Results 3,221-3,240 of 6,816 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Go-Ahead Ireland has a limited number of services, yet I hear about many of them from colleagues throughout the country, largely in the commuter belt area and Dublin, such as the 184, the 185, the 45A, the 238, the 270, the L52, the 115, the 120 - I could go on. I raised this with representatives of the NTA who appeared in committee yesterday. There are problems in the sector generally, but...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: In light of those fines and the recognised poor standard of service, there are questions to be asked as to why it is worse with Go-Ahead Ireland than it is with State providers and as to its terms and conditions of employment and so on. Was it a mistake to privatise those routes? Should they have been maintained within the State service? Plenty of private providers do an excellent job...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Greenways Provision (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I have previously raised this matter with the Minister. There is considerable potential in this project. The Minister has put his finger on the issues. I and the Mayor of Navan, Councillor Eddie Fennessy, have met Meath County Council about this matter. It a Gordian knot of complexity because of how the greenway is linked with the navigation project. The environmental piece and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 15. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to increase funding to the safe-routes-to-school programme to improve cycling infrastructure on the approach to schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46321/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a great opportunity here, as can be seen from the demand. A great many schools are putting up their hands, eager to lead by example and to address the congestion and chaos outside our primary and secondary schools. It is a positive scheme but greatly oversubscribed. There is a real need to unlock that potential and opportunity. This will require additional funding and a different...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a very significant opportunity here. Much of what we discuss with regard to climate action is contentious and difficult but here there is a perfect alignment between the wishes, needs and frustrations of people and the solutions that are available. On the solutions, the Government needs to look at the opportunity presented here and to treat our education centres, our primary and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Schemes (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 26. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reform the EV grant scheme to target grant support as persons that need it most; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46319/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motor Industry (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 32. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce a scrappage scheme for the oldest and most polluting lorries to help hauliers transition to more environmentally friendly engines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46318/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 66. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to extend the 20% fare reduction for public transport to commercial bus operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46317/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 41. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to extend the short-hop zone to more train stations to help reduce the cost of public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46320/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Would it not have been a legitimate approach in this year to treat late applications differently from those who applied before 29 April? We have a scenario where people who applied after 29 April, eligible and concessionary, have been accommodated ahead of those who applied before 29 April. I think that would have been a fair approach and I know there are specific eligibility criteria. Was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: It would not have been mid-stream.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: However, the closing date for applications was 29 April.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: However, the Minister has moved the goalposts by deciding the deadline was not 29 April, but rather 29 July. The Minister could have-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister could have treated applications received after 29 April as late applications.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister stated approximately 600 eligible applicants have not yet been accommodated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: What is the Minister's intention as regards accommodating those 600 applicants? Obviously they must be accommodated. When does the Minister think they will be accommodated? What are the challenges in doing that? The Chair mentioned that transport contractors have said this year is very different from last year. I know a number of them. They had buses laid up last year. This year they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Does the Minister know how many of the 6,000 applicants for concessionary tickets are people who were previously accommodated on buses?

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Financial Resolution No. 6: General: Financial Resolution (Resumed) (28 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak on budget 2023. I will focus my comments on the transport and climate budgets. At a time when we need a transformation in transport to make it safer, more accessible and more affordable, budget 2023 fell far short. Despite a concerning level of antisocial behaviour on public transport, there was no funding for a public transport policing unit. While the...