Results 2,721-2,740 of 3,338 for speaker:James O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I welcome the Minister and his officials. I will surprise him by not being as parochial as I usually am. I have a few national issues to raise. I am worried about NIFTI because I feel it is another fence in a process that could outdo the Grand National when it comes to building infrastructure. I have been through this with the Minister before, particularly at the meeting in October. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I want to stop the Minister. I want to be very focused. I appreciate the European relief funding is being directed towards the metropolitan rail network in Cork. That is €184.7 million, if my memory serves me. I am talking about a multibillion euro investment in a Cork- Belfast line. Joining up the network would involve tunneling under Dublin, the electrification of the entire...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: With the protection of the Chair, I ask the Minister to hang on for a second, please. It is an area we should look at and I say that because of the congestion coming into Dublin. At the moment, for somebody living in Cork who wants to drive to Dublin, and there are thousands of such journeys every day, the rail journey time does not compete with the road journey time. That is also the case...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: How does investing in those cities----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: It is a point that needs to be made. I have limited time, and the Minister knows that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I have interrupted the Minister on this point already. I want to add one sentence.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: When the Minister refers to investing in cities, what does that mean? Does he mean doubling the size of train stations? I cannot see how that relates to a high-speed network between cities.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: That is not what I am saying. I am talking about connecting up-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: If the Minister is trying to tell me that investing in high-speed rail will hurt Tipperary, Limerick, Cork or the rural areas between them that would be serviced by the line, that is outrageous. Come on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: Could we not put three stops on a Cork-Dublin line?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: That is the point you are making.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: We are getting away from ourselves a little bit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: That is excellent but I-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I am.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: Hang on a second. I was crystal clear in what I was saying. I am talking about what will happen in ten years' time. The Minister will be instrumental during the potentially three years and one month he has left in office, under the rules we all have to abide by in the Constitution around elections, as regards the impact he can have. The point I want to make is whether we are doing enough...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: We need to look at faster trains and shorter journey times, which will drive the modal shift to get cars off the road.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: At the moment, we are not doing enough in that area.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: The Minister can do both in tandem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I think the Minister should-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: The Minister should be looking at a plan for it because in five years' time, he does not know what the European investment frameworks will be for rail. It is obviously an area that is set to grow. The Minister must admit that is what is happening at European level.