Brennan, SeamusTuesday, 29 June 2004 |
Dáil Eireann Debate
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Order of Business.
Question put: “That the proposal for dealing with No. 23 be agreed.”
Voted Yes 
Question put: “That the proposal for dealing with No. 25 be agreed.”
Voted Yes
State Airports Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed).
I thank Deputies for their contributions. I have taken careful note of what they have been saying and I look forward to fleshing out many of these details on Committee Stage on Thursday.
The reforms provided for in the Bill are focused on developing Dublin Airport, Cork Airport and Shannon Airport going forward and to increase traffic, to bring in more airlines and to increase signifi...
——cannot use Shannon or Cork airports if those airports are extensively marketed. More and more people can be attracted to Shannon or Cork in the future. Dublin Airport passenger numbers are set to gr...
——which will happen on or after 30 April 2005. Over the past 12 months as I have visited Shannon and Cork and talked to interests, trade unions and workers in Dublin, there has been considerable suppo...
We can tease that out as we go through the Bill. Shannon and Cork Airports can survive. The alternative vision being painted for Shannon and Cork is that they will be nice and quiet, stay inside the m...
The alternative vision seems to be to relegate Shannon and Cork to continual subsidisation as long as they stay quiet and do not rock the boat. I have a bolder vision for the future of Shannon and Cor...
At the end of the day, it is a matter of whether one has faith in the people of the Shannon and Cork regions——
——to improve and develop their airports into the future. I have that confidence. I have seen them do so in other areas and I am sure they will do so in this area. The Department of Transport produced ...
The alternative is that we are supposed to turn to Shannon and Cork and say they are relegated not to have that growth. Under the terms of the restructuring, both airports will begin debt free. That m...
It is also necessary to invest in the infrastructure in the region and I have asked the National Roads Authority to bring forward the development of the Galway-Shannon motorway. I have provided funds ...
The Government has, however, after lengthy discussions with the trade unions, taken on board a large number of the concerns, and it will continue to do so as the legislation progresses. To assist in a...
The second area we negotiated with the trade unions was to the effect that no assets would transfer to Shannon or Cork until at least 30 April 2005, which would give us an opportunity to work out much...
I wish to make it clear that we have agreed with the trade unions that there will be a process of engagement during the transition period and that we will discuss with them in great detail the finalis...
PricewaterhouseCoopers has also put forward a view that restructuring——
I would prefer to get on with it if the Deputy does not mind.
I will take those questions on Committee Stage.
I reiterate that the findings of the PricewaterhouseCoopers study, which my Department has, makes it clear that the establishment of three independent entities will allow these issues to be addressed ...
I wish to mention the issue of airport charges because they have been talked about quite a bit. Many of the financial challenges facing the airports have been incorrectly attributed to the restructuri...
The increases indicated——
The increases indicated by PricewaterhouseCoopers arise from pre-existing capital investment and from existing expenditure at the airports, and have nothing whatsoever to do with the restructuring pro...
Question put.
Voted Yes
Written Answers - Decentralisation Programme.
Was asked: if he will give a response on the enclosed query (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: his views on the concerns of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 regarding the proposed decentralisation of the Bus Éireann head office to Mitchelstown; and if he will make a statement on the matt...
I propose to take Questions Nos. 335 and 349 together. The process of managing the decentralisation applications programme is being organised through the central applications facility, CAF, that is be...
Was asked: the progress that has been made in regard to the proposed decentralisation of Bus Éireann; the number of staff that have volunteered to transfer; the number of staff that do not intend to transfer; th...
As there are no results available as yet from the central applications facility it is not possible to state the number of staff in Bus Éireann who have expressed an interest in relocation or those who...
Was asked: the risk analysis and the cost benefit analysis which he has carried out or proposes to carry out in respect of decentralisation as it affects his Department.
A risk analysis, as it affects my Department, is being completed as part of my Department’s decentralisation implementation plan. No formal cost benefit analysis has been carried out.
Was asked: the average annual increase in salary costs, overtime and travel to, from and in the decentralised offices in the three years following decentralisation compared to these costs for those business unit...
Was asked: the number of persons decentralised and the full duration of the project, in respect of the last decentralisation by his Department; the number of internal and external transfers which were required t...
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together. My Department has not been involved in any decentralisation process to date. The Public Enterprise (Alteration of Name of Department and Title ...
Written Answers - Public Transport.
Was asked: the number of new buses which were purchased by Dublin Bus in each of the years 2000 to 2003; and the expected number of buses the company will be able to purchase in 2004.
I understand from Dublin Bus that the number of new buses purchased each year by the company is as follows: 2000, 225; 2001, 56; 2002, 53; 2003, 90. Dublin Bus has purchased 36 buses in 2004 and the c...
Written Answers - Trans-European Networks.
Was asked: further to Question No. 162 of 14 October 2003, the main conclusions reached by his Department in respect of the European Commission’s proposals of 1 October 2003; if the Council of Ministers has cons...
On 29 April 2004, the European Council of Ministers and the European Parliament adopted, through the co-decision procedure, a decision on revised Community guidelines for the development of trans-Euro...
Written Answers - Airport Development Projects.
Was asked: if, further to Question No. 326 of 25 May 2004, his attention has been drawn to the fact that this threshold is shown both on sheet No. 8 of the Fingal County development plan of 1999 and on the maps ...
Notices of the preparation of the draft Fingal County development plan 2005-11 have recently appeared in the press, as part of Fingal County Council’s public consultation on that draft development pla...
Was asked: further to Question No. 454 of 15 June 2004, the number of landowners in County Clare, other than the landowner from whom the site was acquired, affected by SI 205 of 1993; if these unsuspecting lando...
The Irish Aviation Authority does not have any information about the number of landowners who own land in the vicinity of the site in County Clare affected by SI 205 of 1993. However, the authority st...
Was asked: if, further to Questions Nos. 111 to 116 of 27 February 2002, the protected area concept contained in section 14 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1950 was specifically enacted by the Houses of ...
As I have indicated in earlier replies, Section 14 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1950 empowers the Minister for Transport or the Irish Aviation Authority to make an order to declare that a p...
Was asked: if, further to Question No. 453 of 15 June 2004, any of the numerous private but significantly smaller developments at each of the three State airports had the potential to breach any ICAO associated ...
The question of objections to private developments at the State airports to which the Deputy refers, is a matter between Aer Rianta, the Irish Aviation Authority, and the relevant planning authorities...
Was asked: the discussions he has had recently with his counterparts to resolve outstanding issues surrounding extension of the runway at Derry City Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers - Decentralisation Programme.
Was asked: the category of staff he has in mind for his proposed relocation of 200 Bus Éireann staff to Mitchelstown and their current location; the future prospects for staff who choose not to relocate; and if ...
Categories of posts to be relocated to Mitchelstown include clerical officers, staff officers, executive officers and various technical and professional posts. These posts are located in Bus Éireann’s...
Written Answers - Taxi Hardship Payments.
Was asked: if consideration will be given to the application by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 under the taxi hardship payment scheme in view of the financial circumstances; and if he will make a state...
Area Development Management Limited has been engaged to administer and manage the implementation of the taxi hardship payments scheme. It is undertaking the processing and consideration of application...
Written Answers - Driving Tests.
Was asked: if he will arrange for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 to undertake the driving test; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
A driving test will be arranged in due course for the person concerned.
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