Results 801-820 of 5,794 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (4 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: The operation of the National Car Testing Service (NCT), including the provision of new test centres, is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's query to the Authority for direct reply and any further update since their last response to the Deputy in February 2024. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ports Policy (4 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 147 together. My Department is committed to facilitating commercial Irish State ports under its remit as positive contributors to the offshore renewable energy (ORE) industry to support Ireland in meeting its 2030 ORE targets. Supporting the development of port infrastructure is a core objective of the National Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (4 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service and the specific information requested is held by that agency. I have therefore referred the question to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days. The driver testing service...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Wind Energy Generation (4 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: I wish to inform the Deputy that under the National Ports Policy commercial state ports operate on a self-funding basis. Commercial state ports receive no exchequer funding and must finance their infrastructure developments, including those necessary for Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE), through their own revenues, borrowings, EU grant funding, or private sector investment. As such,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Coast Guard Service (4 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: The Department of Transport is responsible for the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) building programme, which aims to ensure that Coast Guard stations along the coast are fit for purpose. The programme is managed through the Office of Public Works (OPW), from planning and design to build and on-going maintenance. The Cleggan Unit are on the priority list for the IRCG Building Programme. In...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Coast Guard Service (4 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: The Minister will be meeting with all relevant stakeholders in his new areas of responsibility in the coming months and looks forward to familiarising himself on the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) Division and the IRCG Building programme. The Minister's Diary Secretary will be in touch with department officials in relation to this shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fines Administration (4 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: The aim of penalties for road traffic offences is to improve driver behaviour in Ireland and reduce deaths and serious injury on our roads. Penalties are applied to a driving licence, not a vehicle. All drivers may be issued with fixed charge notices, regardless of where their vehicle is registered.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tax Collection (4 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: The table below shows the amount of motor tax collected by my Department in 2024 to the end of May and for the same period on 2023. Month 2023 2024 January 89,745,303 91,362,208 February 78,095,647 80,942,931 March 83,654,174 75,346,265 April 73,347,446...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Expenditure (4 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Car Testing Service. This includes operational matters, and the detailed information requested is held by the agency. As such, I have referred the question to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: Two out of four ain't bad.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: Two out of three is even better.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: They are indeed.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: I thank both Deputies for their kind wishes. I appreciate them. In response to Deputy Sherlock, John, Billy and Auntie Alice O'Brien and all the Mitchelstown clan are very proud indeed of my appointment. I thank him for acknowledging them. I welcome the opportunity to outline the position on this matter. I have not had sight of the response the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: I have listened with interest to the Members’ responses. I appreciate and understand the degree of frustration the Deputies and those they represent feel. I will take this away, read into it further and revert to them. The one point I will make is that I am told An Post engaged with the Department in April 2024 and again in June 2024 seeking approval for these increases. On that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: April and June 2024 are after 2023, not to state the obvious, so there has obviously been some progress in that time at least.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: They have not been paid, but their paymaster has now engaged with the Department, which seems to be progress. They cannot be paid without someone asking for them to be paid and someone else approving that. There is a workflow and some of the steps, I am told, were only taken in April and June 2024.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: That is since June 2024, when the question was received from An Post. I hear the Members' points. I am not abreast of the issue of the class D PRSI contributions, but perhaps the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, could advise on that issue, which was raised by Deputy Duncan Smith. I understand there are frustrations and I share the Deputies' admiration of the post...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Airport Policy (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy. A couple of matters arise. He characterised this as not quite a six-year delay, but a five-year delay from 2019 to 2024. It is fairer to say that it is a six-month engagement, given that a business proposal was received by the Department in December 2023. Elements were missing from that, which required revisiting in April 2024 and further information was received at...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Airport Policy (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Airport Policy (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy for his Topical Issue. As the new Minister of State at the Department of Transport since last Thursday, I am delighted to have the opportunity to address the House on this matter and engage on the Deputy's issue. The matter is as close to the Minister of State's, Deputy Butler's, heart as to the Deputy's and is of interest to the south-east region, public representatives...