Results 8,421-8,440 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (26 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: Negotiations between the European Commission and the US authorities on an EU-US open aviation area are paused following the failure to reach agreement in June 2004. European transport Commissioner Barrot reported to the April meeting of EU Transport Ministers on his recent meetings in Washington with US Secretary for Transport Mineta and on the continuing efforts of US and EU officials to...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (26 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: Expenditure by my Department on public transport capital projects in the period 1995 to 2004 is outlined in the table below. Year Public Transport Capital Expenditure — million 1995 Nil 1996 4.618 1997 17.426 1998 21.35 1999 197.712 2000 281.75 2001 378.316 2002 425.782 2003 479.122 2004 437.912 Total 2,243.988 The allocation of funding in...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (21 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: There are no official estimates of the costs associated with traffic congestion. My Department is aware of international empirical research, which estimates the economic and social costs of road congestion to be significant and of work carried out by the Dublin Transportation Office in 2002 on the cost of congestion in the greater Dublin area. The 2002 study estimated the cost of congestion...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (21 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: All Ministers meet, both formally and informally, persons who give advice on such projects. Every meeting will have touched in some shape or form on such projects. If the Deputy has any particular projects in mind I will be happy to check the Department's records.

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (21 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: In accordance with Directive 2004/51/EC the market for international rail freight services will be opened from 1 January 2006, which will enable any railway undertaking established in the EU to provide international freight services on the existing Irish rail network. From 1 January 2007, the domestic freight market will be opened, allowing any EU railway undertaking to provide domestic...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (21 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: I do not consider there should be a regulatory requirement on people to wear such clothing. The consensus of public authorities concerned with road safety has been that the wearing of high visibility vests is best promoted on a voluntary basis by way of educational and publicity campaigns such as those undertaken, by the National Safety Council.

Written Answers — Parental Leave Provisions: Parental Leave Provisions (21 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: Public bodies under the aegis of my Department are entitled to the statutory allowances. This amounts to 18 weeks paid maternity leave and an optional eight weeks unpaid maternity leave. The Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 introduced a wide range of improvements to maternity protection legislation. These improvements, while welcome, will increase costs in the public service, as they...

Written Answers — Public Capital Programme: Public Capital Programme (21 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 to 165, inclusive, together. My Department has responsibility for overall policy and funding of the public capital programme. The assessment, procurement, project management and delivery of individual infrastructure projects are a matter for the relevant non-commercial semi-State bodies, under the aegis of my Department. Staff numbers in my Department are...

Written Answers — Public Capital Programme: Public Capital Programme (21 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The essence of my Department's activities is the consideration and implementation of policy for the delivery of a safe, efficient and integrated transportation system. Within this overall policy context virtually every type of project in respect of air, rail, road, and bus transport is considered in various degrees by my Department. While my Department considers programmes of activity and...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 252 together. 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. Iarnród Éireann is currently considering the results of the study and how it wishes to proceed. I await to hear...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Services: Rural Transport Services (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to my reply yesterday to Question No. 358 which states: I announced on Friday, 15 April 2005 an increase in the funding allocation for the pilot rural transport initiative, RTI, in 2005 from €3.45 million to €4.5 million. The increased funding will provide scope for the 34 community transport groups being funded under the scheme to undertake a modest expansion of...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: The steering committee of the Dublin Transportation Office meets on a monthly basis.

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: As the Deputy will be aware, I am finalising proposals for the provision of additional terminal capacity at Dublin Airport and will submit proposals to Government very shortly. I will be guided by the most up-to-date information on the airport's needs and the relevant consultations and analysis undertaken by my Department. New capacity is clearly required to cater for the expected growth in...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: Details of unestablished civil servants employed by the Minister and the Minister of State in the Department of Transport as requested by the Deputy are set out below. The details are included in the contracts for the individuals and copies of those documents have been laid before the House. There are no political advisers employed in the Department of Transport. Ministerial staff as...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: Details of travel and maintenance expenses for unestablished civil servants in the employment of the Minister and the Minister of State in the Department of Transport are set out below. There are no political advisers employed in the Department of Transport. The staff of the offices outlined changed with the change of Minister on 29 September 2004. Personal staff employed in the office of...

Written Answers — Rail Network: Rail Network (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: 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 Eireann submitted proposals last July for an integrated rail network in the greater Dublin area. While the RPA has...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: As the Deputy is aware, in accordance with the provisions of the State Airports Act 2004, the three airport authorities at Dublin, Shannon and Cork are required to prepare comprehensive business plans. This work is ongoing. The position of the principal subsidiaries of the Dublin Airport Authority, including the Great Southern Hotels Group, must be considered by the authority in the first...

Written Answers — Taxi Hardship Panel: Taxi Hardship Panel (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: Area Development Management Limited is administering and managing the taxi hardship payments scheme which is implementing the recommendations of the taxi hardship panel report. Payments under the scheme do not represent compensation but rather compassionate payments in respect of extreme personal financial hardship. The processing and consideration of applications under the scheme is being...

Seanad: State Airports: Motion. (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: I welcome this debate and the opportunity to set out the position regarding important matters concerning Dublin Airport. I hope Members will view the fact that I have come into this House as a mark of my deep interest in this debate and of my commitment. As a general point,I wish to make it clear that despite some comments that have been made in this House, to defer or deflect decisions...

Seanad: State Airports: Motion. (20 Apr 2005)

Martin Cullen: I am responding directly to an accusation that was levelled. Moreover, it is not the view of any member of the Government, irrespective of position, that this is a sustainable position. I wish to put on the record of this House that all within the Government are ad idem on the view that I have stated, that decisions on these matters are of the utmost importance and must be made shortly and...