Results 20,561-20,580 of 21,047 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Taxi Industry: Taxi Industry (18 Apr 2012)

Alan Kelly: The rural hackney licence is one of a range of actions proposed in the Taxi Regulation Review Report which has been approved by Government and published last January. The proposal aims to facilitate low cost entry to the market for transport provision in rural areas that, otherwise, would be unlikely to have such services. The rural hackney licence was proposed as a medium-term measure, to...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (18 Apr 2012)

Alan Kelly: On foot of a recent Government Decision the National Transport Authority (NTA) has been assigned national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport services. A further development arising from the Government Decision is that I have established a high level committee, the National Integrated Rural Transport Committee (NIRTC), to oversee the future integration of local and rural...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (29 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: The National Transport Authority (NTA) is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of the taxi sector in Ireland, including licensing requirements and the skills development test, in accordance with the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003. I have referred the Deputy's question to the Authority for direct reply. He should inform my private office if he does not receive a reply within ten...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (29 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: In 2011 funding of €10 million was allocated by my Department for projects by County Councils outside the Greater Dublin Area under the Smarter Travel Jobs Initiative Scheme which was intended to support a switch to sustainable and active travel through the delivery of infrastructure projects and to provide employment in doing so. The funding, available in 2011 only, was used to...

Mahon Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (29 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this important, seismic issue, an issue most disturbing for Irish politics. With its thousands of pages, the Mahon tribunal report opened a unique window into what was an especially dark and murky period in Irish political history. The word "corrupt" or related words are referred to over 800 times. It was a period of brown envelopes, digouts,...

Mahon Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (29 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: The country was betrayed.

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (28 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: Action 22 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report clearly sets out the intention of the Review Group with regard to the commencement of Section 36 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 concerning the mandatory disqualification from holding a licence with regard to convictions. As I indicated to the Oireachtas Joint Committee last month there can be no tolerance for criminality within the taxi sector...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (28 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: On the 29th February 2012, I made a presentation of the Taxi Regulation Review Report to the Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht. If the matter of the Review Report is listed for discussion in this House, I will gladly facilitate that request.

Public Transport (28 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: The Luas opened in 2004 and operated at a profit without a subvention every year until 2011, when it operated at a deficit of €3.1 million as a result of the economic downturn. That is why changes and cost savings are now required in addition to the fare increases that have been implemented. Deputy Boyd Barrett is well aware that the Luas lines were extended into the Cherrywood and...

Public Transport (28 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: If the Deputy knows a way of getting another 5,000 people employed in that area, I am sure the operators of the Luas will consider providing more frequent Luas services to the area. Obviously, that would be a huge development. The operators are working in conjunction with the National Transport Authority to ensure the level of service that is provided meets the demand for that service. I...

Public Transport (28 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: The operation and provision of bus services is a matter for Dublin Bus in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, NTA. The operation of the Luas service is a matter for the operator, Veolia Transdev, in conjunction with the Railway Procurement Agency and the NTA. Each year, funding is provided for socially necessary but non-commercial public transport services in Ireland. In the...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (22 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: Statistics relating to small public service vehicle (SPSV) licences, are a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA), who regulate the SPSV sector. I have referred the Deputy's request for information to the NTA for direct reply. He should advise my Office if he does not receive a reply within ten working days.

Written Answers — Taxi Regulation: Taxi Regulation (15 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 154 together. The National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the regulation of the taxi sector and is also the lead Agency with responsibility for the implementation of the proposals of the Taxi Regulation Review Report. I should add that the focus of the Taxi Regulation Review, which I chaired, was to enable the necessary further reforms...

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy (15 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly. Heroin use continues to be concentrated primarily in Dublin and other urban centres, particularly in Leinster and the south of the country. While the prevalence of heroin has stabilised in the Dublin area, its use has become more widely dispersed around the country. One of the aims of the national drugs strategy is...

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy (15 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: I will pass on the Senator's sentiments to the Minister for Health, to whom the question was addressed, and the responsible Minister of State, Deputy Róisín Shortall, who has a particular interest in the matter and done a lot of work in the area.

Seanad: Cycle Lanes (15 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Senator for raising this issue and for giving me the opportunity to outline the Government's commitment to smarter travel and to address the issue in question. My Department provided almost €10 million in capital funding for projects under the jobs initiative scheme, which included the improvement of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and other sustainable transport measures...

Seanad: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (15 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: I thank Senator Landy for raising this matter, to which I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. I wish to outline to Members the allocation process for primary schools, including the reforms to the teacher allocation process that are being made and that will take effect from September 2012, and in so doing I will address some of the Senator's...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulation: Taxi Regulation (14 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 to 208, inclusive, together. The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including issues relating to the setting of the maximum fare for SPSV services and the regulation of dispatch operators, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Taxi Regulation Act 2003. I should add however that I do not envisage...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulation: Taxi Regulation (14 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of the taxi industry, including issues pertaining to vehicle standards, is a matter for the NTA under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009. I have arranged for your question to be sent to the NTA for direct reply. If you have not received a response within ten working days, please notify my private office.

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 637 and 638 together. My Department is funding an ongoing programme of accessibility improvement grants to upgrade existing public transport infrastructure and facilities. This includes funding for the provision of upgraded bus stops to facilitate wheelchair accessible buses (Dublin Bus) in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) and wheelchair accessible coaches (Bus...