Results 24,081-24,100 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Local Authorities (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together. As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who, in partnership with local authorities, have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area. Noting the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to active travel infrastructure. The NTA along with the relevant local authorities, are responsible for the development and delivery of individual projects. In March 2021, I launched the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme as a response to the need to improve safety at the ‘front of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (8 Feb 2023)

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 securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including TFI Local link services, and delivering...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the committee for the opportunity to present the 2023 Estimate for the Department of Transport and for programme D of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Taking transport first, the budget is set out in five programmes. They are: programme A, sustainable mobility, active travel and greenways; programme B, carbon reduction and public transport; programme...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is correct. There is broad political agreement that Connecting Ireland as a concept and investment makes real sense and that it will be transformative in terms of providing more regular rural bus services and connecting to local towns and other services. We started the consultation back in the autumn of 2021. The first phase projects to test the concept in Kerry and Leitrim...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: No, the funding is provided for within the budget. The resources we have set out in the Estimates give us all the resources we need to run the additional services the NTA is planning. It is the wider agreement on the overall approach in terms of BusConnects-----

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Exactly, Connecting Ireland. We started rolling it out last year because a lot of people needed immediate bus services. It is working and will be expanded each year. The lessons we are learning from it about connecting other services are very interesting. What we also need to do as part of the business plan is significantly improve the marketing, design and implementation of bus stops and...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy asked whether this is priority one, two or three. I will say in all honesty that it is number one. I have said so in numerous places, and not just here. It involves closing a gap because there is nothing at present in many instances. As we come out of Covid and pursue the Town Centre First strategy, many people are now engaged in remote working and benefit from having public...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy has said, it doubled year on year. I expect that sort of expenditure growth to continue and for it to double again. These are not the only services we have to deliver; there are also town bus services and other BusConnects services. However, the number one priority is to make sure the Connecting Ireland programme is rolled out because it has transformative potential for areas...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: If I may make one more point, which has regard to a bright light on the horizon, as the Deputy will know better than anyone else, it is not just about Connecting Ireland, but the town services. The NTA tells me that the numbers in Navan are just spectacular since the town bus services were improved and increased in number. The public in Navan is responding at scale. There is a tremendous...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is absolutely right. The first message I would put out is similar to what Kenny Jacobs said on "Morning Ireland" this morning. I say to anyone who is doing this that it is really dangerous. If a drone got caught in the engine of a plane in flight, it could potentially have catastrophic consequences. This is a really serious issue and anyone engaged in managing a drone within 5...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: We will not wait. We will look at whatever technology exists. As I have said, this is evolving technology. Drone technology has been brought to the centre stage by the war in Ukraine and one expects the counter-drone technology developed as a result will be very significant. However, in the discussions we had last night, we heard the expertise of civil authorities and An Garda...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: One of the complications with any take-down technology is that we have to be careful to ensure that it does not interfere with other aviation communications technology in the airport. It is a very sensitive site so nothing should be deployed unless you are absolutely sure that it will not interfere with any of the other communications systems in operation. Some of the physical means of...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I agree. I have a similar view to the Acting Chairman that Clare County Council should be the lead agent in developing, managing and getting the best from the sites because it has the expertise and other tourist locations in the county and it fits within its scope. Clare County Council, as Deputy Crowe said, came with an ask for funding, although in truth Shannon Development had already...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: That should be settled quickly. It cannot be a situation where Clare County Council just names a figure, walks away and that is it. It has to be based on proper audited estimates of what the likely costs are.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I would be nervous about weakening Shannon, either the estate, the industrial site estate or the airport. It is doing a good job and has already gone a long way to facilitate the transfer of Shannon Heritage. The issue is not how much the Government will be able to offer or what Clare County Council would be willing to take. It requires resolving what exactly it is going to cost. That...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I had a meeting with officials about this earlier this week. We all agreed we need to get this resolved quickly.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I will put it broadly, because I do not have the details in my notes. It is an Estimates rather than a policy briefing I have before me. On a note of caution, I recall that, even in the midst of Covid-19 when it was challenging and the ability to get EU state aid rules adapted to help us through the emergency was strong, we were looking at the options of PSO routes from Shannon to elsewhere...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I agree. There would be real benefit to Shannon from having such a continental connection to a continental hub airport. I 100% agree with that. We have to be careful even in the discussion of this PSO possibility that it might get in the way or delay the arrival of such a service. That is one of the risks.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I think the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, made the point regarding the delays Deputy Crowe cited, not just in driver testing but in a number of different areas regarding licences and the national car test, NCT, etc., that it is completely intolerable that we are so far beyond expected timelines to deliver them. There has been no shortage or lack of willingness to provide the extra...