Results 4,681-4,700 of 7,961 for speaker:Imelda Munster

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: 8. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures being taken to incentivise public transport use for commuters in the Laytown and Bettystown areas of County Meath in order to ensure increased use of public transport and a reduction in car journeys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62106/21]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: I ask the Minister of State what measures are being taken to incentivise public transport use for commuters in the Laytown and Bettystown areas of County Meath in order to ensure increased use of public transport and a reduction in car journeys. Will she make a statement on the matter?

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: I tabled this question because there has been a major increase in population in the Laytown-Bettystown area. The majority of those people have relocated from Dublin and travel to Dublin every day. We have a situation where the cost of an adult monthly train fare from Laytown to Dublin is €247. The fare from Balbriggan to Connolly Station in Dublin is €145 a month and Drogheda...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: The NTA has no interest in extending the short hop zone to Laytown and Bettystown. The Minister is responsible for policy. When we talk about getting cars off the road we are happy enough to slap a carbon tax on people, but not to make a basic adjustment to extend the short hop zone to that area to encourage more people to leave their cars at home. Is the Minister of State seriously saying...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: That is a separate issue.

Covid-19: Statements (Resumed) (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: I do not think anyone would have anticipated that we would find ourselves in such a precarious and difficult position again this Christmas after the shocking situation last Christmas and January. We are contending with consistently high case numbers as well as the arrival of the Omicron variant, which is wreaking havoc in other jurisdictions. The first issue I want to raise is testing. It...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: I will direct my questions to Mr. Watt. I want to touch first on the issue of the national children’s hospital. In July, an official of his Department told the committee categorically that costings of €2 billion for the hospital had not been considered but, three weeks ago, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform refused to rule out the figure of €2 billion. The...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: To get back to the question in respect of the figure of €2 billion, is it referenced at all within the report that Mr. Watt has?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: The reason I asked the question of Mr. Watt is that he, the Department and the board of the National Children’s Hospital wrote to the committee, indicating they would be able to discuss updated costing once a report was completed. That report is now with the Department. Can Mr. Watt provide the committee with the report?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: From the point of view of the Committee of Public Accounts, Mr. Watt has had the report since May. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: Mr. Watt confirmed to the committee that he received the report in May. Can he give us absolute confirmation that he will forward that report to the committee?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: From a public purse perspective, one would imagine that it would be of interest to publish the report.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: To be clear, Mr. Watt is refusing to furnish the Committee of Public Accounts with the report and is refusing to give it updated costings. He said he would be able to discuss updated costings once he received the report. He has had the report since May but has thus far refused to furnish us with it and now cannot even confirm costings. When he told us he would be able to discuss the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: That is our role too.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: Who advised Mr. Watt not to send the report to the Committee of Public Accounts? Mr. Watt said it was because of advice he received.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: Who advised him?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: But Mr. Watt is head of the Department so did he ultimately make the decision not to furnish the committee with the report?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: Would he provide it confidentially to the committee? Surely he would not have an issue with that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: The Committee of Public Accounts will take responsibility.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

Imelda Munster: Mr. Watt says he is interested in protecting the State's interest. Surely if we are looking at costs in excess of €2 billion, and it is public money, it is in the State's interests to know exactly what this hospital will cost and if it will be the most expensive children's hospital in the world. I again ask Mr. Watt whether he will provide the committee with the report. If he is...