Results 2,261-2,280 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (20 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Under Transport 21, my Department has for a number of years been providing funds to local authorities for traffic management and bus priority measures. In the case of Cork, the City and County Council have applied and received funding towards the development of Green Routes in Cork, in line with proposals developed in the Cork Area Strategic Plan (CASP). One of the Green Routes to be...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (20 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Amendments made to the Road Traffic Acts from 2004 to 2007 strengthened provisions relating to the illegal use of disabled persons parking permits. It is an offence to make a false declaration in the application for a permit, and to forge, alter or illegally use or lend a permit. On-street enforcement has been strengthened in that Gardaí and local authority traffic wardens have been given...

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (20 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I refer to the reply to Question Number 613 on 6th October 2009. The position remains unchanged. I can confirm that my Department have received the application. This application is currently being examined as part of the assessment process, in line with the criteria set out in the application form.

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (20 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads, including bridges, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of...

Written Answers — Airport Development Projects: Airport Development Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos.330 and 331 together. I have been informed by the DAA that earlier this year, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lynx Cargo Group, a global airport cargo facility company, to explore jointly the feasibility of developing a major cargo facility at Shannon Airport. Subject to the feasibility study being satisfactory, the DAA advise that it...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I do not want to rehash the argument as the Senator has made the case. With regard to timetables, I favour the retention of "may" rather than "shall", precisely for the reason given by the Senator about one-off events and so on. However, I was just having a conversation — for which I apologise to the Senator — about the licence. The argument being used is that if we say "shall", the...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Yes.

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I acknowledge the fact that this arises from discussion in the course of Committee Stage debate on this section. At that stage it was suggested by Senator Ryan that it had never been the practice to authorise gardaí to prosecute summary offences because they have that authority in common law. The provision was without drafting precedent and accordingly it was proposed that the reference to...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 provides that the authority can make inputs at all stages in the preparation and review of the regional planning guidelines, development plans and local area plans within the greater Dublin area. The expanded role that was given to the DTA in respect of those processes reflects the fact the authority is also mandated under the Act to produce a...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: As the Senator says, we will agree to disagree. I addressed the question he raised about the difference between the powers of the DTA and what we will give to the NTA for areas outside the greater Dublin area but I will do so further on a later date. Because of the urgency of the situation within the greater Dublin area, it is fundamentally different to the expansive countryside the NTA is...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The primary purpose of the Bill, as several Senators noted, is to try to establish a modern system for the licensing of all commercial public bus passenger services, with the objective of promoting regulated competition in the provision of such services on a national basis and in the national public interest. The main basis of the legislation was the commitment in the 2007 programme for...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I have addressed the point. While I accept the motivation of the Senator in tabling the amendment, the inclusion of the text would have the opposite effect of that which he and I desire.

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: When discussing this amendment it is important that we remember two things are in play, namely, competition and the consumer and commercial interests and the consumer. In some cases, despite what people might think, commercial interests do not always favour or take decisions on the basis of the good of the consumer. We are discussing, as Senator Ryan said, consumers which may not be very...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: In case anything I said implied the contrary, I understand exactly where the Senator is coming from. I did not mean to imply that he was an unmitigated capitalist or whatever else, although I do not think he would have any objection to that name in other areas. Demand or potential demand is a test against which all applications can be considered. To a certain extent, there may seem to be a...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I will address the amendments before responding to the additional matters raised by Senators. The section establishes general provisions informing the consideration of applications for bus licences by the authority. Section 10(1)(b) sets out a range of matters which the authority may consider, having regard to the category of licence in respect of which an application has been made. In the...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I cannot know it as a fact but it will be made clearer in this Bill and the authority will be able to investigate behind the figures. I accept there are difficulties at present in going behind the figures because of the expertise required. However, this Bill will allow that to happen and because it is a much more transparent contract system, it will make it more easier to know that the...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Senator Ryan has done a good job of putting forward his own proposal and giving my answer to it. He summarised the arguments succinctly and I do not propose to go back over them. I certainly would not favour the idea of this being a reserve function of the members of a local authority because that would be a recipe for all sorts of vested interests preventing any licences being issued. On...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: No such costs have been incurred by the Department of Transport.

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled and will be provided to him as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (15 Oct 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I refer the Deputy to the answer given yesterday to Dáil Questions Nos. 201 and 202. The position remains unchanged.