Results 20,121-20,140 of 21,042 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Sectoral Plan (2012 Edition): Motion (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: An issue arises. Wheelchair-accessible vehicle, WAV, licences are available because the cars cost too much. I am trying to create a solution in terms of the cars' specifications, which are too costly. We must reach a happy medium and the cost must be reduced. More than €40,000 for a car is ridiculous. Grants were available for a two-year period to people who wanted to begin...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Sectoral Plan (2012 Edition): Motion (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: This is another significant step towards improving public transport provision for people with disabilities. Transport Access for All, the Department's sectoral plan under the Disability Act 2005, is the outcome of an extensive review process in which people with disabilities played a key role. The 2012 edition of the plan which provides a roadmap for further advancement in public transport...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Sectoral Plan (2012 Edition): Motion (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: I appreciate that.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (18 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry, including issues pertaining to vehicle age limit, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. The NTA is the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011. The NTA carried out a consultation on vehicle standards as...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: These are technical legal amendments on foot of a review by the advisory council. They clarify the additional information, including medical assessments, that can be sought by a licensing authority under section 8(5) for the purposes of the subsection, namely, assessing the physical or mental capacity to hold a licence to drive an SPSV.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: This amendment was originally proposed by Senator Sean D. Barrett and provides for consultation by the National Transport Authority with the National Disability Authority on guidelines concerning the physical or mental capacity of a person to hold a licence to drive an SPSV under section 8(5). Following review of the section, it is the case that the statutory power in respect of the medical...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: This is purely a drafting amendment.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: Following the debate on Committee Stage, the Attorney General's office reviewed section 11 concerning the obligation of applicants or the holders of a licence to drive SPSVs to inform licensing authorities of any additional occupation involving the use of driving licences etc. While the policy principle underpinning the section concerning the regulation of SPSV drivers is to ensure passenger...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: The unions are not endeared to me at the moment so I do not think Senator Quinn's suggestion is accurate. The comparison he made is not relevant to the industry we are discussing. I will not accept amendments Nos. 17 and 22. There is no justification for the proposed inclusions. I am not clear on the intention of the Senator. The regulatory framework provided for in the Bill is clearly...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: Common sense alone ordains that somebody who is behind the wheel of a vehicle and who has to get a passenger to a destination as quickly and cheaply as possible, which satnavs do not necessarily guarantee, would know that satnavs are not foolproof and that they just cannot be used to get around everywhere. I am sure that if the Senator used a satnav regularly, he would know that himself.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: I cannot agree to amendment No. 12. Section 7(4) allows the National Transport Authority to make regulations setting different requirements and conditions in respect of different categories and classes of vehicles, SPSV driver and licences as well as under paragraph (b ) for different circumstances and under paragraph (c ) for different areas of the State. These provisions restate similar...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: As I stated previously I am in favour of technological solutions that can assist in providing a better customer service. However, global positioning systems cannot provide a basis for lessening the standard of area knowledge required under the driver skills testing. This may happen over time as GPS technology improves the standard of reliability and effectiveness. In regard to amendment...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: I am aware of those figures.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: These are drafting amendments to clarify and improve the wording in section 7(2)(a)(b) and (c) which concern the scope of the licensing regulations made by the NTA. Previously, these paragraphs simply referred to licences in respect of SPSV vehicles and drivers in respect of booking or dispatch services. The revised wording refers to the requirement to hold these licences. I am advised...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: These amendments arise on foot of a review by the advisory council. The licensing requirements relating to ownership, possession or rental of a vehicle or rental of equipment associated with the vehicle is considered to be a matter that is appropriate for further elaboration by way of regulations made by the NTA. Amendment No. 8 allows for these matters concerning ownership, possession and...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: Senator Barrett and I have been around the houses in this regard on a good few occasions. He knows that I do not accept his comments. The reason for this restriction has been laid out in numerous previous debates. I have outlined the qualitative measures being taken in the taxi industry on many occasions. They constitute the main thrust of what we are trying to do to improve the industry....

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: The proposed amendments seek to revoke regulations made by the NTA under the Taxi Regulation Act 2003. The regulations concern the issuing of licences for wheelchair accessible vehicles only. The restrictions in the grant of new licences for these vehicles seek to ensure the proportion of such vehicles in the overall fleet is increased. The NTA is looking at further measures to promote the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: Sections 3(2) and 3(3) provide that the National Transport Authority, NTA, will engage in a process of consultation on proposals for regulations made under this Bill and will publish rules and orders made. Section 3(4), which the Senators have proposed to delete, is a necessary safeguard to ensure any future prosecutions arising as a result of a breach of a regulation order will not fall...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: Report Stage (17 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 1 to the Long Title of the Bill is to accommodate the inclusion of a further amendment to the Road Traffic Act 2010 which is outside the scope of Part 3. Amendment No. 71 is required to bring into line with the new licensing provisions of this Bill the definition of "specified person" to ensure that the provision of the intoxicated driving licence offences under Part 3 of the...

Leaders’ Questions (16 Apr 2013)

Alan Kelly: Hear, hear.