Results 34,261-34,280 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (29 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: Bus lanes are for public, not private transport. I have no plans to allow motorcyclists access to bus lanes. Under Action 100 of the Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and other stakeholders created a Working Group to examine the case for allowing motorcyclists to use bus lanes from a road safety perspective. The report of this Group was submitted by the RSA to...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (29 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: While matters relating to Central Statistics Office (CSO) statistics are primarily for the Department of the Taoiseach, I understand that the CSO does not provide a regional breakdown of statistics in their monthly 'Overseas Travel' publication. I am aware however, that the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland, provides an estimated regional breakdown of overseas visits on...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (29 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: It would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases, but suffice to say there are some deeply unsatisfactory practices amongst those clamping operators operating on private property. At present there is no legislation regulating the operation of private clamping operators. The current laws only provide for clamping by local authorities, or those acting as their agents, on public...

Written Answers — Departmental Legal Costs: Departmental Legal Costs (29 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible. In relation to agencies, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to each of the agencies in order for them to provide the Deputy with further details. If the Deputy does not receive a reply from the agencies within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of my Department is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible. In relation to agencies, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to each of the agencies in order for them to provide the Deputy with further details. If the Deputy does not receive a reply from the agencies within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.

Seanad: Road Transport Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senators for their contributions and co-operation in getting this Bill passed. As is often the case, better points were raised in this House than perhaps in the other one. The advantage of fewer speakers always helps a little bit. Senator O'Sullivan said this was rushed legislation. It is not really rushed. It is sound and I have every confidence in the Dáil and the Seanad...

Seanad: Road Transport Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The Bill is being brought to the House as a matter of urgency to deal with a number of issues that arise from the coming into force of EU regulations on road transport operators on 4 December. I thank the House for facilitating me in this regard. Those largely technical issues arise to a large degree from the introduction of EU regulations replacing a previous EU directive. In changing the...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: Funding for public transport under the new Medium Term Framework to 2016 is being prioritised to ensure maintenance of existing investment and to advance a small number of important projects which can add value to the existing network and, for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), progress to a limited degree the proposed long term integration agenda. In regard to the latter, commencing...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The A5 project was discussed at the North South Ministerial Council Plenary meeting on 18th November 2011. At the plenary meeting, Ministers noted that the provision of further funding by the Irish Government for the A5 road is being deferred and that in this regard the Irish Government will provide £25m per annum in 2015 and 2016 towards the project. It was also noted that the relevant...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together. The Public Service Reform Plan published last Thursday 17th November sets out the State agencies that will be rationalised. These include the merger of the Railway Procurement Agency with the National Roads Authority and the merger of the Irish Aviation Authority with the Commission for Aviation Regulation by June 2012. There will also...

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: This provision is about notifying the Minister of offences committed. At the time it is of course possible to notify the Minister that the persons involved are covered by the Good Friday Agreement. That does not require legislative provision. The Minister is obliged to take any representations into account. Somebody can notify the Minister that he or she has a conviction for manslaughter,...

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: Do the Members wish to reply?

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: Was the bombing at Enniskillen an atrocity and was Mrs. McConville murdered?

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy does not need a truth commission-----

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: I move amendment No. 3: In page 10, subsection (5)(a), line 39, after "licence" to insert "in respect of that service". This is a technical amendment to clarify that not only must a consigner ensure that any operator he or she engages has an operator's licence but that it must be the right kind of operator's licence for the service intended to be carried out. I propose that this amendment be...

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: I move amendment No. 4: In page 10, subsection (5)(b), line 41, after "required" to insert "under subsection (7) or otherwise". This is a technical amendment suggested by the Attorney General's office, to clarify that where any carriage of goods or persons is exempted under subsection (7) if a consigner engages someone to carry out such a carriage that person is not committing an offence.

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for the amendment. The intention of section 11, as originally proposed, is to support enforcement by the Garda and transport officers in relation to licensed and unlicensed operators and vehicles which are not authorised on licence. This requires that the appropriate documentation be carried in the vehicle for this purpose. Penalties for not doing so act as a deterrent....

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the intent of the amendment and I understand where the Deputy is coming from, but the measure would be premature. This legislation is the first time the information in question will be allowed to be published online. To the best of my knowledge, gardaí and transport officers do not have access to the Internet in their cars. Access can be poor on some of our roads. I am not...

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: I move amendment No. 5: In page 14, subsection (3)(a), line 22, before "(in" to insert the following: ", including the engagement or use by a person in the premises or place of the services of an undertaking for the carriage by road for reward of goods or persons in a vehicle". This is another technical amendment to include an existing provision that a transport officer of the Road Safety...

Road Transport Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2011)

Leo Varadkar: It is probably too early to answer the question, but the intention in next year's road transport Bill will be to update and consolidate existing legislation. Perhaps that will be the opportunity to have a revised Schedule of exempted businesses. Suffice it to say that those listed by the Deputy yesterday remain exempt.