Results 2,041-2,060 of 9,563 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Road Safety (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: It has a significant evidence base. If Sinn Féin is going to play a populist line on speed limits, I ask you to get behind the actual evidence and support that initiative in the Oireachtas rather than trying to divide opinion. When it comes to the issue of enforcement, yes, it needs to improve and yes, the Garda does need to provide additional prioritization of enforcement in the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Road Safety (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: That is not true. There is a lot of work between local authorities and Transport Infrastructure Ireland on investing in specific dangerous junctions. There is a work programme around that where there are improvements on certain roads. TII will set out further information on that. The legislation we are trying to advance has a core evidence base, addressing speed limits and anomalies...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Road Safety (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: I take the wider concern from the Deputy, others and certainly the victims' organisations on the need to improve enforcement. That is something I raise at every meeting I have with An Garda Síochána and senior management in An Garda Síochána. We do need to see enforcement improve and we need to see the numbers in roads policing units improve. I am not dismissing that...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: As the Deputy may be aware, under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the RSA has statutory responsibility for the National Driving Test service. As the employer of driver testers, contractual terms are a matter for the RSA. However, I am informed that at the end of 2023 there were 177 testers employed by the Authority, of which 127 were on permanent contracts and 50 on shorter term...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 76 together. As the Deputy may be aware, under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the RSA has statutory responsibility for the National Driving Test service. As the employer of driver testers, contractual terms are a matter for the RSA. However, I am informed that at the end of 2023 there were 177 testers employed by the Authority. The service...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ports Policy (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: The ship in question is located in the Port of Drogheda. Ownership of this port company was transferred to Louth County Council in 2017 and oversight of the company rests with the county council. It is therefore advised that any queries regarding the projected dates of removal of the ship from the Port of Drogheda be directed to Louth County Council, or to the Department of Housing, Local...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Regional Airports (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: The Regional Airports Programme 2021-2025 supports Ireland’s smallest airports i.e., those that provide connectivity and handle fewer than one million annual passengers (on average over the two preceding financial years). By virtue of its size and passenger numbers Shannon Airport was not eligible for funding under the Programme until 2022. At that time Shannon Airport became...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. This includes the locations and operation of driving test centres. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days. Pending this more detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ports Policy (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: I am committed to facilitating the Commercial Irish State ports under my remit as positive contributors to the offshore renewable energy industry to support Ireland to meet its ambitious targets of 5GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030, with a further 2GW in development for the production of green hydrogen and other non-grid uses. Supporting the development of port infrastructure is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Regional Airports (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: The Regional Airports Programme 2021-2025 provides that a mid-term review be undertaken in 2023. My Department carried out a public consultation process last year to inform the review and officials have submitted their assessment to me which I am now considering. The review has considered the scope of the Programme, how it is currently delivering on its objectives, primarily in the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: The Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030 has the target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030 and achieving Vision Zero by 2050. The second annual review of the Road Safety Strategy took place in recent weeks, where road safety partners and agencies reviewed progress in the context of reversing the alarming trends in road fatalities. In addition...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: The Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 creates a new vehicle category, called powered personal transporters (PPTs), which includes e-scooters. My Department had expected to commence the parts of the Act relating to PPTs, and to introduce regulations for e-scooters, following the EU TRIS process under the Single Market Transparency Directive (EU) 2015/1535. However, some technical and legal...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tax Code (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: The rates of motor tax for goods vehicles apply to vehicles which are '...constructed or adapted for use and used for the conveyance of goods, or burden of any other description, in the course of trade or business...'. In order to verify that a vehicle meets these criteria, the first taxing of a goods vehicle by a vehicle owner must be done at the owner's local motor tax office. Article 3...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Dublin Airport Authority (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: As the deputy will be aware, daa has the statutory responsibility for the management, operation and development of Dublin Airport, including dealing with noise complaints at the airport. Noise mitigation at Dublin Airport is subject to substantial regulation and oversight as well as best practice mitigation measures. These measures are designed to address long-term adverse effects of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Services (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: In the context of supporting greater connectivity on the island of Ireland, the Irish Government agreed ‘to take forward a review of the potential for Government support to renewed viable air routes from Cork to Belfast and Dublin to Derry, working with the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive to deliver improved connections as a priority’ as part of its commitments...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: A driving licence can be renewed up to 10 years after its expiry. After that time, a person is no longer considered a qualified driver and must complete the driving licence process (pass the theory test, complete 12 Essential Driver Training lessons, and pass a practical driving test) to obtain a new licence. A valid in-date driving licence is required to drive legally in Ireland and must be...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Airport Policy (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: As the deputy will be aware, daa has the statutory responsibility for the operation, management and development of Dublin Airport, and this includes seeking planning permission to ensure the airport has the necessary capacity to connect key existing and emerging global markets, in line with national aviation policy. I note the submission the Deputy has asked me to comment on is one...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: E-scooter regulations prepared by my Department were expected to be in place before the end of 2023, following completion of the EU TRIS (Technical Regulation Information Service) consultation process. This process applies to all draft technical regulations and is to prevent trade barriers in the internal market. The European Commission submitted comments on the draft regulations under...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service and the information requested is held by that Agency. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct, detailed response. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days. Regarding driver...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Reviews (1 Feb 2024)

Jack Chambers: A key objective of the Speed Limit Review was to align speed limits with the 'Safe System' approach to managing safety on the road network. The Safe System approach is a means of managing and developing the road network so that it is forgiving of human error and mitigates serious collisions by design. The commitment in the review is to implement the recommendations over a 2-year period, and...