Results 18,301-18,320 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Under Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid19, effective from midnight on Wednesday 21 October, for six weeks, the Government has classified some Road Safety Authority (RSA) services as essential services. The Driver Testing Service, the National Driver Licence Service, the National Car Testing Service and the Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Testing Service have...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 308, 316 and 319 together. Regulations introduced on the 21st October by my colleague, the Minister for Health, define the provision of driving instruction as an essential service. Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) may continue to provide lessons, but only in such circumstances where the learner in question has already been scheduled a test date.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (3 Nov 2020)

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, in consultation with Iarnród Éireann, development of rail in the GDA and implementation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Pollution (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The Urban Transport Related Air Pollution (UTRAP) group was jointly convened by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (now Department of Environment, Climate and Communications) and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (now Department of Transport). It was established to: - examine transport-related air pollution; - raise stakeholder awareness of this...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Irish driving licences can only be issued to people resident in Ireland. Driving licences issued by the Member States of the EU are mutually recognised. Therefore, a holder of an Irish licence who moves to another Member State can drive on that licence until the licence expires. On expiry, the licence holder will then need to exchange their Irish licence for the licence of the country they...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Policy (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy is aware, tax policy is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Finance in the first instance. In that regard I very much welcome his announcement of increased thresholds under the existing Cycle to Work Scheme as part of the July Stimulus package. The increases are in line with the commitment made in the Programme for Governmentin relation to the Scheme. In relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Section 81 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 provides for the use of cameras, if so required, by the Gardaí to assist in the detection of certain traffic offences under the Road Traffic Acts. The offences specified include those made under Section 35 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 which is the basis for the current Traffic and Parking Regulations covering, among other things, the parking...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The success of bus priority measures is an essential component in people moving from cars to more sustainable modes of transport, thereby reducing emissions and congestion. It is therefore necessary to ensure that we have the best possible system for enforcement of the rules on bus corridors, particularly in the context of BusConnects. Officials in my Department are currently engaging...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I can confirm that the National Car Test (NCT) has been classified as an essential service with respect to the Level 5 restrictions effective from midnight on Wednesday 21 October and accordingly vehicle owners travelling to or from an NCT test centre are not subject to domestic travel restrictions. Anyone with an existing appointment should attend their NCT centre as normal and the measures...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: There is no plan to further extend the validity of driving licences. Irish driving licence law is based on a framework of EU law, and the current extensions bring us into line with the EU legislation. Under Covid19 Level 5 Government restrictions effective from midnight on Wednesday 21 October, for six weeks, applicants can attend an appointment at an NDLS centre provided they are an...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is aware that the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future commits toward a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland. My Department provides capital funding to Irish Rail for the maintenance and renewal of the heavy rail network under the Infrastructure Manager Multi-Annual Contract (IMMAC). The IMMAC is the funding programme under which an extensive...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy will be aware, on the 20 April 2020, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport at that time, Shane Ross TD, signed the Road Traffic (National Car Test) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 into law. These Regulations provided that a 4 month extension was given to test due dates for vehicles under two specific circumstances: -vehicles that had an National Car Test (NCT) certificate...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Search and Rescue Service Provision (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The Air Corps currently provide support to the Irish Coast Guard in maritime Search and Rescue operations on an “as available” basis. A Service Level Agreement is in place setting out their roles and responsibilities in this regard. I have no plans to change this current position. As regards their role in a future service, a process has commenced to consider options for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The scheduling of candidates’ driving tests is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and as Minister, I have no power to intervene in individual cases. The Road Safety Authority has advised during Level 5 it is prioritising driver testing for essential workers and it has set up a dedicated email, urgentdrivingtest@rsa.ie, where applicants can request to be given...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Under Covid19 Level 5 Government restrictions effective from midnight on Wednesday 21 October, for six weeks, applicants can attend an appointment at an NDLS centre provided they are an essential worker involved in the provision of essential services or essential retail outlets. Details on what is included in the list of essential workers and retail outlets is available on . The RSA is also...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government encompasses a wide and ambitious range of commitments for public transport, one of which is the establishment of a national level forum in relation to public transport. The Deputy will also be aware that my Department has already been undertaking a review of sustainable mobility policy, which incorporates public transport and active...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is aware that the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future commits toward a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland and I believe that rail has a strategic role to play in achieving that change. Following a recent Transport Sectoral meeting of the North South Ministerial Council, Minister Nichola Mallon, MLA, and I both agreed that our Departments should...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy may be aware, electric scooters are a type of powered personal transporter (PPT). PPTs are classed as mechanically propelled vehicles, the use of which requires a valid licence, tax and appropriate insurance in accordance with Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1961. As PPTs do not fall under any existing vehicle category, it is not currently possible to tax and insure them and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Regulations introduced on the 21st October by my colleague, the Minister for Health, define the provision of driving instruction as an essential service. Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) may continue to provide lessons, but only in such circumstances where the learner in question has already been scheduled a test date.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences (3 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The National Transport Authority (NTA), the statutory regulator, has since the start of the pandemic taken action to reduce the operating costs for small public service vehicle (SPSV) operators. It has extended vehicle age limits and waived late renewal fees through to March 2021. SPSV driver licences are valid for five years and there are no plans to waive these licencing fees, however, my...