Results 1,521-1,540 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (24 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 123 and 129 together. An NRA analysis of factors contributing to fatal and injury accidents in 2002 indicates that the behaviour of drivers — 86% — and pedestrians — 9.7% — is the key contributory factor. Road factors were identified as contributing to only 2.5% of fatal and serious injury in accidents. I understand from the NRA that since 1994 it...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (24 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: Statistics relating to road accidents are published by the National Roads Authority in its annual road accident facts reports on the basis of information provided by the Garda. The most recent report, Road Collision Facts, relates to 2003 and is available on the NRA website. Reports relating to previous years are available in the Oireachtas Library. Provisional figures for 2005 — to 21...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (24 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 130 together. I have not given any instruction to the local authorities, Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann or Bus Átha Cliath, requiring the provision of off-street car parking to facilitate motorists who wish to use public transport. However, I am looking at a number of initiatives to try to encourage public transport use, including the provision of...

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (24 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: Management of traffic accessing Dublin Port is a matter for Dublin City Council. In parallel with the opening to traffic of the Dublin Port tunnel, Dublin City Council will introduce a heavy goods vehicle traffic management strategy to ensure that maximum traffic benefits are secured from the Dublin Port tunnel. This strategy has three objectives, first, to ensure the optimal use by HGVs of...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (24 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 132 together. I refer the Deputy to a similar question put to me in this House yesterday to which I replied as follows: The scheduling and timetabling of trains is a day-to-day operational matter for Iarnród Éireann to consider. On the basis of projected demand into the future, Iarnród Éireann has submitted a greater Dublin integrated rail network...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 empower local authorities, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association, to grant a disabled person's parking permit where they are satisfied that the applicant, of any age, is suffering from a disability that prevents him or her from walking or causes undue hardship to the person in walking. It is a matter for...

Written Answers — Air Transport Agreements: Air Transport Agreements (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: My officials maintain contact with the US authorities, regarding issues surrounding the Ireland-US bilateral air transport agreement and the EU-US talks. In that regard, as part of ongoing dialogue with the US on this issue, officials from my Department travelled to Washington to discuss the Ireland-US bilateral agreement on 6 April 2005, to explore what adjustments to the current Ireland-US...

Written Answers — Regional Airports: Regional Airports (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The overall conclusion of the recent report by the Air Transport Users Council into the potential impact on Ireland of an EU-US air transport agreement is that an EU-US agreement will be beneficial to Ireland. It is my view that Shannon remains an attractive destination across the Atlantic, particularly from the east coast of the US. Aer Lingus has said that there is a strong transatlantic...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The number of driving testers employed nationally, including a chief tester and supervisory testers, is 122. A further six retired driver testers are engaged on a consultancy basis. The number of driver testers employed since 23 November 1998 is 56. Driver testers are assigned to headquarter centres within each region. Driver testers are, in turn, assigned from headquarter centres to meet the...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The most recently recruited driver tester was hired on a contract basis on 8 October 2001. This contract tester was hired from a panel set up after the 1998 driver tester Civil Service Commission competition. There is no longer a panel in existence. The Department has also retained the services of former driver testers who were engaged on a short-term basis in recent years.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: My Department is in discussions with the Department of Finance on a number of initiatives to improve the overall driver testing service, including the recruitment of additional testers, aimed at reducing waiting times.

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: I did not travel abroad for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations. I attended the parade in Waterford.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The numbers awaiting driving tests have decreased at the Naas centre and have increased at the other two centres since the beginning of this year. Details are set out in the attached table. I have no proposals to increase the number of driving test centres. My Department's discussions with the Department of Finance about a package of measures to reduce waiting times at all test centres are at...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The commission of any offence established under the Road Traffic Acts may lead to the pursuit of a criminal conviction. The only general exception to that principle occurs where a person, having been accused of the commission of an offence that attracts a fixed charge, chooses to pay such a charge, which in turn means that a prosecution will not be pursued. Where a person is convicted of an...

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 556 and 557 together. It is my policy that Iarnród Éireann should remain in the rail freight business and I am aware that the company has made great strides in restructuring this element of its operations. As part of an overall plan to address its difficult financial position, Iarnród Éireann is undertaking a restructuring of its rail freight business...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The consensus of public authorities concerned with road safety has been that the wearing of reflective jackets is best promoted on a voluntary basis by way of educational and publicity campaigns such as those undertaken and to be continued, by the National Safety Council, rather than through legislation. The safety of all road users is generally a matter of personal responsibility and in that...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, make toll by-laws and enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the National Roads Authority, NRA, under Part V of the Roads Act 1993, as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000. I understand from the NRA that it has no plans to buy out the M1 tolling concession.

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Road Traffic Act 2004 was enacted on 22 December 2004. Section 9 of this Act came into effect on 20 January 2005 and sets out a new process for the making of speed limit by-laws by the elected members of county and city councils following the changeover to metric speed limits. The 2004 Act also provides that the Minister for Transport may issue guidelines relating to the making of special...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: My office has no record of receiving correspondence from the individual in question in connection with a pedestrian bridge at Loughlinstown. The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including improvements on the N11 at Loughlinstown, is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the local authorities concerned — in this case Dún...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (12 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: A decision to provide a bus service or to alter the level or route of a bus service is part of the day-to-day responsibilities of Dublin Bus and my Department has no function in these matters. However, since 10 January 2001, Dublin Bus is required by ministerial direction to notify my Department of proposed new services or proposed changes to existing services at least four weeks prior to...