Results 9,041-9,060 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The penalty points system currently applies in respect of the offences of breaching a speed limit, motor insurance, careless driving and the failure of a driver to wear a seat belt or to ensure that passengers under 17 years of age are appropriately restrained in a mechanically propelled vehicle. The system was first introduced in October 2002 in respect of speed limit offences. In the...

Written Answers — Landing Rights: Landing Rights (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The regulation of military and diplomatic flights through Irish airspace is a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs. The regulation of Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel is a matter for the Department of Defence. As previously indicated to the House in reply to a similar question on 30 June 2004, under the Air Navigation and Transport Acts, there is no requirement for my Department to be...

Written Answers — Rural Transport Integration: Rural Transport Integration (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 352 together. The NDP makes an overall provision of €4.4 million for the rural transport initiative. The funding available has been increased to €3 million per annum. The decision to extend the rural transport initiative to 2006 follows an appraisal of the initiative, carried out by Fitzpatrick Associates, economic consultants on behalf of ADM. The...

Written Answers — Airport Development Projects: Airport Development Projects (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 152 together. Proposals in regard to the development of Dublin Airport, including the planning and provision of runway capacity, are in the first instance a matter for the Dublin Airport Authority which has statutory responsibility to manage, operate and develop the airport and to provide such facilities and services as it considers necessary for...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 116 and 129. I am considering the proposal to establish an independent authority to procure public transport services in the context of my review of work undertaken by my Department to date and my consultations with key stakeholders.

Written Answers — Speed Limits: Speed Limits (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 182 together. As I indicated in reply to Question No. 395 of 5 October last a Metrication Changeover Board is working to the timeframe of 20 January 2005 for the introduction of new metric speed limit structures on the public road network. To facilitate the changeover it is necessary to amend the Road Traffic Acts to provide for the introduction of new...

Written Answers — US Immigration Procedures: US Immigration Procedures (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: My Department and the US authorities have been in contact about this matter. My Department has also sought the advice of the Attorney General's office in regard to the additional procedures which are required by the US Government for entry by all visitors to the US since 30 September last and which are implemented by the US immigration authorities at the pre-clearance facilities at Dublin and...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the relevant local authority. The Government, at its meeting on 10 February 2004, noted the current position relating to the upgrade of the M50. The estimated cost of the upgrade at that time was €590 million in 2002 prices.

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Question Nos. 155 and 186 together. The average waiting times and numbers waiting for a driving test as at 28 October 2004 are set out in the following table. Details of those applicants who are taking their driving test for the first time are not recorded at application stage. My Department is in communication with the Department of Finance regarding measures to reduce the...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156, 368 and 369 together. The Garda Síochána is the responsible authority for the location of bus stops in Dublin. This power is vested in the Garda Commissioner under section 85 of the Road Traffic Act 1961. Under that section the commissioner may issue a direction to a bus operator identifying the specific location of bus stops in respect of any bus...

Written Answers — Air Transport Agreement: Air Transport Agreement (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157, 166 and 191 together. At a number of recent Transport Councils, the Irish position has been that while we are in favour of an open skies agreement between the EU and the US, Ireland's support would be contingent on an acceptable arrangement on Shannon being agreed between Ireland and the US, and that arrangement being reflected in the EU-US agreement....

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: By letter dated 24 February 2004 the advisory council to the Commission for Taxi Regulation provided advice to my predecessor, the then Minister, Deputy Brennan, on a number of matters relevant to small public service vehicles and their drivers. The council recommended the removal of the exemption on the wearing of seat belts by the drivers of small public service vehicles, the early...

Written Answers — Railway Stations: Railway Stations (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: Iarnród Éireann recently submitted to my Department a strategy document that sets out the business case for the development of a greater Dublin integrated rail network over the medium term. The strategy refers to the necessity to expand network capacity in and around Connolly Station by improving signalling capacity, platform capacity and constructing a new station in the area. The...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The Government is committed to reform of public transport. A considerable amount of work on the detailed technical aspects of the restructuring of CIE has taken place in my Department and this work is ongoing. I am reviewing this work, as well as consulting with stakeholders. When I have completed that review and my consultations with key stakeholders I will consider how to proceed generally...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I have no proposals to increase the driving test fee at this time.

Written Answers — Airport Landing Facilities: Airport Landing Facilities (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: Civilian air carriers carrying weapons or munitions wishing to land or over-fly Irish airspace are obliged to seek exemption from the provisions of sections 6 and 7 of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973. This order applies only to the carriage of munitions of war, weapons and dangerous goods and not to military personnel. There is no...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: Where a person either pays a fixed charge for a road traffic offence or is convicted of a penalty point offence in court, data necessary to ensure that penalty points are endorsed in the person's licence record must be forwarded to my Department by the Garda or the Courts Service, respectively. The average period between receipt of such notifications by the company that is engaged to process...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: I understand from the Railway Procurement Agency, RPA, that it is carrying out a "look-back study" of Luas to see what lessons can be learned from implementation of the red and green lines. A review of costs, procurement and decision-making is under way at present and a retrospective cost-benefit analysis and environmental impact assessment will be carried out early next year after both lines...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The primary target of the new Government strategy on road safety is to realise a 25% reduction in road collision fatalities by the end of 2006 over the average annual number of fatalities in the 1998-2003 period. Achievement of the target will result in no more than 300 deaths per annum by the end of the period of the strategy. The strategy proposes a range of measures in the enforcement,...

Written Answers — Road Accidents: Road Accidents (2 Nov 2004)

Martin Cullen: The primary immediate investigative role in relation to road accidents is vested in the Garda Síochána. Priority in the pursuit of such an investigation must be given to the determination of the causes of road accidents and in particular to the determination of whether a breach of the road traffic laws contributed to the occurrence. The Garda Síochána is the only body empowered to make...