Results 721-740 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: The Government recently gave its approval to the drafting of a Road Traffic and Transport Bill, which inter alia deals with the legal Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level for drivers. The processing of prosecutions for intoxicated driving offences is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: The changed economic climate has inevitably impacted on the volume of trade through the State's ports. In September the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) published its mid-year analysis of traffic volumes through the ports. This showed that throughput fell during the first half of 2008. The IMDO's analysis shows that roll-on/roll off (ro-ro) volumes were down 4%, lift-on/lift off...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: The Primary purpose and aim of the Road Safety Action Plan is to save lives and reduce injuries on our Roads, by reducing fatalities to no more than 60 fatalities per million or 252 fatalities per year. The 1 Primary Action of saving lives is supplemented by 125 other specific actions, designed to bring about the objective expressed in the primary action. The Strategy is being successfully...

Seanad: Dental Services. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. As the Senator will know, and it is important to point out, responsibility for the Competition Act rests with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. That Department is currently engaged in a review of the Competition Act and has been having consultations with...

Seanad: Dental Services. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: I cannot give the Senator that assurance. From the reply——

Seanad: Dental Services. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: Judging from the reply it seems that as of now she has a particular——

Seanad: Dental Services. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: She has a particular view. However, views can be changed if a good case is made by the other side. However, the ball is in the Irish Dental Association's court. As I said, the Minister has not concluded that there is a case for adopting a similar approach to other professional representative bodies, including the Irish Dental Association. Any such case would need to be examined in light...

Seanad: Dental Services. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: Maybe it is an invitation for the Irish Dental Association to make its case strongly. I understand the logic of the Senator's question. It has an opportunity to put its case face to face next week. However, it would need to put its case strongly and well. I would not say she has a closed mind, but she has formed a particular view up to now and she will need to be persuaded if she is to...

Seanad: Road Network (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Senator for raising the matter of the bridge at Ballinagar, Lixnaw, County Kerry, and for giving me some history which I did not know. I recall the accident he mentioned. I would like first to make a number of general points about the resourcing of regional and local roads. Responsibility for the provision and improvement of regional and local roads, including bridges, in its...

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: I confirm that I have recently received representations from the Association of County and City Councils regarding proposals contained within the Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 on the reform of port company board structures. The Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 recently commenced its passage through the Oireachtas and is currently in the Seanad. The primary purpose of the Bill is to give...

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: We are talking about ports, not harbour commissioners. There are ten ports.

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: There are currently three local authorities on the board of that port company, which has been the position since the mid 1990s. The remit and culture of ports has changed since corporatisation came in. They are now commercial State bodies. Other commercial State bodies such as airport authorities do not have local authority members on their boards. We are currently removing the statutory...

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: That is not the way it is going.

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: There were questions about all this and I said in the Seanad that I would look at certain aspects of it. However, we are removing the statutory provision and we want to have one member from local authorities.

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: The whole scene has changed, and we must have consistency. It was the position until the mid 1990s that harbour authorities represented a broad church of people. In some cases, there were 11 councillors on those boards, among others. Various reports since then have stated that there should not be any councillors or port users. The ports are now commercial State organisations like the...

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: There have been a few expert reports, which have stated that——

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: I have total respect for councillors. Like the Deputy, I spent 17 years on the council. It is a case of giving them their full status in the appropriate places. The board representation is being reduced from 12 members to eight. It is intended that there be one worker director rather than two. Most of the ports are very small. Some of them have nearly more on the board than they have as...

Road Safety. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: The primary purpose and aim of the road safety action plan is to save lives and reduce injuries on our roads, by reducing fatalities to no more than 60 fatalities per million or 252 fatalities per year. This primary action of saving lives is supplemented by 125 other specific actions, designed to bring about the objective expressed in the primary action. The strategy is being successfully...

Road Safety. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy is correct to state the number of fatalities this year is 249 and each fatality is serious and this is what the strategy is about. However, it is only fair to say that 249 is 36 less than the equivalent number last year.

Road Safety. (12 Nov 2008)

Noel Ahern: I have stated that. Each one is a tragedy for family and friends. I am trying to be balanced in stating that we are having successes. The public and the drivers are buying into the process. Our enforcement, rules and regulations are working. If the trend continues for this year we might have an historically low number of fatalities which would be marvellous. Even still, 300 deaths mean...