Results 13,361-13,380 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rural Transport Programme (15 May 2018)

Shane Ross: The National Transport Authority (NTA) has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport. This includes, since 2012, management of the Rural Transport Programme which now operates under the ‘Local Link' brand. The NTA has advised that all of the new evening services, announced last week, will use accessible vehicles. I would also like to advise the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (15 May 2018)

Shane Ross: The position remains as outlined to Deputy in response to Parliamentary Questions on 26th April. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test Waiting Lists (15 May 2018)

Shane Ross: This is a matter for the Road Safety Authority. I have referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Compulsory Purchase Orders (16 May 2018)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 to 182, inclusive, together. As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) including the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Bodies Establishment (16 May 2018)

Shane Ross: As outlined in my Department's National Policy Statement on Airport Charges, my Department committed to establish a working group of key stakeholders to examine and report on options to allow the regulated entity and its airline customers to reach price agreements amongst themselves, subject to regulatory oversight. In December, my Department issued a discussion paper to key stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Integrated Ticketing (16 May 2018)

Shane Ross: As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development and implementation of public transport including ticketing technology. Therefore, I have forwarded your query to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Parking Provision (16 May 2018)

Shane Ross: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure and services in the Greater Dublin Area and undertakes a support role for the relevant local authorities, on a non statutory basis, in the Regional cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Issues relating to the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: HSE Data (16 May 2018)

Shane Ross: Details in relation to taxi contracts awarded by the HSE are a matter for that body which operates under the aegis of my colleague, the Minister for Health. The Sectoral Plan, to which the Deputy refers, was published in 2013, and the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) commenced operations the following year. The OGP, together with four key sectors (Health, Defence, Education and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Fares (16 May 2018)

Shane Ross: The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) 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.

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Report Stage (17 May 2018)

Shane Ross: Deputy O'Callaghan has no one with him.

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Report Stage (17 May 2018)

Shane Ross: I congratulate Deputies Clare Daly and Wallace and acknowledge the great work they did at the committee. They knuckled down and produced amendments. They are genuinely interested in reform of the Judiciary. That is what Committee Stage is for and it did take a long time to complete. I have no quarrel with this because of the thorough and forensic way in which they addressed the Bill. I...

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Report Stage (17 May 2018)

Shane Ross: It is extremely important that it be acknowledged. It is also important that Deputy O'Callaghan realise Ministers are not totally and utterly confined to their portfolios. I was elected on a platform, as was the Deputy and he is entitled and duty bound to speak about the issues about which he was elected to speak. The fact that he has landed the justice and equality portfolio does not...

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Report Stage (17 May 2018)

Shane Ross: It is important that I comment on the lay majority and what Deputy O'Callaghan had to say about not attacking the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, JAAB. We are all united on one issue, namely, that the prime objective of the Bill is to remove the rotten practice of politicians appointing friends, cronies and political loyalists to the Bench. The Deputy is correct in stating the Bill he...

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Report Stage (17 May 2018)

Shane Ross: The Deputy may want to have them on the board. He may be the spokesman for the judges and no doubt we will hear from him again on this issue. To replace the lay members with a group of insiders would be wrong.

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Report Stage (17 May 2018)

Shane Ross: We would be leading ourselves into a difficult situation where we would replace one group with another. I would prefer to have a smaller commission than what is being proposed, but that is not going to happen. The great virtue of the Bill is that there will be a huge independent input into the choice of judges. Let no one say there will be no judicial influence because the representative...

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

Shane Ross: The position remains as outlined previously to the Deputy. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Policy (17 May 2018)

Shane Ross: There is no data available on the number of children cycling to school directly as a result of Cycle Right Training. The overall purpose of the Cycle Right training programme is to provide practical cycle safety and skills training to support more competent and confident cycling. Cycle Right is supported by my Department, the Road Safety Authority and administered through Cycling...

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

Shane Ross: As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Noting the above position, I have...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motor Insurance Coverage (17 May 2018)

Shane Ross: Insurance companies are private companies. Neither my Department nor the Central Bank of Ireland has the power to direct insurance companies on the pricing of insurance products. The EU framework for insurance expressly prohibits Member States from adopting rules which require prior approval of the pricing or terms and conditions of insurance products. The provision of insurance cover and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Funding (17 May 2018)

Shane Ross: My Department's role in relation to tourism lies in the area of national tourism policy development. While the Department provides funding to Fáilte Ireland to invest in tourism offerings, it does not have a role in the administration of Fáilte Ireland's grant programmes. Similarly, the Department does not have discretionary funds at its disposal to assist with individual tourism...