Results 3,301-3,320 of 32,547 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (30 Sep 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Resolution of the funding difficulties of the IASS is primarily a matter for the Trustee, the companies participating in the scheme, the scheme’s members and the Pensions Authority. The process currently underway involves all these stakeholders. There are over 5,000 deferred members of the scheme and I do understand their concerns in relation to the funding of the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Agencies (30 Sep 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy regarding the agencies, bodies, organisations and working groups under the Department's remit, their core duties and functions, the date of establishment and the legislation from which they derive is available in the following table. The staff numbers of each agency are available in the Annual Reports of the Agencies while the 2013 budget of each and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Services (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for his good wishes. I look forward to working with him, Deputy Ellis and Deputy Halligan both here in the Chamber and in the relevant Oireachtas committees during the time ahead. Irish Rail management, SIPTU and the NBRU recently engaged in further discussions with the Labour Relations Commission to avoid further disruption and damage to Irish Rail’s business. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Services (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I am also informed-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Services (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to make one brief point in response to the final point the Deputy put to me. I know that Dublin City Council is working with Dublin Bus to identify particular issues in bus transport, and perhaps I can go into that in more detail with the Deputy.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Services (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I am very much aware of the experience with transport in the London area and the role of Transport for London in that regard. I am very committed to the continued development of a high-quality bus service for the city of Dublin and well beyond that through Bus Éireann and through the role of private bus operators. That is why, in the Dublin area at the moment, Dublin Bus is undertaking...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Services (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: This is the second time this morning that the Deputy has described me as right-wing or hawkish in my actions or statements.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Services (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I am not interested in implementing a policy based on being right-wing. I am interested in implementing the right policy, which is to put in place a mechanism regarding 10% of the bus routes with the sole objective of improving choice to passengers. As the Deputy is aware, under EU law we will be obliged to meet requirements regarding workers who will be affected by it. A series of rounds...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Provision (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for his wishes and I, too, look forward to working with him. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has responsibility for the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the greater Dublin area, such as the Luas light rail projects. The NTA is undertaking a technical consultancy study, entitled the Fingal-north Dublin transport study, to assess...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Provision (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I am well aware of the need for improved public transport in that part of the city. As the Deputy knows, because his constituency is in the area, the population forecast for the region and the development already taking place indicate that public transport is needed now and that the need will grow in years to come. I am well aware of the social impact and economic cost of failing to provide...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Provision (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Our priority with the funding available is to maintain the infrastructure we have, including roads, and put our money into making them as safe and efficient as possible. The future outlook is that, with the population growth we expect to see, particularly on the north side of the city, and the economic development taking place in that area, there will be a need for enhanced public transport...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Safety (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for his kind words. Before I respond to his question, I offer my condolences to the families who have been affected by tragic deaths on the roads, specifically the family who were affected so tragically that they have dedicated their grief to doing all they can to ensure a similar fate does not befall other families. I acknowledge the grief and loss that lie behind the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Safety (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to make three points in response to the Deputy's questions. The first is that under our legal arrangements and constitutional order, it is a matter for the courts to make a disqualification order preventing a person from validly holding a driver's licence for a period of time. The second point concerns the number of people currently disqualified on the existing statutory basis. Some...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Safety (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: If the families are present, I will meet them briefly after this debate and will also arrange a proper meeting at a time that is convenient for them to discuss the matter further. On the track record of the country in regard to road safety, this and previous Governments have focused on dealing with the horrendous loss of life on the roads. I would point to the setting up of the Road Safety...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: My direction to the Commission for Aviation Regulation was issued in response to statements made by the commission in its draft determination that it had not received any directions or policy statement notifications by or on behalf of the Government.Accordingly, it was necessary for me to formally clarify that ministerial directions issued previously to the commission remain in place.It...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy needs to make up his mind about me. On the one hand, he said I overstepped the mark when I got involved in the Irish Rail dispute, despite my recognising that there are industrial relations mechanisms in place which I must respect and allow to do their work. Now, on this matter, he claims I am getting too involved when I am acting inside the legal scope and parameters available...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy states that I should intervene in one area but not in another. The guiding principle I have is the legislation. I must act firmly within it and recognise and respect the structures and bodies that exist. In the last correspondence I had with Ryanair, it subsequently wrote to me interpreting the directions I issued as “pointless” and having no impact on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Airport Development Projects (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: In November 2011, under the regional airports programme capital expenditure grant scheme, funds were allocated by my Department to Waterford Airport for the construction of a runway end safety area, RESA, which involves the purchase of land at the southern end of the airport to facilitate this work. As indicated previously, the CPO process for the purchase of this land is already...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Airport Development Projects (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the challenges Waterford Airport faces. Its passenger numbers last year were 28,169, which is a notable decrease on where they had been historically. Currently, the airport operates two services a day to Birmingham and Manchester with Flybe. I also note that it has suffered the withdrawal of some services, which provides the background to why this issue is being examined. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Airport Development Projects (1 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I re-emphasise to the Deputy that €900,000 was provided via the Exchequer to the airport over recent years. On the specific purchase of land to which he refers, I understand that due to some of the difficulty that was involved in this land the local authority played the leadership role in trying to facilitate this through the use of a compulsory purchase order. That compulsory...