Results 2,001-2,020 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 153 together. The regulation of the taxi industry, including measures to improve taxi services for people with disabilities, is, in accordance with the Taxi Regulation Act 2003, a matter for the Commission on Taxi Regulation. I understand from the Commission that the total number of wheelchair accessible cabs has increased from 840 in 2000 to 1,600 at...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Dublin Port Company currently has a board with seven directors and one vacancy. There is no Ministerially appointed chairman at present. However, in the absence of such a chairman, the Articles of Association provide for the board to select a chairman from among the directors. The board continues to follow all the usual corporate governance procedures. I hope to be in a position to fill the...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The individual referred to in the correspondence submitted by the Deputy wrote directly to me and I received the correspondence on the 20th November. I will respond to the correspondence in the normal manner and I will copy my reply to the Deputy for his information.

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Section 13 allows the authority to apply conditions to the grant of licences. Subsection (4) has been amended following consideration of issues raised both in this House and in the Dáil. The subsection now provides that the authority shall require the details of a licence to be displayed in the vehicle providing the service, save where the authority deems it not to be appropriate....

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The legislation is now worded such that the default position is that the licence must be displayed. That is the normal position and how it should always be. It is only in exceptional cases that the licence will not be displayed. The argument for displaying timetables is not as strong because we are referring to different kinds of services. It is not necessary to display them for once-off...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: This group relates to section 23 of the Bill, which provides that the authority shall prepare and publish guidelines on the licensing regime established under Part 2. The section establishes requirements for broad public consultation on the draft guidelines and the submission of written representations to the authority for consideration prior to finalisation and formal publication. Amendment...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: There is absolutely nothing in the Bill that prevents any other committee or any other member of a committee from making a formal submission. The provision as it stands, which is appropriate, gives the power of consideration specifically to the Joint Committee on Transport. It is the committee that will be focusing on transport issues. I take the Deputy's point on the Joint Committee on...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: This has arisen because we are moving from a Dublin transport authority that was to have nine members to a national transport authority. While I may not necessarily appoint 11 members to the latter authority, 11 would be a more appropriate number for a national transport authority. The amendment, which is to section 14(2)(d), requires that the chairperson and eight ordinary members, as...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Amendment No. 7 is a technical amendment to substitute the term "public bus services" for "public bus passenger services" in sections 48, 52 and 54 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. This is a technical amendment in the interest of consistency between the 2008 Act and the provisions of the Bill. This was pointed out to us during the course of consultation on the Act.

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Amendments Nos. 4 and 5 provide that the authority must consider the opinion of the committee and set out a definition of that opinion. It is not just a matter that the committee's opinion is sought and ignored. It has to be considered fully and decided on. Bill reported with amendments.

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I thank the House for its co-operation. This Bill started in the House. It is an historic Bill because it replaces a 77 year old Act that dates to 1932. There has been much talk over the years about changing and reforming that Bill. I thank in particular the Members of Seanad Éireann and the staff for the co-operation I received in initiating the Bill and ensuring we got a good debate and...

Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: It is covered under the Charities Act.

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Section 10 outlines general provisions for the consideration of the applications for the grant of bus licences. Amendment No. 1 relates to section 10(2), which was discussed at an earlier sitting of this House. Some suggestions were made which we took on board. Section 10(2) allows the authority to consider submissions for or on behalf of a licence applicant to invite submissions of...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The Senator is correct in that the word "or" does not appear in the amendment, but it is still in the main body of the Bill.

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: There is no specific timeline for receiving the views of any local authority. That will be left to the discretion of the authority itself. It may seek the views of a local authority in whatever timescale it deems necessary.

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The Deputy proposed his amendment and set out my response to it. He is correct that we have discussed this on several occasions. The existing provision is adequate in that the condition can only be applied in respect of certain categories of licence until such time as all buses in the market are accessible. We would not create a level playing field by including the proposed amendment. The...

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: We held a long discussion on the amendments proposed by Deputy Broughan on Committee Stage but my view has not changed. It is unrealistic to expect that applicants for licences to provide public bus services on a commercial basis would be required to enter bonds or give guarantees in respect of the operation of those services if there is no cost or risk to the State. I reiterate my response...

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The amendment provides for the potential to establish a levy on applications for licences. As stated, section 12 gives the authority to determine the fees to be charged for bus licence applications under the Bill. The fees are not refundable and will be used to defray the expenses of the authority. They will also apply to everyone who applies for a licence. Section 12(4) proposes that the...

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The Commission for Taxi Regulation will be merged in the new National Transport Authority and its staff will transfer to the new body and continue to enjoy the same rights. The commission's income will become part of the resources available to the new authority. The Commission for Taxi Regulation generated significant revenue because the number of taxi licences issued increased...

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Yes.