Results 17,661-17,680 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 64 and 211 together. As the Deputies are aware, the continued economic growth and increased employment levels have seen demand increase across the public transport networks and particularly in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). Project Ireland 2040commits over €8 billion to public transport and active travel projects over the next 10 years. This...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects Status (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: As the Deputy is aware, the planning and implementation of the A5 upgrade project is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland authorities. Following the conclusion in 2018 of the legal challenge to the approval of the scheme, the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure (DfI) updated the project assessments and undertook a public consultation on a number of environmental reports...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Dublin Bus Fleet (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: The movement to low-emission urban buses is central to the promotion and normalisation of cleaner fuels and technologies. A major shift to cleaner alternatives across the entire transport sector is necessary if we are to reduce harmful emissions. However, the switch to alternative fuels and technologies cannot be effected without a considerable State investment in supporting refueling...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 96 together. As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have overall responsibility for policy and funding in relation to public transport. The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's questions to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Brexit Issues (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: Although the Deputy does not say so, I am assuming that he is referring to drivers from Northern Ireland being able to drive into this jurisdiction if Brexit occurs without a deal in place. The answer is that they will. Specifically, driving across the border in a no-deal Brexit scenario will raise three issues. The first is the driving licence. Under the 1949 Geneva Convention on...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Industry (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: The Government's Brexit Contingency Action Plan Update was published on 9 July. It is the Government's assessment that there is a significant risk of a no deal Brexit on 31 October and accordingly work on no deal Brexit preparations continue to have the highest priority across Government Departments and Agencies. There is a high degree of uncertainty in forecasting the macroeconomic impact...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Industry (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: My Department is primarily involved in the development of national tourism policy, while the tourism agencies have responsibility for the implementation of this policy. With regard to the various regions, Fáilte Ireland develops and promotes their tourism potential in line with the relevant tourism experience brands – namely, Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, Ireland's Ancient East,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Priorities (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: As part of the 2020 estimates process, my Department is currently engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to funding in 2020. When my Department's allocation is confirmed in the Budget, decisions will be made regarding the appropriate level of funding for all programmes under my areas of responsibility. Foremost in 2020 will be the ongoing consideration of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 80 together. As the Deputy is aware, it is a statutory function of the National Transport Authority, under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 and EU Regulation 1370/2007, to award PSO contracts and to determine the appropriate mix of directly awarded and competitively tendered PSO services. The PSO programme represents a significant expenditure of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network. Accessibilty features, such as wheelchair access and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: The TEN-T Core Network is a subset of the Comprehensive Network and represents the strategically most important nodes and links of the trans-European transport networks. The Core TEN-T network on the Island of Ireland links the main urban centres of Belfast-Dublin and Cork and encompasses the road, rail and other transport modes on this route. There is also an offshoot to the Core Port...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: Under the Government's Global Ireland Strategy, we are committed to developing tourism from new and emerging tourism markets with potential for Ireland. This year, Tourism Ireland has commenced the implementation of a strategy for growth in these markets. In Budget 2019, I provided almost €4 million in additional funding to Tourism Ireland for this purpose. China, as the largest source...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services Provision (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: As the Deputy is aware, all public expenditure must comply with the Public Spending Codewhich sets out the requirements to which sponsoring agencies and sanctioning authorities must adhere, including the requirement that any project with an expected cost of €100 million or more must obtain specific approval from Government. In addition to that there are also procurement requirements...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Industry (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: The Government's Brexit Contingency Action Plan Update was published on 9 July. It is the Government's assessment that there is a significant risk of a no deal Brexit on 31 October and accordingly work on no deal Brexit preparations continue to have the highest priority across Government Departments and Agencies. There is a high degree of uncertainty in forecasting the macroeconomic impact...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: As the Deputy is aware, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (2 Oct 2019)

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 securing the provision of public transport services nationally. It also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of the Rural Transport...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport. The operation of the rail network and stations on the network including the development of infrastructure, is a matter for Iarnród Éireann in the first instance. In view of Iarnród Éireann's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Brexit Issues (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: Brexit has been identified as my Department’s highest strategic risk and the Department, along with other Government Departments and key Agencies, has been preparing for Brexit for three years. Consultations regarding Brexit with key maritime stakeholders has included a Transport and Logistics All Island Sectoral meeting in Dundalk in January 2017, three Brexit Maritime Transport...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (2 Oct 2019)

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 planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the MetroLink project Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (2 Oct 2019)

Shane Ross: The safety and security of public transport passengers and staff, including arrangements to deal with anti-social behaviour, are important matters that, first and foremost, must be managed by every public transport company, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, where appropriate. While the vast majority of public transport passenger journeys occur without incident, I am...