Results 30,441-30,460 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is as follows: The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has made the following payments to Oracle per below: March to December 2011 €106,235 January to December 2012 €123,861 January to December 2013 €127,791 The Oracle software is a relational database management system which hosts the National...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Provision (21 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 (GDA), including Luas light rail projects, comes within the remit of the NTA....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Penalty Points System (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Road Traffic (No.2) Bill which is currently at second stage in the Seanad following passage through the Dáil does not contain any measures to introduce a longer period of driver disqualification for persons who accrue 12 penalty points for a second or more time. The present policy in relation to road safety has been set out in the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020 and does...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The issue of the use of railway line corridors as greenways is a matter for Iarnród Éireann, in consultation with the relevant local authority or interest group. I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the company 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: Cycling Facilities Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: 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 is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Noting the above position, I have...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Projects Funding (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The provision of funding for festivals and events which have associated tourism benefits is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland and it is open to the promoters of festivals to make an application to the agency for funding. The call for applications for 2014 festival funding for National and Regional Festivals & Participative...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Railway Stations Upgrade (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 685 and 686 together. As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Issues relating to the appearance of specific railway stations are day to day matters for the Board and Management of Iarnród Éireann and are not subject to my approval. Funding...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The matter raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for the tourism agencies. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's questions to Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland for direct reply. Please contact my private office if a response is not received within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Signage (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: 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, including the provision of signage, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Service Contracts (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: There is no subvention paid directly by my Department for public transport services. The award of Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts falls under the independent statutory remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA), which has direct responsibility for this area. The total Public Service Obligation (PSO) subvention payable to the NTA in the years...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Directive 2002/15/EC lays down minimum requirements with regard to the organisation of the working time for all persons performing mobile road transport activities, including self-employed drivers, in order to improve road safety, health and safety of drivers, and prevent distortion of competition. It also supplements the provisions of Regulation (EC) 561/2006 which lays down...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Daytime Running Lights (DRL) involve motorists using either dedicated daytime running lights or dipped headlights during the hours of daylight in an effort to make vehicles more conspicuous and hence increase road safety by reducing the number and severity of road traffic collisions. An increasing number of vehicles have DRL fitted as standard, and it became mandatory on all new cars...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The provision of public service obligation (PSO) bus services is a matter for the relevant transport operator under contract to the National Transport Authority (NTA). The NTA is also responsible for the licensing of commercial bus services. I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA and Dublin Bus for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: It has always been a legal obligation that commercial vehicles be tested annually and there have never been exemptions from this requirement. Vehicles which are temporarily not in use can deteriorate during the period while they are off the road and I have no proposals to introduce an "off the road" derogation system similar to that recently introduced for motor taxation....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I am in favour of reaching agreement with the Canadian authorities for mutual recognition of driving licences, as I have indicated on a number of occasions. The foundation of exchange relationships on driving licences with other jurisdictions is mutual examination of the driver licensing regimes to make sure that they are compatible. On the Irish side, this task is undertaken by the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Grant Payments (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Deputy Sean Kyne on the same matter on 19 December 2013. As explained, I am open to consider the inclusion of a modest capital grant scheme for organisations under Mountain Rescue Ireland  and will be asking my officials to engage with Mountain Rescue Ireland and to consider the feasibility of such a scheme, bearing in mind the overall...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Policy (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The UN World Tourism Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations serving as a global forum for tourism policy issues and pays particular attention to the interests of developing countries in the field of tourism. The World Tourism Organisation was established in 1975 to replace the International Union of Official Travel Organisations, whose membership...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Grant Payments (21 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: No grants were paid by my Department to Shannon airport in 2013 nor were there any debts owing by the airport to my Department. Credit arrangements or loan agreements between SAA and third parties, including agencies under the aegis of my Department, are a commercial matter for those bodies. That said I understand from SAA that, other than normal trade creditors, the company had no debts in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Consultancy Contracts Data (16 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 344, 347, 348 and 355 together. 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: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (16 Jan 2014)

Leo Varadkar: At its meeting on 14 January 2014, the Government considered an Interim Report from the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government on the impacts of the recent severe weather. The interim report contained preliminary estimates from local authorities on damage caused by the storms.  In relation to sectors under my responsibility, the Interim Report estimated the damage...