Results 8,561-8,580 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

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)

Shane Ross: It is a very unlikely scenario. If they did it, it would be more subtle than that. I have not had any discussions with the Minister today. I will discuss that matter with him in order to achieve a position that would be more beneficial than it is currently for Bus Éireann.

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)

Shane Ross: I have had no discussion or approaches about this. There has been no indication and I have taken no initiative about it. I would not envisage a case where there would be any changes in the benefit that people get from the free travel pass.

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)

Shane Ross: To what statement is the Deputy referring?

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)

Shane Ross: I thank Deputy O'Keeffe for the compliment but he is not the first person to tell me I am a poacher turned gamekeeper. I do not feel in any way disturbed by having said it. The NTA has a record of stepping in to keep communities connected. That is the NTA's mandate, and it issued a press statement two weeks ago specifically saying it would step in to such situations. I am not getting...

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)

Shane Ross: I sympathise with what the Deputy says about seeing these kinds of anomalies. As a human being and as an objective observer, I understand what he is saying. There seem to be difficulties sometimes. The Deputy should not tell me stop hiding behind EU regulation. It is the law. We must, sometimes unfortunately, abide by the law when it seems extremely inconvenient. I see the problem with...

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)

Shane Ross: It is one of the reasons the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, and I will be talking. This is behind the motivation for doing so. What the Deputy mentioned is not uncommon. I will not talk about his specific route. Routes are for the operators to discuss with the NTA. On the broader issue, the Deputy is right and I will discuss it with the Minister, Deputy Varadkar....

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)

Shane Ross: Yes.

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)

Shane Ross: There is a bit of a misunderstanding here. The NTA has already done a review of bus licensing. It is obliged to carry out such a review every five years. I do not think it is necessary to do it. Given that the review is under consideration in my Department, it would be absurd to do it again.

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)

Shane Ross: I will share it, subject to there being nothing commercially sensitive involved. Given that Deputy Troy is the Opposition spokesperson on transport, I would be very keen to share it with him. That would only be fair. I have to examine the implications involved. I am not trying to be evasive, rather I am seeking to be helpful. I am not sure it should be made public if it reveals to...

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)

Shane Ross: Deputy Barry is as well, of course. Yes, I do.

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)

Shane Ross: I see no reason why the same openness should not be attached to one as to another.

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)

Shane Ross: There are two conflicting forces. There is a prima facieargument that they should be in the public domain because public money is involved. I understand that some of them will be released in next year's annual report. There is a conflict which, I have to be honest, I have not even resolved myself . It is a conflict relating to whether severance payments, which are sometimes - often rightly...

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)

Shane Ross: Yes, I understand.

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)

Shane Ross: It is fair to say that some of the pay-offs, severance payments and redundancy money transacted under cover have been rather obscene. That is something we could not countenance or tolerate for long. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform oversees the code of practice for State bodies. I gather that a new provision is coming along to the effect that payments of this sort will not...

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)

Shane Ross: Let me think about monetary compensation. It is an interesting suggestion. I imagine the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, would be interested to hear about it as well. We might put it on the table when we are talking to him about other things. It is his baby, really, but it is an interesting suggestion. You are referring to people who never use the scheme but who are...

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)

Shane Ross: Yes.

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)

Shane Ross: It might be a consideration for outlying areas. That is a suggestion that could go-----

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)

Shane Ross: Yes, of course.

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)

Shane Ross: Yes. I have no wish to say anything to suggest that we are going to clamp down on or reduce free travel in any way. There is absolutely no question of it. We are not going to do that. However, I understand the point the Chairman is making. The new public service cards are helping. In the main, it is a matter for the Department of Social Protection. I imagine the Chairman will make...

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)

Shane Ross: It is a question to which I do not know the answer because it is not my responsibility. This is something that happens a good deal. Responsibility rests with the board of management but I can discover for the Chairman what is the position. We can ask about it and see what is happening. I note what was said last week. It was obviously a management responsibility that was being taken very...