Results 8,681-8,700 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (10 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: In the case of the practical driving test, where a candidate notifies my Department of the existence of a disability, it is the practice to assign the test to a supervisory driver tester who has more time to conduct the test. The oral part of the driving test is in place to establish the candidate's knowledge of the rules of the road but a candidate cannot fail the driving test solely on this...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (9 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, who hold and administer the national driver file, has advised me that the number of provisional licence holders was 380,347 as at 31 December 2004. That Department has also provided a breakdown of this figure into the various categories as in the table. Analysis of Provisional Licence — Numbers broken down by Category and...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: Assignments have been made by the Secretary General of my Department under section 4(1)(i) of the Public Services Management Act 1997. These include officers at assistant secretary and principal officer or equivalent grades and some specific offices such as the personnel officer, and so forth. The assignments have been made on a named basis to each of the officers concerned and make specific...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: The principal mechanism for the assignment of functions to civil servants is the Public Service Management Act 1997, and the relevant sections are 4, 9 and 12. There are a number of legislative provisions which provide that particular matters may be delegated to officials as prescribed in the relevant legislation; examples include delegation of functions under section 4 the Freedom of...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (9 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Minister as a corporation sole is a legal entity, separate from his own personnel capacity as a person. The department has no legal personality of its own. My Department does not enjoy nor does it accept legal rights or liabilities distinct from those of my office as Minister.

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (9 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to a reply to Questions Nos. 340 to 345, inclusive, answered on 18 November 2003 which includes information relating to the approach surfaces of the runways at Dublin Airport. As I have mentioned in previous replies to the House on 1 July 2003, the present red zones at Dublin Airport were formally established in 1968. I understand that the red zones at Cork and Shannon were...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (9 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: I understand that the scheme referred to by the Deputy which was prepared in the late 1960s, envisaged restrictions relating to runways 05/23 and 18/36 for the purposes of air safety. The further details requested by the Deputy are now the responsibility of the Dublin Airport Authority, formerly Aer Rianta.

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (9 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 224 together. Following consideration by the Government, the final public safety zones report is now available on my Department's website. All of the details used in calculating the sizes of the zones are included in the report. I am arranging to have a copy of the report placed in the Oireachtas Library.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: Driver theory test appointments are arranged by the Driver Theory Testing Service and not by my Department. The service may be contacted at Lo-Call number 1890 606106. Correspondence may be addressed to the customer service manager at PO Box 144, Drogheda, County Louth. The specification which the contractor operating the driver theory test is obliged to meet provides for the delivery of a...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: My Department has engaged the services of a consultant to facilitate this review. It is the intention to publish a new Rules of the Road booklet in draft form by mid-year and to invite comments or submissions thereon. The new booklet would then be finalised in the autumn.

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Road Traffic Act 1994 provided for the introduction of a scheme of evidential breath testing based on the use of apparatus for determining the concentration of alcohol in a sample of breath. The Act provides that drivers may be required to undergo a breath test in a Garda station, instead of a blood or urine test, following arrest for drink driving. Section 38(4) of the Road Traffic Act...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: There has been significant investment 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 more than 25%. The management of Dublin Bus is currently examining ways of maximizing the utilisation of the bus fleet, in light of the significant investment made to date under the NDP in other modes...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: Appointments for driving tests are normally issued four to five weeks prior to the date of the test. However, there have been a few occasions where, because of pressure of work, the notification period may have been shorter than this. Appointments for applicants who require early test appointments for urgent reasons may be filled from test slots that become available due to cancellations....

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: The allocation of funding in respect of national roads improvement projects to local authorities is a matter for the National Roads Authority under section 19(f) of the Roads Act 1993. I understand from the National Roads Authority that funding allocations to the regions over the period 2001-04 are as follows: National Roads Year South & East Region BMW Region â'¬ million...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Road Transport Act, 1932 provides the statutory basis for regulating the bus market in Ireland. This Act is totally outdated and is in need of reform. It is a commitment of this Government to replace the Act with a more modern regulatory framework which achieves a more open, effective and competitive regime and discussions are ongoing with CIE in that regard and it is intended to engage...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the table below. The expenses incurred are from the date of my appointment to the Department of Transport. Office Number of Staff Approximate Salaries Cost Per Annum Approximate Cost of Expenses (from October 2004 to date) â'¬ â'¬ Private 10 430,000 4,000 Constituency 6.1 216,000 0 For my private office, nine of...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 300 and 301 together. The matters raised are operational issues for Bus Éireann and Bus Átha Cliath. However, Bus Éireann has informed me that in recent years it has increased its services to Kilcock by 50% and it has also substantially increased its services to other North Kildare towns such as Celbridge. The Prosperous-Clane-Celbridge-Dublin route, has a...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: A comprehensive review of the national and regional road system was concluded in 1994 as set out in Statutory Instrument 209 of 1994: Roads Act, 1993 (Declaration of National Roads) Order, 1994 and S.I. 400 of 1994: Roads Act, 1993 (Declaration of Regional Roads) Order, 1994. This review was carried out in consultation with local authorities and took account of representations received from a...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Tallaght test centre has a high level of applications to undergo driving tests with an average waiting time of 42 weeks at present. Some 11 driver testers are headquartered at the centre. My Department endeavours to arrange an early test for candidates who provide documentary evidence of the need for an urgent test. My Department is in consultation with the Department of Finance about a...

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (8 Mar 2005)

Martin Cullen: The responsibility for the development of rail freight rests with Iarnród Éireann, which has statutory responsibility for the allocation of resources to particular projects such as the one mentioned by the Deputy. I understand that Iarnród Éireann has been in discussion with interested parties to provide facilities for the transport of sugar beet. I have had no discussions with Iarnród...