Results 4,641-4,660 of 32,572 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of Aer Lingus (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I assure the Deputy that I am absolutely aware of the difficulty and concerns that these individuals face. I have met them and I have had much dealing on their behalf, but a challenge that must be faced is the request - a request made by Deputy Ross and many of the deferrees also - to go against a recommendation from a trustee of the fund who has statutory responsibility for its management....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of Aer Lingus (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: If I had contradicted the trustee, Deputy Ross would have come to the House the following day to accuse me of taking an action that went against the recommendation of a trustee of the largest pension fund in the country. I was struck by the Deputy's description of my motives in this matter. He implied that he is completely insulated from any electoral concerns in respect of the issues...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of Aer Lingus (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: This is a very vexed issue on which Deputy Ross is trying to play both sides. We are discussing a pension fund that has a deficit of more than €760 million, and a further contribution of €260 million has been made to address the issue we are discussing. The Deputy did not acknowledge that point. I fully understand the concern and worry that many people are experiencing. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bus Éireann Services (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I refer the Deputy to my reply to the earlier priority question relating to bus services in the south and south-east.  I am very much aware of the concern that these issues are causing in many rural communities. I reiterate that public service obligation, PSO, funding to public transport companies has been maintained this year at 2014 levels. This is the first time since 2008...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bus Éireann Services (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy has made some very fair and important points. One of the big drivers in all of this has been the fact that we have so many new and improved national routes. There is a great demand from communities on those national routes to make use of services from point to point. As a consequence, some communities are now facing either a significant reduction in a service or a complete loss...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bus Éireann Services (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: That is a suggestion from the Deputy to which I will give some consideration. All of this is in the context of a bus market that is growing. More passengers are using the services now than last year. Buses and services have been made available. The evidence of my commitment to the need to expand public transport in our country is the fact that, of the Supplementary Estimate of €110...

Other Questions: State Airports (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I want to begin by congratulating the management of Ireland West Airport Knock, which last year saw over 700,000 passengers pass through its doors. This was an extraordinary performance on their behalf, making it the best year ever for the number of travellers in and out of this airport. This success should not be forgotten and is, in part, thanks to Exchequer support over the past ten...

Other Questions: State Airports (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I can assure the Deputy of the active interest of, for one, the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, who is a very prominent and positive supporter of the airport-----

Other Questions: State Airports (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: -----and raises its position within my Department assiduously and regularly. As it also has the active support of the Taoiseach and Deputies O'Mahony and Mulherin, the airport receives an appropriate and ongoing amount of focus from me. To deal with the analysis Deputy Naughten has laid out regarding the regional importance of the airport, I accept his point that its importance stretches...

Other Questions: State Airports (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The particular elements of the report to which the Deputy referred are the subject of ongoing discussion and contact with the European Commission. I will not say anything about when I believe that might conclude for fear of compromising the work that is under way. I have to recognise the role the Commission plays, under law, in making decisions on-----

Other Questions: State Airports (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: -----aid and support to airports. I fully understand the importance the Deputy accords to the airport and its importance to his county. I have to emphasise that importance is well understood by me and the Government. We have contributed, through plans like the Wild Atlantic Way, to the demand that is facilitating the passenger growth Knock has seen. It has had its best year ever, and I...

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy. As she is aware, responsibility for co-ordinating Ireland's position on climate policy rests with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Under the 2009 EU effort-sharing decision, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government advises that Ireland is on course to comply with annual emissions reduction...

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I assure the Deputy that there is no question at all of the Government understating or miscalibrating the consequences of the climate change targets and what it will mean for our own and other economies across Europe. We are working with the European Commission and all our Departments to develop a plan to deliver our contribution to the objective set by the European Union for itself. Within...

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not wish to mislead the House in any way. My comments on the transport element of the mitigation plan indicated that we would be submitting our contribution to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for consideration in the overall plan, which would be published in the summer of 2017. That being said, I understand there will be a period of public consultation...

Other Questions: Road Network (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in regard to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Ireland has just under 100,000 km of road...

Other Questions: Road Network (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The answer to the Deputy's first question is €90 million. Regarding the Deputy's second question, I understand that around 76,000 cars are either in the vicinity of that point or would use that interchange. Regarding his third point on timing, I am not in a position to give him that information because that requires a commitment from me about capital funding being available now and,...

Other Questions: Road Network (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: On the Deputy's first question as to whether I am aware of figures for the economic cost of the congestion at that point, I do not have such figures in my possession. I would be confident, however, that if there is such a study it would show that there is an economic cost to those levels of congestion, not to mention a social and personal cost for people in terms of spending so much time in...

Other Questions: Harbour Authorities (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I am very clear that the future of Dún Laoghaire Harbour is best placed within a local authority led governance structure as set out in the national ports policy. My officials are currently finalising the text of the Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2015. The Bill will provide the legal basis for the transfer by ministerial orders of the five designated ports of regional...

Other Questions: Harbour Authorities (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Let me emphasise that I am clear that the appropriate location for a port of this scale and location is within a local authority which, in this case, is Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. I am well aware of the challenges that the port faces to be sustainable in the future due in no small part to the decision of Stena Sealink to consolidate its services within Dublin Port. It is necessary that...

Other Questions: Harbour Authorities (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: In order for me to make a decision regarding the manner in which this port will be integrated into the local authority, first I need to bring in the legislation which will create the framework inside which those decisions will be made, and I will do that. I will gain Government agreement to the heads of the Bill and will introduce the legislation shortly afterwards. As I stated, when...