Results 4,541-4,560 of 6,840 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: In respect of the Slane bypass, final statutory documents are expected to be completed in quarter three with TII approval to publish also expected to be completed in quarter 3 of 2023. Is that the up-to-date position?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: Things are in hand as best as they can be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: That is right. There is a public realm piece involved. That is good. I do not know if any of the witnesses are covering the greenways but may I ask about the Boyne greenway? There is an update on it in the briefing material. It is potentially a very important piece of infrastructure. It is complicated by the fact that it is combined with a navigation scheme, which brings in a number...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I ask that TII give as much support to that project as possible. There are others, which Mr. Walsh has mentioned, on which I welcome progress. The Lakelands one is among these. However, this one is the jewel in the crown in pulling all of that together. It is along the Boyne from Drogheda to Navan in the first instance. It really is something we would like to see progress on. I thank...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: That depends on what comes out of Project BRUCE.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: They are only still an issue with the Limerick tunnel.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: Mr. Walsh referred in his opening statement to previous engagements with the committee. I remember we talked about some public service contracts and the deliverability of projects. I think he pointed in his closing remarks to three specific measures on which he thinks there is need for further progress. Will he expand on each of them? I think he touched on the first one, the alignment of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: What does that look like? Would it mean more tweaks to the design of contracts in the sense that they have gone some way and need to go a bit further maybe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: My other question concerns the suggestion regarding ensuring the alignment of stakeholders, especially State bodies and State-owned enterprises. Mr. Walsh touched on some of this earlier. He gave the example, and it is one I am familiar with, of EirGrid or ESB Networks coming to TII in this context. It was reported that TII was uneasy initially. This is probably some of what Mr. Walsh is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Toll Increases and Ongoing Projects: Discussion with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: Yes. Okay. I thank Mr. Walsh.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Job Losses (4 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 91. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has met with Rehab Enterprises in Navan to discuss the risk of job losses there; if he will put measures in places to ensure that these jobs are protected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32401/23]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (4 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 147. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will outline the interdepartmental engagement process on the distribution of revenues raised from the windfall gains in the energy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32085/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mental Health Services (4 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 505. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to establish a neurorehabilitation team in CHO8; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32330/23]

Nature Restoration Law: Motion [Private Members] (5 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak to this motion and this urgent issue today, which is the EU's nature restoration law that addresses the crisis in biodiversity, and we have a crisis in biodiversity. Some 85% of Ireland's habitats are in inadequate or poor states. Despite the green image of our island, our forest cover stands at just 11%. This pales in comparison to the European average...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, line 37, to delete “23 September” and substitute “28 July”. Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 seek to speed up the process of providing relief to households by legislating for the temporary solidarity contribution, TSC, to be paid to the Revenue Commissioners on 28 July, as opposed to 23 September. They push forward the date on which...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I accept the Minister of State's arguments with regard to those timelines. However, I find it deeply concerning that the legislation might not be commenced by 28 July. Eighteen other European countries have moved on this legislation and are at a significantly advanced stage in many of those. We have had delay after delay, and we have a handful of amendments to discuss today because so many...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I support this amendment. It is imperative that the TSC is applied and distributed to provide urgent relief to households. This amendment would provide for important oversight of the Minister's application of the TSC and the distribution of its proceeds. A report could provide critical insights into how effective the measures were in providing urgent relief to households and how robust...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I move amendment No. 12: In page 15, to delete line 16 and substitute the following: " Return delivered between 0 and 2 months from the specified date 5 per cent ". Amendment No. 12 states that if a return is delivered between zero and two months from the specified date, companies will pay a surcharge at a rate of 5%. Amendment No. 13 states that if a return is...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I do not accept the Minister of State's argument. In fact, I spelled it out there. Sinn Féin's proposals are to bring these measures, in the first instance, in line with the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. Why should there be preferential treatment in this response for energy companies? The 50% rate would really be a statement of intent from the Government that it is very serious...