Results 3,581-3,600 of 6,816 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019: Report Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this group of amendments and on this legislation. One of the central findings of the CervicalCheck scandal was showing up in lights the paternalistic nature of medicine and healthcare in Ireland. Ireland is not unique in that regard but we have a particular history, especially when it comes to women, poor people and people who are disadvantaged. In...

Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019: Report Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the points that have been made in terms of the engagement, the movement on behalf of the Minister and the need, if required, for additional time. I welcome that there seems to be some movement on the part of the Minister but the devil will be in the detail. Programmatic audits are not a new concept in the HSE or elsewhere. The question is what those programmatic audits trigger....

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for appearing before the committee. The allocation on programme C for the haulier support scheme is for the current scheme. The Department is involved in negotiations and hopes to agree another scheme. Does the Minister of State expect to be back before the end of the year with a further Supplementary Estimate for the new scheme?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: So, it will be next year. There is something significant with programme B. We have had discussions with the NTA on the relationship between price and demand. When fares on public transport are reduced, what is the impact on demand? Here is proof positive that the State's best estimate was out by a large factor. The uptake has been positive. It would be appropriate to watch it over...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: While I know the Minister of State is here to discuss this Supplementary Estimate, I wish to ask her about redirecting funds that seem to be unspent at this stage. On subheads B43, new services for new PSO routes, and B44, new Connecting Ireland services, there appears to have been quite a paltry spend by the end of quarter 3 of 2022 relative to the Revised Estimates. Will a significant...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: If the Minister of State could send that to the committee, it would be helpful.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I refer to the multiannual budgeting for Connecting Ireland.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Okay. My next question concerns regional airports. There is an allocation of €7.75 million under programme D for capital expenditure, but it has not been spent. Is there a plan to invest that?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Okay. I have a similar question on capital expenditure in programme E3. Does it relate to maritime services and the Coast Guard? We have spoken about capital programmes and new buildings. There seems to be an allocation of €9.1 million, but €1.3 million had been spent by the end of quarter 3. What explains that?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State. There has been a lot of discussion on the proposed increase in tolls. We have heard discussions are ongoing at party leader level. Are discussions taking place in the Department? Is it looking for ways to offset the increases or ensure they do not go ahead? If that is the case, what is the timeline for a decision? Will the Minister of State come before the...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Does the Minister have the authority to instruct TII regarding tolls? Are there constraints?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: A solution is required for what is a complex area, in terms of deferring or alleviating the impact of the proposed increase.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The options are being explored.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Dec 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Dublin Airport’s north runway is welcome, but it is operating contrary to its planning permission. The flight paths that are being operated are not the ones that were agreed. Houses were insulated to mitigate against the noise of low-flying planes. Incredibly, many of those homes are not now on the flight path, while hundreds of others, as well as schools and businesses which were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motorway Toll Charges: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (29 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Mr. Walsh for his comprehensive opening statement. He specifically makes a point concerning the overall low level of funding for roads maintenance, and roads maintenance is a huge issue right across the Twenty-six Counties. Is it €600 million that represents 2% of asset value, or is it €400 million?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motorway Toll Charges: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (29 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: How does that compare internationally? What would be usual internationally?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motorway Toll Charges: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (29 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Mr. Walsh also makes the point that TII's practice has generally been to set the applicable toll at the maximum level. There is almost an incentive there because of the nature of the funding model. People will be surprised to hear that so much of the national roads maintenance comes from the M50 toll. Does that affect the TII's decision? I assume it does.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motorway Toll Charges: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (29 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I get that point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motorway Toll Charges: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (29 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: TII receives approximately €200 million annually from the two public tolls and the revenue share. Is there a breakdown of that €200 million between the M50, the port tunnel and the PPPs?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motorway Toll Charges: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (29 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: It is just to give us a sense of the type of breakdown.