Results 1,261-1,280 of 20,758 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 8 provides that the authority can specify in regulations under section 7 the period within which a renewal application must to be made before the licence expires. Amendment No. 10, which relates to section 9, provides that the licensing authority can determine the documentation, information and fees that constitute a complete application. The authority can also refuse to grant...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Senator for his comments. As I said previously, we took on board the advice of the advisory council. We must always do that. When we discussed this issue again, we took on board comments made in this House as well.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 25 provides in subsection 21(1) of the Bill for the exclusion from the prohibition on operating without an SPSV licence under section 21 for a person driving or using a bus and a person driving or using a mechanically propelled vehicle under the proposed new Part 7, namely, a community car service or other non-taxi service specified under that Part. Amendments Nos. 26 to 28 are...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: We have been around the houses on this one a few times. I understand Senator Barrett's thought process and views on this. Obviously, I do not agree with his opinions on it. I will not accept this specific amendment to section 26. I am not sure if this is the right place to even put it. The proposed amendment seeks to impose an obligation on the NTA to ensure that there is no shortage of...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: We have been down the road on this before. The Senator is fully aware that new applicants come under the wheelchair accessible vehicles, WAV, licensing process. Anyone can apply for a licence under that. We have specific issues relating to that area which virtually everyone in this House agrees needs to be addressed. That is the process by which we are doing so.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: As we are on the Final Stages of the Bill, I will not be introducing further amendments but I will show some latitude, even at this late stage, to address Senators' concerns. I, too, have concerns about the cost of entry in respect of wheelchair accessible taxis but I am addressing that issue separately. The legislation makes provision to help me in that regard but the issue of...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendments Nos. 35 and 39 aim to ensure that records are among the items that can be secured for future inspection by an authorised person under subsections (4)(a) and (3)(e). Amendments Nos. 36 and 39 give greater clarity regarding the role and functions of a Garda or authorised person accompanied by a Garda in stopping and inspecting an SPS vehicle or a vehicle purporting to be such....

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 52 is a technical amendment to provide for the inclusion of offences under the proposed subsections (11)(4) and (16)(4) on fixed payment offences under section 46. Subsection 11(4) relates to the contravention of the requirement under section 11 to inform the licensing authority of information relating to another occupation. Subsection 16(4) relates to the contravention of the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendments Nos. 59 to 69 constitute a new Part of the Bill to provide for the application and grant of exemptions from the prohibition on the operation of an SPSV service without a licence under section 21. This will remove any ambiguity concerning the continued operation of services such as community transport service and other non-taxi services in the context of the licensing requirements...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank Senator Barrett for his comments. I will not accept the amendments, but I appreciate his remarks on this matter. This is a commonsensical amendment. We must have the capacity to ensure that these services are regulated properly. This issue should have been addressed many years ago. I wanted to do so. Every Member has a great affinity with many of the services that are being...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: This is purely a drafting amendment to remove a reference to section 12 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, which is not relevant to the considerations of the taxi advisory committee under section 59.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 71 provides for the NTA to grant a public service contract for the provision of public transport services by direct award to transport operators other than State transport companies. This is with a view to the granting of such contracts by way of direct award for the provision of transport services under the rural transport programme. It is necessary and is linked with a...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank Senators for their contributions. Senator Quinn's reference to Russia was interesting. I was involved in a trade mission to Moscow last week, where there are great possibilities for us. Russia has learned from its history. From a capacity and trade viewpoint, Ireland needs to look towards Russia, which is only four hours away. It would be fantastic if direct flights between both...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I have been as honest as I can be on this issue. We can have a broader debate but, as the Senator acknowledged, a timing issue makes the introduction of this measure necessary. We are approaching a pivotal period in respect of the provision of rural transport services. That is, by and large, the motivation for this measure. The broader issue, namely, contracts with Bus Éireann and...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 73 extends the definition of the word "user" under section 2 of the Metrology Act 1996 to include the holder of a small public service vehicle licence to drive or in respect of a vehicle in which a taxi meter is installed or the unlicensed operator of a mechanically propelled vehicle in which a taxi meter system is installed in a public place for the carriage of persons for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (17 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: The Taxi Regulation Bill 2012, as passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas, sets out clearly the offences under the Bill which are fixed payment offences and which are demerit offences. Fixed payment offences are specified under Section 48 in the Bill and demerit offences are prescribed under Section 34 in the Bill. In addition, Section 35 in the Bill contains a table which shows...

Topical Issue Debate: Rail Services (22 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. While the provision of DART services is an operational matter for Irish Rail in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, NTA, I have been in touch with both parties in respect of this issue today. Irish Rail states that a peak times, over the past 18 months it has operated a mix of four, six and eight-carriage DART trains. It monitors...

Topical Issue Debate: Rail Services (22 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I will respond to the Deputy's last question first. The reason for the disruption is that a significant resignalling programme is going ahead this weekend. I accept the Deputy's concerns but because it is required from a safety point of view to carry out testing over three consecutive days, the alternative would be to do carry it out on a bank holiday weekend during the summer. It is...

Topical Issue Debate: Rail Services (22 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Regarding the IR situation, matters are progressing towards a satisfactory solution. There is some movement and I am confident that it is going in the direction. I will take up with the chief executive tomorrow the possibility of advance signalling of the number of carriages on trains in terms of safety concerns. It is a fair point, as is the point regarding ventilation. The real time...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Programme Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for implementing the restructuring of the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) announced by me on 9 July 2013.  The purpose of the restructuring of the RTP is to protect the provision of rural transport services into the future. I am advised by the NTA that during the restructuring of the RTP, their priority is to ensure the...