Results 10,821-10,840 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (28 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: No, the ports policy has been approved by Government.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (28 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: On the urban mobility question, I was not there for the debate so I do not know the real details of it. The Deputy makes a very good point on technology. It is absolutely the case that technology is ahead of legislation, but it is very hard to write legislation in anticipation of technologies that might or might not develop. I do not know much about the new driverless car, so I might take...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (28 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I do not believe there is a formal proposal. The EU standard is 4 m height; therefore, there is no proposal to change heights or weights throughout EU member states. Individual states have the right to apply different weights and heights in their own jurisdiction and it is up to member states to agree to it on a bilateral basis. We want to ensure nothing undermines this position. To...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (28 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: What we plan to do in the coming years on road safety is outlined in the strategy which contains approximately 140 actions. They all relate to education, engineering and enforcement. Road safety is largely a domestic competence and I would prefer not to see the European Union getting too involved in domestic road traffic legislation as it affects speed limits. It is up to every country to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (28 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Nothing is imminent. There is mutual recognition of disqualification from driving. Standardising the penalty points system throughout the European Union would be extremely complicated because what is an offence in some countries is not in others. Some countries have many penalty point offences, while others do not. It is a difficult issue. Under agenda item 9(c), there will be an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (28 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: We are still over and back discussing it with them. They have exempted a small number of roads that straddle the Border but are still refusing to exempt the A5, which we want exempted. We have been considering, as a potential alternative solution, joining the UK system, introducing the same system in the Republic and reducing the road tax for heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, to compensate them....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (28 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: No. In the UK, road tax for HGVs is quite low and includes the £10 per journey levy. Most people registered in the UK pay road tax as well as a standard charge, which allows them to use the roads freely. The only people who pay the £10 are those who are not road taxed in the UK. If we joined the UK system, anyone road taxed in the Republic would be able to use the roads in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (28 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know. Probably a year or two. There are knock-on implications, which is always the problem with these measures.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (28 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure what the story is with the standards. I am sure there are, given that there are detailed standards for everything in road building. It may be that the standards changed at a certain time, leading to an inconsistency. I will check it out. The Senator and I may have corresponded on this matter previously. There is technology that allows the lights to know when a car is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driving Test Regulations (29 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I replied to this same Question from the Deputy on 17th April 2014 and the position has not changed. It is not the case that all vehicles used in driving tests must have anti-lock brakes (ABS).  However  vehicles used in tests for categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE must have ABS. The requirements for vehicles to be used in driving tests are set at EU rather than...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driving Test Regulations (29 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I replied to an identical question from the Deputy on 17th April 2014 and the position has not changed. Directive 126 of 2006 is the EU driver licensing directive.  Among other aspects of driver licensing, this Directive sets out minimum requirements to be met by vehicles used in driving tests.  These are described in Annex II, section 5.2 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Tolls (29 May 2014)

Leo Varadkar: As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The implementation of individual national road schemes (such as the Dublin Port Tunnel) which provide for tolling, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2007. Moreover, the statutory power to levy...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Theory Test (4 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The operation of the driver testing service is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority, and I have no role in individual cases. I have received the same correspondence from the individual in question, and am replying directly.  While I cannot comment on individual cases, the legal issues are as follows.  The Licensing of Drivers Regulations define design gross vehicle...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Projects Funding (4 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Further to the parliamentary question referred to by the Deputy, I regret the delay and I understand that a letter on the matter was sent to him by Fáilte Ireland on 28 May.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licence Renewals (4 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Statutory responsibility for the management and operation of the driver licensing service rests with the Road Safety Authority. It is a legal requirement for drivers to carry a valid licence of the appropriate category whenever they drive on public roads. A driving licence may be renewed up to ten years after it has lapsed without the requirement to undergo a driving test. In cases...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (4 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Resolution of the funding difficulties in the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (IASS), where there is a deficit of over €760 million, is a matter for the Trustees, the companies participating in the Scheme, the members and the Pensions Board. The deficit in the scheme has arisen over the years as the companies and the members did not put enough into the scheme to match the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (4 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The resolution of the funding difficulties in the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (IASS) is a matter for the trustees, the companies participating in the scheme, the members of the schemes and the Pensions Authority. However, following consultations among the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, IBEC and ICTU, an Expert Panel was...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (4 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Irish legislation on driver licensing operates within the framework of EU legislation.  The principal EU law on driver licensing is Directive 126 of 2006.  This has been amended a number of times, including by Directive 36 of 2012. Directive 36 allows Member States the option that drivers who have passed a test for vehicles of categories C, CE, D, and DE with an...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (4 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 235 to 237, inclusive, together. The issues raised are matters for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's questions to the NTA for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I have checked with the DAA since we previously debated this issue and very little is involved. There will be new headed paper as paper runs out and a sign must be replaced at the airport, but it is only intended to do this as part of natural maintenance works. It is not anticipated that there will be an added cost.