Results 10,881-10,900 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Toll Operators (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together. As the Deputy will be aware, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have overall responsibility for  policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The implementation of individual national road schemes which provide for tolling, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Airport Development Projects (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has statutory responsibility to manage, operate and develop both Dublin and Cork Airports. This include the airport charges applied and the services that are operated from those airports. Policy in relation to the future of Cork Airport was decided by Government in November, 2012. This was at the time of the decision to separate Shannon Airport...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Vehicle and Driver File (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Incidents of the nature mentioned in the question are criminal offences and, accordingly, are appropriate to the Garda Síochána for investigation and prosecution if this is warranted. The Garda has full access to the NVDF in the course of their duties. There are provisions under Section 60 of the Finance Act 1993, as amended, and associated regulations (most...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Proposed Legislation (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's Private Members' Bill proposes an amendment to the Immigration Acts, which fall under the remit of the Department of Justice and Equality. However, the Bill does have implications for my department in terms of transport and tourism. Given that the Bill was only been published on the 5th of July, I have not yet had the opportunity to consider those implications fully.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Wild Atlantic Way Project (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I have no direct role in relation to individual tourism projects including setting the route of the Wild Atlantic Way.  This is a matter for the board and management of Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly I have referred the question to the agency for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Staff Data (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Given the Government wide moratorium on filling staff vacancies, there are currently no vacancies in my Department at Principal Officer grade or above. I have asked the State Agencies under the aegis of my Department to provide the Deputy with the information requested. If you do not receive a reply from the agencies within 10 working days please advise my private office.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Resolution of the funding difficulties in the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (IASS), where there is a deficit of over €760m, is a matter for the Trustees, the companies participating in the Scheme, the members and the Pensions Authority. 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 (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014 which is currently before the Oireachtas includes proposals for amendments to existing statutory provisions governing superannuation schemes in the State airport authorities including amendments to facilitate changes, by the trustees, to the Irish Airlines (General Employees) Superannuation Scheme.   This Bill is currently at Report...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Amendment No. 2 is a Government amendment. It follows on from the discussion that we had previously in this House. It requires of the Minister, if making a direction to Shannon Airport, that such direction must be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas save where there are security concerns. It is an amendment that seeks to facilitate the points made by Senators Barrett and Darragh...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: This section is not about the merits and demerits of separating Cork Airport. At a time in the future, when Cork Airport is stronger, when its operating costs match its income and when a solution has been found to the terminal debt, it may well be possible to separate Cork Airport. While this may make sense at that time, it must also make sense in terms of the Dublin Airport Authority's...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Members discussed this issue at some length previously. The purpose of the text in question is to rename the Dublin Airport Authority as "DAA", because it is not just Dublin, it does not simply pertain to airports and is not an authority. Consequently, the name is inappropriate and I wish to change the name to "DAA" instead of the Dublin Airport Authority. The reason DAA was chosen rather...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: These simply are consequential amendments relating to the preceding sections and given that Members have not made the previous amendments, there would be no purpose in going ahead with this amendment.

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: In regard to Senator Power's question, the aforementioned meeting between the deferred pensioners and the export panel was their second time to meet. It certainly was not a cosmetic meeting arranged for the day before publication of the report. The report is not going to be published tomorrow. I do not know when it will be published. It may be next week. As I was not briefed by the...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Neither the Senator nor I attended the meeting and what one person can relay from a meeting is not necessarily what happened. I would prefer to hear from the expert panel and read its report.

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: It's report will not be gospel. It will have to be discussed by the various parties involved, including the companies. I find it hard to understand how the expert panel could come up with a solution that does not refer to the pensioners and the deferred pensioners but I would like to know all the facts first. I will await the next report of the panel.

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I certainly support the intent behind the amendment. We need to have better aviation statistics which should be collected and published regularly. I am not convinced that the way it is done now needs to be put in legislation. In the context of aviation policy, I would like to take some time to decide what sort of data should be collected and whether the CSO, the CAR or the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy (17 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020 include a commitment to "Review policy on licensing of road transport operators to assess if own account operators should be included." The Secretary General of my Department is responsible for the delivery of this commitment and this review is due to be completed by quarter 3 of this year.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Haulage Industry Regulation (17 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Regulation (EC) 1071/2009, Article 8, section 6 provides that Member States may require persons who possess a certificate of professional competence (CPC), but who have not managed a road haulage undertaking or a road passenger transport undertaking in the last five years, to undertake retraining in order to update their knowledge regarding the current developments in legislation....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (17 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 751, 753 and 754 together. The Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) regime is operated by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).  Regulation of driving instruction comes under section 18 of the Road Traffic Act 1968.  It has become clear in recent years that the terms of this section are no longer adequate for present day needs, and I therefore...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licence Data (17 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested is set out in the table below. CPC Centre - Jan 2014 No. of Candidates No. of Passing Candidates Galway 10 5 Enniscorthy 6 6 Athlone 2 2 Maynooth 15 14 Cork 17 13 Birr 18 14 Green Isle Dublin 34 25 Sheldon Park Dublin 47 32 Limerick 23 16 Letterkenny 13 8 Curragh Armed Forces 8 8