Results 9,361-9,380 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (22 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 advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Services Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The suspension of the €3 air travel tax from April next year, together with the retention of the 9% VAT rate, is primarily aimed at boosting the Irish tourism industry and local economies.   In relation to transatlantic services, capacity on these routes did increase by over 20% this summer season and a number of new services to the US West coast and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services (22 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The issue raised is a matter for Irish Rail 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: National Roads Authority Funding (22 Oct 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.   Noting the above...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Expenditure (22 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The €1m reduction identified in the Expenditure Report 2014 relates to current expenditure for Public Service Obligation (PSO) air services between Donegal/Dublin and Kerry/Dublin and for operational expenditure supports to regional airports where the costs of providing core airport services cannot be fully met by them.   Payments for the PSO air services will not be...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Funding (22 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The savings of €12.95m on current expenditure across Tourism Services in my Department's Vote in 2014 is in line with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure programme.  However, the bulk of the savings is accounted for by the absence of the additional funding of €7m in 2013 provided for the Gathering Ireland 2013.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Roads Authority Funding (22 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The bulk of the cut of €18 million in current expenditure for public transport relates to the Public Service Obligation subvention payable to the National Transport Authority (NTA). This is in line with commitments made under the Comprehensive Expenditure Review. The total PSO subvention payable to the NTA for 2014 will be €209.7m. (a reduction of €16.8m. from...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Funding (22 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The €46.5m referred to by the Deputy is broken down in the Table.  Savings Amount  Explanation   €41.279m Reduction in current expenditure on regional and local roads €2.6m Based on contractual operational payments due to PPP operators in 2014 €2.6m Based on projected NRA running costs

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Funding (22 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The difficult economic situation is having an impact on public spending across all sectors of society and spending on sport is no different. The cut in the budget for the Irish Sports Council for 2014 currently stands at around €3.1m but I hope to be able to alleviate that somewhat through adjustments in the Vote of my own Department. However I will have to see the details of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Expenditure (22 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: My Department’s gross allocation for 2014 will be €1.58 bn. This represents a 5% reduction on the 2013 allocation.   The €75m reduction set out in the 2014 Expenditure Report is the full year impact of cuts on the current expenditure side of my Department's Vote. This is in line with commitments made under the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (23 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The matter raised is an operational one for Tourism Ireland Limited as the body responsible for promoting the island of Ireland as a visitor destination overseas. I have referred the Deputy's Question to Tourism Ireland 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: Driving Licence Renewals (23 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Before 1989, there was one category of driving licence for driving a car or a car with a trailer.  In the 1989 Regulations this was changed to provide for two separate categories, one for cars alone and one for cars with trailers.  People who previously had a licence for cars could apply for both when renewing their licences.  It would appear that some people did not...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Improvement Schemes (24 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The Sustainable Transport Measures Grants Programme in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), which includes the project in question, comes under the remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA).  This Programme facilitates investment in the various Quality Bus Corridor, cycling/walking, safety and traffic management projects throughout the seven local...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry Regulations (24 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The subject matter of this question, i.e. the possible use of personal electronics during flights within the European Union, is an operational aviation safety issue and, as such, is a matter for the Irish Aviation Authority.  I have referred the question to them for direct reply and I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within 10...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Signage (24 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, including bridges, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993.  Works on such roads or bridges are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants.  The initial selection...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driving Licence Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: EU Directive 126/2006 requires Member States to introduce a Plastic Card Licence with effect from January 2013. Under the provisions of the Directive, the information to be contained on the face of the new form of licence is uniform across Member States. The new licence contains a field that provides 'Date and Place of Birth' of the licence holder.  There is no requirement on...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities (24 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I refer the Deputy to my reply to his Parliamentary Question No. 278 of 4th July 2013 and the subsequent letter to him from the CIÉ Group Secretary of 19th July 2013.  The position regarding ownership of the line remains unchanged.    Both my Department and CIÉ are fully supportive of the development of greenways along disused rail lines and recognise the benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Vehicle Registration Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Notifications relating to the re-registration of vehicles with new owner names are received in the offices of my Department in Shannon in two forms. Paper based notices, principally through completion of the relevant portion of the Vehicle Registration Certificates (VRC), account for 60% of overall transactions while online notifications by motor dealers through  account...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Expenditure (24 Oct 2013)

Leo Varadkar: My Department's gross allocation for 2014 will be €1.58 billion. This represents a 5% reduction on the 2013 allocation. While my capital funding remains similar to 2013 levels, this adjustment includes a €75m reduction on the current expenditure side of my Department's Vote, in line with commitments made under the Comprehensive Expenditure Review....

Topical Issue Debate: Driving Licence Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy O'Donovan for raising this important matter. The new national driver licensing service is a matter of widespread public interest and I am happy to have a chance to discuss it here. We must be clear about what has changed in issuing driver licences in the past year. Before January 2013, driver licences were issued by the motor taxation offices of local authorities, involving...