Results 3,481-3,500 of 32,547 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: This is my first appearance before this committee. I look forward to working closely with the committee during my time in office. I welcome the opportunity to appear before the committee to brief it on issues that arose at the recent EU Transport Council, to update it on my priorities as Minister and give it a perspective on yesterday's budget announcement in respect of the Department of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I will respond to the Chairman's two specific points, one of which was whether I had met representatives of Galway Port. I am planning to meet them in the first half of November and to visit the port and to discuss its project. As the Chairman will be aware, the project is currently the subject of the planning process. Galway Port has submitted its plan for the development of the port. As...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy Dooley for his questions. I will begin with his last point on road safety. I welcome his approach to the matter, as it is something that has always been the subject of a high level of bipartisanship from Oireachtas Members. I acknowledge the recognition given to this issue by the former Fianna Fáil Minister, Mr. Noel Dempsey, and the role that he played in introducing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I agree entirely with the Deputy about Luas safety. I, along with the Rail Procurement Agency, launched a campaign last week to make pedestrians more aware of the presence of the Luas when walking and going about their business in the city. The centrepiece of the advertising campaign is videos, provided by the RPA, of people walking in or near a Luas when moving. The agency has informed me...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I did, yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I can confirm I will not cut the PSO further next year. In regard to drug testing, I look forward to engaging with the Deputy on the matter because how we measure this issue in terms of looking at samples and the technology involved is very sophisticated and complicated. How we move this forward will merit very careful scrutiny. I can discuss that further with the Deputy. In regard to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The timing for that is to have the infrastructure complete by 2016, which will be done. When that is in place, much work needs to be done in terms of carriages, power and making it work. The deadline has always been to have it up and running across 2017. We are on time and on budget in regard to it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I have to be very responsible in terms of what say in response to this question, as the Deputy has been. Behind each of these statistics, as the Deputy is aware, is a grieving family. However, that view has been put to me and other people have raised the issue with me. Mental health and the pressures families and people face play a role in the concentration and distraction levels among...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: After such an introduction I will have to answer the three of them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Thank you, I will go through them quickly, beginning with Deputy Maloney. I agree completely with what he said about Dublin Bus in terms of the route review it has put in place and the way it has delivered that. Dublin Bus has informed me that the review is believed to be the largest of its kind in Europe. I look at the roll out of real-time passenger information, the availability of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: My understanding is that we would not receive EU funding for the particular route referred to by the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: It all refers to the classification of the route and this route is not classified by the European Union as one that would receive additional funding.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: This goes back to the point I have made regarding the funding of €598 million. That is Exchequer funding and I have to see how that can best be used.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I will come back to the Deputy directly on that issue. I would make the point that I am always looking at how we can best access funding from the EU and elsewhere to develop our national roads infrastructure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Senator Eamon Coghlan asked-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: That goes back to the point I made regarding the over fund I have secured. With the funding that has been secured the local authorities, the National Roads Authority and I have to see how that can best be used. I will convey the Deputy's concern regarding the road to them. Ultimately, it is the National Roads Authority and the local authorities who will make decisions on how this funding...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I appreciate that and I also appreciate the nature of the road. Deputies and Senators from many parts of the country are raising their concerns regarding road safety on particular routes. With the funding that we have secured, which was the first part of my job in this process, I will raise these issues with the NRA and local authorities. In regard to the point raised by Senator Eamonn...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chairman and look forward to doing this again. I place a high value on my relationship with this committee and will be at its disposal when I can, especially in regard to legislation. Particularly in the road safety area, we have all worked together and everybody has views. I will genuinely do my best if people come forward with a good idea in that area, as Deputy Ellis has...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (16 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The register referred to by the Deputy is maintained by the National Transport Authority pursuant to section 18 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. This is a typical legal provision relating to the regulation of business which is designed to promote transparency in terms of licensed and unlicensed operators. I am not aware that this provision creates particular difficulties in the SPSV...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (16 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. I have referred your question to the NTA for its consideration and direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.