Results 7,261-7,280 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As stated in answer to Parliamentary Question No. 279 of 18 January 2023, the funding arrangements in relation to the A5 have been governed by the 2014 Stormont House Agreement and Implementation Plan - A Fresh Start, and under this Agreement the Government is committed to provide funding of £75 million towards the cost of the A5 upgrade scheme once the statutory planning process in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: 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, including the DART+ Programmeand its constituent projects, which includes DART+ Coastal North. Noting the NTA's...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Local Authorities (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 83 together. As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who, in partnership with local authorities, have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area. ...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As the 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 operation of public transport. The query raised regarding plans to introduce new rapid security hubs is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann and I have therefore forwarded the Deputy's question to the company for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As part of Action 6 of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy a review is underway to examine and review the framework for setting of speed limits including rural speed limits and the introduction of a 30km/h default speed limit in urban areas. This review is nearing completion and as part of its work a detailed assessment is being carried out on the existing framework of speed limits...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: 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, including BusConnects Dublin. Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Local Authorities (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together. As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who, in partnership with local authorities, have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area. Noting the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to active travel infrastructure. The NTA along with the relevant local authorities, are responsible for the development and delivery of individual projects. In March 2021, I launched the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme as a response to the need to improve safety at the ‘front of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: 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 securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including TFI Local link services, and delivering...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the committee for the opportunity to present the 2023 Estimate for the Department of Transport and for programme D of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Taking transport first, the budget is set out in five programmes. They are: programme A, sustainable mobility, active travel and greenways; programme B, carbon reduction and public transport; programme...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is correct. There is broad political agreement that Connecting Ireland as a concept and investment makes real sense and that it will be transformative in terms of providing more regular rural bus services and connecting to local towns and other services. We started the consultation back in the autumn of 2021. The first phase projects to test the concept in Kerry and Leitrim...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: No, the funding is provided for within the budget. The resources we have set out in the Estimates give us all the resources we need to run the additional services the NTA is planning. It is the wider agreement on the overall approach in terms of BusConnects-----

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Exactly, Connecting Ireland. We started rolling it out last year because a lot of people needed immediate bus services. It is working and will be expanded each year. The lessons we are learning from it about connecting other services are very interesting. What we also need to do as part of the business plan is significantly improve the marketing, design and implementation of bus stops and...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy asked whether this is priority one, two or three. I will say in all honesty that it is number one. I have said so in numerous places, and not just here. It involves closing a gap because there is nothing at present in many instances. As we come out of Covid and pursue the Town Centre First strategy, many people are now engaged in remote working and benefit from having public...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy has said, it doubled year on year. I expect that sort of expenditure growth to continue and for it to double again. These are not the only services we have to deliver; there are also town bus services and other BusConnects services. However, the number one priority is to make sure the Connecting Ireland programme is rolled out because it has transformative potential for areas...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: If I may make one more point, which has regard to a bright light on the horizon, as the Deputy will know better than anyone else, it is not just about Connecting Ireland, but the town services. The NTA tells me that the numbers in Navan are just spectacular since the town bus services were improved and increased in number. The public in Navan is responding at scale. There is a tremendous...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is absolutely right. The first message I would put out is similar to what Kenny Jacobs said on "Morning Ireland" this morning. I say to anyone who is doing this that it is really dangerous. If a drone got caught in the engine of a plane in flight, it could potentially have catastrophic consequences. This is a really serious issue and anyone engaged in managing a drone within 5...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: We will not wait. We will look at whatever technology exists. As I have said, this is evolving technology. Drone technology has been brought to the centre stage by the war in Ukraine and one expects the counter-drone technology developed as a result will be very significant. However, in the discussions we had last night, we heard the expertise of civil authorities and An Garda...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: One of the complications with any take-down technology is that we have to be careful to ensure that it does not interfere with other aviation communications technology in the airport. It is a very sensitive site so nothing should be deployed unless you are absolutely sure that it will not interfere with any of the other communications systems in operation. Some of the physical means of...