Results 3,101-3,120 of 4,026 for speaker:

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: Before I begin, my thoughts and those of my colleagues are with the children in Parnell Square who have been impacted by what has been reported as a serious incident in the centre of Dublin city. All our thoughts and prayers are with them. I wish to speak to the Minister about a review of the carer's allowance. It is an issue that crops up an awful lot. These are people who are in...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: I thank the committee for letting me speak to the issue. I missed the deadline to submit an amendment for this Stage, but it is my intention to bring one forward on Report Stage about the naming of the two new constituencies born out of Dublin Fingal, namely, Dublin Fingal west and Dublin Fingal east. Dublin Fingal west is hugely problematic. No point on the compass would accurately...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: As Deputy Crowe said, there were reports that came in too.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: In the context of the planned planning application for Dublin Airport and the raising of the cap, there has been a degree of urgency in the language used in recent weeks, which has somewhat catastrophised the impact it will have on the economy. On the first weekend of November, the Taoiseach came out and said he welcomed the lifting of the cap. If we are looking for a planning process that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: Mr Jacobs stated that DAA is making decisions almost in real time when applications come in for new routes, flights, sporting or music events or whatever and is turning people down. It would be helpful for the committee if he were able to present as much detail as possible. I am sure there are commercial sensitivities and all the rest, but in order for us to develop trust that what has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: In terms of the extra income DAA would earn if the cap was raised above 32 million, is it as blunt as the airport charge multiplied by the number of passengers? Is there a further calculation based on other income through spending?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: Mr Jacobs referred to Schiphol Airport removing the cap. My understanding is that the Dutch Government imposed a reduction in flight numbers throughout the year, and that was going at approximately 400,000. That has now been paused, however, as there has been a challenge from some airlines that were going transatlantic and had booked into next year. It has not been scrapped but, rather, is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: The authority seems to be planning pinning its hopes on quieter aircraft into the future, rather than on hard measures on the ground that have an impact. Those measures are in place at Schiphol, such as mound waves and other things. I asked for that to be considered. As regards MetroLink, documents were released this year in terms of planning submissions made by Dublin Airport which were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: I have two more questions. With regard to the noise impacts on residents, we know the history of it but we now have residents being impacted by noise on a number of levels. I mentioned the on-the-ground noise. In terms of the flight paths, however, homes are being overflown now that were never under any insulation scheme. We could go around the houses on that. Is there any talk within...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: Okay. This is my final question because we are well over time now. A residents' group from the St. Margaret's, The Ward came in here to meet the committee. The meeting was held in private session; that was the legal advice on it. It was a tad unfair given that the content of the meeting was top quality. It was a really great presentation. The members who were present, particularly those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: I will finish on this. That group gave a wonderful platform for Kilcoskan National School, for example, to articulate to the wider community the impacts it is going through. Mr. Jacobs has now met with representatives from Kilcoskan National School. That group has supported an awful lot of public representatives in these committees and an awful lot of people who do not have a voice in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Management of Passenger Numbers at Dublin Airport: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: I thank Mr. Jacobs.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (28 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: 118. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason it is taking so long for a BER assessment to take place for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52139/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (28 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: 600. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE recruitment freeze exemptions will also cover CDNT managers; if not, why not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52103/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: I thank the witnesses for coming in today. I welcome Ms McKay to her first meeting of the transport committee in her relatively new role. I have a lot of questions so I will just rattle through them. My first one is for Ms Graham. When will the rail fare structure be announced for the new Dublin commuter zone? I think it was due two weeks ago. Does Ms Graham have any update on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: Okay. I thank Ms Graham. I wish to raise a couple of route issues with the NTA, Dublin Bus and perhaps Bus Éireann. A couple of issues have been raised about the existing 41C service to Swords. On 25 and 26 November, it appeared on the app on time but then it suddenly disappeared. This has not happened a lot on the 41C up until this year. It does not seem to be affecting the other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: In relation to the Dublin Marathon, Dublin City Council and the marathon organisers have urged a re-examination of the event’s location due to the impact it has on transport. Will the NTA be engaging with that? For me personally, having the marathon going through the city and presenting the city in such a way is a very positive thing. I am interested in the views of the transport...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: I have two last points. I very much welcome the progress that has been made on the electrification of the fleet. It is great to see it; you can see the vehicles. I have raised before and continue to raise the issue of access to buses for wheelchair users. Much good work has been done, such as the standardisation of new bus stops and ramps for getting onto the buses. Yet, with the best...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: I thank Mr. Hann. On those areas I raised, so much work has been done. I do raise issues, but the service we get is excellent.