Results 3,701-3,720 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Dublin Transport Authority. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The Department of Transport will not conduct the search for the chief executive, it will be a matter for the Public Appointments Service. I have instructed officials in my Department to seek the best person for the job and to spread the net as wide as possible to recruit the very best person. The salary range for the post is governed by the scales set by the Review Body on Higher...

Dublin Transport Authority. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I do not wish to be held to a figure, but I estimate some 100 staff will be involved.

Dublin Transport Authority. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I forgot to mention absorption of the Taxi Regulator into the new authority. During the debate on the DTA Bill, Deputy O'Dowd suggested the remit of the new authority should be extended. I have considered the matter and although initially I intended to proceed in three stages, namely, to introduce the DTA Bill, to amend the 1932 Act and then provide for a national regulator, I now intend to...

Dublin Transport Authority. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: It will be the national transport authority. Regarding the newspaper report, I do not know what qualifications the newspaper editorial writer can call on to tell me to buy more buses——

Dublin Transport Authority. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I have always maintained that we must ensure we use the existing fleet efficiently. In the coming weeks I hope to find out whether this is the case.

Dublin Transport Authority. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The question is whether the DTA will have powers to examine this matter and the answer is "Yes".

Taxi Regulations. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: As mentioned in the reply to the parliamentary question to which the Deputy refers, my Department has been in discussion with the Commission for Taxi Regulation about a subsidy scheme to assist with the purchase of accessible vehicles over a five-year period that will meet the new accessible vehicle specification developed by the commission. A number of options for the delivery of additional...

Taxi Regulations. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: We will shortly be undertaking a review of our sectoral plan. There has been discussion on the progress made and on where we need to go over the next few years. We will be producing that document towards the end of this month. The issue will be discussed then. I cannot give a timescale for the discussions with the taxi regulator, but I do not think there will be any undue delay. It is a...

Taxi Regulations. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The number of licensed wheelchair accessible taxis increased from 840 in 2000 to 1,504 in December 2007. A further 216 applications for wheelchair accessible taxis were received by the commission up to the end of September this year. Under Transport 21, the Department has a provision of €14 million in 2008 for funding accessibility improvements. Some of the money for the scheme would...

Taxi Regulations. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The issue initially raised in the Deputy's supplementary question is a matter for the taxi regulator. I am not privy to the details of what progress has been made in that regard. I am sure, however, that if she said she would have the standards protocol in place in January, she will do so. As regards the moratorium, I have followed with interest the discussions at the Joint Committee on...

Taxi Regulations. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I agree with the Deputy about that. For a long number of years in this House, Deputies on all sides were complaining that it was impossible to get a taxi in Dublin——

Taxi Regulations. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: ——and, indeed, in rural areas. The High Court decision reversed that trend. The belief now, particularly among taxi drivers, is that there are too many licences, but the law is as it currently stands. With the introduction of improved standards by the taxi regulator, many of the concerns currently being expressed can be met. Deputy Stanton referred to the introduction of a pilot...

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 145 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Government recently established a Cabinet committee on aspects of international human rights. At the first meeting of the Cabinet committee, it was agreed that the statutory powers available to the civil authorities and to An Garda Síochána regarding the search and inspection of aircraft, including those...

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I agree with the Deputy that these matters should be dealt with as quickly as possible. I note he accepts that the Government is, and always has been, completely opposed to the practice of extraordinary rendition.

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: We need to say that all sides of the House are so opposed. There should be no undue delay in reviewing all the relevant legislation. However, gardaí must always be mindful that they have to form reasonable opinions that something illegal is going on. The fact that a plane might at some stage have been involved in extraordinary rendition in some other country is, of itself, not enough in...

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I am sure the Deputy would not expect me to suggest I would support a Labour Party Bill without having sight of the Bill. That would not be good practice.

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I respectfully suggest that when Deputy Michael D. Higgins is drafting that Bill that he remind himself we must operate under the Chicago Convention which means any legislation in this area——

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: ——would have to comply with it. There is not much point in producing legislation that ignores international treaties. I am not for one minute saying that the Deputy would do that. The review of security and customs and excise at airports is a matter in the first instance for either the Minister for Finance or the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I understand there is a...

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: This will certainly be considered as part of the review.

Light Rail Projects. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 129 together. We made a commitment to have an investigation of Luas light rail systems for Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, within two years. I asked the city authorities to carry out those studies. The Cork study is being carried out under CASP, the Cork area strategic plan, and is now substantially complete. In the case of Limerick, a...