Results 8,861-8,880 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Other Questions: Road Safety Strategy (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: This question relates to meetings with the Road Safety Authority. In recent months, I have met with the board of the Road Safety Authority and, separately, with the chairman and chief executive at meetings and conferences, including today. Our discussions centred on road safety in general, the progress being made on measures that have been introduced and the initiatives required further to...

Other Questions: Road Safety Strategy (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The report on penalty points has been published. The RSA has expressed the view that it would like the Garda Ombudsman Commission to examine it. I have already given my views on that and do not wish to repeat them here today. The report is going to the Garda Inspectorate and the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality for its consideration. Those are the appropriate first steps....

Other Questions: Road Safety Strategy (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: To update Deputy Wallace, the current state of play is that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, has asked the Road Safety Authority and my Department to write to him with our views on the report that has been published and also our suggestions as to how the penalty points system can be made more robust. That letter has since issued to the Minister, Deputy Shatter, and we...

Other Questions: Rail Network (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: This question is about plans to develop a rail service to Navan. I will be officially opening the new Hansfield station tomorrow. This is the final element of the first phase of the extension of the rail line to Navan, from Clonsilla to the M3 Parkway. The Government’s policy on capital investment is set out in the document, Infrastructure and Capital Investment...

Other Questions: Rail Network (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: We are going to examine the possibility of extending the line from Pace to Navan in 2015 in the context of drawing up the national development plan for 2016 onwards. At present, it is just not affordable. Every rail line in the country, including the DART, requires a subvention and that subvention is very tight. Even if we were to find the capital required to build a new rail line, we...

Other Questions: Rail Network (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: One could impose a levy scheme on businesses and households along the way, but there would be big downsides to that also. It would have to be a very high levy to fund the project. Much as people in County Meath would like to have the rail line, I doubt that they would be willing to pay levies of that scale to build it. In the case of PPPs, it must be the type of project that will produce...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Policy (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 37 and 56 together. These questions relate to the development of a new tourism policy. Commencing a review of tourism policy is one of my Departmental priorities for 2013.  The purpose of this review is to develop a new tourism policy that will provide the necessary direction and framework to support a competitive and sustainable tourism...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Semi-State Bodies Annual Reports (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 70 together. These questions relate to the current financial position of  the CIE Group. Since 2008 , the financial performance of CIÉ has been severely affected by the economic recession which has resulted in a significant reduction in passenger numbers. CIÉ recorded total losses in the three years 2009 to 2011 of over...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Light Rail Projects Status (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 23, 30 and 71 together. These relate to the Luas Cross City project. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including the proposed Luas Cross City project. Luas Cross City Line is a priority project under the Government's...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: This question is about cruise ship tourism. The cruise ship sector has seen significant growth in recent years and is a sector that has considerable potential to contribute to the growth of the overall tourism sector in Ireland.  In April 2013 the Irish Maritime Development Office published figures for 2012 which show a 14.5% increase in the number of large cruise...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: State Airports (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 34 together. These relate to the merger of Shannon Airport and Shannon Development. As I pointed out in my replies to Dáil Question Nos.  7 and 63 on 15th May last, work on the preparation of the Heads of a Bill to provide for the merger of the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) and a restructured Shannon Development is on-going in my...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Initiatives (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: This question related to the accommodation of cyclists on public transport. The Programme for Government commits my Department to invest in the National Cycling Policy Framework.  Objective 8 of this policy framework is to ensure proper integration between cycling and public transport, with a specific action to provide for the carriage of bicycles on LUAS when services are of a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Services Provision (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 22 and 58 together. These questions relate to Irish aviation policy and Irish airlines. As an island, air transport connectivity is clearly of vital importance to Ireland for both economic and social reasons. There is a healthy competitive market for air services in and out of the country and we benefit from a wide range of air connections, both short...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: As Minister for Transport, Tourism & 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.   Within its capital...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: North-South Ministerial Council (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I attended the fourteenth North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) Tourism meeting in the NSMC Joint Secretariat offices, Armagh yesterday , 26 June 2013. The meeting was also attended by  Arlene Foster MLA, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and John O’Dowd MLA, Minister for Education. At the meeting we received a presentation from Tourism Ireland on...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Provision (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 41 and 47 together. Following the comprehensive review of capital expenditure carried out in 2011 and against the background of difficult funding realities a decision was taken to defer the Metro North project together with a number of other proposed new projects. Given the limited funds available, the decision was taken that the main...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Issues (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: My main priorities for improving road safety are outlined in the Road Safety Strategy 2013 to 2020. The two main objectives of the Strategy are (i) a reduction of road collision fatalities on Irish roads to 25 per million population or less by 2020, thereby reducing deaths from 162 in 2012 to 124 or fewer by 2020 and (ii) a provisional target for the reduction of serious...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Roads Authority Expenditure (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 45 and 62 together. As Minister for Transport, Tourism & 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...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: State Airports (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The issue raised by the Deputy, the regulation of safety standards at airports, is a matter for the Irish Aviation Authority, an Agency under the remit of my Department. I have referred the Deputy's question to them for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: State Airports (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 48 together. These questions relate to future development at Knock Airport, including employment potential. As Deputies will be aware, the Ireland West Airport Knock (IWAK) Study Group was established, under the Chairmanship of Deputy John O'Mahony, following a meeting of the Airport Board with the Taoiseach, myself and Minister of State...