Results 33,741-33,760 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Tourism Industry (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister, Deputy Bruton, referred during an interview to an increase of 6,000 people in employment in the tourism sector. The situation has improved further since the most recent figure became available. To date, there has been an increase of 11,000 in the number of people working in the food and accommodation sector. However, this represents only a partial recovery on the large number...

Tourism Industry (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The plan is that the reduced VAT rate of 9% will continue until the end of 2013. As stated by the Deputy, that is what is promised in the jobs initiative and the legislation and is what is stated on the Revenue website. The industry should work on the basis that the reduced rate will continue until the end of 2013, the year of The Gathering. Having said that, I am not writing the budget now.

Tourism Industry (28 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I do not want to give people an assurance which may change. We do not know what will happen between now and budget day or what will happen to the economy, the deficit or in regard to other matters. I do not want to be strung up by the Minister for Finance for making promises on his behalf. The intention is that the lower rate will continue to the end of 2013.

Written Answers — Museum Projects: Museum Projects (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 665 and 668 together. The approval of grant aid under the Tourism Capital Investment Programme is a matter for Fáilte Ireland. The current position regarding an individual application is an operational matter for the Agency. I have referred the Deputy's Questions to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a...

Written Answers — Driver Licences: Driver Licences (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Under EU law, Ireland is required to introduce a plastic card format of driving licence in January 2013. I strongly support this. My Department decided that the transition to a plastic card licence provided an opportunity to review the way in which the driver licensing function was carried out. Consultants, engaged by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to examine the options, recommended a...

Written Answers — Sporting Bodies: Sporting Bodies (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Swim Ireland and the Olympic Council of Ireland are not governmental bodies. They are autonomous sports organisations and I have no role or responsibility in this matter. However, given the sensitivities of the case, I have expressed my concerns in person to the CEOs of both these bodies. The Deputy may be interested to know that the Olympic Council of Ireland issued a statement on this...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 669 and 670 together. In July last year, local authorities were invited by the National Roads Authority (NRA) to submit applications for consideration for funding in 2012 under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme. According to the NRA's online application system, Donegal County Council submitted an application for €350,000 in 2012 for Mulantiboyle...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: There are currently three staff in my Department serving as directors on Boards of agencies arising from their employment within the Department. Mr Declan Hayes, who works in the Department's Road Safety Division, serves on the board of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety while Mr Jurgen Whyte, the Chief Aeronautical Officer, and Mr Brian Hogan, the Chief Surveyor, both serve on the Marine...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I will be announcing a new round of the Sports Capital Programme in the very near future. It will be open to any organisation, such as the organisation referred to by the Deputy, with a suitable project to apply for funding under this Programme under the terms and conditions that will apply.

Written Answers — Ministerial Expenses: Ministerial Expenses (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The amount of travel expenses claimed on a monthly basis since March, 2011 by the Ministers of State at my Department and myself are in the public domain and available on my Department's website.

Written Answers — Driving Licence Applications: Driving Licence Applications (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Driving licence applications, including applications for renewals, are processed by the Motor Taxation Offices (MTOs) of the local authorities. When an individual is renewing a driving licence they normally receive a new licence for the same categories as those covered by their previous licence. If they do not, it may be because, when filling out the form for renewal of a licence, they have...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (27 Mar 2012)

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 is capital budget, the assessment and...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (27 Mar 2012)

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. Noting the above position, I have referred...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme element of Transport 21. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Noting this I have referred...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Initiatives such as the visa waiver scheme are invaluable in looking to the long-term opportunities presented by developing markets such as the BRIC countries, particularly China, India and the Middle East, visitors from most of which countries require visas. The benefits of the visa waiver scheme are already apparent since it was launched last year and this was reflected in the recent...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Provisions in relation to road haulage cabotage are set out in EU Regulations 1072 of 2009, which came into effect on 14 May 2010. Cabotage relates to the carriage for hire or reward within a host Member State carried out on a temporary basis by a non-resident operator. The EU Regulations define the specific limitations of cabotage. These are in effect that once goods carried on the...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I announced the 2012 regional and local road grant allocations to local authorities on 30th January 2012. This included an allocation of €6 million under the Low Cost Safety Improvement Grants Scheme. Details of the individual allocations to each local authority is available in the Dáil Library under "2012 Grant Allocations to Local Authorities for Regional and Local Roads".

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body for the promotion, development and coordination of sport which includes responsibility for dealing with the recognised sporting organisations and allocation of funding to same. The ISC was established on a statutory basis on 1st July 1999, and the functions of the Council are outlined in Section 6 of the...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The introduction of national regulations to make rear window wipers mandatory is not currently under consideration. All cars entering the Irish fleet must conform to the European Communities Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) standard which includes the requirement to have wipers on the front of the vehicle under Directive 78/318/EEC (as amended). Rear wipers are not mandatory but are...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (27 Mar 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Government transposed the EU Directive governing the use of Child Restraint Systems (CRS) into Irish law in September 2006 which requires infants from birth up to 13kgs (29lbs) in weight (Approximate Age Range from birth to 12-15 months) to be restrained in a rearward facing child restraint that conforms to EU product standards (ECR44). This affords significantly greater protection for a...