Results 19,781-19,800 of 21,040 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank Senators for their contributions. Senator Quinn's reference to Russia was interesting. I was involved in a trade mission to Moscow last week, where there are great possibilities for us. Russia has learned from its history. From a capacity and trade viewpoint, Ireland needs to look towards Russia, which is only four hours away. It would be fantastic if direct flights between both...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank Senator Barrett for his comments. I will not accept the amendments, but I appreciate his remarks on this matter. This is a commonsensical amendment. We must have the capacity to ensure that these services are regulated properly. This issue should have been addressed many years ago. I wanted to do so. Every Member has a great affinity with many of the services that are being...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: This is purely a drafting amendment to remove a reference to section 12 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, which is not relevant to the considerations of the taxi advisory committee under section 59.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 71 provides for the NTA to grant a public service contract for the provision of public transport services by direct award to transport operators other than State transport companies. This is with a view to the granting of such contracts by way of direct award for the provision of transport services under the rural transport programme. It is necessary and is linked with a...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: As we are on the Final Stages of the Bill, I will not be introducing further amendments but I will show some latitude, even at this late stage, to address Senators' concerns. I, too, have concerns about the cost of entry in respect of wheelchair accessible taxis but I am addressing that issue separately. The legislation makes provision to help me in that regard but the issue of...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendments Nos. 35 and 39 aim to ensure that records are among the items that can be secured for future inspection by an authorised person under subsections (4)(a) and (3)(e). Amendments Nos. 36 and 39 give greater clarity regarding the role and functions of a Garda or authorised person accompanied by a Garda in stopping and inspecting an SPS vehicle or a vehicle purporting to be such....

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 52 is a technical amendment to provide for the inclusion of offences under the proposed subsections (11)(4) and (16)(4) on fixed payment offences under section 46. Subsection 11(4) relates to the contravention of the requirement under section 11 to inform the licensing authority of information relating to another occupation. Subsection 16(4) relates to the contravention of the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendments Nos. 59 to 69 constitute a new Part of the Bill to provide for the application and grant of exemptions from the prohibition on the operation of an SPSV service without a licence under section 21. This will remove any ambiguity concerning the continued operation of services such as community transport service and other non-taxi services in the context of the licensing requirements...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Senator for his comments. As I said previously, we took on board the advice of the advisory council. We must always do that. When we discussed this issue again, we took on board comments made in this House as well.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 25 provides in subsection 21(1) of the Bill for the exclusion from the prohibition on operating without an SPSV licence under section 21 for a person driving or using a bus and a person driving or using a mechanically propelled vehicle under the proposed new Part 7, namely, a community car service or other non-taxi service specified under that Part. Amendments Nos. 26 to 28 are...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: We have been around the houses on this one a few times. I understand Senator Barrett's thought process and views on this. Obviously, I do not agree with his opinions on it. I will not accept this specific amendment to section 26. I am not sure if this is the right place to even put it. The proposed amendment seeks to impose an obligation on the NTA to ensure that there is no shortage of...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: We have been down the road on this before. The Senator is fully aware that new applicants come under the wheelchair accessible vehicles, WAV, licensing process. Anyone can apply for a licence under that. We have specific issues relating to that area which virtually everyone in this House agrees needs to be addressed. That is the process by which we are doing so.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Those to whom the Senator refers should know that he and I get on very well. We are very fond of one another.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: I thank Senators for their comments. These provisions are designed to ensure that a standard will be established and that licences will have no value. I am sure everyone agrees that the scenarios which existed in this area in the past were completely ridiculous. The provisions in question will ensure that applications for licences will be judged on the basis of the suitability of the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: These are purely technical drafting amendments. Amendments Nos. 5 to 7, inclusive, relate to the general provisions of section 3 concerning the making of regulations and orders that must be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, which will have the option to pass a resolution annulling a regulation or order. These are drafting amendments which involve many cross-references in order to...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Amendment No. 8 provides that the authority can specify in regulations under section 7 the period within which a renewal application must to be made before the licence expires. Amendment No. 10, which relates to section 9, provides that the licensing authority can determine the documentation, information and fees that constitute a complete application. The authority can also refuse to grant...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: Age is creeping up on me - I must put on my glasses.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: It is good to be back in the House. I am delighted to have commenced the Bill in this House, as we have held some good debates. The most substantive of this group of amendments is amendment No. 20, relating to the revocation of licences where there is a change of control of the company holding the licence. While the transfer of a small public service vehicle, SPSV, licence is prohibited...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Programme Funding (15 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: As Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to the Rural Transport Programme (RTP). Since the 1 April 2012, the NTA has been assigned responsibility for managing the RTP and also has responsibility for implementing the recently announced restructuring of the Programme. Noting this I have referred the Deputy's...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Services Provision (9 Oct 2013)

Alan Kelly: The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for implementing the restructuring of the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) announced by me on 9 July 2013.  The purpose of the restructuring of the RTP is to protect the provision of rural transport services into the future. I am advised by the NTA that during the restructuring of the RTP, their priority is to ensure the...