Results 5,961-5,980 of 6,846 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann (4 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 64. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the 103 and 109 Bus Éireann bus service, its performance standard and plans to improve it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28614/24]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ports Policy (4 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 147. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the work his Department is carrying out to ensure that Ireland’s port infrastructure is sufficient to meet our 2030 ORE targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27731/24]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Fiscal Policy (4 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 84. To ask the Minister for Finance the impact the infrastructure, climate and nature fund will have on the general Government debt; if expenditure out of the climate and nature from 2026 onward will impact on the general Government balance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28631/24]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Prices (4 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 130. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the revenue that has been collected from the temporary solidarity contribution to date; the impact this legal challenge is having on the collection of the temporary solidarity contribution (details supplied); if he has engaged with the Revenue Commissioners on the matter; if the temporary solidarity contribution is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I will pick up on the issue of electric vehicles. What is the Minister's sense of the transition to electric vehicles? I accept that we preferably want to get people onto public transport and active travel. The Minister touched on the point that we had the first six-month figures from SIMI. He referred to the slowdown in sales in the western world. The big opportunity for electric...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister. I want to ask about school transport and the Minister's sense of the opportunity that is there. I have to say it frustrates me as to how many of the gaps are not filled by local services and the potential that is there for scheduled services. We have increasing services through Connecting Ireland and Local Link and it is hoped we will have more in the years ahead. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: There is very welcome investment in main street upgrades. It is active travel spend really. I can see it in my county where there is significant investment in roads infrastructure, in line with plans. There is always an issue about whether a road is too narrow and about the upheaval during the works period. Some of this upheaval has gone on for an extended period. I can point to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses for their opening statements this morning. They have collectively made the case that there is an opportunity to deliver a better service for workers, service users and the environment by taking waste management services under public control. I ask the union representatives about the experience of privatisation and its implications for workers' terms and conditions....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: The point was made by one of the contributors that this is about raising standards in terms of employment but equally importantly, in terms of environmental outcomes. The witnesses have strongly advocated for a different model of service delivery and pointed to the area of illegal dumping as an environmental benefit. I presume in the IPA report, by international comparison, an improvement...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses for their attendance. Some of them were present for the earlier session when a number of points were raised. In the first instance, these included the terms and conditions of employment in the waste management or collection sector, the lack of collective bargaining and the relationship with the unions. What have our guests to say in response to that? Obviously a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: How many of the 25 companies that collect household waste in Ireland are unionised?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: Is it a significant minority?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: Would five of the companies be unionised?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: In the earlier session a point was made about transparency. Of course the charge was made that those represented by the IWMA are motivated by profit and there is no transparency in their profits. In the part of the world in which I live, that sector is well represented. We know that at least a small number of people have accrued incredible personal wealth on the back of the waste industry....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: The State is eventually opting out of the energy charter treaty, which was where you could guarantee the incomes of companies into the future regardless of policy changes. The State has made a decision about the model. You can continue to argue the case in terms of the model of a deposit return scheme. Is it not perverse that the sector would lobby the Department to allow for a guaranteed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: As far as Mr. Crinion is concerned, the sector has a guarantee from the Government.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I ask the witnesses to furnish us with a written note. It is a reasonable question to ask. If Mr. Crinion wants to push back on the unions then it would be helpful to know the detail.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I will stick with that theme, and I raise it because it is relevant to the issue of the circular economy because of the issue of the profit motive versus sustainability and delivering on outcomes in terms of the circular economy. On the lobbying done by the industry to maintain profits with the introduction of the deposit return scheme, do the witnesses see the contradiction in that from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to the Waste Sector: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: That is not the point I made.