Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am new to Taoiseach's questions but we have come a long way from asking when the Cabinet committee will next meet. We will do our best. I thank colleagues for raising a variety of very important issues.

I will take a moment on the very important issue Deputy Kenny raised about data sharing between the RSA and the local authorities and when that issue will be resolved. The RSA is working closely with key organisations to resolve the data protection issue and to establish a firm legal basis for the resumption of collision data sharing with local authorities. A cross-government group is being led by the RSA to resolve the issue. There have been a load of workshops between the RSA and An Garda Síochána, which collects the collision data in the first instance, in December, January, February, March and April to review each of the 161 individual data fields. There have also been meetings between the RSA, representatives of local authorities and the Department of Transport. Based on this intensive engagement, a consultation pack with revised proposals was submitted to the Data Protection Commission for consideration on 10 May. It is important to be clear that safety analysis and the funding of safety schemes is ongoing through a range of other mechanisms while the data sharing issue is being resolved. In the interests of time, I will write to the Deputy with the details.

I will certainly look at the issue Deputy Boyd Barrett raised in respect of taxi drivers. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to take a look at it as well. There seems to be logic in what the Deputy is saying but I do not want to create any expectations because I am not across the detail. I will speak to the Minister on the matter and we will revert to the Deputy.

I am not going to get into a back and forth on the issue raised by Deputy Murphy. I do not doubt his bona fides but I am told that the people in tents affected by the Mount Street and Grand Canal multi-agency operations were offered accommodation. I will also be clear that other people can arrive. I do not say that in a critical way. People are facing a very challenging situation. However, I am genuinely confident that more people are in better shelter with access to sanitation and in a safer environment as a result of the multi-agency approach. I thank the multi-agency teams for their work. I will seek a view on the ban on private jets and ask the Minister for Transport, who is also the Minister for climate, to revert to the Deputy on the situation.

I acknowledge Deputy O'Connor's long-standing work and campaign in respect of the N25 route from Midleton to Youghal. He raises it consistently and I sense his frustration at the wait for the appointment of a design consultant, the time lag his constituents feel there has been in that regard and the impact the issue has on safety and quality of life. I will ask the Minister for Transport to revert to him directly and I will also do so myself.

To respond to Deputy Ó Murchú, I am not fully familiar with the campaign at Dundalk Grammar School, although I have been there. I am delighted to join any action of local democracy in a school where students are having their voices heard. I will ask TII and the Minister to come back to the Deputy in respect of the 100X Dublin to Dundalk route.

On Deputy Barry's question, I condemn any attack on a transport worker, as I expect everybody in this House and people throughout the country also would. All employers, including public sector employers, have a duty of care to their workers and a duty to listen to workers regarding any measures that can be taken to improve staff safety in the workplace. Transport workers often work in very challenging and tense environments. Assaults should be condemned outright and we should consider anything we can do to mitigate such assaults. While I am again not across the detail, anti-assault screens sound logical. I will ask the Minister for Transport to revert to the Deputy on the proposal.

I will ask TII to look at the frustrating situation Deputy Conway-Walsh has highlighted on behalf of her constituents whereby there is no joined-up approach to bus routes, stops and shelters and come back to her.

I advise Deputy Tóibín that I am very well aware there is a country outside of Dublin. I am enjoying travelling right across it, as I am sure the Deputy is. We will continue to do so intensively over the next 17 days or so. Regarding the review of the western rail corridor matter, we are very close to progress in that regard and to the publication of the review. I will come back to Peadar the performer on that matter.

I hope Deputy Murnane O'Connor will allow me to come back to her on both the importance of linking the train route to bus services for people in Carlow and the road issue. To save her asking me, I have also asked the Minister for further and higher education to meet the Deputy with regard to Carlow College.

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