Results 261-279 of 279 for speaker:Louis O'Hara

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Louis O'Hara: Rail carriages were spoken about. There are plans for new electric carriages to be delivered within the DART network. I raised with the Minister previously the capacity issues we had on regional services. I think he mentioned it would be quarter 4 of 2026 when the first electric carriages would be operational on the DART network. My understanding is that the existing diesel carriages will...

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Louis O'Hara: It is in the context of that specific example I am asking the question. Will we be waiting three or four years before there is any potential for additional carriages to be delivered?

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Louis O'Hara: Is the Minister concerned with how long this process is taking?

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I will move on to the issue of disability. The Minister mentioned that the new carriages that would be part of the DART+ programme would be fully accessible to people. Are such plans in place for the existing fleet?

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I will raise the matter of driver licences for people coming here from the United States. It is a huge frustration for many people returning home that we do not have the exchange programme in place. Is engagement happening between the Department and administrations in the United States on this? Is the Minister hopeful that progress might be made on this?

GPO and Moore Street Regeneration as a 1916 Cultural Quarter: Motion [Private Members] (1 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: The General Post Office is one of the most respected sites on this island. It allows us to remember and reflect on the sacrifice of the 1916 rebels. It is our responsibility, as the generations who come after them, to commemorate their sacrifices and to work to realise the aspirations of the 1916 Proclamation. Therefore, the Government's plans to redevelop parts of the building into a...

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I am from the northern and western region. We are in the bottom 20 of the EU's 234 regions in infrastructure, and deficits in transport infrastructure are a key part of that. Alarm bells should be ringing when we have deficits to this extent. Is there a concrete specific plan for the west and north west to address this deficit? The Minister mentioned various forms of funding. How will he...

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Louis O'Hara: The Minister mentioned the ring road. It is now ten years since the preferred route was published. We heard in the past couple of weeks that further public consultation and possibly a new oral hearing would be required for the project. I cannot overstate the enormous frustration with the chronic traffic congestion felt by commuters in Galway. People are losing hours of their lives every...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: IBEC Report on Infrastructure Ambition for a Competitive, Productive and Resilient Economy: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Louis O'Hara: IBEC is proposing a direction should be given to An Coimisiún Pleanála to prioritise some critical infrastructure projects such as utilities and the regulatory consents. Why do the witnesses think that has not happened? It seems like a common-sense solution. Have they received any justification for the current situation? I may have missed some of this but how does IBEC propose...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: IBEC Report on Infrastructure Ambition for a Competitive, Productive and Resilient Economy: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Louis O'Hara: In the context of multi-annual funding and ensuring projects progress to the next stage, projects in the NDP that have stalled as a result were mentioned. Is it possible to give some examples? Mr. Brady made a point about companies not doing a lot on housing that could do lot more. He mentioned modern methods of construction in respect of public housing. Will he expand on that as well?

All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Statements (2 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: The differences are striking when we look at a map of Ireland's current rail network compared to the network of 100 years ago. I refer in particular to the absence of infrastructure from the west, the north west and Border counties. The reality is that we have gone backwards in recent decades. Plans are one thing but we need implementation to progress new projects in a timely manner and to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (1 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: 54. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide a timeline for the publication of new wind energy guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35608/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: 344. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the results of the SNA allocation review at a school (details supplied); if surplus SNA posts were identified; the number of surplus posts identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35351/25]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (1 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: 477. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the cofunding contribution expected of local authorities for the provision of wastewater infrastructure; if any support is provided to local authorities to meet these contributions given the significant financial implications for them; if his Department will assist Galway County Council with their contribution for the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service (1 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: 851. To ask the Minister for Health the number of calls responded to by paramedic crews from Tuam ambulance base in 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36163/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service (1 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: 852. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ambulance calls responded to by the rapid response vehicles in based in Galway and Clifden in 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36164/25]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: Issues Facing the Road Haulage Industry: Irish Road Haulage Association (2 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I thank the witnesses for their time today. I will ask about costs for hauliers. There have been recent increases in carbon taxes, excise duties and so on. Will they comment on whether their members are still seeing costs trend upwards? Has the IRHA done any analysis of the effects on its members? It was mentioned it has advocated for supports from the Government. Will they also touch...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: Issues Facing the Road Haulage Industry: Irish Road Haulage Association (2 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I just want to come in on the HGV levy. I will quickly read a statement by then Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Chambers. The UK HGV road user levy was introduced in 2014, affecting all UK roads including in Northern Ireland. Prior to its introduction, the Irish Government engaged with UK authorities seeking to have Northern Ireland exempted from the charge...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: Issues Facing the Road Haulage Industry: Irish Road Haulage Association (2 Jul 2025)

Louis O'Hara: That statement was by then Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, so I certainly-----