Results 6,321-6,340 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Haulage Industry: Haulage Industry (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 322 and 325 together. All goods vehicles are liable to roadworthiness testing when they are one year old and every year thereafter. Testing is carried out by authorised testers appointed by city and county councils. The items to be tested, the method of testing and the reasons for refusal of a certificate of roadworthiness are set down in vehicle test manuals...

Written Answers — Haulage Industry: Haulage Industry (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The current number of licence applications on hand in the road transport operator licensing division of the Department of Transport is 92. Once an application is submitted with the necessary supporting documentation in order, it can normally be processed within ten working days. At the present time, it is taking an extra day or so to process applications. The number of applications for...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Transport officers from the Department of Transport are responsible for enforcing drivers' hours and licensing rules governing road haulage operators. These rules are also enforced by the Garda. Both haulage operators and drivers are liable to prosecution where breaches of drivers' hours rules are detected. However, in the case of breaches of the operator licensing rules it is only the...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: On 20 January 2006 Dublin Bus submitted an application for funding to me for additional fleet requirements. I will make a decision on this application when the assessment of the application by my Department has been completed. In modernising the regulatory framework governing public transport, there is a need to ensure that proposals in that regard are coherent with the institutional...

Written Answers — Airport Development Projects: Airport Development Projects (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together. The appointments referred to by the Deputy are operational matters for the Dublin Airport Authority plc, DAA, Cork Airport Authority plc, CAA, and Shannon Airport Authority plc, SAA, and I have no statutory functions in relation to them. However, I am informed that in agreement with the CAA the DAA has recently appointed BDO Simpson...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 to 332, inclusive, together. The Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2002 prohibit the use of a hand-held mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle. Under the Road Traffic Act 2002 these regulations are included in a schedule of enactments for which penalty points may be applied in the event of a...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The term "obstruction" in the phrase "except where it is necessary to proceed in that lane due to an obstruction or because another lane or lanes is or are for the time being closed to traffic" that I used in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 436 of 14 February 2006 is a direct quote from the provisions of article 33 of the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997, SI 182 of...

Written Answers — Dublin Port Tunnel: Dublin Port Tunnel (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including the Dublin Port tunnel, is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the local authorities concerned, in this case, Dublin City Council. I understand from the NRA that dealing with water infiltration during the construction phase is part and parcel of the process of building any tunnel that...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: My Department chaired a steering group overseeing a cross-departmental review of road safety expenditure which examined expenditure incurred over the lifetime of the first road safety strategy, 1998-2002. This review seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of all public spending on road safety and to establish the impact of road safety performance on other areas, such as health and emergency...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: There are 16 civil servants on my Department's payroll who are not currently working in the Department. The following table gives details. In all but one case the reason these staff are not working in my Department is that they are on secondment. The other case relates to disability payment. Grade Number Location of Officer Assistant Principal 1 Department of the Taoiseach ...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Under the NDP-Transport 21, Dublin Bus has purchased 530 new buses to date, of which 113 are additional and 417 are replacement buses. Some 268 of these buses were funded, partially and/or fully, by the Exchequer and 262 of these buses were funded from Dublin Bus's own resources. The total Exchequer investment involved over the period 2000 to 2005, inclusive, was €59 million. Under the NDP,...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Under Transport 21, a number of projects are proposed with significant investment, which will benefit the north side of Dublin. New metro and Luas services will provide fast, efficient and modern transport to key residential, educational and business locations. The network will be fully integrated and will stretch from Swords in the north, to Bray in the south and Lucan in the west. This...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together. To use a vehicle in a public place, it must comply with a range of standards in respect of its construction, equipment, use, weight and dimensions. These requirements are set out in the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 1996, the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2002 and...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: As indicated in my answer to Question No. 462, answered on Tuesday, 21 February 2006, this process is in train and formal assignments will be made shortly. The general situation is as set out in my reply to Question No. 128, answered on Wednesday, 1 February 2006, where I set out the position in full. These transfers are voluntary and, as such, personal costs are a matter for the individual.

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (28 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: EU law on maximum weights and dimensions for vehicles is set out in Directive 96/53/EC. Under that directive, which has been fully implemented by Ireland, a member state may not prohibit the use, in its territory, of vehicles from another member state which comply with the authorised maximum weight and dimension limits set down in the directive. The directive specifies four metres as the...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (23 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Irish Coast Guard of my Department manages Ireland's air and sea rescue services and I am satisfied that the arrangements in place compare favourably with best international practice. Search and rescue services are provided through a combination of emergency response services provided by the coast guard and other services provided by a number of charitable and voluntary organisations...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (23 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Until very recently the length of completed motorways in Ireland was such that only relatively short lengths existed. With new sections of the major interurban routes being opened, the length of continuous motorways is expanding especially on routes such as the M1, the M-N4 and the M-N7. I recently asked the NRA, which has responsibility in the area, to review its stated policy of avoiding...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The road traffic Acts provide for a range of penalties which consist of maximum financial penalties in respect of all offences and terms of imprisonment in respect of certain offences. Unless a penalty is expressly specified in respect of a particular offence in the road traffic Acts, the general penalty applies. This is a maximum fine of €800 for a first offence and a maximum of €1,500...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (23 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, has, since its establishment in 1994, been responsible for the regulation of aviation safety, including that of helicopters, in accordance with internationally agreed standards. The authority has informed me that, because the helicopter was carrying passengers as well as the woman in labour it was not permitted to land at an unapproved landing site. When a...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (23 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I have recently received proposals from Iarnród Éireann in respect of phase one of the Ennis to Athenry section of the western rail corridor. My Department is currently assessing these proposals and I will be in a position to make a decision on the funding of the capital and current costs of the line following completion of the assessment.