Results 30,541-30,560 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Semi-State Bodies Issues (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The Government remains willing to sell its shareholding at the right time, at the right price and under the right conditions, but they do not appear to be emerging at this point. When Aer Lingus was fully State-owned it was heavily loss making. Now under majority private ownership, with 75% owned privately, it is a success story. It is one of a few airlines in Europe that makes money. It...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Semi-State Bodies Issues (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: From my knowledge Aer Lingus only became profitable again in recent years and has only paid a dividend in the past two years. I am sure the Deputy will correct me if I am wrong.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Semi-State Bodies Issues (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: It did. The Deputy will be aware that at the time of privatisation rather than the money from the sale going to the taxpayer, as it should have, some of it went into the pension fund at that time. When somebody sells an asset, the money should go to them and not to others. That is all history at this stage.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Investigations (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Following the High Court judgment of Mr. Justice Michael Peart on 6 August 2013, I received requests from the FAI, IRFU, GAA and Special Olympics Ireland to conduct an investigation into allegations made against certain members of the Irish Sports Council, ISC. Subsequently, I was informed by the chairman of the Irish Sports Council that the national governing bodies,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Investigations (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: On the first part of the supplementary question, the answer is "Yes". I will publish the report once I have to hand the views of the chairman and the chief executive officer. I anticipate so doing in the new year, that is, in January or February. It did not look into the circumstances surrounding the investigation to which the Deputy referred because the court was clear that the Sports...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Safety Statistics (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: As of yesterday, the total number of fatalities on the roads in 2013 is 178, an increase of 21 on the same period last year.  There have been 450 serious injuries as a result of collisions in the year to date. This compares to 487 for the full year of 2012. The increase in this year's figures is of great concern.  It is the first reversal of the downward trend of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Safety Statistics (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I am very concerned about the increase in the number of road deaths this year, which is up by over 20 on this time last year. We do not know what the final figures for the year will be. It is still a possibility that it will have been the second safest year since records began, but we do not know this for sure. Interestingly, the number of road deaths is up, but the number of serious...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Safety Statistics (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I met the chairman of the RSA and the outgoing chief executive officer six to eight weeks ago and we will meet again in the new year. We did discuss the issue of Garda resources and enforcement. We are both of the view that greater enforcement would be desirable, but we both accept that gardaí are under pressure in terms of resources. We did not discuss anything in terms of a direct...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Applications (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 48 together. Departmental officials are currently working on the details of a new round of the Sports Capital Programme. I hope to be in a position to make an announcement shortly. I believe that this will demonstrate this Government's understanding of the value of sport from both an economic and health perspective.  Sports...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: As I have indicated previously I am concerned that large numbers of HGVs continue to use our regional and local roads in order to avoid tolls, and are driving through towns, villages and rural areas with large populations. This has safety implications for other road users, residents and pedestrians. In addition by using local and regional roads instead of custom-built...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 30 together. The primary of the Gathering Ireland 2013 was to generate additional overseas visits and increase revenue in 2013.  We set a target of 325,000 visitors and we will exceed this. A detailed study to evaluate the economic impact of The Gathering is being undertaken and it is hoped to have this complete by April. Of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Issues (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The new national aviation policy will outline the actions to be taken by Government to help sustain and develop the aviation sector, in order to create jobs and facilitate business and tourism. A total of 74 submissions were received as part of the public consultation process that took place earlier this year. The number and quality of the submissions received is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ports Development (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The core objective of National Ports Policy is to facilitate a competitive and effective market for maritime transport services. The long-term international trend in ports and shipping is toward increased consolidation of resources in order to achieve optimum efficiencies of scale. This has knock-on effects in terms of vessel size, the depths of water required at ports and the type and scale...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: My Department's role in relation to tourism relates primarily to national policy. It is not involved in the administration of tourism-related funding programmes nor the building of tourist attractions.  That is a matter for the State tourism agencies.   In this regard, Fáilte Ireland administers the Tourism Capital Investment Programme, which provides...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Work on developing a strategic framework for investment in land transport is ongoing within my Department. The assessment of specific projects required to meet current and future demand will, however, remain subject to detailed appraisal of the benefits and costs of each individual project. Many issues shall be addressed in this investment framework. Future transport demand depends on...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Policy (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The Tourism Policy Review was launched on 11th September 2013 by Minister Ring and me.  It was launched with the publication of an issues paper and request for submissions.  The level of interest has been such that I extended the deadline for receipt of responses to the public consultation to 22 November 2013. A detailed analysis of all responses has commenced.  In terms of the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Issues (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 26, 31, 47 and 54 together. While the issue raised is a matter for Iarnród Éireann in conjunction with the National Transport Authority (NTA), Minister Varadkar and I have been in contact with both in relation to the matters raised. Any changes to rail services provided under the PSO contract with Iarnród...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Tolls (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Since 1999 various EU directives have set common rules on distance-related tolls and time-based user charges (vignettes) for HGVs for the use of certain infrastructure.  It is open to any Member State to introduce road user charges if it wishes.  Road charging is an important revenue source option in relation to funding of roads infrastructure, particularly in the context...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: International Agreements (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The Ireland-U.S. Preclearance Agreement signed by both Governments in 2008, provides for the preclearance of commercial and general aviation aircraft and their passengers. The agreement explicitly excludes cargo preclearance. An Ireland - US Preclearance Consultative Group, comprising  U.S. and Irish officials was established to monitor progress in preclearance...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (19 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 53 together. 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...