Results 2,121-2,140 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Vehicle Testing: Vehicle Testing (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006) the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has responsibility for matters relating to vehicle testing, including commercial vehicles. One of the early tasks for the RSA was to undertake a comprehensive review of the arrangements for the roadworthiness testing of commercial vehicles in Ireland. In 2008, I...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 28, 43 and 53 together. I published the Road Traffic Bill 2009 on Friday 30 October 2009. It provides for the lowering of the legal Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) from 80 mg of alcohol (per 100 ml of blood) to 20 mg for learner, novice and professional drivers, and from 80 mg of alcohol (per 100 ml of blood) to 50 mg for other drivers. The Bill also...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Services: Rural Transport Services (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 39 together. There are commitments to the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) in the National Development Plan, Towards 2016 and the Department of Transport's Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005. The development of rural transport is also a key objective in the Government's sustainable travel and transport plan Smarter Travel - A Sustainable...

Written Answers — Motor Insurance: Motor Insurance (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Third Party motor insurance is required by law for the use of all mechanically propelled vehicles in a public place. Motor insurance is provided by private companies in an open and competitive market where consumers interests can exert influence by seeking quotes and comparing costs, before purchasing. Insurance companies, numbering 29 at present, are regulated by the Financial Regulator....

Written Answers — Ports Security: Ports Security (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The seizing of contraband cigarettes is a matter for the Customs and the Garda Síochána. My Department is responsible for the implementation of International and EU security requirements at Irish ports. The annex to the International Convention for the Safety at Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974 was amended in 2004 to include a new chapter concerning maritime security and which introduced the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Preliminary work is underway in my Department on the identification and development of possible measures to be included in a Sustainable Travel and Transport Bill. Bearing in mind the priority legislation that I wish to progress in the current year and available resources, I expect to be in a position to present a Sustainable Travel and Transport Bill to the Houses of the Oireachtas during 2010.

Written Answers — Road Haulage Industry: Road Haulage Industry (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Every licensed commercial road transport business, both haulage and passenger, must have a transport manager, who holds a Certificate of Professional Competence. A consultation paper was issued to all licensed Road Transport Operators in March 2009 proposing a number of changes to the existing Transport Manager Policy. The document was also placed on my Department's Website (ww...

Written Answers — Travel Projects: Travel Projects (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I launched two funds this summer, to support innovative sustainable travel projects, the Smarter Travel Project Fund, and the National Competition for Smarter Travel Areas. The Smarter Travel Project Fund was established to: assist the development of demonstration projects that can deliver sustainable transport initiatives at both a national and local level, achieving real and...

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: While I have not recently met with or been directly briefed by representatives of the travel and tourism industry, I am fully aware of the negative impact that the current difficult economic situation is having on the aviation sector and am closely monitoring developments. My Department is liaising with the Department of Arts Sport and Tourism in the context of implementing recommendations...

Written Answers — Public Transport Safety: Public Transport Safety (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The investigation of collisions on the road is a matter for An Garda Siochana. Neither my Department nor the RSA have a function in this area and I have no plans to change that. Road traffic accidents involving light rail trams are also subject to investigation by the Railway Accident Investigation Unit in accordance with the provisions of the Railway Safety Act 2005. In relation to the...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The National Roads Authority has not taken over management responsibility for regional and local roads. They remain the statutory responsibility of the local authorities. From 1st September last, the National Roads Authority was tasked with undertaking certain functions relating to regional and local road grants on behalf of my Department. This was done on foot of an agreement negotiated by...

Written Answers — Taxi Industry: Taxi Industry (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The regulation of the taxi industry is, in accordance with the Taxi Regulation Act 2003, a matter for the Commissioner on Taxi Regulation and the Minister for Transport has no role in relation thereto. Proposals from the Commission to provide funding towards the upgrading of the wheelchair accessible fleet are under consideration in my Department.

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: As I indicated during the Dáil debates on the Harbours (Amendment) Act 2009, I wrote to all ten chairpersons of the State commercial port companies requesting details of all leases of port company lands. I have now received responses from eight of the ten companies and I expect to receive the two outstanding responses shortly. The status of the leases is in the first instance a matter for...

Written Answers — Public Transport Safety: Public Transport Safety (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The regulatory and investigatory regime in place governing rail safety, administered by the Railway Safety Commission and the Railway Accident Investigation Unit under the Railway Safety Act, 2005 as amended, in respect of both heavy rail and light rail, is designed in such a way as to identify through monitoring and reporting mechanisms how improvements can be made to systems in the light of...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: In August 2009 the final report of the Dublin Port National Development Plan Study carried out by Indecon was published on my Department's website, www.transport.ie. I commented at the time that the report is an important analysis not just of the future of Dublin Port but also provides a useful insight into the capacity challenges that face the sector as a whole. The report highlighted the...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The Minister for Transport is a "prescribed body" for the purposes of Dublin Port Company's planning application under the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006. Accordingly, the Board has kept me informed of developments throughout the process. I was informed of the Board's decision to postpone the hearing by letter dated 22 September 2009. In a further letter dated 7...

Written Answers — Irish Rail: Irish Rail (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I refer the Deputy to my reply to priority Question No. 1 of today.

Written Answers — Emergency Communications Systems: Emergency Communications Systems (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Ireland is one of 12 Member States, including the United Kingdom and France, that has not yet given a commitment to develop eCall on a voluntary basis, by way of signing a Memorandum of Understanding. Since eCall does not exist as a deployed service anywhere in Europe, it has been considered premature to enter into commitments involving Exchequer funding until there are further policy...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The overall objective of the Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012 is to save lives and prevent serious injuries, through a combination of education, enforcement, engineering and other actions, thereby bringing Ireland in line with best practice countries in road safety terms. The Strategy is being systematically implemented across a range of agencies, and we have seen a sustained reduction in the...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Construction of the DART Underground comes under the remit of Iarnród Éireann and I understand that an application for a Railway Order for the DART Underground will be submitted by Iarnród Éireann to An Bord Pleanála in early 2010. The start and completion dates of Transport 21 projects in planning, such as the DART Underground, will in each case be determined by the outcome of public...