Results 32,141-32,160 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Other Questions: Road Safety Statistics (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for his comments. This year's figures to date are a cause for great concern, in that the number of road fatalities has increased significantly. However, it is important that we not read too much into this increase. When I first took up office in March 2011, the first quarter indicated an increase in road fatalities. By the end of the year, though, 2011 had become the...

Other Questions: Road Safety Statistics (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: This question relates to road fatalities in recent years. The statutory responsibility for the collection and analysis of structured information on road traffic collisions lies with the Road Safety Authority. That analysis is published annually in the authority's facts book, Road Collision Facts. While 2012 figures are still being analysed, I understand the analysis for 2011 is being...

Other Questions: Road Maintenance (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to Deputy Ellis's question, it is a fact that local authorities have cut their contribution by more than the Government's and I provided the figures in my reply. They used to provide 40% of the cost but that has fallen to 32%. Local authorities are, therefore, cutting their funding faster than the Government is cutting their grants. If additional money becomes available, we...

Other Questions: Road Maintenance (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Dooley makes a valid point in stating that local authorities are under pressure and I fully acknowledge that. Central government also is under a lot of pressure and I find it a little disingenuous of local authorities to point the finger at central government, which perhaps has cut its allocation by 20% or 30%, when the local authorities actually have cut their own by 60%. It is...

Other Questions: Road Maintenance (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I am very much open to providing more flexibility to local authorities, thus allowing them to move funds from one heading to another. My Department has received a proposal from one local authority and my officials are due to meet with the City and County Managers' Association to see if that can be progressed in the coming weeks. However, I want to be sure that the money actually goes into...

Other Questions: Road Maintenance (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106, 132, 158, 168, 180, 801 and 802 together.  It is almost like Taoiseach's questions, with all of the questions being taken together. These questions relate to the maintenance and repair of the network of national, regional and local roads. The protection of the existing investment in the Irish national, regional and local roads network is the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of State Assets (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: There are strategic issues involved and cargo is certainly one of them. I met the Irish Exporters Association on a number of occasions and discussed that very point. The association is also represented on the Tánaiste's export trade council, so I meet its members from time to time in that forum. Almost all airlines, other than Ryanair, provide cargo services and it was its intention...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of State Assets (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: That analysis is under way and is being done by the NewERA unit on behalf of the Department and the Government. Aer Lingus is a very good company and is very profitable. In fairness to the management and staff, they have made a huge contribution in recent years to turning the company around. It is a company I want to see continue to grow and be successful. To date, the Government's...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of State Assets (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: This question relates to the Government's shareholding in Aer Lingus and its strategic value. The Government retained a minority stake of 25.1% in Aer Lingus in the initial public offering of shares in the group in 2006 primarily to protect what were perceived to be the State's strategic aviation interests at that time. However, the importance of the Government's minority stake,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driving Licences (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: In May 2011, the Government decided to centralise the driver licence service under the Road Safety Authority (RSA). With the commencement of the relevant sections of the Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act 2012, the RSA became the driver licensing authority for Ireland with effect from 12th January 2013. The RSA proposes to operate the service through...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbour Authorities Expenditure (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110, 147, 155, 162 and 177 together. These questions relate to a payment to a board member at Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company. As I stated previously on 5 February, the payment of expenses to directors is a matter for the Company in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. I understand that the matter is...

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

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 126, 159, 773 and 781 together. These questions relate to the St Patrick's Day "Global Greening" initiative. Tourism Ireland recently publicised details of their 2013 “Global Greening” initiative.  The initiative helps to create a supportive backdrop against which Tourism Ireland can run its targeted marketing...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sale of State Assets (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112, 117, 181 and 182 together. These questions relate to the State Shareholding in Aer Lingus, and the  Ryanair's Offer for Aer Lingus. In relation to the issue of strategic value of the Aer Lingus stake, I refer the Deputies to my earlier response to the priority question. In relation to the Ryanair Offer for that stake, it is the Government's...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Alcohol Advertising (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113, 129, 156, 176 and 792 together. These questions relate to the sponsorship of sport by the alcohol industry. I fully support the central aim of the National Substance Misuse Strategy in reducing the level of alcohol consumption and binge drinking. I am very supportive of a number of the measures proposed including minimum pricing, health warning...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Airport Development Projects (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114, 119 and 145 together. As Deputies will be aware, Shannon Airport was separated from the Dublin Airport Authority on 31 December last and the assets and business of the airport were transferred from the DAA to the Shannon Airport Authority. My Department is working in conjunction with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on the Heads of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbour Authorities Expenditure (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 118, 124, 143 and 160 together. I informed the Deputy in response to Questions on 5 February 2013 that my Department would forward the questions to the Company for an explanation of their accounting practices for the Deputy's information. This issued to the Company on 13 February last and if the Deputy does not receive an...

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

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120, 142 and 146 together. These questions relate to the development of a new tourism policy. I am conscious that it is a decade since the publication of the "New Horizons" tourism strategy and over three years since the last review of strategy by the Tourism Renewal Group. Therefore, I confirmed my intention to begin work on a tourism...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry Regulations (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: In conjunction with representatives from the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) my officials have met with members of the Irish Airline Pilots' Association (IALPA) regarding the the draft Opinion published by the European Aviation Safety Agency proposing new Flight Time Limitations (FTL) rules on a number of occasions over the past number of months.  I would like to point...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Project Contracts (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: This Question is about the goodwill payment of €5,000 per acre which was part of an Agreement concluded with the IFA relating to land acquisition. As the implementation of individual road schemes and the arrangements in relation to individual landowners is a matter for the NRA and the local authority concerned, I have referred the question to the NRA for direct reply....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Procurement Contracts (19 Feb 2013)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 150 and 172 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...