Results 461-480 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. This includes all application and scheduling matters and neither the Department nor the Minister can intervene in individual cases. Information on who can apply for an emergency test is available at...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Noise Pollution (9 Apr 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: Public Transport (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As you will be aware, the role of the Advisory Committee on Small Public Service Vehicles (SPSVs) under the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 is to advise the Minister in relation to issues relevant to small public service vehicles and their drivers. The views of the taxi industry are well represented on that Committee through Committee members with representative functions and backgrounds and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Córas Iompair Éireann (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: From the outset I would like to clarify that I, as Minister for Transport, have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ, Group and their employees. As a commercial semi-state body CIÉ are responsible for the provision...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (9 Apr 2025)

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

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. This includes operational matters, such as the capacity in driver testing centres. I acknowledge that current waiting times are far in excess of what is acceptable and I would like to assure the Deputy that measures have been taken to address the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network over the coming years. Having an effective and reliable charging network is an essential part of enabling drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles. Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), a dedicated Office which oversees and accelerates...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the EV charging network over the coming years. Having an effective and reliable charging network is an essential part of enabling drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles. Home charging is the primary charging method for most Irish EV owners as it’s convenient and cheaper for the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy is a pathway for the delivery of EV charge point infrastructure to support Ireland’s Climate Action Plan target to have an expected 30% of our private car fleet switched to electric by 2030. The Strategy addresses EV infrastructure standards required to meet user needs as mandated through European regulations, the Alternative Fuels...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 54 together. Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. The operational information requested by the Deputies is therefore held by the RSA. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputies' questions to the RSA for direct,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Sign Language (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department of Transport is aware of its obligations under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 and has advised public bodies under its remit of their obligations. Since the commencement of the Act, this Department has not received any requests for Irish Sign Language interpretation from those seeking to avail of or access statutory entitlements or services provided by the Department....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including through engagement with Iarnród Éireann, the DART+ West project between Dublin city and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), 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...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tax Code (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: From the details provided in relation to this case, it would appear that the tax liability of the owner of these two vehicles is being calculated correctly. The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 provides that where the owner of a vehicle wishes to declare a vehicle off the road the declaration must be made in advance during the month of expiry of the vehicle’s current motor tax...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001 require producers of farm plastics (manufacturers and/or importers) to either establish a deposit and refund scheme for farm plastic waste or to participate in an approved compliance scheme for its recovery and recycling. Since the introduction of the farm plastics extended producer responsibility (EPR) model, producers have chosen to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Pension Provisions (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department cannot confirm if the person is entitled to a preserved pension. My Department has not discovered any documentation that contradicts the details provided. The details indicate the National Shared Service Office (NSSO) has clarified why the person does not meet the reckonable service vesting period. My Department will provide advice to the person named on process of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Plastic Bag Levy continues to play a major role in reducing the usage of single use plastic carrier bags. Since Ireland introduced the levy in 2002, the first country in the world to do so, usage of such bags has dropped from over 132 million in 2006 to less than 5.5 million last year. Income accrued from the levy in each of the past five years is as follows:2020: €3.88...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) was introduced in February 2024 to encourage more people to recycle plastic bottles and cans and to deliver on our ambitious EU targets for the recycling of those products. Participation in DRS in its first year has been very positive. 1.2 billion bottles and cans have been returned, with average daily rates now regularly exceeding 3 million containers. This...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fuel Quality (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Fuel Quality Directive (Directive 98/70/EC as amended), or FQD, sets the technical specifications on health and environmental grounds for fuels to be used with positive ignition and compression-ignition engines. As Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, my Department is responsible for overseeing the testing and sampling of fuels as required for that Directive.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Transmission Network (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together. The Electricity Storage Policy Framework for Ireland published by my Department in July 2024 included 10 Government actions to support the role of electricity storage systems in Ireland’s energy transition. Engagement with the Joint System Operators has commenced in relation to Action 2. The first stakeholder forum was held in...