Results 33,121-33,140 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Vehicle Clamping (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to regulate the vehicle clamping industry, I presented a discussion document to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht in December 2011 in which I outlined the principal issues to be addressed in regulating the industry, my proposals on the shape of appropriate legislation and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Services Provision (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's question relates to the flight time limitations of air crews. The current EU rules on Flight Time Limitations for commercial air transport operations are in place since July 2008 and were agreed following difficult negotiations in the EU Council and Parliament.  Under EU Regulations, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is now charged with developing detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Haulage Industry Regulation (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Road Traffic Law places the onus on the owner/operator of a vehicle to ensure that he/she does not operate an overloaded vehicle in a public place.  Specifically under the general provisions (referred to in Article 96) of S.I. 190 of 1963 the owner/operator must ensure that:   96. (1) Every vehicle while used in a public place shall be such, and so maintained and used, that...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Appointments to State Boards (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The commitment in the Programme for Government is to have at least 40% of each gender on State boards. Since my appointment as Minister in March 2011 the percentage of women on State Boards under the aegis of my Department has risen from 21.3% to 26.3%.My intention is to continue to work towards progressing the commitment in the Programme for Government in the context of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Programmes (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The matter of the penalties for taxi offences was examined as part of Taxi Regulation Review last year. The Review in its final report considered that the current regulations which have established a single financial penalty level of €250 for certain specified breaches of the current industry regulations were not appropriate and were resulting in very minor...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ports Merger (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: A review of the 2005 Ports Policy Statement is now at an advanced stage. Currently, the State owns nine port companies of very varied size and port company restructuring is one of the key issues being considered as part of this review. The revised policy statement will provide a coherent framework for all state owned ports and allow for their future development in a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbour Authorities Membership (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of the newspaper report referred to by the Deputy and my Department is following up on the relevant issues with the Chairman of the Harbour Company. 

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: State Bodies Expenditure (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is a matter for the agencies themselves. I have, however, forwarded your request to relevant agencies under the remit of my Department for direct reply to you. If you do not hear back within ten working days please contact my private office.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: State Bodies Expenditure (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Since my appointment as Minister for Transport , Tourism and Sport on 9th March 2011, no new State Bodies have been established under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Appointments to State Boards (18 Sep 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Following public advertisement, 32 persons who expressed an interest in serving on the State Boards under  the aegis of my Department have been appointed since March 2011. In addition, three people who expressed an interest in serving on the boards of the port companies as part of the statutory process required under the Harbour Acts have been appointed during the same...

Written Answers — Road Maintenance: Road Maintenance (19 Jul 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 a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. Details of state funding provided to local authorities for...

Written Answers — James Joyce Tower: James Joyce Tower (19 Jul 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The James Joyce Tower and Museum was operated by Dublin Tourism up to 2011 but now falls within the area of responsibility of Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly, I have asked the agency to reply directly to the Deputy. If you do not receive a reply within ten working days, please contact my private office. However, I understand from Fáilte Ireland that the tower and museum was open through...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (19 Jul 2012)

Leo Varadkar: An all-island tourism promotion and marketing strategy already exists. Tourism Ireland is the all-island tourism marketing company established under the Good Friday Agreement by the then Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB). Therefore the issue of potential savings does not arise.

Written Answers — Sports Funding: Sports Funding (19 Jul 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I should like to congratulate the club on qualifying for the UEFA Champions League and I wish them every success in the competition. The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the allocation of current funding to sports organisations. The ISC channels funding through the National Governing Bodies of sport. In the case of...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (19 Jul 2012)

Leo Varadkar: As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) in December 2009, the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), such as LUAS BXD, comes under the remit of the NTA. The allocation for BXD for...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Jul 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 811 and 812 together. There are currently 18 individuals in my Department who receive gross salaries in excess of €100,000 per annum. When pension levy, tax and other statutory deductions are taken into account, the net sum received by each individual is less than €100,000. If wages were to be capped at €100,000 per annum the reduction on gross salary...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (19 Jul 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The table indicates the number of mobile telephones that were purchased for staff and the corresponding number of staff these phones were allocated to, during the periods in questions. These figures include replacement phones that were sought, the majority of which are free under the Framework agreement as negotiated by the Department of Public Enterprise and Reform. Staff members that have...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (19 Jul 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The amount spent on furniture is set out in the following table: YEAR AMOUNT 2010 €70,722 2011 €56,630 2012 Nil The furniture was purchased for newly refurbished accommodation for the Irish Coastguard and for the National Transport Accident Investigation Office in Dublin.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Jul 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport reimburses staff for official travel only. The Travel and Subsistence allowances are paid only in respect of necessary absence from headquarters. All travelling duties must be planned in order to reduce the total amount of travel to the minimum consistent with efficiency. This is enshrined in the Departments Travel policy document which reflects...