Results 761-780 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey
- Road Network (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: That is a matter for the NRA. At the moment, the NRA is reviewing all the road projects identified for the coming five to ten years and the matter will be considered in the context of that review. It will be based on a range of criteria, including the likely traffic numbers on the road etc. The matter is under review. When the review is finished, the NRA will be in contact with the...
- Road Network (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: I would be pleased to receive anything from the NRA but I will not pre-empt what it decides as the best way to link the two roads. That should be done in the most cost effective and efficient way possible and I await the NRA's proposal in this regard. It would be unfair of me to pre-empt the matter. I am not an engineer. I foresee there will be a good deal of traffic involved and I have...
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: The amendment proposes the insertion of a new paragraph in section 18(3). The section deals with the making of chemical tanker rules. Specifically, it sets out the matters to which the Minister for Transport may have regard in respect of the categorisation of ships into different classes when making chemical tanker rules. The subsection relates to rules under SOLAS with regard to chemical...
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: The Senator has raised an important point which I am delighted to clarify for him. Subsection (5) puts a statutory onus on the owner or master of an Irish ship to report to the chief surveyor - this refers to the Department of Transport - if an accident occurs or a defect is discovered - I presume this is the point to which the Senator was referring - particularly if it affects the safety...
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: I do not remember whether the section contains that phrase, but I will take the Senator's word for it. The Senator is correct on this. I have often put forward the argument that making legislation too specific can sometimes tie us up at a later stage and give "outs" to people. However, the extent of the detail in this chapter is such that everything is covered that needs to be covered. It...
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: I take the Senator's point, but we are providing here that the owner or master of the ship commits an offence if he fails to comply with the duties imposed on him, and then is liable for the â¬5,000 or the â¬100,000 fine. The duties consist of the duty to ensure that the ship complies with the nuclear carriage rules, the duty to have the ship surveyed as and when required, and the...
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: The reason it must be visible on the ship is to ensure compliance. There is provision only for a copy to be kept on the ship. The Senator has raised an interesting point. I do not want to amend or delay the Bill, but perhaps the regulations can provide for the keeping of a copy. I can see the point the Senator is making. We are complying with international regulations and standards. I...
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: Obviously, the person on board the vessel can view the document and see, for example, that there should be a crew of ten. I will ask my officials to raise at international level the point that there should be an obligation on state authorities to keep a copy in their files for cross-checking purposes.
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: The reason the document is kept on the vessel is to enable someone at a foreign port to board and check it. I will examine this issue. It may not need legislation. I will examine whether one should ask for a copy on a non-statutory basis. We have much information on various vessels and perhaps we should include this document. A case can be made for the home state to have a copy in order...
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: An authorised person can include a person other than the chief surveyor. Section 71(1) provides that a surveyor of ships is an authorised person for the purposes of Part 4 of the Bill. It provides the Minister with the power to appoint authorised persons. It does not have to be a chief surveyor, but he or she will be among the authorised persons. It also provides for the revocation of...
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: That conference is taking place in Manila this week, but we do not have any report back from it.
- Seanad: Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: Yes. Unfortunately I could not be there. They are moving in the direction the Deputy advocates in this. I support this, but we cannot report progress on it just yet.
- Order of Business. (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: Deputy Gilmore could not make up his mind about the Croke Park deal.
- Order of Business. (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: As are Second Stage speeches on the Order of Business.
- Messages from Select Committee (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: And me.
- (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: I have not had any discussions with the Minister for Finance with regard to selling off any of the assets of the Dublin Airport Authority, nor do I have any plans in that regard. As an island nation, with a peripheral location, our access infrastructure is of vital strategic importance to our economy. Our airports have a critical role in supporting economic development by facilitating...
- (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: My answer to those questions is the same as the reply I outlined. I have not had any discussions on selling off State assets, especially not the Dublin Airport Authority. I do not have any plans to have any such discussions. I have not read the article to which the Deputy referred and I am not aware of it. The reference in the reply to future consideration was merely information for the...
- (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: I do not accept propaganda by Ryanair on the matter. Any objective assessment of the Dublin Airport Authority clearly indicates that the airport charges there are in accordance with the EU average and probably a little bit below that. The attitude of a private firm such as Ryanair is precisely why I would not like to go down the route of having a privatised Dublin Airport. As far as I can...
- Public Transport (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: Substantial progress has been made on Transport 21 since 2006. The five major inter-urban motorways and the M50 upgrade will be completed this year. The Irish Rail fleet has been renewed. The Cork to Midleton line and the first phase of the western rail corridor have opened and the first phase of the Navan line will open later this year. The Kildare railway line has been upgraded and a...
- Public Transport (23 Jun 2010)
Noel Dempsey: As the Deputy will no doubt be aware, to be able to spend money one has to have it. One has to make it and be in a position to borrow it. The Government's strategy over the past couple of years was to try to ensure we would be in such a position. We certainly do not have as much money now as we had two, three or four years ago. Within these constraints, we are spending this year â¬6.5...