Results 24,621-24,640 of 26,778 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tax Rebates (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Motor tax refunds are only issued in Motor Tax Offices. As Motor Tax Offices are part of the local authorities and do not record the financial transaction on the National Vehicle and Driver File, this data is not available to my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Tolls (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Therefore, matters relating to the day to day operations regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Anti-social behaviour is a broad societal issue, to which public transport is unfortunately not immune, and it is those passengers and staff who regularly use and work within our public transport network who are most directly impacted by any safety or security incidents that may occur on the network. There is a strong commitment under the Programme for Government to create a Transport...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The driver certificate of professional competence (CPC) process is based on European Union Directive 2022/2561, which concerns the initial qualifications and periodic training of drivers of vehicles carrying goods or passengers. The Directive was transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Vehicle Drivers Certificate of Professional Competence) (No. 2) Regulations 2008 (SI 359 of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that verification of a licence is not sought by the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS), where it was previously verified within six months of the driving licence exchange application as part of a work permit application. I have been informed by the Road Safety Authority that applications for exchanges of South African driving licences are processed in a timely manner...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Staff (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Secondments to the Department are only available to established Civil or Public Servants and there have been no secondments from consulting firms to this Department in this period.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Navigation Orders (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The examination, by my officials, of the current legislation in relation to the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft in Irish sovereign airspace is ongoing and I expect to be briefed in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. This includes restoring the service to its service level agreement target wait time of 10 weeks and developing the plan for doing so, which, as the Deputy notes, was a condition of the September 2024 staffing sanction. I am informed that the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including ticketing and technology projects. The NTA's Next Generation Ticketing project is to provide for an upgraded ticketing system to facilitate a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Sector Pensions (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: From the outset I would like to clarify that I, as Minister for Transport, have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ, Group and their employees. As a commercial semi-state body CIÉ are responsible for the provision...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Contracts (20 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Following consultation with my officials, I wish to confirm for the Deputy that my Department has had no engagement with the Hotel referred to in his question during the time period specified. Noting the relevance of the Deputy's question to the Agencies under the remit of my Department, I have referred his question to them for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: This Government recognises the important role taxis and hackneys play in our overall public transport system and that is why the Programme for Government contains explicit commitments to support those who use SPSV services and also those employed in the SPSV sector. A key pillar of the SPSV sector is the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 which sets out a clear regulatory framework with the National...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware a number of important projects are underway to enhance Dublin's heavy and light rail networks. There has recently been good progress in relation to the DART+ Programme, which is a flagship plan to double rail passenger capacity for Dublin city centre to 52,000 each way and triple the overhead electrification to approximately 150km. Last year, conditional...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Park-and-Ride Facilities (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Transport Authority or NTA leads the development and rollout of strategic park and ride sites nationwide. The NTA established the Park and Ride Development Office in 2020. Its purpose is to enable delivery of park and ride sites by the NTA in collaboration with Local Authorities and transport operators. In 2021, the Office published a Park and Ride...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 113, 129 and 156 together. I am acutely aware of the service issues and the issues with the accuracy of the real time information currently being experienced across parts of the public transport network and the negative impact that it is having on the travelling public. I fully recognise the importance of ensuring public transport services are...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Active Travel (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel infrastructure. The National Transport Authority (NTA) along with the relevant local authorities are responsible for the development and delivery of individual projects. The Programme for Government committed around €360 million per annum to walking and cycling across the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As outlined in the new Programme for Government - "Securing Ireland’s Future", this Government is strongly committed to enhancing transportation networks and infrastructure development. BusConnects is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, providing better bus services across our cities. It is the largest investment in the bus system in the history of the state...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question which I know is of great interest to him and the local community. As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, and in line with the National...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 issue raised by the Deputy in relation to the number of carriages on the Wicklow to Connolly rail line is an operational matter for Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to...