Results 8,481-8,500 of 26,208 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Therefore, the one across country is no longer being considered.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: There are three routes. One is the upgrade of the existing rail line. The second was an old rail line that had been taken up and is privately owned now, which will go from Charleville, to Macroom, to Patrickswell and then to Limerick. The other went cross-country from Charleville to Bruree and right across to Killonan. Which two are being considered? Obviously, Limerick Junction to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is quite significant if it is down to two, to be honest. I believe it is not proper use of the public purse where there is an existing rail line with only one track. We should put a second one down and see how it works, and that is the most important thing of all. The second point is that €3 billion has been put out as the overall cost of the project. I do not believe that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: We have the Minister for Transport coming out and saying the project is going to cost €3 billion. I have made my own inquiries in regard to an €80 million motorway, and the cost would be significantly less than €1 billion. I need to know where this €3 billion figure is coming from.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Am I correct in saying that the bands were less than €1 billion and then were between €1 billion and €3 billion?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Was that provided by the Department of Transport?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is TII's project. TII is looking at it. We need to get a definitive position regarding what the overall costs of the project will be. Will the project cost €3 billion?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Will the project cost nearer €1 billion?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I have done my own costings. A motorway would cost anywhere between €7 million and €8 million per kilometre. That is well below €3 billion. It has been put into the public domain that this project will cost €3 billion. I deal in facts. The witnesses from TII have outlined the reason concerning TII ticking the box between €1 billion and €3...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: That means an 80 km motorway will cost somewhere between €800 million and €900 million. This is a significant amount of taxpayers' money but is nowhere near €3 billion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am happy that I now know where the figure of €3 billion is coming from. It is coming from a box that TII ticked that said between €1 billion and €3 billion and a figure of €3 billion. Mr. Walsh is telling me it will not cost €3 billion and will be nearer €1 billion. Does Mr. O'Neill have details on the routes? There were three routes on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: So it is three. I am going to be pretty direct. Only one line should be under consideration, namely, the upgrade of the existing line. Irish Rail has already proposed to look at that €60 million. That is the key one that should be considered. The NRA was just dealing with roads. When TII was formed, it was a merger of the Rail Procurement Agency and the NRA itself. TII has the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is the NTA involved?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Has the NTA been consulted by TII on this issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Dare I say it but it is the full responsibility of TII. My views are well known. I have debated this many times. We get a once in a lifetime chance and we must get this right in terms of the motorway from Cork to Limerick, a significant percentage of which has no hard shoulder based on TII's proposal. We have one chance in terms of a proper Atlantic corridor. Common sense must prevail on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Does Senator Craughwell wish Ms Graham to reply to his question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Great, I thank Senator Craughwell. I call Senator Dooley.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: The money is not coming from the TII.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is something we can take up with the Minister for Transport when he is before us.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Revised National Development Plan: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Which road project is the Senator talking about?