Results 4,341-4,360 of 4,695 for speaker:Seán Canney

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Traffic Management (7 May 2025)

Seán Canney: A benefit of doing this project will be to improve the congestion issues faced by road users by increasing capacity on the existing route and identifying opportunities for bus priority measures. This will allow for more reliable and safer journeys for commuters and vulnerable road users. It aims to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions along this route. The proposed project will...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Traffic Management (7 May 2025)

Seán Canney: The current status of the project is to provide for the bus priority measures, active travel, junction safety and strategic network resilience on the N11-M11 between junctions 4 and 14. This major scheme is at the options selection phase - preferred route open selection. It is important that we look at this in the context that it is being delivered by TII in conjunction with Wicklow County...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Driver Test (7 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I am glad the Deputy raised this question because it is a problem throughout the country. I understand his frustration. I will first provide an outline. The Road Safety Authority Act 2006 gave statutory responsibility for the national driver test service to the RSA. At the end of April, the average estimated time for invitation to test for a candidate was 25 weeks. I am told the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Driver Test (7 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I recognise and feel the Deputy's frustration because I know and feel it myself in my own constituency. People contact me to say their test has been postponed up to five or six times. They are young people, healthcare workers, the whole shooting match. I assure the Deputy that I am treating this as an emergency. I met RSA representatives last week and asked them to come back to me next...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: The Deputy is no doubt aware of the considerable amount of research, both domestically and internationally, on what drives increased passenger numbers on public transport. I am happy to report there has been strong growth in passenger numbers in recent years, with numbers trending at plus 9% in 2024 versus 2023. In October 2024, public transport surpassed 1 million PSO passengers a day for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I will come back in with a supplementary reply.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: On the last point regarding the increases in some areas, there have also been massive decreases in other areas because the new ticketing and fare system for Dublin has created a fairer way of dealing with this. To go back to the affordability of public transport, it is important to state there have been many fare changes in recent years. For example, the Government is expanding free...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I understand the Deputy’s frustration in terms of lines having to be taken out of service but that is a health and safety issue for passengers. Maintenance has to be done. I can guarantee the Deputy that no matter what day of the week or hour of the day it is done, it will not suit everybody. It is a reality in public transport.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: Absolutely. In general terms, a huge amount of work has been done in the area of public transport, be it BusConnects, Local Link or the train network right across the country. We have a huge amount yet to do. We have to make it more efficient and more attractive. In particular, we have to give young people the experience they need so when they are going out into the workforce, their first...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: The National Transport Authority has statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation, PSO, contracts. Obviously this statutory responsibility supports the implementation of agreed Government priorities. I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to delivering an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I thank both Deputies. I, too, acknowledge the work done by the former Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, in developing and bringing forward more public transport initiatives and services and making them more affordable. I want to acknowledge this in the House. Coming back to the question on quarter 3, I do not have the exact date but I will meet officials and I will come back to Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: Again, I thank the Deputies. I would say, first of all, when we talk about the national development plan, there will be huge competing asks within that plan. Of course, the three Ministers here will be putting forward our best foot in terms of projects within transport, be it roads, public transport or whatever. It is important the Deputies understand that we will be putting in plenty of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I thank Deputy Dolan for the question and I share some of his frustration as well, no more than the earlier comments from Deputy O'Hara. I know the Deputy is intensely interested in this issue. As we said earlier, there is no doubt there has been very strong passenger growth in recent years. It does pose challenges at certain times on the public transport network, including on the Athenry...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I share the Deputy's frustration about the length of time it takes to get projects delivered. This Government has been in place for three months. Our mantra is that we are a Government of implementation rather than a Government of strategising and that is the important thing. We will continue to work on that. The passing loop will be very effective. It will be very important and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I am aware of the issues the Deputy has raised on the bus connections from Athenry to Galway. I believe a private operator was doing it but it was pulled. Basically I do not disagree with anything the Deputy is saying. It is important first of all that we look at the immediate steps we can take to start improving things, such as the provision of additional carriages and the installation of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Driver Test (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 52 and 272 together. I thank Deputy O'Shea for his question. As he knows, under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, has statutory responsibility for the national driving test service. I have been advised by the RSA that, following a recruitment process, the number of testers in Cork has increased from nine to 16 and it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Driver Test (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: I thank both Deputies for their contributions. I think every TD has received correspondence from young people or parents in the same position. I an email last week from a parent about their son, whose test has been postponed eight times since he applied for it. The dates have been shifted out. That is not acceptable to anybody. My meeting with the RSA leadership last week focused on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Driver Test (8 May 2025)

Seán Canney: To respond to Deputy Crowe, as I said earlier, nothing is off the table. In the past, we have used private instructors to do testing, so nothing is off the table as far as I am concerned. Turning to Deputy Burke, what he said is exactly the point. I want to see what is going to happen on a weekly basis, how the numbers are going to be reduced and how the additional testers will be put in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Harbours and Piers (29 Apr 2025)

Seán Canney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together. In line with National Ports Policy (2013) and with legislative provisions, as set out in the Harbours Act 2015, control of the five designated Ports of Regional Significance, including Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, was transferred to more appropriate local authority led governance structures. On the date of transfer, 3...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Correspondence (29 Apr 2025)

Seán Canney: The correspondence which was referred to in PQ No. 327 of 1 April 2025 was also sent directly to my Department by e-mail, as detailed in the response to that question. My Department's response to that e-mail was sent on 3 April 2025 and copied to the Deputy. The further correspondence referred to in this question was also sent directly to my Department on 3 April. This has since been...