Results 18,641-18,660 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I agree.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: To paraphrase the song, Limerick, she is my lady as well. I do not have anything but love for the city.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I will try to address the Senator's points as best I can and discuss the specifics of the different areas but I do not have knowledge of everything because we have so many projects. On Galway, I agree with the Senator about the cross-city link project. It will run from Barna through to the hospital, NUIG, over the Salmon Weir Bridge, and through the centre out towards Parkmore. This is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: That makes sense.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As Senator Dooley said previously, this Government has three years to deliver. We have all the plans we need, including the national climate plan, the national development plan and very good rural development plans. It is delivery that we have to accelerate and be good at now. If I were to pick various projects, and I am trying to do that in each city, one of the key ones is probably the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Such walkways are social, healthy and more secure, which is important in light of recent events, God help us. The Senator is right. LED lighting could be a way of delivering on that. It uses a fraction of the energy and has a lower operation and installation cost. The lights are smaller but provide strong, downward light. They do not cause a serious light pollution issue. As the Senator...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: First, I still stand up for the right of people to make objections and even judicial challenges. It is a cornerstone of environmental good practice that people have the ability to use the law to question process or policy objectives or individual projects. Although these cases may cause hindrance and discomfort to many people, in many instances the objectors are often proven right. I do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Yes, that model has been used elsewhere. As for whether the N24, when it has been upgraded, although it will take time, will be a dual carriageway end to end, I do not believe it needs to be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: It will be a good investment because we will not have to go back to it again.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Yes, there will definitely be an opportunity for stakeholders to have input to the policy. I might focus on the Deputy's first set of questions. If we are going to differ on this, we might as well be honest, upfront and clear on why there are differences. It is not anything ideological but I have clear views. The potential for Limerick is huge, but I think that potential will be best...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am shocked. I have said the same thing three or four times now in this committee and it is not particularly new. Yes, I have a role as the Minister responsible and included in that is my role around funding. Limerick needs more investment in public transport, and that is my clear view. We need to invest in the Ballybrophy line, which is being retracked at present and we are going to put...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I do not intend to goad but I am passionate about this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: That is fair enough and I agree, but the Chairman can allow me to be passionate too. We built a station at Pelletstown recently which would be similar to the type of station to be put into Moyross, and it cost about €12 million. Could we build that in three years? Could we get it through planning and get it constructed? If we went about this climate crisis in the same way we went...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We could connect UL to LIT to Mary Immaculate College. Would that or would that not transform the city centre, as well as connecting those three colleges and benefiting the community?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: That is not the rail lines. That is on the road and on the riverfront. I think it could be done in three years. That is why I am talking about acceleration. We need to look at that level of acceleration.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I will. The committee knows my views. I prefer to be honest and upfront.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am glad the Deputy is looking at the big picture and thinking long term. Hopefully that thinking goes into his submission to the strategic rail review, which is ongoing. The specific opening requirement was to look at high-speed rail, originally on the Dublin-Belfast-Cork line but subsequently extended to other cities. We are not ignoring it. The interim funding done in the last year...