Results 29,461-29,480 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I am at one with the Senator in that we need to have much better statistics on transport, to have them independently collected and published regularly. We are getting there. The Irish Maritime Development Office already publishes an excellent statistical bulletin and reports. The National Transport Authority now has the power to collect transport statistics for public transport. For the...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: These amendments are of a linguistic nature and do not change the effect of the existing text in section 51. The amendments insert phrases from the EU package travel directive so the text relates more exactly to the language used in that directive. For instance, “retailer” and “organiser” is inserted instead of package provider. These amendments also add the...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I have nothing further to add.

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I will not be accepting the amendment. As I made clear previously, I cannot impose or prescribe solutions for the current difficulties in the IAS scheme. These are matters for resolution by the trustees, the employers and the Pensions Authority. If this amendment is accepted, it would add a further constraint to what is already a highly complex and inflexible pension scheme. It also...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: For clarity, it is neither right nor fair to characterise the employers or companies as walking away from their responsibilities. The remaining employers in the scheme, DAA and Aer Lingus, have between them offered to put over €100 million into the scheme. It is not the case that they are walking away from their responsibilities. People are trying to find a solution to a pension...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ports Development (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The publication of the Government's National Port Policy (NPP) in March 2013 has set the framework for the future development and ownership of ports in Ireland. The core objective of NPP is to facilitate a competitive and effective market for maritime transport services. NPP categorises the State commercial ports sector into:- Ports of National Significance Tier 1 (Dublin, Cork and Shannon...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Agencies Board Remuneration (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Mr Kieran Mulvey was appointed as Chairman of the Irish Sports Council for a 5 year term commencing 16 September 2010 by the then Minister, Mary Hanafin.  Mr Mulvey's warrant provided for the payment of a fee of €8,978 per annum in respect of the position. This warrant was approved by the then Minister, Mary Hanafin.   On 18 October 2011, the Department of Public...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Commencement of Legislation (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Since March 2011, the following legislative provisions in respect of my Department have been passed by the Oireachtas but have not yet come into effect. On 20 March last, I signed an Order commencing sections 9 and 14 to 26 of the Road Traffic Act 2014 with immediate effect.  Under the same order, sections 3 to 5, 7 and 8 are commenced from 1 August 2014. It is my intention to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The subject matter of this question is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and I have referred the question to the Authority for direct reply.  I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The safety and security of passengers and staff including arrangements to deal with anti-social behaviour on DART services is a matter for Irish Rail in conjunction, as appropriate, with the Gardaí. I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 580 and 581 together. Irish legislation on driver licensing operates within the framework of EU legislation.  The principal EU law on driver licensing is Directive 126 of 2006.  This has been amended a number of times, including by Directive 36 of 2012. Directive 36 of 2012 allows Member States the option that drivers who have passed a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Procurement Regulations (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Chairman of CIÉ in her report to me of 30th April 2014 under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies confirmed that the CIÉ Group Procurement Policy is in place to ensure compliance with the EU Public Procurement and Utilities Directives, as well as Board and Government policies. The Chairman also stated that substantially all procurements over the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann Services (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that Bus Éireann has now responded to the Deputy by letter dated 6th June 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Regional Road Network (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 584 and 596 together. The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on such roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants.   In January 2014, my...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The subject matter of this question is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and I have referred the question to the Authority for direct reply.  I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Penalty Points System (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 deals with the payment of a fixed charge on service of a summons to court.  It is also known as the “3rd payment option” and has not yet been commenced because the administrative structure for dealing with the option is not yet in place.  A sub-group of the Criminal Justice (Fixed Charge Processing System)...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Penalty Points System (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Criminal Justice Working Group was established in March 2014 on foot of a recommendation in the Garda Inspectorate Report on the Fixed Charge Processing System.  The Group is jointly chaired by my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality and comprises representatives of all relevant Departments and agencies. To date, the Group has held six meetings and I...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Agreements on mutual recognition of driving licences involve very detailed negotiations.  On the Irish side, these negotiations are undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).  In Canada, each individual province is responsible for its own driver licensing rules.  The RSA has therefore been in negotiations with the various provinces in Canada, with a priority given to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ministerial Responsibilities (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: There has been no statutory delegation of functions to Minister of State Ring and therefore there are no legislative powers for which he has direct responsibility. However, after my appointment in 2011, I allocated Ministerial responsibilities internally within my Department to both Minister of State Ring and Minister of State Kelly. These allocations were not done on a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ministerial Responsibilities (10 Jun 2014)

Leo Varadkar: There has been no statutory delegation of functions to Minister of State Kelly and therefore there are no legislative powers for which he has direct responsibility. However, after my appointment in 2011, I allocated Ministerial responsibilities internally within my Department to both Minister of State Kelly and Minister of State Ring. These allocations were not done on a statutory basis. In...