Results 32,821-32,840 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (23 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993.  Works on such roads are generally a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants.  In this case I understand that the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Fines (23 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 2010, when commenced, will provide, on receipt of a court summons, for a third and final opportunity to pay the original fixed charge, increased by 100%, up to 7 days before the matter is to be dealt with by the courts. This provision was included in the 2010 Act in consultation with the Courts Service and the Garda Síochána. Officials from my...

Other Questions: State Airports (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: To advise Deputy Dooley, it would be a major mistake to start a new company by telling it that it would be underwritten and that it would have a pile of money as a safety net if something went wrong. One way to ensure that a commercial venture fails is to tell it that it does not need to succeed. We must put it up to Shannon Airport to succeed on a commercial basis. It can do it. The...

Other Questions: State Airports (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: That is a question for the Minister for Defence. Deputy Mathews can ask him about the matter. As we have a small airforce, moving to Shannon Airport would mean closing Baldonnel. The Coast Guard is doing well operating out of Shannon Airport. I would need to pass the Deputy's suggestion on to the Minister for Defence.

Other Questions: State Airports (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I agree with Deputy Carey. I am very keen to bring this project to a conclusion. Like most things I have started in this job, it has taken longer than I thought for various reasons, and there are always complications, but we are on target for mid-November. If all goes to plan, it would make sense to appoint a board and begin the search for a chief executive officer sooner rather than...

Other Questions: State Airports (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy has made a very valid point. The new Shannon company needs to be on a sustainable financial footing. Quite evidently there is no point in doing it otherwise. However, it also needs to be commercial. Quangos and State agencies are on a sustainable financial footing because they receive money from the Government. I do not want this to be a quango or a State agency. I want it to...

Other Questions: State Airports (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The plan is to publish the plan for all to see and begin implementation in November, and if not in November by the end of the year. We are in limbo and huge patience has been shown in the region on this point. I do not want us to be in limbo for much longer. The plan is to have everything done and dusted and agreed by Cabinet by mid-November, or at the end of the year by the latest, and...

Other Questions: State Airports (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: There is no question of the State taking on the debts of any airport. There is potential to work out the debt whereby the debt would stay with the DAA which would continue to pay interest on it but it would no longer have to cover the operating losses which exist at Shannon Airport. It could be done in such a way that it would not seriously impact on the balance sheet of the DAA, or what...

Other Questions: Pilot Training Colleges (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: It is possible to read sections of accounts but, ultimately, the finding of the auditors was that it was a going concern and would continue as such. If it is the view that the Irish Aviation Authority somehow failed in its duties, it is open to the people concerned to take legal action against the authority. It is then, ultimately, for the courts to decide if that is the case. Based on its...

Other Questions: Tourism Promotion (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 26, 27, 76 and 79 together. These questions relate to the Gathering 2013 project, the resources for same and the role for Shannon Airport in such. With regard to general progress on the Gathering, I refer Deputies to my earlier answer to Question No. 4 on this matter. In terms of resources, this year my Department has allocated a budget of...

Other Questions: State Airports (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 31, 41 and 58 together. These questions relate to the separation of Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority. As the Deputies will recall, following the Government decision in principle in May to separate Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority and merge it in a new entity with a restructured Shannon Development, a steering group of...

Other Questions: State Airports (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know what the final proposal of the steering group will be with regard to Shannon Heritage. There are three options. It can either become a company in its own right that is totally separate from everyone else, a subsidiary of the new Shannon entity or a subsidiary of Fáilte Ireland. Shannon Heritage Limited does a very good job and runs the sites very well so wherever it ends...

Other Questions: Pilot Training Colleges (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: There are a few relevant points. PTC's accounts were signed off, without qualification, on 29 August 2011 by professional auditors. The accountants were satisfied that "the group, including PTC, will continue as a going concern" and they stated the directors are satisfied that sufficient financial resources are available to the group from its budgeted profits, banks and shareholders. The...

Other Questions: Pilot Training Colleges (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: It is important to state nobody has been stranded abroad.

Other Questions: Pilot Training Colleges (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: They were but they subsequently came home themselves or were repatriated at the expense of the Irish Aviation Authority on a no-prejudice basis, or on humanitarian grounds. I do not have the exact figures in front of me but I am informed that most of the trainees have resumed their training. Arrangements have been put in place in other colleges to allow the trainees to pay in instalments so...

Other Questions: Departmental Agencies (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 83 together. The payment of directors' fees is a matter for Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company in accordance with the code of practice for the governance of State bodies. While the code requires companies to provide details of attendance in their annual accounts and outlines a number of other requirements in regard to the payment of fees, it does not...

Other Questions: Departmental Agencies (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: This issue relates to a person who is not here to defend himself and is no longer a member of the board of the harbour company. I do not believe people who do not turn up for board meetings should be paid directors' fees. That situation must change.

Other Questions: Departmental Agencies (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: We are in the process of appointing a new board and chairman. I am genuinely open to suggestions from people and stakeholders on how the harbour company should operate. However, whatever the final structure, it will need to operate on a commercial basis. Government subvention and taxpayers money is for schools, hospitals, pensions and support for the disabled, carers and the unemployed....

Other Questions: Pilot Training Colleges (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 77 together. These questions relate to the situation at the Pilot Training College, PTC. This issue arose from the failure of PTC, a privately-owned and operated flight training school, to meet its contractual obligations to its students for the completion of their training.   The Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: The Gathering (18 Oct 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I am pleased to report continued good progress in the preparations for The Gathering Ireland 2013 which will be Ireland's biggest ever tourism initiative. Fáilte Ireland is the lead agency for the implementation of the initiative and has put in place a project executive team to implement it. Tourism Ireland has specific responsibility for promoting The Gathering Ireland 2013 in...