Results 6,081-6,100 of 32,602 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Car Test (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: One of the causes of this is the decision I made over a year ago to include the NCT in the fixed charge system. I did this following advice I received and based on my own judgment that the quality and safety of cars and their roadworthiness continued to be a factor in our roads not being as safe as we would like. The statistics in regard to what has happened since that change was made...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Harbour Authorities (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: ​I thank the Deputy for his question. The  Harbours Bill 2015 was published on 1 July and Oireachtas debates on the Bill have commenced with Committee Stage scheduled for this morning, 11 November, which I will be taking. The Bill will provide the legislative basis for one of the national ports policy's key recommendations, namely, that governance of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Harbour Authorities (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy has put three points to me. First, I do not propose to comment on a matter that is currently before An Bord Pleanála. Second, I already made clear to the Deputy in my response to his initial question that the due diligence process and the work under way will form an important part of the input into the decision that I will make as Minister. I want that to be a decision that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Harbour Authorities (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I absolutely agree on the need for dialogue. I have been involved in similar matters in my constituency, as well as in my ministerial role. The need for consultation and involvement in any significant infrastructure project is evident to me. The Deputy referred to an amendment he will table on the Harbours Bill 2015 on the need for a local authority to consult actively and to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Traffic Offences (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to comment on the interpretation of the figures in question. It is of fundamental importance to how people view the implementation of our law, particularly for dangerous driving. ​Recent reports referred to by the Deputy suggested that only 40% of people charged with drink-driving offences are being convicted. This figure is based on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Traffic Offences (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: There are matters of concern to me in the implementation of the legislation on the matter in question. That is why we are examining matters such as the new database that would integrate information between a driver licence and the details of a car. That is also why we want to make available the third payment option for next year. On the point about statistics, the Courts Service did...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Traffic Offences (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: This information is available to me. I have spoken about the issue of the number of individuals charged with road traffic offences but who do not produce their driver licence when they are in the court. The statistics on that have enabled us to prioritise it as a matter of concern and that is why we are following it up with the various steps I already outlined on the third payment option...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Traffic Offences (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: If I could just conclude, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I wish to put this information on the public record because the Deputy did make an important point - that if a perception arises regarding the ability of people to deal with road traffic offences in court, that is a big matter of concern to me and to the Government.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Traffic Offences (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The message is very clear that our courts are independent, but the overwhelming majority of people who appear in court for drink driving offences are successfully prosecuted.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The National Transport Authority, NTA, has statutory responsibility for the provision of public transport infrastructure and public transport services in the greater Dublin Area, and a range of initiatives are being undertaken as regards service provision and investment. Under the recent capital plan there will be investment of €3.6 billion in public transport in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I might come back to that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the first question on the length of time it will take to commence the metro project, much of the reason for that is the amount of time that will be required for the planning process, including tendering and construction, for a project of such scale. By way of analogy, I refer to what is happening in the construction of the Luas cross city, which is a very big project for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The increase in the PSO is €28.5 million, which is a significant increase on where we were last year. There is no way the figures could be portrayed as either a cut or even a stabilisation of funding compared to last year. Last year the Government stabilised the funding; we did not cut it further. This year we have increased it. Since 2008, there had been a reduction of...

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, earlier this year, the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, and I met representatives of landowners in that area and representative bodies, including the IFA. After that meeting, the Minister of State and I requested the project team tasked with delivering the western section of the Dublin to Galway greenway to commence a consultation process with landowners along the...

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I will go to the heart of the Deputy's question on the use of private land. During the Easter school break earlier this year I had the opportunity to go to the greenway located in the county and constituency of the Minister of State, Deputy Ring. I observed the success of it running from Westport through Newport and Mulranny to Achill. Much of that greenway is located on and through...

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy can put that question to me again then. We have a process in place with TII and I will not prejudge the outcome of that, just as I did not prejudge the previous process that led to this conclusion.

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I am sorry but the Deputy earlier asked me to give a commitment on how the greenway would be built. I will not give that commitment when an independent body is in place to ascertain how it could be built. I will not prejudge what it might recommend or undermine its work in any way. The overall Galway to Roscommon section, at more than 110 km, is the largest portion of it, as the Deputy...

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: In answer to the Deputy's first question, I expect the preparatory work on the Kildare and Meath portions of the greenway will begin in the first half of next year. I expect those new portions of the greenway to be open by the summer of 2017, which will then allow us to have made much more progress on the first half of the greenway. I am not in a position to say if further funding will...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Airlines applying for exemptions under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973 make such applications on a dedicated application form for each flight. In approximately 90% of cases the applications relate to the personal weapons of the troops on board the flight. The application forms for such flights specify that the exemption is...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The civil aircraft used to transport munitions or troops through Ireland are subject to the same civil aviation legislation as other civil aircraft. International and national legislation allows for inspection of aircraft from other states and authorised officers of the Minister or the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, have the usual powers of inspection of all aircraft in Ireland for the...