Results 8,941-8,960 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Road Fatalities: Road Fatalities (1 Feb 2005)

Martin Cullen: Statistics relating to road accidents, based on information provided by the Garda Síochána, are published by the National Roads Authority in its annual road accident facts reports. The most recent report is in respect of 2002 and that report, with reports relating to previous years, are available in the Oireachtas Library. The table below sets out the number of fatalities in Ireland from...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (1 Feb 2005)

Martin Cullen: The national development plan and the capital investment framework provide for the substantial Exchequer investment in the upgrade of the national roads network to be supplemented by private finance. The capital investment framework provides for investment of private finance of €1.36 billion in toll-based PPPs between 2005 and 2009. Subject to the outcome of the tendering process, it is...

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (1 Feb 2005)

Martin Cullen: I made regulations on 12 January 2005 to prescribe a maximum speed limit for certain classes of vehicles from 20 January 2005. I prescribed an 80 km/h limit for vehicles that have accommodation for more than eight passengers. In setting the metric speed limit for this class of large vehicle, I made no change to the speed limit policy that had applied since 1992 other than converting the...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (1 Feb 2005)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to my response to Question No. 598 of Wednesday, 26 January 2005.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (1 Feb 2005)

Martin Cullen: All driving test candidates are informed, in literature issued with their driving test appointment letter, that a current valid insurance disc must be displayed on the vehicle being used for the driving test. The Road Traffic (Insurance Disc) Regulations 1984 set out the information which must be displayed on an insurance disc. The driving test is conducted if the disc displayed on the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: The Department of Transport has at present a total of 15 credit cards issued to staff for departmental use. Neither the Minister nor Minister of State has a credit card issued for departmental use. The named cardholder in each instance is the person authorised to use the card. The cards are used on a regular basis to defray various expenses incurred in the performance of official duties....

Written Answers — Road Signage: Road Signage (27 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 128 together. The relevant provisions of the Road Traffic Act 2004 that establish a new system of speed limits based on metric values were commenced on 20 January. The changeover process involved the provision of more than 58,000 traffic signs depicting the application of speed limits across the country. County and city councils played a central role...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: As I indicated in my reply to Question No. 319 on 17 November last, the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 empower local authorities, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association to grant a disabled person's parking permit where they are satisfied that the applicant is suffering from a disability that prevents him or her from walking or causes undue...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Services: Rural Transport Services (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 564 and 565 together. The rural transport initiative, RTI, is a pilot project that began in 2002 and was due to finish at the end of 2003. This deadline was initially extended to the end of 2004 and I recently extended it further to the end of 2006. Funding of €3 million was allocated to the RTI for each of the years 2002, 2003 and 2004. I decided that the...

Written Answers — Toll Agreements: Toll Agreements (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: The making of toll schemes, toll by-laws and toll agreements in relation to national roads is a matter for the NRA. I understand from the NRA that in the toll by-laws for all toll roads, specially adapted vehicles for use by disabled people are exempt from tolls in line with the requirements of section 57(2) of the Roads Act to give special consideration to the question of exempting certain...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: The effectiveness of the penalty points system can be judged primarily on the basis of the contribution it has made to road safety since its introduction. Since the introduction of the system in October 2002, the number of deaths as a result of road collisions fell by 116 by comparison to the figure pertaining to the previous two years. Penalty points now operate in respect of speeding,...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: The National Safety Council is mandated with responsibility for road safety advertising and education, including the development of a road safety campaign. The council receives an annual allocation from the Department of Transport, which in 2004 amounted to €2.886 million. In addition, just over €1 million was provided to the agency specifically for the purpose of developing a public...

Written Answers — Corporate Governance Issues: Corporate Governance Issues (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 569, 570 and 571 together. I last met the chief executive together with the chief financial officer and chief operations officer on the morning of Tuesday, 16 November 2004. I have had no further contact with the three executives since that date. Corporate governance issues are a matter for the chairman and the board of the company, as is the appointment of...

Written Answers — Dublin Port Tunnel: Dublin Port Tunnel (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including the Dublin Port tunnel, is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the local authorities concerned. In this case, the relevant authority is Dublin City Council. However, I understand from the NRA and Dublin City Council that construction of the port tunnel is expected to be completed in...

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: The review to which the Deputy refers is the Review of Air Services Supported by the Essential Air Services Programme and it makes reference to public service obligation, PSO, routes. DKM Economic Consultants was commissioned by my Department to undertake the review under the Government's expenditure-review initiative. The report was published earlier this year. Current PSO air service...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 576 and 593 together. I understand that a hydrogen refuelling plant for buses is being built by an energy supply company in England as part of a pilot scheme under the European Union's clean urban transport for Europe, CUTE, initiative, which runs until 2006 and which is aimed at exploring the application of hydrogen cell technology to public transport buses....

Written Answers — Shannon Airport Landings: Shannon Airport Landings (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: As stated in a previous reply to a similar question on 23 November 2004, in accordance with the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation aircraft may come into Ireland for technical stops, such as for refuelling purposes, without notifying the Department of Transport. Under the Air Navigation and Transport Acts, there is no requirement for my Department to be notified of the...

Written Answers — Road Signage: Road Signage (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: In order to reflect the scope and complexity of the overall metrication process a significant lead-in period was a feature of the planning for the introduction of metric speed limits on 20 January 2005. A working group carried out a review of speed limit structures and policies from February 2003 to September 2003 against the backdrop of the proposed changeover to the use of metric units of...

Written Answers — Road Signage: Road Signage (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: The relevant provisions of the Road Traffic Act 2004 that provide the legislative basis for a new basis for a new system of speed limits based on metric values were commenced with effect from 20 January 2004. Section 9 of the Act relates to the making of speed limit by-laws by the elected members of county and city councils and also provided that the Minister for Transport may issue...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (26 Jan 2005)

Martin Cullen: In answer to a previous reply on 14 December 2004, I indicated that my officials were in Washington engaging in exploratory discussions with US officials. Since then, both sides have maintained contact. I have authorised these exploratory discussions against the background where the new board of Shannon Airport is now required to produce a business plan for the airport, and clarity on the...