Results 12,221-12,240 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I am just trying to sort them out. I will do that now. I will start with Senator O'Mahony's questions. The Senator was absolutely right when he said that what has happened up to now is inadequate. I agree with the Senator that it is inadequate. The stories he is hearing prove it is inadequate. The stories are not just anecdotes from malcontents; they are from genuine people who are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I would be very happy to do that if they felt it was in any way helpful or useful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: It would be very good for me. I suggest that members of the committee also do it because the point is that nothing beats the experience.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: The committee has done a lot about it already. Bringing all these people in is very convincing. I will do it in the next eight months. I might do it tomorrow but there is no point in saying I will do it then.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I will get in touch with somebody to do it. People who are identifiable to the staff and management are probably not the right people to choose in that situation. It has to be done in an anonymous way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I will answer Senator Feighan's question. The Chairman will not let me answer it now but I will certainly be happy to answer it a little bit later when we are finished with the disability stuff.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I would be delighted to do that. I will come to Deputy Troy's questions. I apologise if anybody seemed to be celebrating too much about the 24-4 pilot. That was not the intention. There is a distinction between celebrating and announcing something to the public. It was a breakthrough but it was not enough. There was no suggestion at that stage that it was in any way a final outcome. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: My diary was just too full. What happened was I had an 8.30 a.m. appointment in south Dublin, which is a longstanding appointment, that goes on until after 9.30 a.m. I had an appointment at 11 o'clock in Dublin in my Department which could not be moved. I was very sorry to miss the event. That particular event was starting at 10 a.m. and involved a trip out to Howth and returning later....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I am very happy to do that. I am very sorry if they took offence. It meant cancelling two appointments or one. That was what happened. I have been more than willing to meet anybody on this issue at any time and do anything to promote the interests of people with disabilities. It would not be fair to take offence. I have gone outside to meet people whenever any Member of the Oireachtas...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: There will be vacancies on them all very shortly, there are vacancies on some of them at the moment. There are gaps and this is the reason we are advertising for the National Transport Authority, NTA, now. This vacancy and those on other boards will be filled in this way and by these types of people very shortly. Do not hold me to this, but by the end of the year they should probably all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: The Deputy spoke about an issue with an app. I will ask my officials to address this with Iarnród Éireann when they go there tomorrow.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: On the surface to me, it seems peculiar but maybe the officials could address it tomorrow. If I have skipped any of Deputy Troy's issues I ask that he comes back to me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I believe those issues are on my next page. God, I thought I was getting off easy there but the Deputy is quite right. I have the list here. On the ring-fencing of the €28 million we have enormously expanded and increased the amount of money being allotted to people with disabilities in recent years. The €28 million is actually trebling the amount. I have seen a lot of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: No but I can give a list of categories. They involve infrastructural matters such as at bus stops, train stations and wheelchair accessible vehicles and taxis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: The retrofit funding is ring-fenced for accessibility.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: One has to have discretion also. It would be irresponsible to indicate that the €28 million is going to go to such and such-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: The retrofitting will go to bus stops. I can give the committee information on categories, but I cannot give amounts.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: It will go to bus stops, train stations-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: -----and taxis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: We can provide the committee with something like that but it will not be absolutely accurate. For example, the NTA is doing an audit of bus stops and we do not know how much will be spent in that area. It is a very big job.