Results 5,901-5,920 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Commercial vehicle testing is currently provided by independent garages around the country, supervised and regulated by the local authorities. A review of these arrangements was undertaken by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on behalf of the Road Safety Authority (RSA). The Report of that review, which has been submitted to me, includes among its proposals the recommendation that the Road Safety...

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

Noel Dempsey: The Department of Transport, The National Roads Authority and (until responsibility for non-national roads was transferred to the Department of Transport) the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, have worked closely with local authorities and the Local Government Management Services Board to develop comprehensive new guidelines for the control and management of road...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: This matter is not under the remit of this Department.

Written Answers — Transport 21: Transport 21 (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: When Transport 21 was launched in November 2005, details of the major projects to be implemented in the ten-year period 2006 to 2015 were provided together with an indicative completion date for each. Updated information on all major projects is provided on my Department's Transport 21 website and on the websites of the relevant implementing agencies. Every project in Transport 21 is required...

Written Answers — Departmental Functions: Departmental Functions (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Responsibility for functions related to maritime safety, maritime security, ship-source pollution prevention, national ports policy, shipping and maritime commerce policy transferred to the Minister for Transport on 1st January 2006. I have confined my reply to the maritime functions directly within my sphere of responsibility.

Written Answers — Cycle Facilities: Cycle Facilities (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 92 together. My Department has provided funding to support the development of cycle routes and facilities. It has also assisted specific initiatives such as the Safe Routes to Schools Programme supported by the Dublin Transportation Office. I am committed to increasing the use of cycling as a mode of transport and I am commissioning research on...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 50, 69 and 70 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 will have to be satisfied as to the state of operational and financial readiness of the three airports before any vesting of assets can take place. The actual...

Written Answers — Railway Stations: Railway Stations (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 102 together. Decisions in relation to the location and development of new stations and the reopening of closed stations are operational matters for Iarnród Éireann.

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

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 41 and 64 together. As I have said previously, the Aer Lingus withdrawal of its Shannon-London Heathrow service is very disappointing. However, I do not believe that this specific action requires that a fundamental review of our aviation policy be undertaken or that a Green Paper be published. In line with the requirements of the Public Service...

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

Noel Dempsey: The full provisions of the EU US Open Skies Agreement will come into effect from 30 March 2008. However, the transitional measures which had been agreed, relating to Ireland, came into effect following political agreement at the Council of Ministers on 22 March 2007. In accordance with Article 26 of the Agreement, formal entry into force requires an exchange of diplomatic notes between the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 33 together. The Agreed Programme for Government includes a commitment to expediting the establishment of a statutory Dublin Transport Authority. The new Authority will have overall responsibility for surface transport in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) subject to direction by Government in respect of significant policy issues. Accordingly establishment...

Written Answers — Railway Stations: Railway Stations (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: Decisions in relation to the redevelopment of Killucan station are a matter for Iarnród Éireann in the first instance. I understand from the company that Westmeath and Meath County Councils have submitted to them the results of a feasibility study on the re-opening of a station at Killucan or Hill of the Down. I understand that Iarnród Éireann are currently considering this report and...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 103 and 105 together. The North/South Work Programme, which was agreed by the North South Ministerial Council, included a commitment to examine the mutual recognition of penalty points between the Republic of Ireland and the North. However, separate penalty point systems operate in the two jurisdictions on this island, and the system that operates in...

Written Answers — Marine Accidents: Marine Accidents (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: The Contract to raise the two vessels was awarded to Irish Diving Contractors Ltd (IDC) on 19th September. Phase 1 of the operation, which involved the mobilisation of equipment to Dunmore East and the placing of wire slings on the wrecks in preparation for the lifting of the vessels, has now been completed. For phase 2, IDC are mobilising a crane barge to lift the vessels from the seabed....

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

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 84 together. Overall responsibility for local government finance is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In so far as roads are concerned, the improvement and maintenance of non-national roads in its area is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 13...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: As part of my overall objective for sustainable urban transportation I have requested CIE to move to a 30% bio-diesel blend in all new buses as part of their fleet replacement policy commencing in 2008. In line with the Programme for Government I have also asked the company to set out an action plan to convert the existing fleet to a 5% biofuel blend taking account of logistical, technical...

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

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 51 together. Transport 21 provides for a programme of investment to fund increased integrated radial and orbital bus services in the Dublin area. Dublin Bus are currently bringing into service the 100 additional buses for which Exchequer funding of €30 million was approved in September last year. This will bring the total Dublin Bus fleet to 1,182...

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

Noel Dempsey: Immediately after the Aer Lingus IPO, Ryanair's attempted takeover bid was launched. Under the applicable law, the State representative on the board was excluded from board meetings at which the takeover was discussed. It would not have made any sense in such circumstances to have appointed all three State directors at that time. The circumstances are now different and it is appropriate to...

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

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 88 together. According to the recent report published by the European Transport Safety Council, Ireland has improved its road safety standing in Europe by climbing 4 places in the last year to become the 12th lowest country for road deaths per million population of the 29 countries surveyed. The report also shows that road deaths in Ireland have...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (18 Oct 2007)

Noel Dempsey: A number of measures relating to transport are included in the revised National Climate Change Strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include technology improvements, rebalancing of motor taxes and fuel economy labelling, Dublin Traffic measures, Mineral Oil Tax Relief for biofuels, modal shift through Transport 21, alignment of transport investment with spatial planning, and the...