Results 1,021-1,040 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (16 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: Statistics relating to road accidents, based on information provided by the Garda Síochána, are published by the National Roads Authority in their annual road accident facts reports. The most recent report is in respect of 2002 and that report, along with reports relating to previous years, are available in the Oireachtas library. The road accident facts reports contain details of the...

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: It will be available on the website.

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I lose face many times along the way.

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "commends the Government's commitment and proactive approach in the delivery of the upgraded national roads network; —notes the Government's commitment to the protection of our national heritage and the preservation of archaeological sites and features; —notes the ongoing liaison between the...

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: There is a heritage policy. Archaeology has changed dramatically because it is now planning led. That is not a bad thing, as Deputy Quinn said, because we would not discover these artefacts without the massive investment in infrastructure. That is why they are coming to light. There are archaeologists who would prefer not to see these sites touched, for them to be built over and left in situ...

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The problem for politicians is squaring the circle between the conflicting points of view because someone must decide. Ironically, I am in the House when the Opposition environment spokespeople have tabled a motion that is largely concerned with archaeology, an area which I dealt with for the last two years. Perhaps the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government should be...

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: We have a very good archaeology policy, the best in Europe. Since the start of the NDP in 2000, 46 projects, comprising 327 kilometres of road, have been completed and there are 20 projects of 196 kilometres currently under construction. There are nine projects of 147 kilometres at tender stage and a further 12 projects of 167 kilometres are either through the statutory process or before An...

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I take the total context into account. I am not for a second trying to suggest that the Hill of Tara is not important in a total context. However, I am trying to point out that great care was taken. Some of the points that people accept as facts are not true in terms of the extensiveness of the archaeological effort. Trenches have been dug every 20 kilometres on a 59 km site. On behalf of...

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I am delighted that so many young people are now choosing archaeology as a profession and going to universities and colleges. It is wonderful, but let us understand why this is happening and appreciate that it is the taxpayer who pays for the phenomenal amounts being spent on these routes and to a much greater extent than in many other countries throughout Europe. I do not suggest we lower...

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: ——a balance must be drawn between doing full and excellent mitigation of sites from an archaeological viewpoint and balancing all that with the needs of ordinary men and women who spend four hours a day sitting in their cars trying to go to and from work. That is not a quality of life we want for our people, so we must balance all these issues. A balanced view in the context of the M3 is...

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: There was no obligation previous to that for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to consult with the director of the National Museum of Ireland. It was I who introduced that section.

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: Just for the record——

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: In regard to the section I amended when I brought it before the House, there was no obligation and there was nothing in legislation providing that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government should consult with the director of the National Museum of Ireland. I introduced that as a new policy and a new direction in legislation, which is a belt and braces approach. At least...

Roads Infrastructure: Motion. (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The current position is that Meath County Council has applied to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for directions as to the carrying out of archaeological works associated with the M3 approved road project. The archaeologists employed by Meath County Council on this project operate to the highest professional standards. The use of test trenching is part of the...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The current average waiting time for a driving test at the Monaghan test centre is 33 weeks. By the end of this year driving tests equivalent to 55 weeks' work will have been carried out at the test centre during 2004. At least one driver tester is assigned to carry out tests at the centre for each of the remaining weeks of this year. My Department will seek to arrange an early test for...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: Regulations governing the issue of driving licences by licensing authorities have for many years provided that an application to renew a lapsed driving licence may be submitted without a certificate of competency to drive if a person makes such application within a period of ten years from the date of expiry of the previous driving licence. After ten years has elapsed, a person must first...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: Under the Road Traffic Act 1961 and the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 to 2004, it is a matter for the appropriate licensing authority, in this case Sligo County Council, to determine the eligibility of a person for a driving licence, and to issue licences.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The applicant has been placed on a cancellation list for a driving test at the Kilkenny driving test centre and a test appointment will be arranged as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The national development plan, NDP, provides for a substantial investment in national roads over the period 2000 to 2006. A significant priority within the national roads programme is to upgrade the five main inter-urban routes, linking Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Galway and the Dundalk Border with Dublin, to motorway-high quality dual carriageway standard, involving a substantial public...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (23 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together. Proposals being developed by my Department for the regulation and quality assurance of driving instruction will involve a test of the competence of individual instructors. A working group comprising representatives of my Department and of instruction interests has formulated the design of the standards that a driving instructor must meet....