Results 12,921-12,940 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (17 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with the relevant transport operator and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Staff Data (17 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: There are currently 7 Clerical Officers on temporary assignment in my Department.  There are no Clerical Assistants. The duration  and period of a temporary contract varies from post to post. There is no entitlement to a permanent position.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Coast Guard Services (17 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1321 and 1322 together. Coast Guard helicopter services are provided under contract to my Department by CHC Ireland. These services are delivered from four bases located at Sligo, Shannon, Waterford and Dublin airports. The primary role of the Coast Guard helicopter service is maritime search and rescue. In addition aeromedical support services...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Project Ireland 2040 (17 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: The new National Development Plan, Project Ireland 2040, provides for continued Exchequer support for the smaller regional airports through my Department's Regional Airports Programme. As the Deputy will be aware, capital supports under this Programme are targeted at grant-aiding investments in the areas of safety and security and to assist the smaller airports in ensuring compliance...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roads Maintenance (17 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of local authorities, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the Council's own resources supplemented by State road grants.  The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (17 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The planning, design and operation of individual roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.  Within the budget available to it,...

Topical Issue Debate: Light Rail Projects (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue and acknowledge the support of Sinn Féin for the metro project. That should not be forgotten with what is happening, which they have addressed today. I join them in expressing sympathy to the family of Deirdre Lambe who passed away. The MetroLink project is the development of a north-south urban railway service that will run between...

Topical Issue Debate: Light Rail Projects (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: I assure the Deputies that the NTA will consider the obvious social consequences of the project with equal enthusiasm. The words were carefully chosen in terms of it being referred to as the optimal technical route. I suspect those words were left out deliberately because they would give the impression that it is optimal in the technical sense, which is a very crude way of judging a project...

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: I thank Deputy Lisa Chambers for raising this issue. I acknowledge the presence of the Deputy who spoke last, whose name is not mentioned because he is completely out of order.

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: The trans-European transport network, TEN-T, is a Europe-wide network of roads, rail lines, ports, airports and rail-road terminals throughout the 28 EU member states. It comprises the comprehensive network and a subset called the core network. The core network is required to be completed by 2030. It is the most strategic part of this European transport network, with the objective of TEN-T...

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: I thank the Deputy for going back to those questions. I find it difficult to answer the political charges she made because I was not in office at the time.

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: I fully support the decision of the current Taoiseach when he was Minister in 2011.

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: The reason he made it was very simple; there was not enough money in the kitty at the time.

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: It was not just a matter of applying for the grant. He would also have had to produce money out of the air. There is only one thing easier than spending money in the future, at which Fianna Fáil is very good, and that is spending money in the past, at which it is becoming even better. Fianna Fáil is rewriting history and stating the money was available, but we know what the...

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: He was picking up the pieces in the situation in which he had been landed and had to make cuts-----

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: The Deputy cannot possibly suggest-----

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: The Deputy cannot possibly suggest that at the time the then Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, wanted to make decisions of that sort.

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: The reality was that the then Minister was forced to make decisions of that sort because there was absolutely no money left for him to spend on projects of the sort proposed by the outgoing Fianna Fáil Government.

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: If the Deputy is going to raise political hares-----

Topical Issue Debate: Trans European Transport Network Programme (18 Apr 2018)

Shane Ross: If Deputy Lisa Chambers is going to raise political hares, she must accept the reasons we were in that position-----