Results 4,021-4,040 of 5,763 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Committee on Public Petitions: Direct Provision Policy and Related Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: No and I thank the Chairman. I really appreciate the time and answers given, and the work of the Department. I wish the witnesses the best going forward.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I begin by placing on the record my appreciation to the Minister for coming personally to the House to deal with the Commencement matter relating to the pay of our secretarial assistants.I would like to speak about the job that the Minister’s Department has done since the financial crisis. None of us likes the job that the Department does because it impacts everything we try to do,...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I just want to say that I agree with Senator Buttimer. I do not believe we should divide the House on this. I do not believe that anyone on the Government benches in any way disagrees with the arguments that are being put forward. It would be wrong to force a vote on it. The message is being driven home loud and clear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister is welcome to the committee. I want to start with the Luas green line, with which I am very familiar. Between 7 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. at Glencairn, which is a short distance from Bride's Glen, the Luas trams are already packed. As the Minister knows, there is massive development right beside the British ambassador's residence, and there is about to be additional development at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister might deal with the question I have just asked first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I agree with the Minister. If we could have a cycleway along the line, perhaps all the way to Ranelagh, it would be fantastic because it would serve many secondary schools on the way and get kids off the road. I know the Minister is favourably disposed at least to exploring the idea of very light rail for Galway. Galway city is frequently at a standstill from Oranmore almost to Barna at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: A footbridge is being built, not at the Salmon Weir but where the old Clifden line used to be. If we are building a footbridge across there to the university, it strikes me that there is an opportunity to invest there now and provide an additional bridge specifically for public transport coming from Woodquay right across the Corrib on the old Clifden line into Newcastle, feeding the hospital...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: That is good. I appreciate the Minister's commitment to it. I spoke to some people last week on the Galway proposals for Connecting Ireland. I am concerned that some of the planning has taken place at desk level and that people on the ground are not aware. For example, I made the point last week that the Annaghdown commuter stop is 10.4 km from Annaghdown and the Corrandulla one is 1.5...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I know some of my colleagues mentioned e-scooters already. I am seeing an increasing number of parents with very young children on e-scooters as pillion passengers. From what I can see, no helmets are being used. I believe it is only a matter of time before we will, unfortunately, have a fatality. How soon will we have regulation in that area?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Regarding the Coast Guard, the Comptroller and Auditor General has highlighted several issues with respect to procurement. Has the Minister initiated an investigation in his Department to get to the bottom of procurement practices?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: As the Minister knows, the Air Navigation and Transport Bill is going through the Seanad at the moment. I am at a loss to understand what the logjam is with respect to considering the amendments prepared by the Irish Air Line Pilots Association which I along with others have sponsored in the Seanad. It seems that when a decision is made on a Bill, it is written in stone and nobody is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I look forward to progressing it through. At the end of the day, the amendments are about safety in the air, proposed by the people who are the practitioners on the ground. I implore and beg the Minister to go back and talk to his departmental officials and ask them to do some listening on this one. Let us not waste time and delay the legislation going through the House.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (18 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I appreciate the witnesses taking time to come in and deal with these serious issues. My first question is to Ms O'Keeffe. I understand she is soon to depart from service in the Department of Transport. I hope that she does not feel as though she has been thrown under the bus today. Can she confirm that the Department does not have internal expertise in the area of aviation? I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (18 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I am not laying any blame whatever. I turn to the Coast Guard representatives. I have a damning list of what has being going on in the service. In 2014, there was an accident at Inch. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board, MCIB, report was not produced. With regard to the Kilkee tragedy, people in Kilkee tell me they were warning that there was a likelihood of a fatality because...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (18 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Who appointed its members?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (18 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Therein lies the problem. If there are two separate groups within the organisation trying to establish two separate representative groups, Mr. Clonan has a serious problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (18 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: The Comptroller and Auditor General has stated that the Coast Guard did not engage with volunteers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (18 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: If that is one example, though, and if we examine more cases, we will find more examples. It is clear that transport was purchased that was totally unsatisfactory and-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (18 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Somebody in the Coast Guard spoke about this. You go to tender for €100,000-odd and suddenly the value of the contract starts to balloon. Surely somebody had to sit down and say, "Lads, we did not include this and did not include that and we need to do this and do that." Mr. Clonan was at management level at that time. Surely to God management sat down and discussed this €1.4...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (18 Nov 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: If I may, Chairman, why did I refer the purchase of vehicles to the Comptroller and Auditor General? I did so because people within the service were aware of what had happened and came to me with their complaint. This is all part of a system that is just broken. As I could not get answers, I went to the Comptroller and Auditor General and asked him to have a look at this. I was absolutely...