Results 27,781-27,800 of 33,175 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Services for People with Disabilities (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: In my contribution, I made it very clear that measures have taken place in Dublin and also in Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Sligo.

Other Questions: Services for People with Disabilities (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I also made it very clear that we have put 40 schemes in place in 20 towns across the country.

Other Questions: Services for People with Disabilities (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The very reason these measures have been put in place is that I am fully aware of my national responsibility.

Other Questions: Services for People with Disabilities (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: That is why this and previous Governments have invested over €70 million to make public transport more accessible.

Other Questions: Services for People with Disabilities (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: We are doing this to put in place with the limited funding we have all the measures we can afford and that are available to us to make public transport as accessible as possible.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Roads Authority Projects (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The total cost of the project is in excess of €800 million. The land cost alone will be approximately €100 million. Deputy Catherine Murphy spoke about this issue earlier. The total cost of delivering all of the projects we discussed is just over €100 million. The main challenge I face in a project of this scale is that funding cannot be secured; we are instead trying...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Roads Authority Projects (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government is committed to providing for balanced regional development, which is why we have invested in tourism and made great progress in attracting foreign direct investment in many parts of the country. We appreciate the need for investment and employment to be generated across the island. On the contribution of transport, we are continuing to support the maintainenance of the local...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I am conscious that a decision on whether to proceed with the DART underground project under the current railway order must be made by September if the CPO conditions applicable to the order are to be met. The National Transport Authority has been carrying out technical reviews of all the greater Dublin area public transport projects and I am awaiting delivery of its...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: On the Deputy's latter point, I expect that once we decide on the projects to be progressed in the short to medium term, we will be able to apply for and, I hope, receive European funding for such projects as happened in the case of similar projects in the past. Public transport projects are under way, including the Luas cross-city project which has been in receipt of support from European...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Improvement Schemes (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I must point out again that, while I have responsibility for overall policy and funding for the national roads programme, the construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads are matters for the National Roads Authority, NRA, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. I understand the proposed M7 Naas bypass widening scheme which follows the alignment of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Improvement Schemes (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I agree with the Deputy that the maintenance and, where necessary, the creation of good national roads are crucial to how the economy moves and our ability to move goods and services throughout the country. It is also crucial to make sure the national finances continue to improve and that if we commit to a project, we have the ability to fund it. The Deputy will be aware that a condition of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Improvement Schemes (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy acknowledges that this is a very significant amount of money from the taxpayer. It is easily comparable to, if not greater than, the private sector investment put into the millennium business park and the surrounding area. It is receiving priority for the future, provided funding is available, because of how busy the existing roads in the area, in particular the M7, are and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Roads Authority Projects (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: ​As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding for the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects, including the M20, are matters for the National Roads Authority, NRA, under the Roads Acts. 1993 to 2007, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.  Given the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Dublin City Centre Transport Study (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Nobody involved in the process has the objective of seeking to turn our city centre into a no-go zone or to get to a point at which our city is hollowed out. The objective of the proposals the city council is putting forward is the opposite of this. It wants to create a more vibrant and sustainable city centre balancing the huge number of people passing through it with the needs of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: An agreed solution was implemented at the start of this year to address the funding difficulties in the Irish airlines (general employees) superannuation scheme, IASS. This agreed solution is a matter for the trustee, the companies participating in the scheme and the scheme members and the Pensions Authority. Under the agreed solution, the total contribution...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I am fully aware of the hardship caused to people as a result of what happened to the pension fund. The pension fund faced a huge deficit. The one thing on which I am very clear is if I had gone against the wishes of the trustee, the person whose job it is to administer and run the fund, the Deputy would be the first person in the Dáil Chamber to criticise me for doing so. I am...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is good to hear the Deputy acknowledge the success we are having in tourism. He also opposed many of the measures put in place to deliver this success. He opposed the way we needed to fund the lower VAT rate, which is the very measure supporting Irish tourism and supporting hotels, cafes and restaurants in delivering affordable prices to tourists to get them to visit our country. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Dublin City Centre Transport Study (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Before I reply to the Deputy's question, I add my voice to the voices of those who spoke in the Dáil yesterday about the awful tragedy and loss of life in Berkeley. My thoughts, like those of everyone else, are with the families of those involved and everyone else who has been affected by this incident. The Dublin city transport study which was recently published jointly by the National...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Dublin City Centre Transport Study (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: A recognition of the role played by Dublin City Council in this respect, as well as the powers afforded to the council under law and the use made of these powers, needs to be at the heart of the discussion. The council is looking to hear the views of the people of the city and beyond on its proposals. While that consultation process is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for me to become...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: With the return of economic growth, we must ensure that we have measures in place to deal with the consequent increase in traffic. It is a key objective of transport policy to encourage modal shift away from the car so as to improve economic competitiveness through reduced congestion, particularly in high density urban environments such as Dublin. This also supports climate...