Results 31,441-31,460 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Roads Authority Expenditure (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: It may be projected that the M50 will be congested in ten years' time, but I am not sure it can be described as "a fact" given that it will depend on many things, not just the level of growth in the economy but also the modal split between vehicles and public transport. A number of the proposals that are made in the report, including the introduction of variable speed limits, the provision...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Roads Authority Expenditure (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I accept there needs to be a joined-up approach to the management of traffic in the greater Dublin area and in all our cities and towns. That approach needs to take account of things like bicycle and pedestrian access, investment in public transport and demand management. I am not part of the lobby in this country that thinks we should persecute the motorist. I do not think we can put...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Improvement Schemes (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads are the statutory responsibilities of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from local authorities' own resources and supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded are also matters for the local...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Improvement Schemes (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: A separate local improvement scheme deals with laneways and roads not taken in charge. It is open to local authorities to use a portion of their discretionary grants on that scheme. The community involvement scheme is aimed at local and regional roads taken in charge by the local authority. The background to the scheme is that funding for road maintenance works has decreased, whether from...

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Without wishing to digress further from the debate, it seems Deputy Niall Collins has identified the new Fianna Fáil party line, namely, that its leaders were not knaves but merely fools. I assure him that I never considered Brian Cowen or Brian Lenihan to be knaves, but their capacity to believe everything they were told by the banking sector shows they were very much fools. When...

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: That is something one learns very quickly in politics. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate and articulate my support for the Bill. This legislation is not about suicide, which I will address in detail in due course. Rather, it is about protecting women whose lives are threatened during pregnancy and assuring doctors that they can do their job without fear of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Policy (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 37 and 56 together. These questions relate to the development of a new tourism policy. Commencing a review of tourism policy is one of my Departmental priorities for 2013.  The purpose of this review is to develop a new tourism policy that will provide the necessary direction and framework to support a competitive and sustainable tourism...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Semi-State Bodies Annual Reports (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 70 together. These questions relate to the current financial position of  the CIE Group. Since 2008 , the financial performance of CIÉ has been severely affected by the economic recession which has resulted in a significant reduction in passenger numbers. CIÉ recorded total losses in the three years 2009 to 2011 of over...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Light Rail Projects Status (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 23, 30 and 71 together. These relate to the Luas Cross City project. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including the proposed Luas Cross City project. Luas Cross City Line is a priority project under the Government's...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: This question is about cruise ship tourism. The cruise ship sector has seen significant growth in recent years and is a sector that has considerable potential to contribute to the growth of the overall tourism sector in Ireland.  In April 2013 the Irish Maritime Development Office published figures for 2012 which show a 14.5% increase in the number of large cruise...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: State Airports (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 34 together. These relate to the merger of Shannon Airport and Shannon Development. As I pointed out in my replies to Dáil Question Nos.  7 and 63 on 15th May last, work on the preparation of the Heads of a Bill to provide for the merger of the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) and a restructured Shannon Development is on-going in my...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Initiatives (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: This question related to the accommodation of cyclists on public transport. The Programme for Government commits my Department to invest in the National Cycling Policy Framework.  Objective 8 of this policy framework is to ensure proper integration between cycling and public transport, with a specific action to provide for the carriage of bicycles on LUAS when services are of a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Services Provision (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 22 and 58 together. These questions relate to Irish aviation policy and Irish airlines. As an island, air transport connectivity is clearly of vital importance to Ireland for both economic and social reasons. There is a healthy competitive market for air services in and out of the country and we benefit from a wide range of air connections, both short...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (27 Jun 2013)

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.   Within its capital...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: North-South Ministerial Council (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I attended the fourteenth North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) Tourism meeting in the NSMC Joint Secretariat offices, Armagh yesterday , 26 June 2013. The meeting was also attended by  Arlene Foster MLA, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and John O’Dowd MLA, Minister for Education. At the meeting we received a presentation from Tourism Ireland on...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Provision (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 41 and 47 together. Following the comprehensive review of capital expenditure carried out in 2011 and against the background of difficult funding realities a decision was taken to defer the Metro North project together with a number of other proposed new projects. Given the limited funds available, the decision was taken that the main...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Issues (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: My main priorities for improving road safety are outlined in the Road Safety Strategy 2013 to 2020. The two main objectives of the Strategy are (i) a reduction of road collision fatalities on Irish roads to 25 per million population or less by 2020, thereby reducing deaths from 162 in 2012 to 124 or fewer by 2020 and (ii) a provisional target for the reduction of serious...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Roads Authority Expenditure (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 45 and 62 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: State Airports (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: The issue raised by the Deputy, the regulation of safety standards at airports, is a matter for the Irish Aviation Authority, an Agency under the remit of my Department. I have referred the Deputy's question to them 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: State Airports (27 Jun 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 48 together. These questions relate to future development at Knock Airport, including employment potential. As Deputies will be aware, the Ireland West Airport Knock (IWAK) Study Group was established, under the Chairmanship of Deputy John O'Mahony, following a meeting of the Airport Board with the Taoiseach, myself and Minister of State...