Results 9,301-9,320 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: TEN-T is not particularly targeted at disadvantaged regions or regions with low levels of infrastructure; it is designed to create trans-European networks. It focuses on the missing links across Europe or on the bottlenecks in trans-European networks. The nature of Irish politics is that people think that a European funding stream can always be applied to a local project. However, this is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: It is open to anyone to take a case before the courts. In recent years different types of compensation arrangements have developed through case law and precedent. There is not a clear regulation that sets out the rules in writing for everyone to see. That is the purpose of this regulation. For example, the annex to the regulation lists the extraordinary circumstances. Rather than...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: No. It will be European law. The airlines have their own arrangements and agreements but these are not legally binding, while this regulation will be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I agree it is a balancing act. The objective always is to ensure that passengers' rights are respected. However, one must be careful not to go too far with any of these regulations because there is a danger that business will suffer. One does not want to put companies out of business. I need to study the regulation more. I have been talking to people who are frequent travellers and they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Tomorrow we will have an orientation debate so it will be the first time to discuss the aviation issue in a formal Council format. I imagine almost every Minister will speak, which will give a good idea of where the matter is going. The Commission will be steered in a certain direction. We have had informal discussions, and, naturally enough, the periphery countries and islands are more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The roadworthiness directive will not be discussed tomorrow. I cannot remember what was agreed on the agricultural issue. Initially there were plans to include motorbikes and so on and we did not go for that. They also wanted to include trailers and we did not go for that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Currently we have discretion with regard to the testing of tractors with a design speed greater than 40 km/h which are solely used for agriculture, horticulture, forestry and fisheries. It is only a proposal but it would leave member states to decide on tractors with a design speed greater than 40 km/h. I imagine those with a speed less than that would not be included.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: That is the current proposal.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Forthcoming Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council: Discussion with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (9 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: That is no problem.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Issues (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The issue raised is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the company 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: Haulage Industry Regulation (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Regulations are already in place relating to the maximum height of vehicles. Statutory Instrument 366 of 2008. Statutory Instrument 366 of 2008 - Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 2008 sets the maximum height limit of vehicles at 4.65 metres. With the introduction of the Regulations in 2008, a five-year derogation from the limit was agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport and Recreational Development (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The matter raised is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland.  I have referred the Deputy's question to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply.  Please contact my private office if a response is not received within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driving Licence Issues (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Prior to 1989, a person holding a licence to drive a car was entitled to tow trailers.  A change to regulations in that year introduced new categories of licence, including the categories B and BE. Category B was for a car alone or with a trailer up to 750 kg design gross vehicle weight, and BE for a car with a trailer of up to 3,500 kg design gross vehicle weight. ...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Private Bus Operator Licences (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA 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: Bus Éireann Services (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA 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: Road Traffic Accidents Data (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 to 224, inclusive, together. The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA 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: Road Safety Issues (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 to 227, inclusive, together. Currently there is no legal basis providing for the approval, certification, fitting and monitoring of speed limiting devices for mandatory use on mechanically propelled vehicles following a conviction for a road traffic offence. I do not have any plans at this time to provide for the use of such devices...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Issues (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Advertising and education regarding road safety for all road users is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA).  My Department provides funding to the RSA in order to allow it fulfil its functions.  It is a matter predominantly for the RSA to decide the allocation of funding across its functions. I am aware that a considerable amount of its total...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy (10 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Action 111 of the Road Safety Strategy 2013 - 2020 provides for the maintenance of the Ministerial Committee on Road Safety to monitor progress on the implementation of the Strategy. The Committee met in April this year, following the publication of the Road Safety Strategy 2013 - 2020 and the next meeting is scheduled to take place in November. The Minister for Justice and...