Results 10,821-10,840 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Budgets (26 Jul 2017)

Shane Ross: Overall expenditure to end June is €660m which is €15m ahead of profiled spend. Current spend is €28m below profile, mainly due to timing issues in relation to a number of subheads. Capital expenditure is ahead by over €44m due to quicker than anticipated spend on a number of projects. I am pleased to say that progress on the Luas Cross City is more...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services Provision (26 Jul 2017)

Shane Ross: The DART Underground Tunnel (previously known as the DART Interconnector) project is a key element of integrated transport for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the GDA and the NTA's Transport Strategy for the GDA 2016-2035 proposes implementation of the overall DART...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services Provision (26 Jul 2017)

Shane Ross: ​Rail plays an important role in meeting increased passenger demand and also providing an energy-efficient mode of transport. Electrified rail use, in particular, is capable of achieving low emissions through utilising renewable sources of energy. Considerable progress has been achieved in increasing capacity on the light and heavy rail networks. For instance, the Luas Cross...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services (26 Jul 2017)

Shane Ross: I am not aware at present of any plans to purchase new rail rolling stock. In any event Iarnród Éireann operates the heavy rail network and is responsible for assessing rolling stock requirements for the heavy rail network in conjunction with the NTA. Noting the responsibilities of the agencies in this regard, I have referred the Deputy's question to both NTA and Iarnród...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Data (26 Jul 2017)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1420 to 1422, inclusive, together. Accessibility features are built into all new public transport infrastructure projects and vehicles from the design stage and new systems such as the Luas are fully accessible. In addition, 100% of the Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann city fleets are wheelchair accessible, as well as approximately 80% of the Bus...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services Provision (26 Jul 2017)

Shane Ross: ​The issue raised is a matter for Irish Rail and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the Company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if a response has not been received within 10 working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Staff Data (26 Jul 2017)

Shane Ross: ​No staff are currently suspended from their employment in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Budgets (26 Jul 2017)

Shane Ross: Overall expenditure to end June is €660m which is €15m ahead of profiled spend. Current spend is €28m below profile, mainly due to timing issues in relation to a number of subheads. Capital expenditure is ahead by over €44m due to faster than anticipated spends on a number of projects. I am pleased to say that progress on the Luas Cross City is more advanced...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Protected Disclosures Data (26 Jul 2017)

Shane Ross: My Department received no protected disclosures from Staff within the Department in 2016. I will forward any details of protected disclosures received from staff in 2017 within the Department in the next 10 working days. The Deputy can find details on all protected disclosures received in my Department from the entry into force of the 2014 Act to end-2016 on my Departments website at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (17 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I thank the joint committee for giving me the opportunity to address it. I am joined by the Minister of State with responsibility for tourism and sport, Deputy Brendan Griffin. I am also joined by the departmental officials Mr. Ken Spratt, Mr. Peter Hogan and Mr. James Lavelle from the sports division and the Department’s legal adviser, Mr. Michael Dreelan. I thank Mr. Justice...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (17 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I will deal with Senator John O'Mahony's questions first and then proceed in chronological order. The disappointment the Senator expressed about non-co-operation is felt by everybody. This time last year many expressed their willingness to co-operate, but they fell gradually one by one. The Senator is right that this leaves some questions unanswered. I will answer the question about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (17 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I will come to that issue in a second. There was no communication beforehand. I have never met the judge and never spoken to him on the telephone. From time to time he applied for extensions and my official got in touch from time to time with the solicitor there. That is how the communication worked. The judge would come back to say he wanted an extension and I might have asked for what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (17 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I do not have an answer to that question yet. It is a fair question, but I think the matter would have to be resolved satisfactorily before we would resume funding it. What we need is a clear line of correct and acceptable behaviour and a code of governance in place which does not reflect, in any way, anything that has happened in the past and is totally different. That is a problem for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: Is the Deputy finished?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: Perhaps I could deal with Deputy Troy's issues, which I remember fairly clearly, first. While I remember it, I will address one issue that Deputy Troy mentioned in his first question. He referred to how sad a reflection it is that it took a trip to Brazil and the Olympics to unveil what happened and how things were run in this case. I suppose that is true in some ways. It is always...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: The Deputy will have to ask Mr. Mulvey that when he comes in, if he is interested. I think-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I think he probably did take it on off his own bat-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I was engaging with him. Let me make it quite clear. The Deputy said that I requested Mr. Mulvey to do it. I did not request Mr. Mulvey to do it. It is not a big issue but it is important in terms of the narrative being correct. He actually approached me and I think he did so of his own volition. I am not sure what the problems-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: That is how it actually developed. As I said in the report, I had looked for, and initially preferred, a retired judge. That was my preference when I met Mr. Hickey and when I spoke to Mr. Mulvey. We eventually agreed that we would be happy as long as we had a significant presence on that independent inquiry who would be there to ensure that nothing was done in any way to disguise the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: Of course it is factual to say so but it is easy to dismiss-----