Results 10,081-10,100 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry Regulation (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Under EU legislation, it is open to any member state to introduce road user charges if it wishes. Road charging is an important option for the funding of roads infrastructure, particularly in the context of ensuring that out-of-state hauliers contribute to the costs of a country’s road infrastructure. The new UK road user levy introduces a charge on all HGVs weighing 12 tonnes...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry Regulation (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: A number of issues should be borne in mind. At the end of last year, 307,849 goods vehicles were registered for tax in Ireland but only 9,500 of these were heavier than 12 tonnes. This charge will only apply to approximately 3% of Irish registered goods vehicles, therefore, although that is still a significant number. Britain has decided to introduce a relatively old-fashioned and time...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry Regulation (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: We have more or less agreed that two roads straddling the Border will be exempt. I would also like to exempt the A5 for exactly the reasons identified by Deputy Dooley, namely, because through traffic from the northern part of County Donegal travels through Northern Ireland along that road. I will be raising that issue with my UK counterpart in London on Thursday. I have not discussed the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pension Provisions (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: A resolution of the funding difficulties in the Irish airlines superannuation scheme, IASS, where there is currently a substantial and unsustainable deficit of over €700 million, is a matter for the trustees, the companies participating in the scheme, the members and the pensions board. As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have continually encouraged all parties to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pension Provisions (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy says, the State is the sole shareholder in DAA and Shannon, as well as being a minority shareholder in Aer Lingus. There is a further employee SRT which no longer exists, as the Deputy will be aware. I would not like the Deputy to think, however, that I am disengaged from this; I certainly am not. I have had meetings with the companies at the highest level and meetings with...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pension Provisions (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is correct. There have been problems with the pension fund for a very long time, for longer than I have been in office, and I am determined to ensure the issue is resolved under my watch. I want to make sure people receive their pensions and that we do not face disruption at the airports. I must also protect the taxpayer as any contribution from the companies into the pension...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Air Accident Investigations (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for the question. As the third anniversary of the tragic accident at Cork Airport has just passed, I extend my deepest sympathy to the relatives of the six passengers and air crew who lost their lives and the six passengers who were injured. The investigation into this accident was conducted by the air accident investigation unit of my Department and I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Air Accident Investigations (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: It is important to reiterate that no recommendations were made to Irish authorities or bodies at all, and I would not like to see people bringing Irish industrial relations issues into what was a really tragic incident for which Irish authorities had no responsibility. The purpose of this and any associated investigation is not to apportion blame or liability. A safety recommendation in no...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Air Accident Investigations (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: That depends on circumstances and there are variations from case to case. In this case it was not the IAA but rather the Spanish authorities that were responsible. The Irish Aviation Authority is responsible for regulating Aer Lingus and Ryanair. There are some exceptions, however, because IASA and the ICAO have a role also. The entire sector is governed by international conventions and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Ports Policy (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, Dublin Port Company is responsible for the State’s largest port and handles over 40% of the total tonnage in any given year at Irish ports. The company’s importance is recognised in the national ports policy, which designates the company as a tier 1 port of national significance and includes the continued commercial development of the company as a key...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Ports Policy (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: It is worth pointing out that Dublin Port is now a very lean operation; it has only approximately 100 staff. Effectively, the port is now a landlord and estate management company. The terminals are operated by three different private companies, all of which are competing with one another. I am satisfied with the level of internal competition in the port. I do not recognise any major need...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Ports Policy (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I am not aware of that committee nor am I a member of it, but I will be happy to reply by correspondence.

Other Questions: Road Projects Expenditure (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 99 together. The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from local authorities' own resources, supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of...

Other Questions: Road Projects Expenditure (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: While no definite decision has yet been made on this, next year I would like to make a block grant to each local authority and leave it up to them to decide how they want to allocate it. If we are serious about local government, this is what we should be doing. As I pointed out earlier, this is only one source of funds that local authorities can use to improve roads. They can also use...

Other Questions: Airport Security (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Shannon Airport Authority, SAA, has statutory responsibility to operate, manage and develop Shannon Airport. I have no involvement in matters affecting its commercial operations. Primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State, rests with An Garda Síochána. When requested to so do, in what is referred to as aid to...

Other Questions: Airport Security (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I am unsure whether Deputy Clare Daly thinks security at Shannon Airport is too loose, too lax or too strict.

Other Questions: Airport Security (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: She appears to be contradicting herself.

Other Questions: Airport Security (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: To give her an idea of the number of aid to the civil power duties, the numbers in 2012, 2011 and 2010 were 381, 327 and 293, respectively. The number of occasions on which the Defence Forces have been called on to aid the civil power has increased in recent years, at a cost of €250,000 per year to the taxpayer. However, the number of munitions of war civilian flights landing at...

Other Questions: Airport Security (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The power to search aircraft lies with the Garda, so that is a matter that either Deputy can take up with the Minister for Justice and Equality. They engage with him regularly in Dáil debates so perhaps they can add that to the list of complaints they want to raise with him.

Other Questions: Airport Security (18 Feb 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I am disturbed by Deputy Clare Daly's mention of a "sacrifice". It seems she actually thinks it is to be encouraged for somebody to go out on a runway, sacrifice his or her life and maybe even cause the deaths of other people to make some political protest. I find it very disturbing that she would see it as some sort of blood sacrifice that an elderly lady should offer up her life and...