Results 181-200 of 28,085 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Aviation Industry (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I know the Deputy's area very well. We have adjacent constituencies. I have spoken to many people in the Blanchardstown-Castleknock area. There has been a change. Many deliveries are being made by drone that would have been made by car, van and other methods. That is another consideration and something to think about. Do we want more traffic or do we want drones? We have to manage that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Aviation Industry (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Nothing is right with Deputy Coppinger. She suffers everything.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Aviation Industry (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The reality is that this is an emerging sector. It is in its infancy. We can be at the leading edge of innovation in this sector. To answer the Deputy's question directly, the implementation of this framework is the whole purpose of the monitoring group. We have to start from somewhere. We are one of the first countries, if not the first, to publish such a framework document. It will be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I have said I will take cognisance of this and, in fairness, Deputy Connolly has raised it previously. Certainly it is something on which I will revert with regard to what other measures can be taken in the interim. We are doing work on the commuter rail network as Deputy Connolly knows. Significant work is being done at Ceannt Station, Oranmore Station and other stations. I take Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Not being flippant but I also saw some really good shops in Heuston Station, and good work has been done at stations throughout the network whereby people can buy a drink, a bottle of water or a cup of tea. Having said this, to be fair-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: What was that?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I will answer Deputy Daly. This is an issue he has raised previously with regard to when catering services will be rolled out again. I completely understand people's wish to see services return on all rail lines. However, if there is a choice between the taxpayer funding actual rail services or catering services on trains I am clear, as I have been previously, that taxpayer funding is best...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: To answer Deputy Daly's question, I have encouraged Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to explore other avenues to support the wider reintroduction of catering services. I was honest with Deputy Daly about the costs. If the NTA were to award a contract at four times the cost of what operated prior to Covid, questions would rightly be asked about it. I have asked the NTA and Iarnród...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I know.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I do get the point. A number of our rail cars and rail lines have the facilities on the trains. I have looked, and I have asked Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to explore other options, including the option Deputy Daly has articulated here today. I am hopeful this will bear fruit shortly. Deputy Daly has asked this question regularly, as have Government colleagues. I understand the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Regardless of the Deputy’s own views, and she has taken a position on the ring road, one could discuss the delays and why it has taken so long. People have had their say and there are judicial reviews. That is the planning process. The Deputy mentioned the Department’s own study and the reality that, even if that road was built, it would be under pressure but Galway - the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I explained in my initial answer that the light rail feasibility study, as the Deputy knows, had been published. What I am trying to say is how all of that knits together. The road is an important part of it. A simple question that I could ask in countering what the Deputy said, and respecting the position she is taking, is whether the traffic situation in Galway would be better with an...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: To be fair, the contract was only awarded in August 2024, so that is how long we have been waiting. It is now the end of September 2025. I met the chief executive who came to my offices in Leeson Lane. I put to him the very point the Deputy put about the national train control centre. There are many reasons for that overrun, but it will deliver a state-of-the-art centre. Having said...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The NTA has a lot under its remit. I have confidence it will deliver it. I have met the programme manager and have asked many of the questions the Deputy just put. That is my job and I should do so. It is a significant investment on the part of the Exchequer. It will make a big difference to commuters. I mentioned earlier in responses to colleagues in the House the significant...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 119 together. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht na gceisteanna tábhachtacha. Aontaím léi faoi chathair na Gaillimhe. The National Transport Authority is currently developing the Galway metropolitan area transport strategy in conjunction with Galway City Council and Galway County Council. It will replace the existing...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question, which follows on very much from the question asked by his party's spokesperson. The Deputy will be aware that transport was one of the four prioritised areas for investment under this NDP review and we secured a core allocation of €22.3 billion across the next five years, with a further €2 billion allocated from the Infrastructure, Climate...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. He is advocating strongly for his own area and I believe he would agree that while a lot of progress has been made in the past five or ten years on infrastructural investment and infrastructure full stop, as our population - thankfully - continues to grow and as our economy thankfully is still in full employment because of the hard work of our people and the economic and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Development Plan (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: To ensure balanced regional development, the national planning framework will guide that and the NDP itself. As for the commitments we have made in the programme for Government, the two parties and the Independents came together to ensure and commit to a balanced regional development and we will ensure that it happens. This morning, I met the incoming new chief executive of Iarnród...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Boland. Like the Deputy, I am eager to see next generation ticketing rolled out on the Irish public transport system. This will be across the whole Twenty-six Counties, across our whole transport system, that is, rail, bus and Luas. I look forward to seeing its introduction as part of BusConnects Dublin before ultimately being delivered across the entire public transport...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Development (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Last year we saw the highest number of public transport passenger journeys that we had ever seen. There were about 330 million passenger journeys. The good news is that in the month of August we were up about 10.5% on the comparable month last year. We want to maintain a sustainable and affordable public transport system. I advise the Deputy not to believe everything he reads in the...