Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of staff employed by the Road Safety Authority; the future plans for employment by the RSA with a breakdown of location of staff across the country. [5394/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The number of staff employed by the Road Safety Authority is 309. The future plans for employment by the Authority, including a breakdown of such staff across the country, are matters for the Road Safety Authority.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Transport if his Department or agencies of his Department have a holding in a company (details supplied); if so, the level of such a holding; the number of board members of this company, the number of whom are appointed by himself; the persons by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the level of financing provided by the Government to this company for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5608/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The answer to the Deputy's question is no.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Transport the date of establishment of a company (details supplied); if this company is still in existence; the purpose and role of this company; the number of members of the board of this company; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the persons by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the level of equity held by the Department within this company; the level of financing provided by the Government to this company for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5610/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Halamar Developments Limited was incorporated on 10 September 1997 and the entire share capital of the company was acquired by Aer Rianta cpt (now Dublin Airport Authority) on 21 December 1998. Halamar Developments is still in existence and operates as a land holding company. There are only two directors of the company, both of whom are DAA executives, and they were appointed by the board of the DAA with the consent of the Minister for Transport in accordance with the provisions of the State Airports Act 2004. As the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of DAA, no shares in Halamar are held by the Minister for Transport or the Minister for Finance. The Exchequer does not provide any funding to the DAA or its subsidiaries and therefore Exchequer funding does not arise in this case.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 224: To ask the Minister for Transport the date of establishment of the public transport forum; if this forum is still in existence; the purpose and role of this forum; the number of members of the board of this forum; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the persons by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the expenditure of this forum for each of the past five years. [5611/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Public Transport Partnership Forum (PTPF) was established in June 2000 under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness and meets on a regular basis. The purpose of the Forum is to provide an opportunity for consultation between the Social Partners on public transport matters and for development of ideas for the improvement of the sector.

Membership is drawn from nominees from Government Departments, State Agencies, and from the Social Partnership Pillars (Employers, Trade Unions, Farmers and the Community and Voluntary sectors). The Government Departments represented are the Departments of An Taoiseach and Finance, while my Department provides the chair and secretariat to the Forum. All other members are nominated by their particular Pillars, for example, the farming representatives are from the IFA, the ICMSA, Macra na Feirme and ICOS. The costs of the Forum over the past five years were as follows:

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Transport the date of establishment of the national civil aviation security committee; if this committee is still in existence; the purpose and role of this committee; the number of members of the board of this committee; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the persons by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the expenditure of this committee for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5612/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Civil Aviation Security Committee (NCASC) was constituted in 1974 and continues in existence. The last meeting of the Committee was held on 31 July 2007. Its terms of reference are to advise the Government and the civil aviation industry of security policy for civil aviation, to recommend and review the effectiveness of security measures and to provide for co-ordination of the various interests involved. The Committee comprises representatives of Government Departments, State Airports Authorities, airlines, An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, Customs and Excise, An Post, Irish Aviation Authority, the Irish Airline Pilots' Association and the Regional Airports. The Committee is chaired by a senior official of my Department. The Committee does not have a board nor does it incur expenditure in carrying out its remit.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Transport the date of establishment of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety; if this body is still in existence; the purpose and role of this body; the number of members of the board of this body; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the persons by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the expenditure of this body for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5613/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Medical Bureau of Road Safety was established in November 1968 under Part V of the Road Traffic Act, 1968 and is still in existence. The Bureau's principal function is to carry out analyses, for their alcohol content and/or the presence of drugs, of specimens of blood and urine, provided for the Gardaí by people suspected of driving while intoxicated. The Bureau issues certificates in respect of the results of these analyses, which may be used as evidence in prosecutions for such offences. The Board of the bureau currently has its full complement of 5 members, including the Chairperson, appointed by me.

The table sets out the expenditure by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety on an annual basis, since 2003.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Transport the date of establishment of the National Safety Council; if this council is still in existence; the purpose and role of this council; the number of members of the board of this council; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the persons by whom the remaining board members are appointed by; the expenditure of this council for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5614/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Safety Council was established on 22 December 1987 and dissolved on 10 October 2007. The table below sets out the expenditure by the National Safety Council on an annual basis, since 2003.