Results 2,461-2,480 of 7,789 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I am a believer in building for the future, not for today. Everybody is talking about balanced regional development but we will not get that if a company is struggling or a businessman is behind the 35X but when he is trying to get to Castlebar, Waterford, Donegal or anywhere in Ireland. I spoke to a person who met their boss from America and who hired a helicopter to bring them to Donegal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Has Mr. Doyle taken on board my question regarding the length of the buses? This issue will lead to LocalLink prices increasing. Buses must be wheelchair accessible, which costs €6,000 . The cost is €12,000 for most buses now. The cost is down to the length of the vehicle. It does not have to be used for bringing Yanks around the country and, depending on the length of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is there any way the Department could contact the Department of Finance and inform it that there is a problem in this regard and that the operators need a break.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: If Ms Hanlon carries out a search on Google, she will find the criteria.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: TEN-T funding in terms of the western rail corridor.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Is the Department doing the review?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Who is doing it? Where are they at? My understanding is that it was nearly done. When is it being done?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Ms Hanlon should wait one second. In the part of her statement that I read back to her, it says the priority is to look after the existing network. Where does the money come from?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: How long does Ms Hanlon estimate this will take?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I know. In addition to costing money, they take a long time. When will we know one way or the other?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: When will that be?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Where are we in respect of TEN-T?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Nothing has been done. Files have been requested from the Department. There was a commitment that this would be done within a certain length of time from the Government taking office. People have requested files and from the information received, the Department has done nothing on the matter. Why is there a blank on the west of Ireland under the TEN-T programme?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I was involved in the programme for Government. The commitment was that it would be within six months. I will look up the programme for Government.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Why was it not done in that time? Why are we talking about it two and a half years later and talking about 2023? That commitment was given in the programme for Government. Why has the Department not done so?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It is obviously not that big of a priority when it relates to the west of Ireland because every other priority has been done. A rail service was put in towards Navan and that was done even though a business case for it would not stack up. It was the one thing that was put into the programme for Government for the west of Ireland. People have tried to secure information on this from the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: We were included in it up to 2011 or 2012. There was no big deal about it. We had a case before then.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: One can obtain funding for a study. If one is undertaking rail and road projects to connect to a place such as Derry, one has to join two countries together.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I propose that we decide that within three months, if all outstanding issues have not been resolved, and if they are willing, officials from the Department come back and set aside a reasonable amount of time to discuss where we are.

Finance Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2018)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Finance Bill. I welcome the fact that the self-employed are getting closer to parity regarding the relevant allowance. The Minister is probably sick of listening to what is being said in this regard. Next year, Revenue will bring in a new system for employers. In fairness, Revenue is contacting employers to explain what this...