Results 29,201-29,220 of 32,961 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Authority (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Currently there are 311 staff in the Road Safety Authority with a full time equivalency of 300.33.These staff are deployed in administrative, operational and field based driver testing and enforcement roles in the Authority.  The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has to date been funded through a combination of Exchequer and non-Exchequer funding.  Exchequer...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Improvement Schemes (27 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads such as the R190 is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants.  The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: That said, I understand the need for hotels to set prices in a way that allows them to invest in, say, improving facilities, as pointed out by Senator Craughwell. This investment will not come from the taxpayer but from the owners. I accept the need for them to set prices in such a way as to make that sustainable. The sustainability goes both ways. There has to be pricing that is...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: They must continue to do so. As I have not had the opportunity to address Senator Craughwell before, I congratulate him on his election to the Seanad. I wish him the best of luck in the contribution he will make to it. He is correct with regard to the importance of airports and the contribution they make to how a tourist first views the country. The establishment of Terminal 1 and Terminal...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank all the Senators for their contributions. I will respond to the main point each Senator has made to me to conclude this debate. I thank Senator O'Sullivan for his contribution. I am always reluctant to describe any part of our economy as being a good news story because we do so at the cost of forgetting - not that Senator O'Sullivan did - how difficult things were for quite a while...

Topical Issue Debate: National Car Test (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Let me respond to the various points the Deputy put to me. The first concerned the online indication as to when an appointment can be secured. I have discussed this with the Road Safety Authority and have been told that the indicator shows the average waiting time but that if somebody who needs an NCT to meet his legal requirements telephones his centre directly, he will receive an...

Topical Issue Debate: National Car Test (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this important matter. I will not be able to provide answers to all the questions he posed. I will, however, revert to him on those to which I am not in a position to respond now. I will be able to address some of the broad points he has raised. I agree with the Deputy regarding the importance of NCT certificates and the difference they make in terms of...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Members for giving me the opportunity to update the House on some of the key issues of relevance to the tourism sector. Before I go into the detail of the Government's actions and future plans for the sector, I wish to highlight the significant contribution tourism has made to Ireland's economic recovery since 2011. From a position in 2010 where overseas visitors had fallen by 16% in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Community Care (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The service in question is not provided by my Department or its agencies and as such I cannot comment further on any reduction in service levels.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Services Provision (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, the DAA is the body charged with statutory responsibility to manage, operate and develop Dublin and Cork Airports.  In these circumstances, plans to ensure the future growth and development of Cork Airport are matters for DAA and Cork Airport management and not matters in which I have a direct role. I am of course very aware of the importance of Cork...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including the licensing of vehicles, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Meetings (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy would require an inordinate time to compile as the number of meetings involved is quite substantial.   The Management Board (MB) of the Department would normally meet every Tuesday morning except for the month of August and over the Christmas/New Year period.  It is comprised of the Secretary General and the Assistant...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013, including the issuing of wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) licences, and the management of the grant scheme for WAVs introduced in July of this year. I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (26 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The present fee structure for driving licences was introduced in 2013 in the context of the introduction of the new plastic card format licence and the changeover to a centralised National Driver Licensing Service under the Road Safety Authority. The fees are intended to reflect the process involved in producing a licence, as well as the period of validity of the licence.  I have no...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motor Tax Exemptions (25 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013, introduced new arrangements for declaring the non-use of a vehicle for motor tax purposes. The system requires a non-use declaration (off road declaration) for a vehicle to be made in advance of its motor tax expiry date and thereby avoid payment of motor tax. To facilitate this, my Department, through the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF)...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (25 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 563, 579 and 580 together. My Department is currently preparing the transport sector’s input into the National Low Carbon Roadmap, which is being co-ordinated by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.  A low-carbon vision for the sector is required and measures to develop a robust and cost-effective policy platform for the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann Services (25 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann Services (25 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue raised is a  matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects Status (25 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects  such as the N28 is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motor Tax Exemptions (25 Nov 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Road Safety Authority (RSA) do not have road traffic collisions statistics available for vehicles registered prior to 1988, I cannot provide a definitive view on the number of incidents involving vintage vehicles. That was the year in which number plates changed to the YEAR-COUNTY-NUMBER format. However, I understand that the report arising from the review of Roadworthiness...