Results 10,541-10,560 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Before we start, I want to wish you all a very happy St. Valentine's Day. The clerk wrote that down; it was not me. The purpose of today's meeting is to discuss traffic management and congestion in the Galway region. In that regard, I welcome to the meeting Ms Anne Graham, Chief Executive Officer, National Transport Authority, NTA; Mr. Hugh Creegan, deputy Chief Executive Officer,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Ms Graham. Ms Graham's script is currently being copied and it will be circulated soon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: For the information of the witnesses, there are Members of the Oireachtas present who are not members of the committee. Is it in order to proceed until the copies are available or would members like to adjourn the meeting until then?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will do my best to ensure members get them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I apologise to members who have not received copies of the presentation but they are on the way. I call Mr. Kelly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Mr. Kelly. I call Mr. Coll.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Mr. Coll should say QED. That was a very enlightening and interesting presentation, as were the others. It brings in thinking from outside the box. I ask Mr. Tony Neary, vice president and general manager of Medtronic Ireland Limited, to make his address.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have heard from our witnesses and I thank them for the significant contributions each of them made. In the light of questions that may follow, other speakers may wish to contribute on an issue, to get it right, as the man said. Chuir an Seanadóir Ó Céidigh an clár don chruinniú seo ar bun. I will call an Seanadóir Pádraig Ó Céidigh first....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am thinking of the Deputy. Without restricting anybody's contribution, I ask speakers to try to limit their remarks to three or four minutes if possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: As I said initially, to get this right I will move to members of the committee first. The only remaining member not to have made a contribution is Deputy Troy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Fair enough. I will take whoever wishes to go first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Before I call Deputy Anne Rabbitte, I will give members a heads-up. Normally, it would be Fine Gael first, followed by Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and Independents. I will call Deputy Naughton after Deputy Rabbitte. Then we will go to answers and then work out what is the best way to deal with all the different Independents here and keep them all happy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Deputy Naughton is next. After that we will get some replies to the questions in the order in which they were asked. I will try to keep it fair and objective for everybody. Then I will call the Independent members.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: After the witnesses respond I will call Deputies Connolly, Grealish and Fitzmaurice. I wish to ask a question. I am not a native of Galway, but one of the solutions must be about future planning. Will there be a higher density of housing? Will you increase development contributions in certain parts, perhaps to encourage people to develop where you want them to do so? There is the issue...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Deputy is referring to ownership of that specific problem and what is needed to get a dedicated solution.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: On the question of the planning and the growth in Galway that is predicted, how does the city council intend to deal with that in terms of transport policy and planning policy? In particular, does it intend to develop inner-city sites and how much land does the council actually own in the centre of Galway, if any, or in the city? It seems to me that this is going to get worse because the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: What number of people might be facilitated to live there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Maybe I am making the point the wrong way. What I mean is, if the city is going to grow by 45,000 over the next 20 years or less, it seems to me that if the city does not go up, it will not be able to grow out.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: The other point is where the county council comes in. Is there any joined-up thinking to the effect that if the development of the city moves out into county areas, that might accommodate the growth better in terms of space and facilities needed and with all of the network that is in place?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management and Congestion in Galway Region: Discussion (14 Feb 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will ask Mr. Coll to comment and then I will take Deputy Connolly, Deputy Grealish, Deputy Fitzmaurice and Deputy Canney, and I will ask the representatives of Galway County Council to respond. In that way, we will get everybody in. I am conscious of other demands on people. There are party meetings and things like that.