Results 33,921-33,940 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Road Network (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have a difficulty with receiving a delegation from the region but I will be telling it exactly what I told the Deputy, namely that there are legal and planning processes. The authority is Clare County Council and it will select the route. Eventually the matter will go to An Bord Pleanála. At no point will the selection of the route or whether the road has planning permission be...

Public Transport (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, public transport fares are a matter for the CIE operating companies in conjunction with the National Transport Authority which is responsibility for regulating the maximum fare on public service routes. I am aware that the NTA approved a range of fare increases in respect of the CIE companies, which took effect last month. It is, however, important to point out...

Public Transport (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I have sympathy for what the Deputy is saying but I do not see any evidence of increased traffic volumes. Perhaps if that is the case, it is a sign of a recovering economy. I do not necessarily think that increasing traffic volumes would be such a bad thing. The numbers using public transport are down slightly on last year but not by as much as they went down in 2010. The situation is...

Tourism Industry (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Tourism Ireland is responsible for the overseas promotion of Ireland as a tourist destination. Decisions on participation in individual commercial events and other day-to-day decisions are operational matters for the agency itself and the Minister has no role, function or responsibility in them. As the matter raised is entirely a matter for Tourism Ireland, I have referred the Deputy's...

Tourism Industry (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: Funding from the travel tax was used in the latter half of the year. While it was intended that the travel tax would be abolished, it was not possible to come to an adequate agreement with the airlines, so some of that money was reinvested in a winter tourism promotion scheme and an access promotion in conjunction with airlines. In total, €9 million in money from the travel tax and from...

Tourism Industry (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: That question is probably more relevant to the Minister for Finance or the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform than to me. The vast majority of the cost of the jobs initiative was the VAT reduction, which has been very successful, and the reduction in employers' PRSI for those on modest incomes. In the forthcoming revised Estimates volume, there is provision for an increase in...

Aer Lingus (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The question refers to Aer Lingus and whether it is a strategic asset, as well as my views on the Heathrow Airport slots. Aer Lingus is a PLC, a public limited company, and the Government only holds a 25% equity stake in the company. Consequently, Aer Lingus as a company cannot be considered to be a State asset. The minority stake is, however, an asset but is not considered to be a...

Aer Lingus (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: With respect, the Deputy is now trying to change the question, but I have answered the question he asked. When Aer Lingus pulled the services from Shannon, the 25% shareholding was not sufficient for the then Government to change that decision. Therefore the holding of that 25% stake was not strategic because the Government of the day could not do anything to change the decision. The...

Aer Lingus (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The question relates to assets. To have an asset, one must own it. The Government does not own Aer Lingus or the slots and, therefore, the company cannot be considered to be a strategic asset. Of course, links between Ireland and Britain, and specifically between Dublin and Heathrow, are of strategic importance, but they are not strategic assets. One does not have to own something for it...

Light Rail Project (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 38, 43 and 46 together. The railway order application for Luas BXD was submitted by the Railway Procurement Agency, RPA, to An Bord Pleanála in June 2010 and the oral hearing for the scheme concluded in April 2011. An Bord Pleanála wrote recently to the RPA seeking submissions and observations on matters relating to the railway order application...

Light Rail Project (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The projects were discussed in great detail. When the revised capital plan to 2016 was decided upon, one question that arose, and one on which I and the Minister of State, Deputy Kelly, sought assurances, was that if the Luas BXD went ahead first, whether it would still be possible to build metro north and the DART underground without having to close down the BXD line for several months. A...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's question relates to the application of penalty points to foreign drivers licenses. Under the Road Traffic Act 2002, penalty points are required to be endorsed on the Irish driving licence record held on the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) and a current driving licence is required to serve penalty points. or the majority of cases this endorsement takes place without...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's question relates to introducing new road traffic legislation as it pertains to cyclists. I am committed to supporting the continuing development of cycling as a core part of any effective transport policy recognising that it offers a healthy, affordable and environmentally friendly means of transport. Under the Programme for Government, we set out our commitment to continue...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 48 and 50 together. The Deputies' questions relate The Gathering initiative. I presented proposals for "The Gathering 2013" at the Global Irish Economic Forum last October. Fáilte Ireland is the lead agency for the implementation of the initiative while Tourism Ireland Limited will have specific responsibility for promoting "The Gathering 2013" in...

Written Answers — Property Transfers: Property Transfers (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy asked me a similar question regarding this building in June 2011. My response at the time was that I was not aware of any proposal to transfer this building and this remains the case today. Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company is a State commercial port company established and operating pursuant to the Harbours Act 1996-2009. Section 15 of that Act states: "A decision by a company to...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 262, 267, 268 and 271 together. The Deputy's questions relate to the employment prospects from the various sectors under my Department's remit. The Action Plan for Jobs was published on Monday last and sets out a coordinated Government approach to job creation. It places a particular emphasis on tourism as one of the key areas for the generation of...

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's question relates to the tourism potential for Ireland arising from this summer's European Football Championship. Obviously the main tourism implications for Ireland of this year's European Football Championships will be related to the number of Irish supporters travelling to Poland and the Ukraine for the tournament and the extent to which carriers and others may focus on...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 49 together. These questions relate to proposals to increase the motorway speed limit for heavy goods vehicles from 80kph to 90kph. Under the Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits - Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles ) Regulations, 2008, a speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour is prescribed in respect of the operation of non-passenger carrying vehicles in...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: My Department will shortly engage with the National Roads Authority and local authorities throughout the country with a view to ensuring that a nationwide audit of speed limits takes place. The aim of this audit is to examine and improve, where appropriate, the application by local authorities of speed limits and speed limit signage throughout the country, in accordance with my Department's...

Written Answers — Tourist Statistics: Tourist Statistics (16 Feb 2012)

Leo Varadkar: The collection of statistics are primarily a matter for the Central Statistics Office (CSO). I understand that the CSO does not provide a regional breakdown of statistics in their monthly 'Overseas Travel' publication. I am aware, however, that Fáilte Ireland, provides an estimated regional breakdown of overseas visits on an annual basis, based on research of its own as well as available...