Results 10,441-10,460 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the accessibility of public transport for people with disabilities. This is the fourth of a series of meetings the joint committee has convened on the issue. We have previously heard from transport users and, more recently, transport operators. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport will attend later. I welcome Ms Alannah Murray and Mr....
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: Thank you for your clear and moving witness. The heart of what you are saying is that our system is unequal and unfair and that you are being placed at a significant disadvantage as a result of what has happened to you and having to go through that process. Is Bus Éireann or Dublin Bus your main transport carrier?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: You said that you were left stranded 20 times in the last year. That is appalling.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: Notwithstanding the rule that exists at present, if there was an obligation on the carrier whereby if the bus was unable to facilitate your access it would be obliged to pay for a taxi to bring you to your destination, would that make a difference? I agree with you about the delay in having to book in advance, but what if you were guaranteed to get to your journey's end at the carrier's...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: One of our recommendations could be an obligation on the transport provider to have a wheelchair accessible taxi.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: That would get you there notwithstanding that you have to book in advance. The order for the questions are the representatives of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. I call Senator O'Mahony.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: He is an employee in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: It is the battle we will have to win.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: As regards the 20 journeys on which the company was unable to facilitate Ms Murray, despite the notice given, were many of them to college?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: That is unacceptable.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: Ms Murray is entitled to the same service as everybody else. I remind members that as she will have to leave soon, we are taking questions only to her at this point. We will soon come to Mr. Moran whose main issue is transport on the DART.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: I agree with everything that Ms Murray says. She is right. If people watching have questions that they want to have answered or to make submissions the committee is happy to take them on board. We appreciate both of the witnesses being here and if they have any further points that they wish to furnish the committee, we will be happy to have them answered and followed through. We are...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: If there were mandatory priority for wheelchair users, it would mean space would have to be given to a person in a wheelchair, which would make much sense.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: A wheelchair user would end up being last rather than first onto the bus------
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: It must be mandatory in order to------
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: If a person gives notice that he or she wishes to board a bus at a particular point but that facility is not provided, should the requirement be on the transport provider to bring the person in an appropriate taxi to a place at which he or she can board? When Ms Murray could not board the bus in Virginia, how did she get to Cavan?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: They need to be put in place.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: They also have an obligation.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: And if the facility to board is not available, the transport provider should bring a person at its expense to-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)
Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Ms Murray for her evidence and assure her that her views are very clearly understood by all present. I appreciate that she may shortly have to leave, although there is no rush to do so as far as the committee is concerned. If she wishes to forward to us any further ideas or views she thinks we ought to consider, we would be very happy to accept them. I ask Mr. Moran to address...