Results 30,401-30,420 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: It is, but it is a PPP and involves various parties, contractors, builders, finance houses, Government agencies and banks. They all have different credit committees, legal departments and boards and there is always someone with a problem. We will get there.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I will answer the questions on capital projects together. There are big and little ones. The biggest include the Luas cross-city project. There is to be an increase in public transport investment this year to take account of it. Other projects include updating the Dublin Bus fleet. Approximately 65 new buses are being bought every year, and they are pretty expensive. With regard to...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The IIA is a commercial semi-State body which makes a profit and pays a dividend. As the Deputy stated, the dividend goes straight to the Exchequer, not into the Department's accounts. Even though it is a commercial semi-State, it also has a regulatory role. It is a hybrid in the sense that it does some work on behalf of the Department, particularly in the area of safety.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: That is under consideration as part of the policy. We more or less follow the American model of the FAA where safety, security and regulation is in with air-traffic control. Some take the view that we should split it, make air-traffic control entirely commercial and put safety and security in with the aviation regulation. I have been of both minds on that on a few occasions and I am not...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: -----is that the €170,000?

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: That relates to a refund to the IAA for an advanced payment it made in respect of an aviation audit where the expenditure there was less than anticipated overall. The provision that my Department has made for consultancy next year is €599,000. It would be a significantly lower level than we have seen in other entities in other places.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: On the regional airports, for clarity, Shannon is no longer eligible for subsidies. The regional airport budget is in three parts. There is the PSO, which is the subsidised flights to Kerry and Donegal. Those are up for review this year as to whether they remain necessary. There is also operational expenditure, OPEX, which covers the losses where a regional airport makes losses. The...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Donegal did not require it either.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Mainly, Waterford is the airport that gets the most subsidies under OPEX because it is the one that is losing the most money. There are only two or three flights a week from it at this stage. There is also provision for capital grants for security and safety improvements only. The question of regional airports is always a tricky one. Of course, the budget can always be reviewed, but the...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Responsibility for maintaining national roads and motorways lies entirely with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. With regard to local and regional roads, all our grants do is supplement the local authorities' own resources. It is worth bearing in mind that they get almost two thirds of the motor tax revenue paid to them through the local government fund. They have commercial...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the members of the select sub-committee for allowing me this opportunity to present the 2014 Revised Estimate for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport for their consideration. This will be a very important year for all five divisions in my Department - tourism, sport, land transport, maritime transport and aviation. I have published a list of 24 priorities which touch...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 31 - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: There has been quite a lot of storm damage and the Government does not yet know its extent. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is heading up the operation and will check to make sure the figures are accurate. The most badly affected roads were in County Clare, in which approximately €7.2 million worth of damage was done. It was followed by counties...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Consultancy Contracts Data (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputies is published on my Department's website and can be found at the following link .

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Improvement Schemes (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, 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 works to be...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Climate Change Policy (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together. My Department launched a public consultation process on the preparation of a low carbon roadmap for the transport sector on 17 December 2013.  This roadmap is being prepared in anticipation of obligations proposed under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill. The National Roadmap will be coordinated by the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I would like to thank the Deputy for bringing this correspondence to my attention. In the context of developing road safety policy, I will, in consultation with the Road Safety Authority and all other relevant State agencies, take into account the views expressed in the correspondence.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licence Renewals (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The operation of the National Driver Licensing Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority.  I have therefore referred this 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: Departmental Bodies (23 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The issue raised is a matter for CIÉ and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to CIÉ 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: Driver Licences (22 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The main reason people are asked to return old licences when renewing their licence is to provide assurance that the old licence is no longer in circulation.  Given the fact that driving licences are used for identification in many contexts, it is important to minimise the risk of identity fraud.  The best way to ensure that old licences cannot be amended in some way and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Initiatives (22 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.  Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) in December 2009, the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area, such as Real Time Passenger Information, comes under the remit of the NTA....