Results 6,321-6,340 of 32,610 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: They are new buses and will bring the total fleet to approximately 1,000. I hope the Deputy is aware of the number of newer buses now on our roads. One of the major improvements in the new buses is that they now have space for a buggy and a wheelchair, which I welcome. As recently as Friday, I received a complaint that when wheelchair users get onto a bus they are unable to find spaces...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Is the Deputy referring to the Dublin bike scheme?

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Supplementary Estimate refers to the cycling measures and scheme in the greater Dublin area. On the projects to which the Deputy referred, Galway, Cork and Limerick are included. The initial use of the Galway scheme is different from what we expected, but I am confident that we will be able to increase usage of the scheme to the levels we have seen elsewhere. We need to consider the...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes. It refers to the national indoor arena and paying a portion of its costs for this year. It is a project that is already well under way. We have limited time available to us, and many other competing demands on our time, but the progress the National Sports Campus is making is brilliant and is worth-----

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: If members have not had a chance to visit it recently, it would be worth doing. The National Indoor Arena is flying up and those building it have done a brilliant job. That will be complete by the end of next year. That can be set that alongside what is already there, like the National Indoor Diving Centre, the National Equestrian Centre and the brilliant playing pitches for football,...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a good point. The Bertie bowl is well and truly gone.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Bertie bowl is well and truly gone. I take the Deputy's point. It highlights the need for us to now drive awareness of everything that is in Abbotstown. Many people are aware of the National Aquatic Centre, which I visited a couple of weeks ago. I saw the national diving championships, which were brilliant. On top of that, there is an incredible array of world-class facilities. It...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: In fairness, the vast majority of the €1 million concerned will be for Ireland's Ancient East and signage for the Wild Atlantic Way. Ireland's Ancient East is a concept that has been launched, but we now need to replicate the kind of signage that is in place for the Wild Atlantic Way and develop it for Ireland's Ancient East. Obviously, that is focused outside of Dublin.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The point of the Deputy refers to is an important one. We had a recent discussion on this matter in the tourism leadership group which looks at how we support the development of tourism in Ireland. One of the things we will consider, and the next Government should do, is to re-engage with the communities located alongside the Wild Atlantic Way as we did when the concept was initially...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: These are in reference to the levies the Railway Procurement Agency received from landowners and developers in the vicinity of the Luas in Cherrywood and the docklands. That funding is being brought back to my Department and we are reallocating it to the National Transport Authority which will apply it to Luas costs.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is indeed. The target is to have the project operational in the second half of 2017. That will happen. The cost is €368 million and we are currently on budget in relation to that. I thank all the business interests supporting this project because it is a significant one for our city centre. That will be happening then.

Harbours Bill 2015: Order for Report Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now".

Harbours Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank all the Deputies for their contributions and want to respond to some of their points in respect of individual ports, and to parts of the Bill which Deputy Boyd Barrett has highlighted with his amendment. I will deal with some specific points before addressing the overall policy thrust which Deputy Boyd Barrett has proposed. As Deputy Deasy has acknowledged, this legislation deals...

Harbours Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Boyd Barrett has spoken about the principle of setting up a consultation or stakeholder group but that does not cover all of his amendment. His amendment also provides that the other amendments in this group replace references to the local authority chief executive with a reference to the elected council in consultation with the stakeholder and community group. While the Deputy has...

Harbours Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The chief executive officer is accountable to the local authority members. Let me give the Deputy a practical example of how that power should be wielded. Let us say I make the decision that a particular port be integrated in its entirety into the local authority structure. Financial decisions regarding that port will then form part of the budget that is put to the local authority members...

Harbours Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: No.

Harbours Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I do, a Cheann Comhairle. I thank Deputies for the various comments and points they have made. I will begin with what Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett said about his amendment to which I will speak directly. I am not in a position to accept the amendment. I will respond to the comments of Deputy Mary Mitchell O’Connor. The reason for that is a due diligence process is under way...

Harbours Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I am doing my best to respond to the points that have been put to me, a Cheann Comhairle.

Harbours Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I do. I have done my best to respond to the points Deputies put to me.

Harbours Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett contended that if the port was to be converted to a corporate entity, it would be separate from the local authority. That will not be the case. It will come within the local authority's remit and the best evidence I can offer is the fact that the single shareholder of such a port, were it to be brought inside a local authority unit, would be the local authority....