Results 22,941-22,960 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is absolutely right on the taxi fleet. That is one area where we can make significant changes. Because taxis are used extensively, as well as the vehicles themselves if they switch over, the kilometres they do as a percentage of our overall kilometres is significant. In that regard there are encouraging signs showing we can change. We introduced very generous grants for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: This was discussed in an earlier question. The OECD report, commissioned by the Climate Change Advisory Council, provides the model for how we do this and it requires systemic change. Central to that is the reallocation of road space to provide the priority bus lanes which get efficiency. The more frequent services we have, the more people will use it. That also benefits the taxi fleet...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cycling Facilities (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I will again refer to the OECD report I just mentioned, which sets out a requirement for large behavioural change in the direction of sustainable modes, travel reductions and shared mobility. Along with road space reallocation and communication efforts to address car-centric mindsets, it identifies the mainstreaming of on-demand shared services as one of the policy areas with a high...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cycling Facilities (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy that the Dublin Bikes scheme was transformative. Dublin City Council led it out and the public loved it. I also agree that we now need to look at the next stage. I am speaking about Dublin and the supply to other cities to make sure bike schemes expand into other areas. It is confined and relatively restricted at the moment. I am interested in having that concept...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cycling Facilities (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: This is just one element to it because what we do will have to be quite extensive. I mentioned an example in Finglas where Dublin City Council had installed and facilities for e-car and e-bike charging. That was attractive and it could be an opportunity to provide access to a variety of different providers. I am looking at the climate fund to see if we could support such infrastructure...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Park-and-Ride Facilities (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The NTA has long recognised the importance of high-capacity park-and-ride facilities at designated public transport interchanges and has been providing these facilities as part of the ongoing investment in public transport. To support the timely delivery of park-and-ride sites and a cohesive overall programme, the NTA established the park and ride development office, PRDO, in February 2020....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Park-and-Ride Facilities (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I do not disagree with the Deputy, and never have, on the need for a variety of public transport services in the greater Galway area, in particular Galway city, whose acute problems are, as everyone knows, probably worse than any other city's. The specific locations of the park-and-ride sites, the details of which I presume have been shared with Galway City Council, are at the likes of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Park-and-Ride Facilities (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Again, I do not disagree with the Deputy. I believe in the cross-city link. There is an opportunity for us to show that we can develop alternative public transport systems that work for the people of the city more than anyone else. Visitors are also critical, of course. We need public transport services, active travel and other measures that allow us to meet the climate change targets....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I agree that the safety and security of public transport passengers and staff are critical matters that first and foremost must be managed by every transport company, working with An Garda Síochána, where appropriate. There are currently no plans to develop an overarching public transport security strategy. My Department and the National Transport Authority engage regularly with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I will go back to Deputy Smith's first comment that a lot of people are proposing a separate transport police. It is important that we address whether that is key, one way or the other. I recently visited a new control centre being built by Iarnród Éireann. It is an amazing facility behind Heuston Station. There we are seeing co-location of An Garda Síochána services...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I disagree with Deputy Smith on one point. I agree that we do not need a separate policing service but from my long experience on the Luas, I believe that company's system, which is often about fare evasion as much as is policing, provides a welcome and secure presence. Those workers and that company do a good job in that regard. I do not believe gardaí will check for fares and so on....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (10 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 23 together. I am acutely aware of the service issues currently being experienced across the public transport network in Dublin and the negative impact it is having on the travelling public. I reassure the House that I and my officials have met with senior management from the National Transport Authority in relation to these service issues and we...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Prices (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), as the independent regulator was assigned consumer protection functions under the 1999 Electricity Regulation Act and subsequent legislation, has statutory responsibility for the compliance by energy suppliers with their consumer protection obligations. The electricity and gas retail markets...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Flood Risk Management (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Enhanced Decommissioning, Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme (EDRRS) is a five-year programme, currently in its second year of operation. The EDRRS was established in 2020 as part of the Just Transition and it is sponsored by my Department and regulated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), with Bord Na Móna acting as the operators of the scheme. The EDRRS...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fuel Sales (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The new solid fuel regulations, which took effect from 31 October, place technical standards and restrictions on all solid fuels. It is now illegal to place fuels on the market in Ireland that do not meet the requirements of the regulations, irrespective of where the fuel has been sourced. The introduction of these regulations will improve the quality of the air that we breathe, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Staff (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Department of Transport has one staff member seconded to a public body and in receipt of a higher duty/acting allowance since 2018. The higher duty/acting allowance is pensionable. Salary costs and the costs of the higher duty/ acting allowance are recouped from the public body by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together. The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network over the coming years. As the Deputy is aware, a draft national strategy for the development of EV charging infrastructure, covering the crucial period out to 2025 was published for consultation in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The National Transport Authority (NTA) expects to commence the review of the 2016 Galway Transport Strategy and the development of a new Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy before the end of this year.   In relation to the specific query on the appointment of a specialist team to assist with this work, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Transport Authority (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As 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 operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for decisions regarding the routes of these services in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy may be aware, the Government approved the inclusion of Phase 1 of the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme in Ireland's National Recovery & Resilience Plan. Inclusion in the Plan means the projects referred to by the Deputy will largely be funded through the EU's Recovery & Resilience Facility and also means that all works contained...