Results 761-780 of 2,569 for speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Current Financial Situation at Bus Éireann, the Expressway Service and the Rural Transport Programme (Resumed) (1 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Yes, I did.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Current Financial Situation at Bus Éireann, the Expressway Service and the Rural Transport Programme (Resumed) (1 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I ask the question because a few weeks ago one of our national newspapers tried to scaremonger people that the free travel scheme would be taken away. Free travel is so important for Ireland, especially rural Ireland, and the last thing we want to do is scaremonger people that there is a possibility free travel will be taken away from them. All I ask the Minister is that he give a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Current Financial Situation at Bus Éireann, the Expressway Service and the Rural Transport Programme (Resumed) (1 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister for putting that on the record. The last thing we want is a bus strike in this country. This country has come through a lot in the past number of years and, in fairness, everybody has put in a big effort to put this country back on track. The Minister should intervene in the Bus Éireann dispute, try to talk to both sides, get the two of them sitting down...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Current Financial Situation at Bus Éireann, the Expressway Service and the Rural Transport Programme (Resumed) (1 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I wish to put on the record that I feel the Minister should intervene. I thank him for answering my questions.

Bail (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to participate in today's debate. I very much welcome the Bail (Amendment) Bill 2016 because its measures are badly needed. The amendments include that a court can take into account persistent serious offending by an accused and the likelihood of any danger to a person or the community if an accused was granted bail, and the strengthening of Garda powers to deal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: It is very disappointing to note the number of road fatalities is on the rise again and that alcohol continues to be a major factor in these deaths. The number of arrests for drink driving is also increasing each year. It is time to consider a zero-tolerance policy and a complete ban on drinking driving. I am a firm believer that if one drinks, one should not drive. In fairness, all the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: As a parent, I told my kids numerous times about the limit of in respect of alcohol. The bottom line is that - I can only speak for myself in this regard - when one challenges someone, he or she might claim to have only one or two drinks. It has come to a stage now where we have to have zero tolerance. Such a policy protects parents and everybody else and, most importantly, it prevents...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: In his opening statement, the Minister asked for suggestions. The introduction of the 20 km/h speed limit in housing estates has received a great deal of attention lately and is broadly welcome. One of the barriers to its introduction, however, is the prohibitive cost of ramps. I met a company recently in my constituency of Louth. It is called Nr Rubber Products Limited and it is based in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The Minister asked for suggestions and I am giving one. A company is willing to supply ramps made from recycled rubber for a pilot scheme in County Louth. If the scheme were rolled out across the country, there could be an opportunity to save €500,000. We are all pushing in respect of speed limits on estates. Will the Minister give a commitment that he or someone in his Department...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: They are produced to the EU standard.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: We spoke this morning about zero tolerance. We also spoke about banning drink drivers. We spoke about publishing the names of people who have been banned from driving. We also spoke about ramps in housing estates and speed limits. Let us talk about the speeding issue. Legislation was passed about drivers from my side of the jurisdiction in the Republic of Ireland. Are we implementing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I commend Ms Murdock on the authority's report, which was excellent. She stated that safety on our roads is the priority, with which I fully agree. She stated there are approximately 8,000 disqualified drivers on our roads. Have those drivers been involved in many motor accidents? Have they been the cause of any deaths on our roads? That number of disqualified drivers should not be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Ms Murdock also stated there are approximately 150,000 uninsured drivers on our roads and that the incidence of that jumped from 4.3% in 2013 to 7.4% in 2016. With respect to those 150,000 uninsured drivers, I would ask her the same question that I asked about the disqualified drivers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Those are figures from the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: There are 150,000 uninsured drivers on our roads and there has been a massive jump in those numbers in the recent years, for which motor insurance costs are being blamed. Are many uninsured drivers involved in road accidents?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Ms Murdock gave a comprehensive report on alcohol being a factor in road fatalities. She stated that 38% of road fatalities were alcohol related. If I had my way, I would say that if one drinks, one should not drive. I would like to see a zero-tolerance attitude applied but, as the Chairman said earlier, what constitutes zero tolerance? It was stated that it is a 50 mg level for drivers...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: What would Ms Murdock's view be on adopting a zero-tolerance policy?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety Strategy: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I was very surprised to learn that more than 10% of imported cars from the UK were written off. It is clear that the system that we have is not working. What would Ms Murdock advise in this respect?