Results 5,881-5,900 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Driving Licences: Driving Licences (23 Oct 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 (RSA) has responsibility for the oversight of the operation of the driver licensing system including the preparation of proposals for draft regulatory provisions relating to driver licensing and testing. At my request the Road Safety Authority has examined the driver...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: My Department proposes to engage 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 accidents subject to overriding medical circumstances. With regard to the introduction of a comprehensive drug roadside testing programme for drivers, the Road Traffic Acts already provide that a member of...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I would refer the Deputy to Questions Nos. 8, 45 and 71 put to me on Thursday last in this connection. The position is unchanged. As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme element of Transport 21. The implementation of individual national road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Bus Éireann states that the exact numbers carried on these corridors is commercially sensitive. However, the company informs me that passenger numbers have increased by the following percentages: Kells/Navan Corridor passenger numbers have grown by 2% to 3% per annum since 2002. Athboy/Trim Corridor passenger numbers have grown by 3% to 4% per annum since 2002. My Department has also...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: In September 2006 my predecessor announced expenditure of €50 million on 160 (69 additional and 91 replacement) buses for Bus Eireann as part of Transport 21. Another €23 million was approved earlier this year for the purchase of a further 75 replacement buses in 2008. The deployment of the buses are a matter for the company.

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: In 2005/2006 my Department commissioned a unitised port capacity study. Seven ports around the country made submissions as part of that study, including one from Greenore Port. In its submission Greenore Port outlined a proposal to develop the port, including a new quay. Decisions regarding the progress of the proposal are a commercial matter for Greenore Port. My Department has recently...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Transport 21 does not provide for the construction of a rail link between Limerick and Shannon Airport. The feasibility study carried out on behalf of Iarnród Éireann with input from a steering group representative of local interests concluded that the economic case for the rail link is poor. I understand from Iarnród Éireann that the feasibility study indicated there would be significant...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is the lead Department on this issue. Figures for carbon emissions from aviation can be obtained from the following websites:The Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.ieSustainable Energy Ireland: http://www.sei.ie

Written Answers — Airport Security: Airport Security (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: For some time my Department has been in discussions with the U.S authorities on the introduction of full pre-clearance facilities for U.S. bound passengers at Dublin and Shannon Airports. Currently my officials are in contact with a number of other Departments on certain aspects of these discussions. When introduced, the operation of these facilities would be subject to an Inter-Governmental...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Transport 21 provides for the development of a Luas line from St Stephen's Green to Liffey Junction, using the old Broadstone Railway alignment. This is consistent with the long-term transportation strategy for the Greater Dublin Area in the "Dublin Transportation Initiative" (1995) and in the Dublin Transportation Office's strategy "A Platform for Change" (2001), both of which envisaged the...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (23 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The total budget allocation for the Road Safety Authority (RSA) for 2007 was €31,124,000 to cover all matters including RSA safety awareness and educational campaigns. Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No 477 of 2006) it is a matter for the Road Safety Authority to determine how they allocate their expenditure on specific road safety measures.

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The provision of any public bus services on a specific route by a private bus operator is subject to the 1932 Road Transport Act. In the case of the State bus companies, the initiation or alteration of a bus service is subject to compliance with a Ministerial requirement to give advance notice to my Department and to compliance with the provisions of section 25 of the Transport Act 1958...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Under the provisions of road traffic legislation a speed limit applies to every public road and the legislative basis for the application of speed limits on public roads is set out in the Road Traffic Act 2004. A county council or a city council can only make special speed limit bye-laws in relation to public roads that they are responsible for. A county or city manager can only make a road...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 35, 40 and 112 together. Metro North is a project of critical importance to the sustainable growth of the economy of the Dublin region. Current projections indicate that in the next ten years the population of Fingal in North Dublin will nearly double and employment will continue to grow significantly particularly in the city. There is a clear transport...

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: A media article on 13th June 2007 reported the possibility of Aer Lingus opening a new base at Belfast. Following a query to the Company by my Department on foot of that article, the Company, on 13th June, indicated that it was considering opening a new base at Belfast and that, if the proposal proceeded, there would be implications for Shannon. An official conveyed the concerns of the...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: This cohort of drivers, generally men aged between 17 and 25 years, are the target of much road safety effort in Ireland and other countries. That effort is directed through road safety advertisement, education and enforcement measures. The Road Safety Authority has developed advertising campaigns targeted at encouraging young people to consider their attitudes, behaviour and the consequences...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 75 and 80 together. As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme element of Transport 21. The detailed planning, design and implementation of national road projects including the possible provision of service and/or rest areas on or near these routes, is a matter for the...

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The legal advice available to the Government is that shareholders do not have the power to over-rule management decisions on business matters. Even if the Government on its own or in conjunction with other shareholders called an EGM and voted for the restoration of the Shannon Heathrow service, the directors of Aer Lingus would not be obliged to follow any direction from its shareholders....

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 19 and 73 together. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to improve bus services under Transport 21 by reforming bus licensing to facilitate the optimum provision of services by providing a level playing field for all market participants. The precise arrangements for the procurement of buses from the private sector will be dealt with in...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 78 together. Transport 21 provides for the re-opening of the railway line to Navan in two phases — Clonsilla to Pace and Pace to Navan. The position regarding Phase 1 is that Irish Rail submitted an application for a Railway Order to An Bord Pleanala in September 2007. The company is targeting a late 2008 start (subject to Railway Order) and a...