Results 1,061-1,080 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 75 together. I announced on 22 December 2008 that I would be deferring a decision on the separation of the three State airports until 2011. Pending a decision on separation, the boards and management of Cork and Shannon Airports carry out devolved responsibilities in respect of the day-to-day management, development and promotion of their respective...

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: As the Deputy is aware, the decision to separate the three airports was taken prior to my time in the Department. Had the method of moving forward been accepted by the board of Cork Airport, it would now be an autonomous and independent airport. That did not prove possible and the Deputy has outlined some of the processes put in place to try to bring the matter to a conclusion. Events...

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: No, as I hope to be a part of that as well. What I intend to do is what I try to do at all times. When one sets up a semi-State organisation, particularly a commercial one, it should be allowed to do its own business, organise its own affairs, pay for itself and, if at all possible, pay a dividend to the State. This is basically my approach to the DAA, as it would be to any other...

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: If Cork Airport were to separate, it would be responsible for its debt and be able to meet the cost of that debt from its substantial Aer Rianta property. This was a reasonable approach and, had it been accepted, there would probably have been an independent Cork Airport by this stage.

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: Yes. I do not have detailed information, but I can tell the Deputy that circumstances for all of the airports are difficult. We saw the fall-off in passenger numbers in the past 12 months. Shannon Airport's numbers fell by almost 12% and Cork Airport's fell by 15%. It is a difficult time. At the time of the proposed separation, Shannon Airport needed investment. The DAA had already...

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I do not accept that. Cork Airport is suffering like the other airports from general economic trends. It has been given a considerable amount of autonomy in its day-to-day decision making on the airport's management. I am unaware of any significant conflicts that have arisen between Cork Airport and the DAA as regards plans to promote the former since the new arrangement was put in place....

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: Nor will the DAA, but it is financing its operations out of its own pocket. The taxpayer has not paid for anything at Dublin Airport. The principle of the separation of airports outlined in the relevant Act still remains as Government policy. It is subject to review in 2011, but it is the principle on which we are operating at the moment. Probably the fairest way to say it is that this is...

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: Following the decision to terminate the facilities management procurement process relating to Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport, I announced, on 10 March, that I was mandating the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, to operate the terminal, while requiring it to demonstrate that it can do so within a benchmark set by the Commission for Aviation Regulation. In this context, the Dublin Airport charges...

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: The result of the tendering process to which the Deputy refers was that none of the outside operators submitted tenders that were sufficiently robust. I would not agree with running a process and then stating that even though none of those who tendered for the contract met the criteria, one should be given it in any event. That would not be very smart.

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: We returned to them to establish why their tenders were not sufficiently robust to allow us to proceed to the next stage of the tendering process. We also tried to establish whether the result would have been any different if the process had been reopened at that stage. Consultants that were involved were satisfied that the result would probably not have been any different. On that basis...

State Airports (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: That is not strictly true because the DAA is a regulated entity. In that context, the Commission for Aviation Regulation acts in the interests of several different parties, but mainly the stakeholders in and customers of the airport. It has decided on a level of charges it believes to be reasonable from everyone's point of view. This is not quite the same as an open market scenario where...

Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 49 together. Substantial progress has been made in respect of Transport 21: the five major inter-urban motorways and the M50 upgrade will be completed this year; the Irish Rail fleet has been renewed; the Cork-Midleton line and the first phase of the western rail corridor have opened and the first phase of the Navan line will open later this year; the...

Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I heard about the decision at lunchtime. I was with the board of CIE this morning but the matter was not mentioned. I reiterated that the Dart interconnector and the metro are the two major public transport projects that should be completed within the timeframe set out in Transport 21.

Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I stated that like the Deputy, I became aware of this statement sometime around lunchtime today. Although I met the board of CIE earlier this morning, this was not mentioned to me.

Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: It was not mentioned to me even though a presentation was made regarding the DART interconnector at this morning's meeting. I do not know how the statement in respect of planning could be made because, although I stand to be corrected, I understand the statement cited delays in the planning process as the reason the project was likely to extend until the aforementioned time. However, I do...

Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: If the company has decided off its own bat to reorder Government priorities, it will be hearing from me.

Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: I had consultations on the appointment of the chairperson. While I do not consult anyone and everyone regarding such appointments, Government consultation took place. As I stated previously to the Deputy, I am unaware of any change the company has proposed on this matter. I am aware of a statement that was made and I will seek clarification thereon.

Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: As I stated, everyone here is talking about a statement that no Member has seen. The Opposition is engaged in putting their own political spin on it. I am telling the truth as I am obliged to do in this House. I was not informed of this development and am not aware of any postponement of metro north, which should be delivered on schedule as far as the Government is concerned. While some...

Departmental Expenditure (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: There is no foundation to the suggestion that were one of these projects to go, the other one could not go ahead. I wish to knock that idea straight away, given that an advanced state of tendering has been reached for metro north. Either project can proceed separately and while some works could be common to both, they can be accommodated and that is the intention. However, that does not...

Public Transport (5 May 2010)

Noel Dempsey: The enhancement of the public transport system is at the heart of the sustainable travel agenda. In this context, notwithstanding the very real challenges the Government faces in the current difficult economic climate, it remains committed to providing the infrastructure and services required to deliver a modern, high quality public transport system. This has been demonstrated by continued...