Results 9,561-9,580 of 26,357 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I will conclude with a few questions. The bond that is paid is 4% of turnover for a travel agent and 10% for a tour operator. What turnover figure does the commission look at?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is that a calendar year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Do they have to pay physical cash?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Are they typically cash bonds or insurance bonds?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Am I correct in saying that the only person who has access to that bond is the customer? The merchant providers do not. Am I correct in that assumption?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: If a payment had been made to the travel agent, which it put through for the customer, and the entity it was dealing with becomes insolvent and the provider has paid the money, is it purely the customer that can submit a claim to the commission?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: The merchant providers have little, if any, contact with the commission on a financial level.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: This is slightly unrelated. I note that the Commission for Aviation Regulation is responsible for the scheduling, co-ordination and allocation of slots at Irish airports. How does that work? I assume that has nothing to do with the allocation of slots outside this jurisdiction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is that the only airport? It does not arise in respect of Cork Airport or Shannon Airport.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: What does "constrained" mean?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Might I suggest that if more passengers were transferred to Shannon Airport and Cork Airport, there might not be the serious, continual congestion in Dublin Airport? I will bring Senator Buttimer back in. As it stands, it is clear from all members that there is a lacuna. We need to invite the merchant providers in. I suggest that we write to the Department of Transport. The legislation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: When we write to the Department of Transport, we will address the Air Navigation and Transport Bill too.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Merchant Service Providers in the Travel Trade in Ireland: Discussion (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Senator Buttimer. I thank Ms Mannion and Mr. Hodnett for attending today's meeting and engaging with the committee. We will come back to this matter. We ask Ms Mannion, for the sake of completeness, to seek legal opinion to be certain about the legislation on the Commission for Aviation Regulation and merchant providers. She might let us know the outcome of that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues facing the Aviation Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: We are continuing our discussion on aviation. We are discussing the proposals on supports that are necessary to ensure rural air connectivity, with specific reference to Shannon Airport, with the Shannon Chamber in association with the Irish Hotels Federation. On behalf of the Shannon Chamber we have its director, Mr. Kevin Thompstone, and from the Irish Hotels Federation, Ms Elaina...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues facing the Aviation Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: That is good. Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or to engage otherwise in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. If the witnesses' statements are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues facing the Aviation Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Mr. Thompstone. We now move to the members. First up is Fianna Fáil and Senator Dooley.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues facing the Aviation Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Senator, I will not take from your time and will allow you to start again, but some members' loudspeakers are on, so will everyone go on mute? There is a lot of feedback. I ask members and witnesses to check their settings.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues facing the Aviation Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: Senator Dooley, you may recommence. My apologies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues facing the Aviation Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: We shall suspend the meeting for some minutes to resolve a technical issue.