Results 261-280 of 28,135 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Second Stage (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: We banned that.

Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Second Stage (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to introduce the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, plays a pivotal role in protecting, improving and restoring our environment through regulation, scientific knowledge and working with others. As part of this role, there are approximately 900 EPA licences in...

Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Second Stage (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: We will get a copy of it. Apologies, we will circulate that. Tá brón orm faoi sin. Before changes that affect emissions from an existing installation can be made, the operator is required to amend or review the existing EPA licence. This is an important system overall which protects our natural environment and human health. While strong licensing procedures are critical to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question and like him I welcome the largest ever investment in our bus network and services, which is what we are delivering under BusConnects Dublin and what will be delivered under BusConnects in each of the four other cities as well. This is a transformational step change in the way bus services are delivered in Ireland and one that has been subject to the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Disability Services (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I'm pleased to say that yesterday I met with members of the disability sector for a constructive dialogue around our shared ambition to ensure 100% transport accessibility in Ireland. The Government launched the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People on 3rd September 2025. In line with the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities or the UN CRPD, the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Train Control Centre or NTCC project is designed to deliver a modern, safe and efficient national train control system that can effectively meet the needs of a growing railway over the coming decades. There are a number monitoring and reporting procedures that my Department has in place to review the progress of the NTCC, as I will outline. The...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) including, in consultation with Iarnród Éireann, the DART+ programme. The DART+ Programme aims to modernise and improve existing rail services in the GDA, by increasing the electrified network...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. It is the individual transport companies, for example Bus Éireann, which have responsibility for operational and employment matters. From a policy perspective the Programme for Government (PfG) has committed to "Work to enhance and support the delivery of a skilled...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Funding (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Funding is allocated to transport projects in County Offaly both directly through Departmental programmes and through programmes managed by agencies such as the NTA and TII as well as the relevant Local Authority. Roads As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: State Bodies (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can advise the Deputy that while it is not appropriate for me to comment on the matter raised at this time, any proposed exits or settlement schemes across our agencies will be considered by me in keeping with the relevant circulars, establishing legislation of the agency and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, as Minister for Transport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport in Ireland, including in relation to the rail network. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including, in conjunction with Iarnród...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, BusConnects is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, providing better bus services across our cities. It is the largest investment in the bus system in the history of the State and is managed by the National Transport Authority (NTA). New bus services in Dublin are already being delivered, with the first six phases of the Network Redesign...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Increasing commuter uptake of shared mobility services is a key objective of this Government. As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government commits to investing in a range of transport options for enhancing connectivity across the country, including the establishment of mobility hubs in each local authority area. Two key initiatives are currently underway to incentivise the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (30 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) 2040 was developed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in collaboration with Cork City Council, Cork County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Since its publication in 2020, there has been good progress on key elements of CMATS, including the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme, BusConnects Cork, Cork Light Rail...