Results 5,561-5,580 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 54 and 68 together. The State Airports Act 2004 provides the framework for the establishment of Shannon and Cork as independent airports. Under the Act, both the Minister for Finance and I must be satisfied as to the state of operational and financial readiness of the three airports before any vesting of assets can take place. The timing of airport...

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The amount in the budget for regional airports does not apply to Shannon and Cork Airports, which are State airports. The Shannon Airport Authority has submitted its plan and the Government could do nothing about restructuring until it was submitted. Discussions have taken place between the SAA and the DAA, with progress being made. If agreement is reached, the DAA will make a submission...

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The report to which the Deputy refers was drawn up by groups in the mid-west as part of a consultation process on a document prepared by the Department of Transport on foot of the open skies policy. It was basically a request for €44 million in market support and €9 million in route support for Shannon. I have explained on many occasions that it cannot be done because it against EU...

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: It is illegal and we would not get away with it. The €44 million sought in market support is equivalent to the entire Tourism Ireland budget. We are providing about €2 billion in transport infrastructure in the Shannon region. About €13 million is being provided for broadband roll-out. The DAA has invested about €100 million in Shannon Airport in the past four or five years. The...

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Shannon Airport Authority wants independence and provided we can come up with a plan, it should get it. It must stand on its own two feet subsequently. There will be an open, competitive environment and restrictive practices of any nature will have to end.

State Airports. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: We have six of those PSOs on different routes, so we are familiar with the concept. However, they are basically from peripheral regions within the country to a more centralised location. From that point of view, it is different because we would have to get approval from another Government if flights were going to another jurisdiction. That is only the part of the process.

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 34 together. I am conscious that enforcing penalties for road traffic offences on foreign registered drivers raises many legal, organisational and procedural issues, which make it very difficult for any one State to enforce such penalties. For that reason, my Department is pursuing this question at European, British-Irish and North-South levels where...

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: In my experience when I was Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government people in Northern Ireland say the same about drivers from the Republic driving in the North.

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: It is not only Northern drivers coming South but Southern drivers going North.

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Northern Ireland has the lead role for transport matters in the British Irish Council, BIC, and the authorities in that jurisdiction are taking the lead in considering this issue. I have been trying to arrange to meet my counterpart in the UK. Deputy Broughan seems to know him, so he might put in a good word for me to meet the UK transport minister in January to try to move on mutual...

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: When somebody is convicted we have a file created on the national driver file and that person's name, conviction and penalty points are entered in it.

Road Traffic Offences. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: This proposal is similar to that of the AA. I saw the article by the AA and it was sent to us as a statement for strategy. I have asked my Department staff in Shannon to examine that to see how we can improve the data and information. I would be grateful for any suggestions anybody comes up with on this. When people come in with a licence they do not have to record it here, neither do we...

Order of Business (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: No jobs were taken out. The Deputy should try to tell the truth.

International Agreements: Motion. (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion provided by Article 1.11 of the Treaty of Amsterdam to take part in the adoption of the following proposed measure: a proposal for a Council Decision concerning co-operation between Asset Recovery Offices of the Member States in the field of tracing and identification of proceeds from, or other property...

Estimates for Public Services 2007 (6 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I move the following Supplementary Estimates:

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (5 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The implementation of this project, for which my Department has approved funding, is a matter for Iarnród Éireann. I understand that enabling works have already commenced on the Midleton line but that there has been a delay in awarding the main construction contract as the contract had to be re-advertised for commercial reasons. The award of contracts for the construction of railway...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (5 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No 477 of 2006) the Road Safety Authority has now responsibility for the promotion and awareness of road safety including the promotion of safety for cyclists. There are no legislative proposals under consideration to make it mandatory for all cyclists to wear helmets.

Written Answers — Video Conferencing Facilities: Video Conferencing Facilities (5 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Video conferencing facilities are only available in one of the buildings used by my Department in Lesson Lane, Dublin 2. I have not had occasion to use this facility but I am open to doing so should an instance warrant its use. The extension of such facilities to other Departmental buildings can be considered on a case-by-case basis having regard to the availability of resources and the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The number of staff in my Department who participate in the Travel Pass Scheme in 2007 is 156.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (5 Dec 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together. The information sought by the Deputy is not available. The focus of my Department's recycling programme relates to paper materials, the principal form of waste. In this regard, my Department has two specific contractual arrangements in place for the collection and recycling of confidential and general waste paper. My Department keeps...