Results 2,381-2,400 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Bus Éireann: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Mr. Murphy for coming before the committee and I thank him for serving on the board of Bus Éireann since April 2013. With regard to feedback, I never had a complaint about the Expressway service. It is an efficient service and I have used it. It is welcome that further investment will be made in the service. Are there plans to utilise smart technology to inform customers or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Bus Éireann: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: That concludes that session. On behalf of the joint committee, I wish to thank Mr. Murphy for appearing before us today and engaging in this informative discussion. I propose that a copy of the transcript of today's discussion should be forwarded to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for his information and consideration. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Iarnród Éireann: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I would like to welcome Mr. Philip Gaffney, the chairperson designate of Iarnród Éireann. As Mr. Gaffney was sitting in the ante-room, he will have heard the previous declaration concerning the Defamation Act, so I do not need to repeat it. I now call on Mr. Gaffney to make his opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Iarnród Éireann: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Deputy Colreavy. Mr. Gaffney may wish to respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Iarnród Éireann: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Mr. Gaffney. Following on from what Deputy Michael Colreavy said, Mr. Gaffney mentioned that the PSO payments have been reduced considerably from what were already the lowest PSO payment levels in Europe, in comparative terms. How do the cost structures of the company compare in terms of pay levels or cost per kilometre of network Europe-wide?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Iarnród Éireann: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank you Mr. Gaffney, and call Deputy Seán Kenny.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Iarnród Éireann: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Following on Deputy Griffin's query, I presume Iarnród Éireann constantly reviews services, pricing and the frequency of services in line with consumer needs. How often does such review take place or is it continuous? People may need to get to work by 8 a.m., but a train may not arrive at its destination until 8.10 a..m. Are issues such as this - frequency and timetables -...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Iarnród Éireann: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I hope it is not discrimination.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: CIE: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I would like to thank Ms Jupp, who I met previously, for coming before the committee and for her work on behalf of customers as chairperson of the CIE group. I note with concern the flags raised by Ms Jupp on the sustainability of the Irish public transport system. We must continually evaluate the arguments in this debate to see where our priorities lie. I do not have particular questions...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: CIE: Chairman Designate (9 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Yes.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (11 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Just like Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Concert Licensing: Dublin City Council (15 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Mr. Keegan and his officials for coming before this committee, as it is important that controversial matters of national debate such as this are as transparent as possible. It is helpful that Mr. Keegan's statement is now on the public record and I thank the Chairman and the committee for allowing this. I must declare my interest in the GAA as I am a lifelong member and chairman of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Concert Licensing: Dublin City Council (15 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I am sorry for interrupting but this is critical to the confusion and the conflict as I understand it. Given all that Mr. Keogan said, which I accept in terms of the balanced and reasonable approach taken, was it not a serious mistake to offer the matinées because that would have contributed to a much more serious intensification and demand on the neighbourhood and traffic management...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Concert Licensing: Dublin City Council (15 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: It was a rearguard action. Dublin City Council was willing to consider it in hindsight. Given that, why were five concerts not considered at the outset as a once-off? Given the lessons we have learned and the pressures and difficulties it brought on the council and everyone else, it could have been decided that it would not to be allowed to happen again. Could the concerts not have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Concert Licensing: Dublin City Council (15 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: My question to Mr. Keegan is whether he thought it appropriate that someone with family connections and a house in the local area should have been as closely involved in the decision making process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Concert Licensing: Dublin City Council (15 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Given the public discourse and perception around the debate I am sure Mr. Keegan would have pre-empted it and understood that it would have become very controversial. To avoid any charges or accusations of conflicts of interest, did Mr. Keegan feel there was no necessity to appoint another official to examine the decision?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Concert Licensing: Dublin City Council (15 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: In hindsight, if Mr. Keegan knew, would he have appointed somebody else?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Concert Licensing: Dublin City Council (15 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: This is an important point because anybody who served on a local authority would know that if a councillor had an interest in a decision being taken by the council he or she would have to vacate the chamber to avoid being involved in the process. A fundamental issue arises in this regard. I am not casting aspersions but it is something we will need to consider at a future date. Where there...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (16 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Cathaoirleach for his kind welcome. This is a very familiar setting to me as I spent over four years here. I enjoyed every moment of it and see many familiar as well as some new faces. I look forward to working with Members in my new capacity. I cannot accept amendment No. 10. The purpose of prescribing the appropriate period by way of regulations as opposed to primary...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (16 Jul 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I am happy to clarify the matter for Senators. As I said in respect of amendment No. 10, the purpose of prescribing an appropriate number in regulations as opposed to primary legislation is to allow for flexibility if needed to change the number set where it becomes impractical. Two refusals is a reasonable number so as not to disadvantage other households on the waiting list in being...