Results 30,581-30,600 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar:  I understand that this matter is about the elimination of rights of way at some level crossings on this line. As this issue is a matter for Iarnród Éireann, I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply.  Please inform my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

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

Leo Varadkar: I have no such plans. If there is a demand as described by the Deputy, I am confident the general marketplace will address it without a need for a government intervention.

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

Leo Varadkar: Roadworthiness testing in Ireland is carried out in conformity with Directive 2009/40/EC which does not currently include a mandatory requirement for the roadworthiness testing of motorcycles and other L class vehicles.  My position is that any proposal to do so would require extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders in advance of reaching a decision on the matter. The...

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

Leo Varadkar: 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 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 for each local...

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

Leo Varadkar: 123 FOI requests were received in my Department in 2012 with a further 84 requests being received to date in 2013. Fees were sought for search and retrieval in 13 cases in 2012 and 4 in the current year. Of the above cases involving search and retrieval, 3 requests were deemed to be withdrawn as deposits were not paid. These related to 2012. One of these was...

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

Leo Varadkar: I refer the Deputy to my response to question number 13 and 30 of the 19th December 2013.

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

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 406 and 408 together. The planning, design and implementation of individual national 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. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for...

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

Leo Varadkar: Existing aviation policy is to encourage competition in the market for long and short haul air services in and out of Irelandon policy for decades. This policy recognises that the best outcomes in terms of prices and connectivity are likely to come from a healthy competitive market with multiple airlines competing on multiple routes. Since Ryanair was first set up in the 1980s,...

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

Leo Varadkar: The most recent published figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that there were over 6 million overseas visits to Ireland in the ten month period between January and October 2013 representing a 7.3% increase on the corresponding period of 2012. All of our main target overseas markets show growth levels with the number of visits from Mainland Europe up 5.6% for the first ten...

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

Leo Varadkar: The market for air services in the European Union is fully liberalised and EU State Aid rules do not permit specific financial incentives for airlines. As the Deputy will be aware, the reduction in the travel tax rate to zero that was announced as part of Budget 2014 will be effective from April 2014. This initiative is part of a process aimed at generating...

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

Leo Varadkar: The planning, design and implementation of individual national 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. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for the NRA in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act....

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

Leo Varadkar: I am in regular contact with the stakeholders in the tourism sector, both individually and through the various representative bodies, and I am kept advised of issues of concern to the industry directly, through my Department and through the tourism agencies.  Most recently, both myself and Minister Ring invited a range of National Tourism stakeholder representatives to a...

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

Leo Varadkar: My Department and I constantly monitor our national transport facilities to ensure that, given the resources available, they are achieving their greatest potential. In relation to maximising the options to the public in terms of an integrated and co-ordinated transport system, this is an important consideration when it comes to future decisions on transport investment. In making...

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

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the tables below. RIAs were not carried out on the National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2011 or on the Transport (Córas Iompair Éireann and Subsidiary Companies Borrowings) Bill 2011 as neither Billl was considered to have an impact on the existing regulatory framework. Bills published since 9th...

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

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will find a list of all agencies under the remit of my Department on the Department's website . Since my appointment as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have created no agencies. However, I have merged two - Dublin Tourism with Fáilte Ireland and Dundalk Port with Dublin Port. Additionally, I have transferred 4 Harbour Authorities to Local...

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

Leo Varadkar: My Department's website contains full details of all Board appointments to agencies under my Department's remit.  The database includes appointments of Chairpersons together with the dates of appointment or re-appointment as the case may be. The details can be found at . 

Topical Issue Debate: Cabotage Regulations (18 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I have a few points. It is important to reiterate that the Government's position is that we should not have cabotage and that there should be a genuine single market. The restrictions should not exist provided each country in the European Union has the same safety and social standards. In the meantime, the law should be enforced. I was interested to hear Deputy Dooley's statistics. I...

Topical Issue Debate: Cabotage Regulations (18 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure that is true but if it is, credit must be given where it is due. There is absolutely no way that we will again permit a set of circumstances in which gardaí end up escorting goods against the cabotage laws, whether they realise it or not.

Topical Issue Debate: Cabotage Regulations (18 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As he is aware, the area of cabotage is not straightforward and there can be confusion as to what is covered by the cabotage regulations. Furthermore, the continued existence of cabotage restriction with the European Union is to a large extent an anomaly in the context of the free movement of goods and services. Cabotage is the national carriage...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Penalty Points System (18 Dec 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The question of the learner and novice penalty point threshold has recently been discussed in the context of the Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill, in which I had originally proposed a six penalty point disqualification threshold for novice and learner drivers learners.   This issue was considered at Committee Stage in the Dáil last week where I sought the advice and views...