Results 4,321-4,340 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I would like to clarify at the outset that the buildings in which my Department is accommodated are sourced by the Office of Public Works. The OPW, because of its particular technical expertise, plays the key role in the assessment of the energy efficiency of buildings in State use. The main step which the OPW takes in the discharge of this role is the installation of Building Management...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The decentralisation of 50 Departmental and Road Safety Authority staff to Loughrea was among the priority moves in the Government's programme and was completed in July 2007. Decentralisation of an additional 62 Road Safety Authority posts (which were not part of the original Government decision) to Ballina was also achieved. My Department met with the Decentralisation Implementation Group...

Written Answers — Ship Inspections: Ship Inspections (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The Executive Committee of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on port state control (the Paris MoU) met in Greece during May and decided to admit Ireland to the "White List" in recognition of the significant improvement Ireland has made in recent years in safety standards aboard Irish registered ships. Obtaining 'White List' status from the Paris MoU is an international recognition that...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: In December 2006 the Integrated Ticketing Project Board submitted a comprehensive proposal setting out the timelines, scope and budget for the implementation of an integrated ticketing scheme for the Greater Dublin Area. Based on this proposal, I am informed that the current position is that the integrated ticketing system will be launched on a phased basis on the services of Dublin Bus,...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: At the launch of Transport 21, the Government identified the programmes and projects in the national roads, public transport and regional airports sectors that it wishes to see prioritised for implementation in the ten-year period from 2006 to 2015 within an overall capital provision of €34 billion. That objective has not changed. Significant progress has been made on Transport 21 in its...

Written Answers — National Roads Authority: National Roads Authority (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding issues in relation to the national roads element of Transport 21. Under section 17 and 19 of the Roads Act 1993, the detailed planning, design and implementation of individual national road improvement projects are a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the relevant local authority concerned. I met...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: To end May, €165.8 million in public transport capital grants was drawn down. The total Exchequer allocation for 2008 is €986 million. It should be noted however that the bulk of the drawdown of Transport 21 capital grants, including for public transport, normally takes place in the second half of the year. The position on the public transport grant drawdown to date in 2008 is in line...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 443 together. The Metro North project is progressing well. The tender documents were issued to the four bidding consortia last month and the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) has held meetings with these consortia recently. The bidders are putting their bids together with a view to submitting them towards the end of this year. The PPP procurement...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 139 and 149 together. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to expedite the establishment of a Dublin Transport Authority, which will have the necessary powers to ensure the delivery of the integrated public transport system envisioned under Transport 21. The Dublin Transport Authority Bill has been published and is currently before the...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 414 together. The lowering of the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) levels for drivers requires the recalibration or replacement and subsequent recertification of the Evidential Breath Testing (EBT) machines in Garda stations and roadside breathalysers used by the Gardaí. The Medical Bureau of Road Safety, who has responsibility for the approval, supply and...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The emerging preferred route for Metro West was announced by the RPA in July 2007 following an extensive consultation process on route options which included the public, residents, property owners, local authorities and other stakeholders. A further round of consultation is now underway to provide greater definition to the route. The current phase of the consultation process will conclude...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to carry out feasibility studies into Luas-style Light Rail Transport (LRT) systems in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford within two years. I have since asked that these studies should simultaneously include consideration of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). The local authorities in Cork are currently engaged in updating the Cork Area Strategic...

Written Answers — Electric Transport: Electric Transport (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 138 together. The document referred to was only received in my Department on the 12th of June and is still under consideration. The range of fiscal incentives and infrastructural measures suggested in the document are more appropriate to the Ministers for Finance and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Nevertheless the potential of electric...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Dublin Bus currently has a fleet of 1,182 buses. Under Transport 21 Dublin Bus has been allocated since 1st January 2006, €30 million towards the cost of 100 additional and €30.04 million towards the cost of 200 replacement buses. The funding of further new buses will be considered in the light of the outcome of the cost and efficiency review of Dublin Bus which is currently underway and...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: A minimum of 37 posts are required to decentralise to Drogheda. These were not part of the decentralisation decision announced in December 2003. Consideration was given to moving the full complement of maritime safety staff to Drogheda. However, since Mr. Fearon's report of October, 2007, a review was undertaken by my Department in the context of the Efficiency Review and the conclusion was...

Written Answers — Sustainable Travel and Transport: Sustainable Travel and Transport (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: My Department, through the Dublin Transportation Office, funded An Taisce's Green-School's Travel Module on a pilot basis in 2007. The pilot, which involved 49 schools and 20,000 pupils in the Greater Dublin Area, delivered an average 10% decline in car use for school journeys — the decline was replaced by an 8% increase in walking/cycling and 1% increases in use of public transport and...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I refer the Deputy to my reply to a similar Parliamentary Question of today's date.

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 111 and together. The National Development Plan provides for a comprehensive study of the role of Dublin Port, taking account of locational considerations, in the context of overall ports policy on the island of Ireland, wider transport policy, urban development policy, the National Spatial Strategy and national economic policy. My Department is in the...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme element of Transport 21. As the Deputy is aware, the implementation of individual national road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Act, 1993 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. In addition, the statutory power to...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (17 Jun 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The State Airports Act, 2004 provides the framework for the establishment of Shannon and Cork as independent airports. As part of the airport restructuring process the boards of Cork and Shannon airport are required to prepare business plans for eventual separation. Draft business plans for Cork and Shannon were submitted to the DAA at the end of last year and subsequently forwarded to me...