Results 2,181-2,200 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Departmental Expenditure. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: No, the Deputy was seeking them for Dublin Bus. The Deloitte report shows that we can increase the efficiencies in Dublin Bus. The company has accepted that and has put in place the necessary changes. Deloitte focused on one particular bus corridor and indicated that it would be possible for Dublin Bus to save €3 million in a year in respect of it. Thanks to the changes that were made,...

Departmental Expenditure. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: It is possible to quote statistics in support of any argument. I do not believe the Deputy is being fair in that regard. Deputy Broughan has a point in respect of this matter. I do not know the exact figure but the number of buses did increase somewhat during the period to which Deputy O'Dowd refers and the age of the bus fleet improved considerably. As a result, we now have the youngest...

Departmental Expenditure. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Services did not change to meet the demands. We must rectify that failure and provide services in places where people work and live.

Transport 21. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 23 and 42 together. Information on the completion dates, projected outcomes and costs of major Transport 21 projects that have been completed or are at an advanced stage of construction is contained on my Department's Transport 21 website. This is the fourth year of Transport 21 and significant progress has been made. To date, more than 66% of the major...

Transport 21. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: It is no secret that the current economic circumstances will make it difficult to deliver on all projects. The renewed programme for Government, published a couple of weeks ago, specifically states, in respect of priorities for capital investment in transport, that work will continue on the subsequent phases of the Western rail corridor and Navan projects for earliest possible delivery;...

Transport 21. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I presume what the Deputy is seeking from CIE is information on the top ten tenders?

Transport 21. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I will ask CIE to provide that information for each of the three companies.

Transport 21. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: On the Leinster outer orbital route, this project is not included in this phase of the national development plan or Transport 21. It will be considered in the context of renewal of the programme post-2011. The Deputy and I are at ad idem that this project will be hugely important for the north east region in general and further afield. It is a project that will have to come into the...

Transport 21. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: If the Deputy puts down separate questions on the individual projects, I will try and be as helpful as I possibly can be. The issues he has raised are included in the planning and design process. Money is provided each year as it is needed to advance those projects. As I have said on a number of occasions, as far as I am concerned, the planning and design of the projects is extremely...

Transport 21. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: We will try and get some of them in before the election. That would be more beneficial. With regard to the question on the mayor, it is envisaged that the directly elected mayor of Dublin will have transport functions.

National Cycle Policy. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Since announcing the national cycle policy framework in April, I have indicated my intention to provide financial support to exemplary, demonstration, cycling infrastructure projects in the following areas: the Phoenix Park; Carrigaline; Eyeries; Passagewest, with a link to Rochestown; Crosshaven to Carrigaline; Dublin city, from Portobello to Fairview Park; Galway, comprising the Fisheries...

National Cycle Policy. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I do not have the full accurate figures before me for the projects I mentioned, but next year's expenditure, which will bring most of them to a conclusion, will be approximately €11 million. The total amount we are making available for those projects has been committed to them. Some are already completed, for example, the Phoenix Park project. If we are to get a change in attitude to...

National Cycle Policy. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: He did not. Some €3 million will be spent on that project and he will provide €1.5 million of that, which I appreciate greatly. I wish to acknowledge Councillor Montague's contribution to the cycling programme. I hope to meet him early in the new year. On the bus gate issue and not making a political point about it, the decision made, supported by the Labour Party councillors, does...

National Cycle Policy. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: We must use our imagination in this area. The canals offer an extensive cycle and pedestrian way. The Royal Canal will be completely open next year. The railways are similar, some of the projects I read out run along disused railway lines. As the Deputy says, there are great opportunities for tourism and related projects. We have advertised two schemes we hope will get local authorities...

Haulage Licences. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I initiated a general review into the criteria for granting road transport licences in April 2009 in the aftermath of the drug case referred to by the Deputy. Mr. Jimmy Farrelly was engaged to review all aspects of the decision to award the licence and, having regard to that review, to examine and to make recommendations on the procedures for processing applications for licences and the...

Haulage Licences. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The Deputy has the sequence of events incorrect, I commissioned the Farrelly report on foot of the specific case raised. All of the matters that arose as a result of that case have been dealt with. The first statutory instrument that I put in place means that anyone convicted in the past five years would have to give up his licence. Four people have been contacted in that regard and if...

ICT in Schools. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: As a former Minister for Education and Science, I am delighted to respond to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it provides us with an opportunity to outline the Department's commitment to the ICT in schools programme. The Minister agrees that ICT skills are increasingly...

Railway Procurement Processes. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The report referred to by the Deputy, which was commissioned by Irish Rail, raises serious concerns about procurement practices in Irish Rail. My initial reaction to the report is that the weaknesses in Irish Rail's procurement policies and practices that are identified in the report represent a cause for grave concern. The systemic deficiencies and weaknesses that have been identified,...

Railway Procurement Processes. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: All that rhetoric is very nice, but any objective analysis will confirm that it is difficult for a Minister to seek a report from a company if he does not know it has been commissioned and is with the company.

Railway Procurement Processes. (5 Nov 2009)

Noel Dempsey: As I said to the Deputy in my initial reply, I have asked for a full report on the circumstances that gave rise to the report, which was commissioned by Iarnród Éireann. I am also keen to learn more about the progress being made in implementing the report's recommendations and the measures being taken to ensure that the expenditure controls in areas not covered by the report are adequate....