Results 2,361-2,380 of 10,573 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Should a person in Abbeyfeale, County Limerick, who is applying for a hackney licence be expected to know the geography of Knocknagoshel? That is a straightforward question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: It is about three miles from Abbeyfeale. The person applying for the hackney licence is not expected to know that but he is expected to know about Kilbeheny and Doon which are more than 60 miles from Abbeyfeale. That is crazy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Mr. Creegan can satisfy me if he will agree to revise the geographical element of the knowledge test. I agree there should be a knowledge test, but it should be based on the functional area of the licence holder not an aspirational area. Would the witnesses not admit that those from large counties, like Cork, such as a person from Ballydehob would be expected to know about places that are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: The ordnance survey maps break the country down into grids. It is very easy to apply the knowledge test to the area of the grid which relates to the area in which the person has applied for the licence. If a person picks up a fare in Limerick and is being asked to drive to Donegal, good luck to him because he will do well but by the same token would Mr. Creegan accept that the majority of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Mr. Creegan is basically saying there are no taxi drivers in Dublin at present using satellite navigation because they all know Dublin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Yes, the area in which they operate.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Does Mr. Creegan accept that people in larger counties are at a disadvantage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Does a person making an application in Carlow, which is the second smallest county, or Louth have the same advantage as a person in west Mayo?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Does Mr. Creegan accept that the reason the rural licences are being introduced is that currently there is a dearth of rural hackneys?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Does Mr Creegan accept there is any correlation between the decline in the number of hackeys and the knowledge test failure rate?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Mr. Creegan does not accept that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Well, for me that is the kernel of the issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: If there is not a border area in a county one is totally goosed. A person from Athlone will be expected to know about places in Kilbeggan and Mullingar. I accept that County Westmeath is a smaller county but if one is from Ballyshannon in County Donegal, one will be expected to know Malin Head which is approximately 80 miles from Ballyshannon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: All I want is that an examination be carried out and that people be tested on the area they service. Nobody in Abbeyfeale would have an issue with being examined on the geography of Duagh, Knocknagoshel, Finuge, Lixnaw or Ballylongford but they would have a major grievance being asked about places such as Oola, Pallasgreen, Kilbehenny and Mitchelstown which are nowhere near their functional...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: If there is a willingness to address the issue whereby the person would be examined on the area in which he or she serves, I do not think there would be a problem. I do not think these regulations are needed and I certainly do not think this new fandangle licence will be needed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: Will Mr. Creegan come back to the committee when the issue has been looked at? This issue is not going to go away. Every time the word "taxi" arises here I will raise the issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: We have had a few years, I have no problem with a few weeks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Small Public Service Vehicle (Consolidation and Reform) Regulations 2014: National Transport Authority (5 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank the Chairman.

Other Questions: Special Protection Areas Designation (6 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: 7. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of landowners nationally whose land is designated for hen harrier protection; his plans to extend the compensation schemes currently administered by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10557/14]

Other Questions: Special Protection Areas Designation (6 Mar 2014)

Patrick O'Donovan: My question relates to the designation of lands in different parts of the country, particularly in my own area in west Limerick, for the protection of hen harrier habitats. I am concerned about the compensation arrangements available to some but not all landowners. Where lands are designated for habit protection, thereby limiting their use from an agricultural point of view, but no...