Results 601-620 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Senators for their contributions. We have had much discussion on the matter and I have replied before to the strong views expressed.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: The fundamental point is that this is enabling legislation that follows on from various consultants' reports and from the Government's ports policy published a few years ago. Senator O'Sullivan mentioned Wexford, but Wexford is in a different category. The reason Bantry and Fenit are mentioned is that when the original legislation was being published, the option existed to set up a private...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: Whatever.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: The point I am making is that there is a difference due to the significant amount of commercial traffic from Liebherr in Killarney to Fenit. That company is very attached to Fenit because it suits its operation. If Fenit was only about tourism and angling, we would not be talking about putting it under the control of the Shannon-Foynes Port Company because it would be transferred to Kerry...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: The current position regarding the testing of drivers for alcohol at the scene of a collision is that a member of An Garda Síochána may require a driver involved in a collision to provide a preliminary breath specimen. This discretion is provided in acknowledgement of the fact that urgent medical attention may be required for seriously injured victims and must take precedence over breath...

Written Answers — Road Safety Strategy: Road Safety Strategy (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 99 together. The Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012 was prepared by the Road Safety Authority, approved by the Government and launched in October 2007. Its overall objective, through a combination of education, enforcement and engineering actions, is to save lives and prevent serious injuries, thereby bringing Ireland in line with best practice countries...

Written Answers — Marine Safety: Marine Safety (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: Issues relating to pollution from ships are continually under review at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and at EU level. It is most desirable owing to its international nature that measures relating to shipping should as far as possible be applied internationally. This ensures for instance that States which apply measures in the interest of ship safety or the prevention of...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: The Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012 outlines a range of measures to be considered in relation to a Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDLS). The driver licensing regulations, which were made in October 2007, providing for the introduction of a learner permit to replace the provisional licence and some other measures, were the first step in the introduction of a GDLS. A progressive roll-out of...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: Following the metrication of speed limits in 2005 the Minister for Transport issued guidance to Local Authorities on the setting of special speed limits in accordance with Section 9 of the Road Traffic Act 2004. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide advice and guidance to Local Authorities in relation to the making of special speed limit bye-laws by county and city councils. These...

Written Answers — Cycling Policy: Cycling Policy (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 108 together. Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No 477 of 2006) research and analysis into the causes of collisions is a matter for the Road Safety Authority. The recent report on cycle collisions will of course be taken into account by the RSA as part of that work. The Road Safety Strategy Action (No....

Written Answers — Marine Safety: Marine Safety (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: Since its establishment in 2002 the MCIB has published 114 reports containing 467 recommendations. In the four-year period 2005 to 2008, the MCIB published 46 reports regarding 55 craft incidents, which resulted in 42 fatalities and 7 injuries to persons. On receipt of the reports my Department examine each of the MCIB's recommendations with a view to addressing any shortcomings in either...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 111 together. The Government's Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012 sets out two related actions (a) to prepare and publish technical/engineering guidance for the setting of speed limits and (b) to audit and report on the appropriateness and consistency of speed limits every two years. Work on these Actions is now in hand and in concluding that work regard...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: The Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 is currently at Committee Stage in the Seanad. The primary purpose of the Bill is to give effect to certain aspects of the Ports Policy Statement, which was launched in January 2005 and is available to view on my Department's website. One of the key recommendations of the Ports Policy Statement was the need to enhance port company performance through reform...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: The Government gave its approval late last year to the drafting of a Road Traffic and Transport Bill, which inter alia proposes a reduction in the legal Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level for drivers. It is hoped to have the Bill published in the coming months.

Written Answers — Road Traffic Legislation: Road Traffic Legislation (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: I already have responsibility for the road safety functions within the Department, which includes the Road Traffic Acts, corporate governance of the Road Safety Authority and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, and the making of secondary legislation on issues such as driver testing and licensing, vehicle standards and the regulation of traffic. The Road Traffic Acts are kept under review and...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: As an island nation, Ireland is particularly reliant on our shipping and air services for the maintenance and creation of business, trade and tourism links with Europe and the rest of the world. Air The market for air services in the European Community was fully liberalised in 1992 and the EU-US market was liberalised more recently under the EU-US 'Open Skies' agreement which came into...

Leaders' Questions (17 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy should be serious.

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (12 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: The regulations governing the requirement for cyclists to be adequately lit up at night are the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963. Where a person is guilty of an offence under these regulations, the penalties are set out in the Road Traffic Act 2006, the penalty for a first offence is a fine not exceeding €1,000, for a second offence a fine not exceeding €2,000 and...

Seanad: Recapitalisation of Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland: Statements (12 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: Yes.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (resumed) (11 Feb 2009)

Noel Ahern: Although I have said it before, may I remind Members of what we are doing here and the history of this matter? Five or six years ago, a high level review of the State's commercial sea ports recommended the amalgamation of Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners with the Port of Cork Company. Those recommendations and the consultation process that informed them fed into the ports policy statement...