Results 7,441-7,460 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Rural Transport Services: Rural Transport Services (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: The rural transport initiative, RTI, is a pilot programme that provides funding up to the end of 2006 for 34 rural community organisations to address the public transport needs of their areas through the provision of local transport services. Area Development Management Limited, ADM, administers the RTI on behalf of my Department. ADM and the individual RTI project groups are solely...

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: I understand that Iarnród Éireann is currently reviewing its overall requirement for car parking throughout the rail network and that Athy is one of the locations being addressed. However, I have not received any proposals regarding car parking at Athy.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. The information relates to 10 October. Centre Applications on hand Naas 5,553 Carlow 2,434 Portlaoise 1,801

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: It is the responsibility of all motorists in all circumstances and on all road types, including dual carriageways and motorways, to drive in a manner that does not give rise to danger to themselves or other road users. That responsibility relates in particular to the speed at which vehicles are driven, even where the speed is less than the prevailing speed limit. The proposal presented in...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: The rates of overtime applicable to staff in my Department's press office are governed by Department of Finance circular 27/99. There are no additional allowances payable to staff in respect of persons being on call and their additional attendance at work before or after normal hours.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: There have been no ex gratia payments made to staff in my Department's press office in respect of persons being on call and their additional attendance at work before or after normal hours.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: This Department operates a flexi-time working system, which allows the majority of staff to start work from 8 a.m. and to finish up to 7 p.m. Requirement for compensatory leave, although it does arise, is exceptional. On those occasions, compensatory leave is dealt with by the individual and his or her line manager. Staff also work additional hours without compensatory leave.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: The personnel files of staff in my Department have not been copied or given to external parties. My Department complies with the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act regarding disclosure of the personal data of staff members.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: Since June 2002, when the Department of Transport was established, three staff in my Department have been granted leave of absence in excess of two months for educational purposes. All three were participating on the master's programme in public policy analysis, which is a two-year, full-time programme run by the Institute of Public Administration. One person started in 2003 and completed the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: In the current academic year, 32 members of staff from my Department submitted applications for a refund of evening and weekend course fees. The value of refunds expected to be made in 2005 is approximately €69,000. In the last academic year, 2004-05, a total of nine staff who were approved in principle to attend evening or weekend courses did not subsequently apply for a refund.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: My Department has a policy of facilitating training and development both during office hours and also where evening or weekend study is required. The proportion of the financial allocation for training and development spent on refunds to staff in respect of evening and weekend courses in the most recent year amounts to approximately 15%. The table below lists the evening and weekend courses...

Written Answers — : (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: In the past year the Department of Transport has spent approximately €1,780 on 23 briefcases, including refunds requested for use by departmental staff. Of those, 20 were acquired for use by driver testers. The largest single amount paid for a briefcase was €225. No briefcase has ever been purchased by the Department for the Minister or his political advisers.

Written Answers — : (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: Staff of my Department are provided with personal digital assistants where there is a business case to do so. There are currently 18 PDAs in the Department. Those have been issued mainly to grades of PO and above. Decisions on the allocation of PDAs are made at Principal Officer level or above. The total cost of these PDAs is approximately €7,700. The most expensive of these cost...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: One member of staff is currently on restricted duties owing to a medical condition. That officer's condition is reviewed by the chief medical officer on a quarterly basis. My Department treats each staff member's health with the utmost care and understanding. When such cases arise, each case is treated individually. Any individual absent owing to a prolonged certified medical absence is still...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: An amount of €341.30 was paid by my Department to the above-mentioned company in July 2002 in respect of an Internet content management workshop. Normal controls were applied, and I am satisfied that value for money was received.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: No payments were made by my Department to the company in the period mentioned.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: The information requested by the Deputy, as at 10 October, is set out as follows: Centre Applications on Hand Average Weeks Waiting Longest Weeks Waiting Number of Testers Buncrana 733 32 32 — Donegal 1,176 35 40 — Letterkenny 2,309 23 43 3 Driver testers are assigned to headquarter centres. Other test centres within the region are served from the headquarter centres.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (18 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: In order to deal with the unacceptable delays in obtaining a driving test, my Department and the Department of Finance have agreed a package of measures to reduce the backlog of driving test applications. The package includes a bonus scheme for driver testers, the recruitment of additional testers as well as the temporary outsourcing of a block of tests for a set period. The use of temporary...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (13 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: The working group on the western rail corridor, established by my predecessor to examine the case for reopening the line, has now concluded its deliberations and the chairman of the working group delivered his report to me on 10 May 2005. The recommendations in the report regarding the phased development of the western rail corridor are being examined in the context of the multi-annual...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (13 Oct 2005)

Martin Cullen: The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including the M50 upgrade is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, in conjunction with the relevant local authorities. I assume that the figure the Deputy is referring to is taken from a report prepared by DKM Economic Consultants for National Toll Roads published in July 2005, which, based on certain...