Results 8,221-8,240 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The report by consultants Farrell Grant Sparks, FGS, concerned the organisational structure for the proposed driver testing and standards authority. The report will assist in the process of setting up the authority as the establishment of the authority will require detailed consultation and negotiations with staff representatives and the report's recommendations are an important input into...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 41 together. The working group to examine the proposal to reopen the western rail corridor was established by my predecessor, Deputy Séamus Brennan, in June last year. The chairman of the group, Mr. Pat McCann, chief executive of Jurys Doyle Hotel Group, submitted a report to me within the last 48 hours. In the time available I have not had the...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 48, 50 and 133 together. The transport investment framework will build on the work already completed under the transport element of the NDP. It will also take account of the work already done on investment priorities under the current capital envelope to end 2009 and of the various strategic studies already completed by my Department and its agencies,...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Dublin Transportation Office's A Platform for Change provides the transport-planning framework for the development of the transport system in the greater Dublin area up to 2016 and is being used by my Department to guide investment decisions under the current five year capital envelope and the preparation of a ten year transport investment framework. Major increases in the capacity of the...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: Significant investment has been made to date under the national development plan in acquiring new buses for Dublin Bus. As a consequence, the capacity of the fleet has been increased by nearly 25% and the company is now carrying approximately 150 million passengers per annum. Approximately 400 buses have been purchased by Dublin Bus since 1999 with the assistance of Exchequer and EU funds....

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The aim of EuroRAP is to improve road safety by assessing risks and identifying shortcomings on national road networks across Europe that can be addressed with practical road improvement measures. This is a commendable goal and I therefore welcome the publication of their recent report on the state of Ireland's major national roads. I note that the NRA made a very substantial contribution to...

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: Ministerial approval in respect of payments to former Aer Rianta board members related to certain cases involving the premature termination of their terms of office. It was agreed by my predecessor that three board members who had not completed their terms of office as envisaged at the time of their original appointment should be paid the balance of their directors' fees which would otherwise...

Written Answers — Ministerial Meetings: Ministerial Meetings (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I have met members of the board and staff of the National Roads Authority, NRA, on a number of occasions since taking up office as Minister for Transport. I met with the entire board on 10 May 2004. There is very regular correspondence and liaison between my Department and the NRA in relation to the national roads programme including, in particular, in relation to the drawdown of grants,...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, make toll bye-laws and enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the National Roads Authority, NRA, under Part V of the Roads Act 1993, as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000. The buy-out of NTR's tolling rights at Westlink has not been considered by my Department or by the...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: Since my appointment last year, I have met with the management of Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus as well as the CIE unions and ICTU and representatives of the private bus industry on the reform of the bus market. It remains my intention to establish an independent national public transport procurement and regulatory body to, inter alia, procure socially necessary bus services, license commercial...

Written Answers — Light Rail Projects: Light Rail Projects (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 73 and 131 together. The programme for Government contains a specific commitment to develop a metro for Dublin with a link to Dublin Airport. The Railway Procurement Agency has submitted to my Department a detailed business case for a metro from the city centre to Dublin Airport while Iarnród Éireann submitted proposals last July for an integrated rail...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I welcome the recently announced Aer Lingus results for 2004 which show a solid financial performance for the year at the operational level with an operating profit of €96.3 million. The provision of €102.5 million for restructuring costs gives a net profit of €1.2 million for the year. Significant developments during the year include further reductions in costs, the introduction of a...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 38 and 44 together. Iarnród Éireann has submitted a business case to my Department for the development of a greater Dublin integrated rail network aimed at meeting the projected demand for rail services into the future. Included in the business case are proposals to: construct a new rail station in the city centre; provide an interconnector tunnel...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The scheduling and timetabling of trains is an operational issue for Iarnród Éireann. I understand from Iarnród Éireann that commuter business from Carlow and Athy to Dublin is continuing to increase and the company hopes to improve rail service frequency further on the route when additional rolling stock is introduced in stages over the next three years. The planning, design and...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the local authorities concerned. As consideration by the NRA of the proposal for a Dublin outer orbital route is at an early stage the information requested by the Deputy is not available. The NRA is arranging to carry out further studies on the proposal taking...

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, provides air traffic control and communications services to aircraft which pass through Irish controlled airspace —en-route— and aircraft landing and taking off from Irish airports — terminal. Only a small proportion of military flights through Irish administered airspace actually pass through Irish sovereign airspace. Irish administered airspace...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including a Dublin outer orbital route, is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the local authorities concerned. The NRA is undertaking further studies on the Dublin outer orbital route taking account, inter alia, of the national spatial strategy, the regional planning guidelines and the planning and...

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 61 and 132 together. Since becoming Minister for Transport, my focus has been to move forward to achieve clarity on the future of Aer Lingus as soon as possible. The key driver for this is to ensure that Aer Lingus continues to make a valuable contribution to the economic and tourism development of the country. To achieve this, I believe that the airline...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: Iarnród Éireann, in conjunction with Meath and Fingal County Councils, recently completed a feasibility study into the possibility of providing a spur off the Maynooth line at Clonsilla to Pace on the N3 beyond Dunboyne. I understand that the provision of a park and ride site at Pace to cater for Navan traffic has been included in the feasibility study. I am aware that Iarnród Éireann is...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I have been informed by Bus Éireann that the company paid over €71 million to sub-contractors in 2004. The bulk of this figure was payment to rurally based private operators who were sub-contracted to provide school transport services nationwide to pupils in rural areas and those with special needs. Bus Éireann is responsible for the management and provision of the school transport scheme...