Results 941-960 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 187 together. Iarnród Éireann receives significant funding annually from the Exchequer by way of capital grants and subvention towards operating expenditure. Such funding has been increasing annually in recent years and the company has succeeded in improving its overall financial performance. The allocation of subvention to different business areas...

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 124, 138, 146, 170, 175, 194 and 344 together. I have already outlined the current position in regard to the future of Aer Lingus and the Goldman Sachs report in my response to Question No. 111. It will be a matter for the Cabinet sub-committee to decide whether to publish this report. With regard to meetings with Aer Lingus, as part of a series of...

Written Answers — Landing Rights: Landing Rights (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The Central Statistics Office produces quarterly statistics on the number of tourists visiting Ireland. It has confirmed that the Central Statistics Office does not count foreign soldiers landing at Shannon on military refuelling flights as tourist visitors, since the soldiers do not actually leave the airport. Shannon Airport management also keeps statistics on passengers passing through the...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 180 and 373 together. In keeping with the provisions of the State Airports Act 2004, the newly appointed board of the Dublin Airport Authority has a statutory mandate to do everything necessary to give effect to the restructuring of the State airports. The new Shannon and Cork airport authorities have also been incorporated and in line with the framework...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including the Dublin Port tunnel project, is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the local authority concerned — in this case Dublin City Council. The issue of fire safety is a matter for the contractor and Dublin City Council. As the employer of any staff engaged in the course of tunnel...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The further development of the Luas network is the responsibility of the Railway Procurement Agency, RPA. The Railway Procurement Agency, RPA, is developing a proposal for an extension of the Tallaght to Connolly Station Luas line from Connolly Station to a terminal stop in the vicinity of the Point Depot. At present, my Department is awaiting a business plan from the RPA to assist in its...

Written Answers — Public Transport Integration: Public Transport Integration (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: It has been agreed by the Railway Procurement Agency, Bus Átha Cliath and Iarnród Éireann that limited joint ticketing for light rail, bus and DART-commuter rail services will be introduced. The details of pricing and distribution are now under discussion by those parties and will be announced shortly.

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including the Dublin Port tunnel project, is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the local authority concerned — in this case Dublin City Council. Traffic management issues are a matter, in the first instance, for Dublin City Council. I understand from the NRA that construction of the tunnel is...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: At present, Iarnród Éireann, in conjunction with Meath and Fingal county councils, is undertaking a feasibility study, including a cost-benefit analysis, into providing a spur off the Dublin-Sligo railway line at Clonsilla as far as Dunboyne. This study I am informed is to be completed early next year. I understand all of the issues raised by the Deputy will be addressed in the feasibility...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 145, 147, 168, 192 and 193 together. The programme for Government contains a number of commitments for the further development of the rail network and includes a specific commitment to develop a metro for Dublin with a link to Dublin Airport. Arising from that programme, the Railway Procurement Agency has submitted to my Department a detailed business...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I announced on 21 October 2004 that the operational height of the Dublin Port tunnel will not be changed. My decision was based primarily on safety grounds but cost and time delays to the opening of the project were also factors. The options for increasing the height of the tunnel were considered by the National Roads Authority, NMI Consortium, by independent consultants, Atkins, and by...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: Investment in road and rail infrastructure is based on a long-term assessment of the transport infrastructure required to meet forecast economic and social demand for transport in the years ahead. The investment priorities are subject to periodic review taking account of all parameters which might affect future transport demand.

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The national development plan provides for significant private sector investment in the national roads development programme. In line with this policy, a number of major road upgrade projects throughout the country are being implemented by the NRA by means of public private partnerships, with the private sector being remunerated, in part, by user tolls. This will ensure earlier delivery of...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: In the context of an overall review of speed limits carried out against the background of the metrication of such limits generally, county and city managers were asked in January 2003 to examine the position in regard to their areas. The primary focus of the examination was to ensure that the dis-application of default speed limits and the application of special speed limits were supported by...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The penalty points system currently applies in respect of the offences of breaching a speed limit, motor insurance, careless driving and the failure of a driver to wear a seat belt or to ensure that passengers under 17 years of age are appropriately restrained in a mechanically propelled vehicle. The system was first introduced in October 2002 in respect of speed limit offences. In the...

Written Answers — Landing Rights: Landing Rights (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The regulation of military and diplomatic flights through Irish airspace is a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs. The regulation of Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel is a matter for the Department of Defence. As previously indicated to the House in reply to a similar question on 30 June 2004, under the Air Navigation and Transport Acts, there is no requirement for my Department to be...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Integration: Rural Transport Integration (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 352 together. The NDP makes an overall provision of €4.4 million for the rural transport initiative. The funding available has been increased to €3 million per annum. The decision to extend the rural transport initiative to 2006 follows an appraisal of the initiative, carried out by Fitzpatrick Associates, economic consultants on behalf of ADM. The...

Written Answers — Airport Development Projects: Airport Development Projects (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 152 together. Proposals in regard to the development of Dublin Airport, including the planning and provision of runway capacity, are in the first instance a matter for the Dublin Airport Authority which has statutory responsibility to manage, operate and develop the airport and to provide such facilities and services as it considers necessary for...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 116 and 129. I am considering the proposal to establish an independent authority to procure public transport services in the context of my review of work undertaken by my Department to date and my consultations with key stakeholders.

Written Answers — Speed Limits: Speed Limits (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 182 together. As I indicated in reply to Question No. 395 of 5 October last a Metrication Changeover Board is working to the timeframe of 20 January 2005 for the introduction of new metric speed limit structures on the public road network. To facilitate the changeover it is necessary to amend the Road Traffic Acts to provide for the introduction of new...