Results 6,481-6,500 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Member states have until 8 May 2006 to bring into force the laws necessary to comply with Directive 2003/20/EC. It is my intention to make the necessary regulations to implement the directive by the due date.

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 278 together. Traffic management in general is a matter for the appropriate local authority and the traffic management and control arrangements that will apply following the opening of the Dublin Port tunnel are a matter for Dublin City Council. In parallel with the opening to traffic of the Dublin Port tunnel, Dublin City Council will be introducing a...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 181 together. My Department is currently engaged in a comprehensive review of the Rules of the Road booklet. It is the intention that a draft of the new booklet will shortly be published on the Department's website and that comments and submissions will be invited from the public and interested parties. The new booklet will be finalised following...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 151, 174, 183 and 264 together. At the launch of Transport 21 on 1 November, I said that I was convinced that we need a new approach to transport in the greater Dublin area, delivered through a single authority with the power to ensure joined-up thinking and delivery across all transport modes. In pursuit of that objective, I appointed a team last...

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The operation and licensing of wheelchair accessible taxis and their drivers is currently controlled through the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2002. The Commission for Taxi Regulation is responsible for the development and maintenance of a new regulatory framework for the control and operation of small public service vehicles and their drivers. In 2005 the...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 124 and 150 together. Under the Dublin Airport Authority's, DAA, medium term plan for new infrastructural provision at Dublin Airport published last autumn, a new terminal and associated pier facilities, pier E, will be provided to the south of the existing terminal. These facilities are due to come on stream in 2009. The plan also provided for other capacity...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The driving test in Ireland is designed in accordance with the requirements of the European directives on driving licences, which set out the skills that a driver must demonstrate during a driving test. As in other EU countries there is a variation in the pass rate among test centres. The pass rate may be influenced by a number of factors including the number of lessons taken by the...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 170 together. 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. Good progress continues to be made on the construction of the tunnel. I am informed that the civil engineering work within the tunnels has...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The decentralisation of transport staff to Loughrea is among the priority moves in the Government's decentralisation programme. A total of 50 posts are due to transfer to Loughrea. A suitable site has been identified in Loughrea and the Office of Public Works is currently in discussion with the county council in relation to the preparation necessary for lodging an application to obtain...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129, 158, 172, 179, 190, 200 and 280 together. In summary, about 5% of the overall Luas track will require remedial work which will be carried out with minimal interference to the travelling public. There is currently no threat to passenger safety and the remedial work will be carried out at no expense to the Railway Procurement Agency, RPA, or the taxpayer....

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 277 together. Statistics relating to road accidents, based on information provided by the Garda Síochána, are published by the National Roads Authority, NRA, in its annual Road Accident Facts reports. The most recent report, now entitled Road Collision Facts, relates to 2004 and is available on the NRA website. Reports relating to previous years are...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: Directive 2003/97 lays down new standards for the type approval of certain categories of vehicles, particularly lorries, in relation to the field of vision of drivers and requires that all new vehicles meet the new standards from 26 January 2007. In April 2005, the Irish Road Haulage Association, IRHA, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, SIMI, and the Irish Business and Employers...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 204 together. The statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, make toll bye-laws and enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the National Roads Authority, NRA, under Part V of the Roads Act 1993, as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000. I have given no directions to the NRA under...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: A matter that is relevant to vehicle-based technologies is that the regulatory framework for vehicle standards is set at European level through a harmonised system of motor vehicle type-approval. Standards for new passenger cars in the EU are specified in a range of EU type-approval directives that are incorporated into a system known as EU whole vehicle type approval, WVTA. WVTA facilitates...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 169 together. In line with commitments given in the Road Safety Strategy 2004-2006 it is my intention that a requirement that motorcyclists with provisional licences must display L-plates will be introduced, and that driver licensing regulations will be amended to discourage long-term reliance on provisional licences. The necessary regulatory...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 146, 168, 180 and 203 together. The Road Safety Strategy 2004-2006 contains a commitment that random preliminary roadside testing of drivers for the presence of alcohol would be introduced before the end of 2006. Against the background of that commitment I have pursued a very detailed examination of the possible approaches that could be adopted to allow...

Written Answers — Road Signage: Road Signage (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Traffic Signs Manual sets out directions and advice given to road authorities by the Minister for Transport pursuant to section 95(16) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 regarding the provision and use of warning and information traffic signs. A copy of the manual is available in the Oireachtas Library. Since late 2004 my Department has been engaged in a comprehensive review of the Traffic...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The issue of the use of mobile phones by drivers was first referred to the Attorney General's office for advice in July 2002. Meanwhile, there have been significant developments in in-vehicle information and communication technologies. The necessary preparations have now been made to provide for the regulation of in-vehicle information and communications technologies. It is my intention to...

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139, 152, 178 and 201 together. I have recently introduced regulations, SI 780 of 2005, the European Communities (Access to Railway Infrastructure) (Amendment) Regulations, 2005, transposing Directive 2004/51/EC on the development of the Community's railways. These regulations allow for the opening of the freight market to competition from 1 January 2006, in...

Written Answers — Marine Safety: Marine Safety (1 Feb 2006)

Martin Cullen: The importance of providing emergency towing vessel facilities, ETV, to protect our coasts has been recognised, including the possibility of sharing such services with the UK in relation to the east coast. However, the very significant costs involved has meant that, in the context of other marine emergency response priorities, it has not been possible to date to put permanent ETV arrangements...