Results 81-100 of 216 for long speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised)
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: ...a very real evidence base in an Irish context. Will the Minister push for the fare reductions to remain in place? On the national development plan, very many projects have been included on the long list of the NDP. Will the Minister review the overall budget envelope for the NDP out to 2023? I ask because it strikes me that the projects in the pipeline are getting more expensive by...

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: ...services know that we have a very particular challenge in Ireland in sustaining nursing home support and care of the elderly. We all want to see a model that provides for people living at home for as long as possible. That is an important element. Nursing homes have an important role to play, but much needs to be done to ensure that older people can live at home for as long as possible....

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: From the Seanad (15 Nov 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: We have been a long time waiting for this legislation. When I saw this Bill in our office this week, I presumed it was the legislation relating to energy credits. I find it amazing that we are still dealing with this Bill, but we are, and with these amendments back from the Seanad. It must be a month at this stage since we dealt with this Bill here previously. It must be borne in mind...

Green Hydrogen Strategy Bill 2022: First Stage (9 Feb 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to draft and publish a hydrogen strategy within six months of the passing of this Act. I welcome the opportunity to introduce the Bill, along with my colleagues Deputies Réada Cronin, Johnny Guirke and Maurice Quinlivan. Hydrogen generated from renewable energy sources through electrolysis of water is emerging as a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: ...media forums were alive with discussion of the issue. How did we end up in that situation? Corrective actions seem to have taken two and a half weeks or three weeks to implement. Why did it take so long? If the problem is a shortage of mechanics, where are we in that regard? What are the numbers? How short of mechanics is Bus Éireann? What is the pipeline? On a related issue...

Support for Household Energy Bills: Motion [Private Members] (3 May 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank everyone who contributed to the debate. I will come back on a number of points but it is clear from the debate and listening to the Government's response and reading its extensive and long countermotion, that it has not done enough to protect consumers, to rein in energy companies, and to ensure fair practice within the energy sector here. That failure is not measured in statistics...

Energy Regulations: Motion [Private Members] (16 Nov 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...and community ownership of our national resources. That is not stated in the motion, but it should be. The market is broken, and the Government has stood steadfast against reforms for far too long. Colleagues of mine here and at European level have advocated for market reform for many years. That became a very apparent necessity as far back as summer 2021. The Government, in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ..., in the homes of people who can afford it and in already warm homes that get solar panels. At the same time, people living in poverty, energy poverty and colder homes are being left behind on long lists. There is the low-hanging fruit of shallow retrofits and technologies. The change is not happening at the pace and scale we need it to, particularly at a time of energy crisis. What do...

Transport, Accelerating Sustainable Mobility: Statements (31 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...normality was hoped for and thankfully that is now materialising. Unfortunately, our main State airport failed to read the signs of recovery over the past year and was completely ill-prepared for the long-awaited rebound. During the pandemic, the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, slashed employee numbers. It cut 1,000 staff. That was completely excessive, short-sighted and highlighted a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland: Chairperson Designate (1 Dec 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: ...I am going over old ground. I wish Mr. Llewellyn well in his new role. I am interested in his perspective on the role of TII. Does he think the role of roads, as we have understood them for so long in terms of carrying cars, lorries and buses, is changing, in light of the sustainable future with climate targets, a transition to increasing use of public transport, an electric car fleet...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...regional areas, who are not serviced by good public transport and in some cases none at all, are forced into car ownership. We heard from Dr. Hannah Daly and others at the climate committee about long-term affordability. I have lived that experience myself when I was commuting in and out of Dublin. On a point of principle, I was taking public transport because it was part time, but the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (9 Nov 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: ...Kells and Dunshaughlin. There was outrage and outcry from the public and from the representatives and I am glad to say there has been some welcome improvement in recent days, although we are a long way off perfection. The mid-term was a help. Bus Éireann has commissioned private capacity to fill some of the gaps and there has been some internal outsourcing from the Broadstone depot...

Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (23 Feb 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: ...so be it. I am more disappointed that the Minister did not table similar amendments. We firmly believe that now is the opportunity to get the area of marine casualty investigations right. There is a long and sorry history of missed opportunities, whether it be in the 1998 report, the 2010 Róisín Lacey report or the 2020 Clinch report. We have the Róisín Lacey...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Broadband Infrastructure: Discussion (7 Jul 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: ...That has implications. It certainly serves to frustrate people. I will pose some questions to our three witnesses regarding opportunities and potential interim solutions. Some of the latter be long-term and permanent in some instances. What can the Government, this committee and the industry do to maximise the potential of these opportunities? Mr. Campbell referred to the need to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Chairperson Designate of the DAA: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: ...be done? What else has Dublin and Cork to offer that could improve on that competitive arena? Mr. Geoghegan said the DAA needs to invest heavily in capacity enhancing projects to support the long-term growth of the airports. What does he mean by that? Is it just the runway? We are all hearing clearly about pricing but Mr. Geoghegan also mentioned that the regulatory model is not...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: ...the most important points we will speak about on Committee Stage. It is fundamental to the principle and spirit of our climate ambition. If the Bill does two things, they are to set interim and long-term targets and to set out a plan. People need to see that their voices will be heard within it, that they will be considered and brought along, that this will not be just a case of more of...

Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Apr 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: ...state of much of the infrastructure, particularly in regard to the works by the Office of Public Works, OPW around the graveyard wall which has been ongoing for almost a decade at this stage. We now have a long-awaited conservation management plan that has a number of important objectives which need significant cross-agency effort and energy. I support the plan. I have concerns that...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: ...affect those living in rural areas, with or without any compensation measures. However, as [shown elsewhere], this is driven by the particularly large effects on those living in rural areas who commute long distances to work by car. Given the ongoing pandemic and public health advice to work from home where possible, such differential impacts may be moderated by a reduction in...