Results 5,301-5,320 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Road Safety. (5 Feb 2008)

Noel Dempsey: ——major efforts. In the debate on this matter, everybody tends to dump on young people and that is grossly unfair. I accept the Deputy's comments on Dr. Bedford's fine research in this area. However, that research did not indicate whether the people with the relevant level of alcohol in their blood actually caused the accidents in question. I am awaiting information and statistics...

Road Safety. (5 Feb 2008)

Noel Dempsey: There is no doubt that alcohol is a major factor. It causes or is a factor in approximately 37% of accidents. There is an argument for reducing the limit to 0.2, or 20 milligrams, for younger drivers on the basis that they have less experience and may not be able to cope with the effects of alcohol as well as others. There are arguments on both sides.

Public Transport. (5 Feb 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110, 111 and 115 together. Following two independent reviews of the integrated ticketing project in early 2006, my predecessor established the integrated ticketing project board in July of that year. The board was given responsibility to deliver the technology required to deliver an integrated smart card ticketing system within an agreed specification,...

Public Transport. (5 Feb 2008)

Noel Dempsey: When I was at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and this was first mooted, I expected the project to be completed much earlier than today. With regard to the review of the current project which took place in 2006, all of the timelines have so far been adhered to and all the progress outlined in that has come about. The timescale is being maintained. There is...

Public Transport. (5 Feb 2008)

Noel Dempsey: With regard to the completion date, the integrated ticketing board is currently responsible for the delivery of the project and it reports to me. It is intended that when the Dublin transport authority is in place, it will take over responsibility for delivering the project. The expected cost, as I noted earlier, is €49.6 million, with this figure based on pre-tender estimates. We will...

Order of Business (5 Feb 2008)

Noel Dempsey: They are all friends of Fianna Fáil.

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (31 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The data available to my Department on the general growth in passenger traffic in the Greater Dublin Area over the last ten years is contained in the Census travel to work and travel to education data for the years 1996, 2002 and 2006. In summary, the table below shows a growth of 33% in trips to work and education in the Greater Dublin Area over the last ten years. The growth in car trips...

Written Answers — Coastal Protection: Coastal Protection (31 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Emergency Towing Vessels (ETV's) are deployed to empower a State to proactively protect its coast and all maritime activities within its Exclusive Economic and Marine Pollution Responsibility Zones. The tasking of ETV's include intervention in casualty response to prevent pollution from oils or hazardous and noxious substances and damage to the environment, life or property; pollution...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (31 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: My Department supports the use of the Port Tunnel by any bus operator, whether it is Dublin Bus, Bus Eireann or a private operator. On the 22nd March, 2007, Dublin Bus notified my Department of its proposal to re-route four of its existing Route 41X services from Swords via the Port Tunnel. At that time, my Department advised the Company that the proposal was in conflict with a prior...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (31 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: In his Financial Statement to the Dáil in December 2007, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance announced that the Government had agreed to an efficiency review of administrative expenditure across the public service. As part of this review, my Department is currently examining its administrative expenditure and that of the non-commercial and regulatory state bodies under its aegis with a...

Order of Business (31 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: With the Deputy's co-operation.

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (30 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: In accordance with Section 30 of the Harbours Act 1996, I will consider any recommendations when making my decision to appoint Directors to the Boards of Port Companies.

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (30 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Section 81 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides the statutory basis for the Local Improvements Scheme (LIS) and the Local Improvements Scheme Memorandum, which issued in February 2002, sets out the terms and conditions for the payment of LIS grants. Under the Scheme, grants are provided to county councils for the construction and improvement of non-public roads which provide access to...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (30 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The provision and improvement of regional and local roads, including bridges, in its area is a matter for Mayo County Council to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State grants. Funding is being provided by my Department to Mayo County Council towards the provision of a new bridge at Achill Sound and in May 2007, approval was conveyed to the Council to award a contract for the...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (30 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The provisions of road traffic legislation are not prescriptive as to the mode of pay and display schemes that a road authority may use in the operation of a paid parking scheme whether on-street or in public car parks and it is not proposed to change that position.

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (30 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 518 and 571 together. The construction of the Kildare Route upgrade project, including the provision of car parking, is a matter for Iarnród Éireann. I understand from the company that the current position regarding the project is that work is underway on all main contracts and that the project is on target for completion in 2010.

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (30 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Both Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus have been undertaking trials on the use of biofuels. As of 1 December 2007 one open-top bus used on Cork City tours runs on a mix of 95% regular diesel and 5% bio-diesel fuel. The bio-diesel is derived from rape-seed oil. Dublin Bus use bio-diesel made from recovered vegetable oil (RVO) on five open-top tour buses. This year Dublin Bus will be leasing, with...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (30 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Following representations received from various bodies, my Department is currently engaged with the Office of the Attorney General to establish how the current legislation can be amended to achieve roadside testing of drivers involved in serious collisions subject to overriding medical circumstances.

Written Answers — Private Airports: Private Airports (30 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: The Irish Aviation Authority (Rules of the Air) Order, S.I. 72 of 2004 sets out the requirements governing the filing of flight plans. The issue raised is a day-to-day matter for the Authority and I have no function in this regard.

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (30 Jan 2008)

Noel Dempsey: Under the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 taxis are permitted to use with-flow bus lanes but contra-flow bus lanes are reserved solely for use by large public service vehicles. This is based on road safety considerations. There are no plans to permit taxis to use contra-flow bus lanes.