Results 1,421-1,440 of 20,758 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (13 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: Rickshaws do not come within the small public service vehicle (SPSV) regulatory regime. The SPSV regulatory regime applies to mechanically propelled vehicles only.  The use of rickshaws on public roads must comply with general road traffic legislation and any bye-laws made by local authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (13 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 679 and 680 together. The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including issues pertaining to the licensing of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs), is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act, 2013. I have referred this aspect of your...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and affording me, on behalf of the Minister, an opportunity to respond. In the context of the implementation of hospital groups the range of services currently available in Waterford Regional Hospital, including coronary care, will be retained and enhanced. The hospital's cardiology department provides the...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: I assure the Deputy that Waterford Regional Hospital intends to develop a fourth consultant post as part of its operational plan for 2015. The business case for extending opening hours is being prepared for the hospital, with a view to meeting the commitment to provide a 24-7 service. I look forward to that development.

Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products Availability (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am aware of the challenges people with asthma face in managing their condition and fully acknowledge the need for the provision of appropriate services for all asthma patients. The treatment of asthma is one of the ten chronic diseases identified by the Health Service Executive as priorities for...

Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products Availability (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: I will convey that to the Minister for Health. Elective treatment is better than an asthma attack sufferer presenting at an emergency department. It is really just a process to ensure that Cork University Hospital can facilitate such a treatment. I hope it can be looked upon positively once the conditionality is established. The fact Novartis is willing to reimburse for ineffective...

Topical Issue Debate: Taxi Regulations (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the SPSV industry, including the operation of the area knowledge test and SPSV skills development programme, is a matter for the NTA under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. My role relates to the overall policy for the sector. There have been many changes to the SPSV policy framework in recent years through the implementation of the recommendations of the...

Topical Issue Debate: Taxi Regulations (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: First, the NTA does not write my speeches. Second, the issue in regard to the failure rate is not only one for rural counties. Third, one need not drop anyone at any border because Ireland operates as a full taxi-meter country. The issue in that regard is the area where a taxi or hackney driver can ply for hire. From an administration point of view, for the enforcement, especially by the...

Topical Issue Debate: Haulage Industry Regulation (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: As the Deputy may be aware, the current rules on road user charges for heavy goods vehicles are set out in the 1999 Eurovignette directive on charging HGVs for the use of infrastructure. The directive sets out an EU framework for the levying of road charges on HGVs. It authorises member states, if they so wish, to levy user charges. Time-based charges can be imposed per day, week or year,...

Topical Issue Debate: Haulage Industry Regulation (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy, my fellow Tipperary man, for the eloquent speech on many different topics. We all accept we are in a difficult situation from a geographical perspective, given what the UK Government has planned and is doing. We acknowledge the need for a common road charging regime to be established, where only one charge is applied but persons paying can use roads in a number of...

Topical Issue Debate: Haulage Industry Regulation (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Deputy should remember this when he makes his contributions.

Topical Issue Debate: Haulage Industry Regulation (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: While he may have acknowledged he was wrong to do so, in many cases he supported them.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences Renewals (14 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 222 together. Action 14 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report, 2011, recommended the prohibition on the transferability of small public service vehicle (SPSV) licences with effect from 1st October 2012. The Report's recommendations were widely published to the industry, including through the National Transport Authority's and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: North South Ministerial Council (15 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: There was a short discussion on the margins of the recent North South Ministerial Council about the potential funding opportunities for border region greenways and cycleways under Interreg V and the forthcoming EU Structural Funds Programme.    This discussion was fruitful and my officials have since met with officials from the Department of Regional Development...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (15 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: I have always been supportive of the interests of full-time taxi drivers who are legally compliant and committed to providing a high quality service to customers. I have met extensively with them in the course of leading the Taxi Regulation Review and in the subsequent enactment of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. That Act, which was recently commenced, is the most significant piece of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities Provision (15 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: The permissive access model is a worthy mechanism for certain cycling and walking projects, particularly on a local level.  It is a low cost community based model that provides access to the natural environment without interfering with the property rights of the landowners concerned.  In many cases, it is the landowners who become champions of the project,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (15 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: In line with the Taxi Regulation Review Report, 2011, the Taxi Regulation Act, 2013, provides for a proportionate system for mandatory disqualification from holding a licence upon having a serious criminal conviction. Section 30 of the Act, commenced with effect from the 6th April 2014, will ensure those with convictions on indictment for the most serious of violent crimes will be...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (15 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including the Luas Cross City project.   Dublin City Council (DCC), in consultation with the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, is responsible for the making of bye-laws regarding the location and number of taxi ranks...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Programme (15 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: The new Rural Transport Programme (RTP) structure involves the establishment of 18 Transport Co-ordination Units (TCUs) in place of the existing 35 RTP Groups currently delivering the service. The appraisal of the applications, submitted in response to the Call for Applications from existing RTP Groups, for the selection of the TCUs which was managed by the NTA, has concluded and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Integrated Ticketing (15 May 2014)

Alan Kelly: The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility, inter alia, for the regulation of public transport fares and for the provision of integrated ticketing and information systems. Noting this, I have referred the Deputy's question to the Authority for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.