Results 8,661-8,680 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Other Questions: Fáilte Ireland Staff (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I thank Deputy Kelly for tabling this topical, useful and relevant question. The cost of the recruitment process is a matter for the organisation in question. In this case, the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland, did not require or seek my approval for costs associated with the recruitment of the new chief executive officer. This is a matter for the authority. ...

Other Questions: Fáilte Ireland Staff (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I thought it might be helpful for the Deputy to know, if he does not already know, that the advertising cost €23,972, including VAT, and recruitment cost €34,594.

Other Questions: Fáilte Ireland Staff (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: Of course the authority could have used the Public Appointments Service. Fáilte Ireland was perfectly at liberty to do so. However, the authority is also at liberty to go outside PAS. It is not necessarily always the right course to go through PAS. If an organisation is looking for a particular type of person, it could use an agency specialising in that area. We leave these...

Other Questions: Fáilte Ireland Staff (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: The Deputy asked me in whom I have confidence. I have full confidence in the Secretary General and all of the other senior and junior staff in my Department. I have absolutely no reason not to put them in positions of authority and responsibility and I will continue to do so, where it is appropriate. I also have full confidence in PAS. That said, it is case of horses for courses. In some...

Other Questions: Fáilte Ireland Staff (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: -----is that this is a matter for the chairman and the board of Fáilte Ireland.

Other Questions: Fáilte Ireland Staff (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: If they want to go outside the PAS, that is their decision. That is their job.

Other Questions: US Travel Restrictions (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I thank Deputy Barry for his question. I do not think it is irrelevant; it is a good question. I strongly disagree with the policy recently announced by President Trump to temporarily ban travel to the US by nationals of certain countries. As Deputy Barry knows, there is currently a suspension in place for this executive order, which is the subject of an appeal at a US federal appeals...

Other Questions: US Travel Restrictions (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: No, I would not. The two issues are not related, I am afraid. In terms of the stand I took, I was determined that my views would be known, not so much about the executive order made by Trump, of which I thoroughly disapprove, but about the issue of torture. I found it difficult to accept that we should give any kind of credence to a US President who had approved of torture. To me, it is...

Other Questions: US Travel Restrictions (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I will respond to Deputy Troy's question first. A review was undertaken, with responsibility spread across three Departments, namely, that for which I have responsibility and the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Justice and Equality. As we speak, the findings are being collated in the Department of Justice and Equality and the review will be in the Taoiseach's office by the end...

Other Questions: US Travel Restrictions (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I will ensure that members of the Government are aware of Deputy Barry's views on that issue.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Provision (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: ​With regard to co-ordination between road and rail, the National Transport Authority (NTA) is the statutory body with responsibility for the integration of public transport nationally. The remit of the NTA is to regulate and develop the provision of public transport services (bus, rail, light rail and taxi) by public and private operators in the State, to secure the development and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Smarter Transport (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: The overarching goals contained in Smarter Travel Policy continue to be the cornerstone of our transport policy. This is recognised and reflected in the Programme for Partnership Government where we commit to ensuring that the €3.6bn investment in the public transport system provided for in the Capital Plan will uphold the principles of Smarter...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: I refer the Deputy to my oral reply today to Priority PQ No. 29.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) is the regulator of the bus market in Ireland.  Responsibility for the licensing of public bus passenger services was transferred from my Department to the NTA in 2010, under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009. I would like to refer to the Deputy's inference that loss making routes arise from an...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: As the Deputy will be aware, the regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. The Advisory Committee on Small Public Service Vehicles, commonly referred to as the Taxi Advisory Committee (TAC), was established under the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 and continues...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Industry (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: Tourism continues to contribute significantly to Ireland's economic recovery.  The Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures for 2016 show that there were over 9.584 million overseas visits to Ireland, an increase of 10.9% on 2015. With regard to revenue, the most recent CSO Quarterly Tourism and Travel publication shows that spending in Ireland by overseas visitors...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: Ireland faces a significant challenge to meet its international greenhouse gas reduction commitments. Currently, Ireland's transport demand and emissions are increasing, with approximately three quarters of all journeys made by private cars accounting for over 55% of our transport emissions. Increasing modal shift away from cars and towards public transport and active travel will play...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: ​As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual national road projects is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with local authorities. As regards regional and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) is the regulator of the bus market in Ireland.  Responsibility for the licensing of public bus passenger services was transferred from my Department to the NTA in 2010, under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009.  Accordingly, all licensing decisions fully rest with the NTA. As...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network Expansion (8 Feb 2017)

Shane Ross: The Navan Rail Link Project was included under the Transport 21 Initiative and was to be developed in two phases.  Phase 1 comprised the Dunboyne Rail Line project and involved the reopening of 7.5 km of a railway line running off the Maynooth line, at Clonsilla, to the M3 interchange at Pace, near Dunboyne.  This line opened in September 2010 and Phase 1 of the project was...