Results 14,321-14,340 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ministerial Communications (28 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I communicate with my Ministerial counterparts in the UK Government and in the Stormont Executive on a regular basis in both structured meeting and direct message / call formats. Below, I have outlined in tabular form. my engagements with the UK Secretary of State for Transport and the Minister for Infrastructure in the Stormont Executive in which the issue of international travel...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (28 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for regulating fares charged by public transport operators. The issues raised by the Deputy concerning the taxsaver initiative are matters for the relevant transport operators in conjunction with the NTA. I...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Government policy on international travel is aimed at reducing and managing the spread of Covid-19. Government agreed further measures in relation to international travel at its recent meeting, and these were subsequently annonuced by the Taoiseach and are available on the Government's website. .

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Chairman and the members of the committee for inviting me here today to discuss the general scheme of the merchant shipping (investigation of marine casualties) (amendment) Bill. Clearly, it is not the final step in the process of reviewing the legislative and structural framework governing marine casualty investigation in Ireland. The Bill seeks to ensure the continued...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: If I recall, Chairman, at the end of the last session, you suggested that Mr. Kingston present a report or a note to the committee-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Yes, a summary of his views, which makes a great deal of sense. If the committee wishes to share it, that could further inform the review we intend to make, which I mentioned in my opening remarks, as would engagement with other stakeholders and relevant parties who would be interested in that. It is timely and important to have that review. It will take a certain amount of time, but I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: To be clear, the Marine Casualty Investigation Board's recommendations are made independently of the Department. That is important for the reason the Deputy mentioned, that if there are recommendations that require the Department to take action, it must have that independence. That, in effect, was the underlying direction in Article 8.1 of the European directive, which is to require that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I will be honest that most of the interaction with airports and airlines in recent weeks has been in relation to the management of the immediate crisis situation. I first wish to thank the airlines and the ferry companies. They have had a huge role. The Deputy referred to the airlines in particular, and one of the more immediate issues is that following the announcement of the UK variant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Senator Dooley. I recall that the original legislation in 2000 was preceded by the review in 1998, two years previously. In my general experience, and the Senator has had a very similar experience in the way the State operates, if we could implement a similar timeline to carry out a review, it does take time to draft appropriately because it needs to be right and one must listen to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I hope the opening statement, which is on the record and is in written format, will do that. If any further commitment is required, I will have to give it, but the opening statement gives a very clear sense of direction and intent for me and the Department. I hope that helps.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Experts can be brought in, by all means, but I do not think we can reconstitute the board. The risk would still remain that the board would not be quorate and that is the real risk that this legislation is seeking to prevent. I do not rule out the introduction of other measures and bringing in technical and other expertise, but we do need to sort one element of the risk to the board's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Absolutely. I do not believe the review process should delay the introduction of the legislation, which is a very specific legislative task that we have. We will engage with the committee on the wider task.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Senator Craughwell. First, the R116 investigation is obviously an air accident investigation rather than a marine investigation even though the accident occurred in the marine environment. It is the responsibility of the air accident investigation unit. Mr. Pat McCann, a barrister, is carrying out a specific review of one aspect of that which is provided for under the due process...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I appreciate Deputy Matthews' questions. The core purpose of this legislation is to address the European Court of Justice finding that a separation between investigation and regulation is needed. I do not believe we can rely on the 1998 review. We should look at what has happened in the intervening period. Our understanding of investigation structures, regulatory systems and the separation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Most of the recommendations in the 1998 review were embodied in the 2000 Act. That Act was, in a sense, the legislative response to the 1998 review. I do not believe that the 1998 review is sufficient, particularly now that we are seeking to amend the legislation that resulted from that review. As I said to Senator Dooley, my intention is to initiate a review within months and not put it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I think the review will take several months but no longer. That is my expectation having listened to the Department.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I do not want to predict the outcome of what is going to happen in the next six months or year. I think the Tánaiste was correct, although some people criticised him, to be honest about concerns around the variants and the fact that this is not going to be immediately resolved. I hope the arrival of the vaccine and its widespread uptake and distribution, not just here but in other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: We have mandatory PCR testing now. It is mandatory for anyone coming into the country. Many European countries and the UK have done something similar, so in effect there is mandatory testing, particularly on international air travel. We have also introduced antigen testing and not just in the hospitals. Yesterday was the first day of the introduction of antigen testing on truckers and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: My recollection of the Attorney General's advice on this is that we can introduce fairly immediately regulations on passengers coming from outside the EEA, the wider European area. We need primary legislation for Irish citizens and people living in the EEA. I would imagine that legislation will be turned around in record time, although this is subject to the Whips agreeing to it, what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Eamon Ryan: We are talking days. It will depend on what the Whips agree in terms of business-----