (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The review of my Department's Sectorial Plan under the Disability Act 2005, Transport Access for All, was published on 1st May 2009 and is available on my Department's website www.transport.ie.

Written Answers — Departmental Property: Departmental Property (7 Jul 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The Office of Public Works is responsible for the procurement of office accommodation required by my Department and accordingly that Office deals with any rental or leasing issues arising in those properties.