Results 6,721-6,740 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Driving Licences: Driving Licences (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government hold and administer the national driver file which contains driving licence records. My Department is in consultation with that Department with a view to having the necessary arrangements for the issue of driving licence renewal notices from the national driver file put in place. I understand that the Department of the...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Accidents: Road Traffic Accidents (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: The primary immediate investigative role in relation to road accidents is vested in the Garda Síochána. Priority in such an investigation must be given to the determination of the causes of road accidents including, where appropriate, road construction or surface standards, and in particular whether a breach of the road traffic laws contributed to the occurrence. The Garda Síochána is the...

Written Answers — Driving Test Centres: Driving Test Centres (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: There are no plans to open a driving test centre in Drogheda. The existing centres in Dundalk, Navan and Finglas provide adequately for the demand in Drogheda and the general area.

Written Answers — Driving Test Centres: Driving Test Centres (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: Table 1 sets out the location and number of testers assigned to headquarter centres at present. Driver testers are in turn assigned from headquarter centres to meet the demand in other test centres. The table does not include the chief supervisory tester or the ten supervisory testers. Table 1 also sets out details of whether a centre is owned by the OPW or leased by it on my Department's...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 852, 855 and 856 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. 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 — Road Network: Road Network (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 853 and 859 together. The construction of the Dublin Port tunnel and issues related thereto are matters for the contractor, Dublin City Council, and the National Roads Authority, NRA, in the first instance. I understand from the NRA that a safety audit of theproject confirms that the Dublin Port tunnel complies in all respects with the requirements of the...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: Balbriggan and Skerries Harbours were transferred from the ownership of Dublin Port Company to the control of Fingal County Council in 2004 as provided for in the Harbours Act 1996. Following receipt of a submission regarding works required at Balbriggan and Skerries Harbours by Fingal County Council in 2005, the Department responsible at the time, the Department of Communications, Marine and...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 857 and 858 together. The Department of Transport was set up in June 2002. Since that date vacancies arising on State boards have been filled according to the requirements of the relevant legislation. The current level of board membership together with the number of vacancies to be filled are detailed on the following table. State Body No. of board members...

Written Answers — Aer Lingus: Aer Lingus (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: I have not entered into any commitment in the terms suggested by the Deputy. The decision to dispose of a majority shareholding in Aer Lingus was made following detailed and comprehensive consideration of the issue by my Government colleagues and me. In accordance with the terms of Sustaining Progress, I engaged with the trade unions on the issue early in 2005 before the Government finalised...

Written Answers — Rail Accidents: Rail Accidents (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: I have been informed by the Railway Procurement Agency that there have been nine derailments on the Luas line to date, of which five occurred in circumstances in which the tram was not in passenger service. Eight of the derailments were caused by operational errors while the ninth case arose as a result of an articulated truck driving into the side of the tram.

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: On 6 November last, I announced the appointment of a team, led by Professor Margaret O'Mahony, charged with establishing a new transport authority for the greater Dublin area. I have asked the team to finalise a structure for the new authority, detailing its remit and responsibilities and identifying the human resources which are critical to its success, taking into account best practice and...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: Transport 21 provides the strategic framework for the development of the national roads network. It provides for a more extensive upgrade programme than that provided for in the national development plan. In such circumstances, separate costings for the completion of the national road improvement programme provided for in the national development plan have not been abstracted.

Written Answers — Railway Stations: Railway Stations (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: I advise the Deputy that I have no function in respect of this matter. Responsibility for the development of rail freight operations at particular locations rests with the company in question.

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 865, 866, 870, 873 and 875 together. On 6 December 2005, the European Parliament and the European Council reached agreement through the conciliation process on a new EU regulation designed to improve driving times and rest periods for professional drivers. The new rules will replace the existing drivers' hours rules which have not been updated since 1985. It...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to my answer to Question No. 337 of 12 October 2005, which set out details of contracts awarded since the Department of Transport was established in June 2002. Advice received as a result of such consultancies is an integral step in the formulation and implementation of the policies of the Department of Transport. The cost of such advice in 2005 was €1,353,000. The...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: I understand from the Railway Procurement Agency that a look-back study is being completed in respect of the two Luas lines. It is expected that the study will be completed in the coming months and the main findings will be made available in due course.

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: The new Shannon and Cork Airport authorities were incorporated in September 2004. In line with the framework provided by the State Airports Act 2004, the two new authorities will own and operate the airports when sufficient distributable reserves are available to the Dublin Airport Authority to transfer the relevant airport assets to them. Under the 2004 Act, the Ministers for Transport and...

Written Answers — Driving Licences: Driving Licences (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: Under the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations, 1999 to 2004, persons who suffer from any of a prescribed list of diseases or disabilities must submit a medical report certifying them as medically fit to drive with their application for a driving licence or renewal of a driving licence. This requirement is in line with general EU requirements on the periodic medical assessment of...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: Pending the receipt and consideration of the report of the Dublin transport authority establishment team, which I recently put in place to make recommendations on the establishment of a transport authority for the greater Dublin area, it is not proposed to take any initiative in respect of the Dublin Transport Office advisory committee.

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (25 Jan 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Dublin to Westport line has been totally re-laid with modern continuous welded track in recent years. Significant investment has been made in associated infrastructure, such as bridges, level crossings and fencing. Work is under way on a project to modernise the signalling system on the line, to be completed in 2007. Iarnród Éireann will begin taking delivery in 2007 of 150 new...