Results 3,081-3,100 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Regarding the second part of the Deputy's question, I agreed to the deferral of the separation following a request from the three airport authorities. They believed that separating at this time would be serious, an assessment with which I agreed. Had we gone ahead with it in the current climate, the costs involved would have been more serious.

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I do not have that information to hand, but I will try to get it for the Deputy if he tables a parliamentary question. If the terminal 2 and runway developments at Dublin Airport had gone ahead during the height of the building boom, the debt would have reached approximately €1.2 billion. Obviously, it would not reach that high now.

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The debt is financed in a simple and straightforward manner. It is financed by income to the DAA from all of its air and terminal activities. I will get the specific details on the debts.

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I do not accept Deputy Broughan's premise, which is the opposite to that of Deputy O'Dowd, that the idea of the separation of the airports was madness or anything like it. It is easy for Deputy Broughan, whose constituency is close to Dublin Airport, to make such statements but people in Cork and in Shannon——

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: ——had a distinct feeling that Aer Rianta and the Dublin Airport Authority — I do not comment on whether such a perception was true——

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: They had the distinct impression that Aer Rianta and its successor——

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: ——were completely Dublin-centred and were initiating and following policies that suited Dublin Airport, rather than all three airports. There was a strong perception to that effect——

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: ——on which I will not comment one way or the other. Agreement had been reached. Part of Mr. Peter Cassells's remit regarding Cork was to come forward with proposals for a final resolution of the discussions regarding debt levels for Cork. My recollection is the net debt Cork Airport would be obliged to meet was just under €100 million.

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: The Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, has statutory responsibility to manage, operate and develop Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports and, as such, the preparation of a contingency plan in the event of a strike is a matter for the DAA. In fulfilling its remit, the DAA seeks to ensure that the maintenance of continuity of service across the wide range of services it provides to airlines and...

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Like the Deputy, I welcome that this strike did not go ahead. However, I also accept his comments to the effect that even the threat of an industrial dispute that might close the airport has a disruptive effect. It causes both uncertainty and people to change plans and perhaps to make alternative arrangements. It is not something that I like to observe and I agree with the Deputy in this...

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: While I will try to remain within Standing Orders in this regard, the Deputy can be assured that anything the Government can do, through the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in respect of SR Technics, will be done.

State Airports. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Last Friday, a deputation, which I was unable to meet, asked for a postponement of the sale of some tooling equipment and so on. My Department immediately passed on that request to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the sale subsequently was deferred. Anything the Government can do and that is within its power certainly will be done to try to ensure that as many jobs as...

Light Rail Project. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Enabling works on rail projects, such as ground clearance and utility diversions, generally follow the granting of a railway order and are incorporated into the overall cost of projects. No Exchequer funds are currently being spent on enabling works in respect of rail projects, other than metro north, which have not yet secured an enforceable railway order and are, as a consequence, not yet...

Light Rail Project. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: There are a number of reasons why costs are not disclosed in advance. One is to ensure that estimated costs do not become the floor rather than the ceiling, as happened in so many projects.

Light Rail Project. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: Once we have the railway order, the preferred tenderers will be asked to submit the final tender once they know the route and the works involved. Once that is submitted a full capital appraisal will be undertaken, independently of my Department, by the Department of Finance.

Light Rail Project. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: That will take place at the final stage and the overall cost will be published. A number of assessments have been done on the rate of return from metro north and all proved positive. Either the current Oireachtas joint committee or the previous one carried out an appraisal of the cost-benefit analysis and professed itself satisfied with the good rate of return and recommended that the...

Light Rail Project. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: I do not know what they mean. I have put figures in the public domain previously.

Light Rail Project. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: While it has nothing to do with the question, some €1.44 billion is contractually committed out of a total of approximately €1.9 billion. Of a further €500-600 million for local authorities, some €126 million has been committed, accounting for another €300 million. The bulk of the national roads funding is committed, all except the €50 million. We did not cancel any of the...

Job Protection. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: In November 2007, which was more than 16 months ago, I became aware that Aer Lingus maintenance contracts at SR Technics were being put out to tender. It was immediately clear that, were SR Technics not to win back these important contracts from Aer Lingus, it would have major implications for employment at the Dublin plant. Officials in my Department immediately alerted the Department of...

Job Protection. (2 Apr 2009)

Noel Dempsey: No more could have been done. The IDA was in direct contact with the company. As late as January of this year, local management was talking directly to SR Technics about an additional up-skilling programme for workers to try to ensure the company would have a viable future. Local management did not seem to be aware at that stage of the overall plans for the parent company. The IDA, for...