Results 10,981-11,000 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

State Airports (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: Again, the question the Deputy raises is one specifically for the airport authorities and perhaps for the Department of Finance, as regards the airport taxes that are paid and subsequently not transferred to the appropriate authorities. I did not have any real notice that this was the intent of the question, but I shall raise it with Dublin Airport Authority and attempt to ascertain what...

State Airports (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: There is a policy in that anyone who owes taxes to the State must pay them. Deputy Costello correctly pointed out that there are varying practices in the airlines. One method some airlines use to avoid paying taxes is to say that the administrative charge in respect of refunding money to passengers equals the amount of tax outstanding.

State Airports (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: Yes, I agree. The National Consumer Agency, which is a Government agency, has taken up the matter and is seeking a determination in that regard from the High Court. It is hoped the outcome will be positive and will clarify the situation.

Road Safety (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: Driving under the influence of intoxicants, drugs and alcohol, is one of many key issues in road safety. Testing of drivers in respect of drugs is already provided for in the Road Traffic Acts. Section 49 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended by the Road Traffic Act 2004, provides that where a member of the Garda Síochána is of the opinion that a person in charge of a mechanically...

Road Safety (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I agree that the more information collated and published the better. I assure the Deputy that the medical bureau continues to analyse blood and urine samples received from the Garda Síochána under any of the road traffic Acts not alone for alcohol but for drugs. Much of the data obtained from research and testing is used. Under a roadside drug testing assessment project, the levels of...

Road Safety (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: The question of a timescale does not arise. We must first come up with a device that will prove robust in terms of testing. The Rosita-2 project was carried out. Nine different devices were evaluated across six countries in Europe, including Belgium, Finland, Germany, Norway, Spain and France and five States in the United States through a series of laboratory and field based evaluations,...

Local Authority Services (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: 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 those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources and are supplemented by State road grants. In January 2010, my Department established a review group to carry out a review of the...

Local Authority Services (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I remind the Deputy that no local authority ran out of salt and grit during the more than 20 days of sub-zero temperatures.

Local Authority Services (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: The incident last year, which went on for more than 20 days, caused a problem. Arrangements had to be put in place to move salt and grit from county to county in a number of instances.

Local Authority Services (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: That was done successfully. Up to last year, 61,000 tonnes of salt was available annually. This year, as a result of what happened last year, there is a framework contract in place that provides for 80,000 tonnes of salt to be drawn down

Local Authority Services (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: Additional salt is available under this contract. The priorities are clear and they do not change from year to year. The hierarchy is the motorway system, the national primary system, the national secondary system and local and regional roads of importance.

Local Authority Services (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: There is enough salt to cater for anything that could happen over the next few days. The way this works is that the salt is brought in over time as needed. The contract last year was for 60,000 tonnes, which had been more than adequate every year for decades before that. Stockpiles are maintained but the salt is generally bought as needed over time. There is not a great deal of sense in...

Road Network (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: The local government efficiency review group recommended the introduction of new tolling schemes on national roads, both new and existing, based on an equitable distribution of tolling points across the national network, with a proportion of revenue being used to invest in local and regional roads. The infrastructure investment priorities document for 2010 to 2016 also refers to the...

Road Network (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: All I can do is repeat the answer I gave the Deputy. The suggestion was made by the local government efficiency review group. It was mentioned in the capital programme 2010-16. In light of those recommendations, the NRA was asked to examine the options for a new tolling strategy. The authority has completed a report, which I received at the back end of last week. I will have a look at...

Road Network (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I am more than wiling to listen to suggestions the Deputy has about more effective ways to raise finance and so on. There are two sides to this argument. It can be argued on the one hand that the most effective way to ensure sufficient funds for the maintenance and upkeep of roads is to ask those who use the roads to pay for them rather than asking the taxpayer to do so.

Road Network (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: There is not much evidence to suggest people have significant difficulty in paying for the convenience of top quality roads and diversion rates are quite small for current toll roads. Tolling or congestion charges can also be used in urban areas to enhance the environment and health benefits for people in certain areas. There are pluses and minuses. Tolls can be an expensive way to raise...

Road Network (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: We are not talking about any structure currently because we have not finalised any decisions regarding tolls. There are pros and cons.

Rural Transport Services (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take questions Nos. 48, 57 and 83 together. Some 36 rural community transport groups are being funded under my Department's rural transport programme, which is operational in every county. These groups are working towards maximising coverage in their operational areas having regard to local public transport service needs and the availability of resources. I understand that on...

Rural Transport Services (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I am not satisfied that we are getting the kind of value we might be able to achieve if the system had more integration. That is why we have initiated some of the projects being discussed. There was one in operation for a while with the HSE in Cork as well. We should be able to get better value for money and that is the reason those projects have been put in place. It is also the reason I...

Rural Transport Services (16 Nov 2010)

Noel Dempsey: My aim in this regard is to try to combine services and ensure we get value for money. It is a good area and we could get more with less money even than we are talking about now. As Deputy Coveney noted, it is a complicated area and we are talking about network planning. Bus Éireann have experts in this regard and with the school bus service, for example, a considerable number of...