Results 27,241-27,260 of 33,392 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chair.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Chairman, I have outlined the rationale for this policy. If the best that Deputy Ó Cuív can do is come in and accuse me of being arrogant and speaking rubbish, then I would encourage him to engage with the substance of the argument I am putting forward as opposed to attempting to ridicule it. I have outlined the policy rationale for this Bill and the reasons I believe it is the...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Go on, name them.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Chairman, it is precisely because of the need for integration that I believe the appropriate location for Dún Laoghaire Harbour is in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. In regard to the urging of Deputy Boyd Barrett on how that integration happens, I am well aware of his view on it. As I have said, it is a decision I will make and the due diligence process which will be...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is happening at present. It is my aim that assuming the Bill will be passed before Christmas and in the short aftermath, I will be able to make decisions on how integration would happen for the ports of regional significance.

Other Questions: Public Transport Initiatives (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, proposals in relation to three bus rapid transport, BRT, routes were included in the National Transport Authority's integrated implementation plan, which runs from 2013 to 2018. The Government has decided to proceed with the new metro north project, which we debated earlier. Funding will be available for that. In light of the Government's decision, I have asked...

Other Questions: Public Transport Initiatives (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Funding for the Blanchardstown to UCD and Clongriffin to Tallaght BRT projects is included in the capital plan.

Other Questions: Public Transport Initiatives (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Funding is included to proceed with those projects. As they are massive projects in their own right, they will take time to deliver. Regarding the Swords to Dublin BRT project, now that I have made a decision to proceed with the metro transport choice, I need to work back from that to determine the right form of bus transit to meet the needs that will exist before the metro opens in 2026 or...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Airlines applying for exemptions under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973 make such applications on a dedicated application form for each flight. In approximately 90% of cases the applications relate to the personal weapons of the troops on board the flight. The application forms for such flights specify that the exemption is...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The civil aircraft used to transport munitions or troops through Ireland are subject to the same civil aviation legislation as other civil aircraft. International and national legislation allows for inspection of aircraft from other states and authorised officers of the Minister or the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, have the usual powers of inspection of all aircraft in Ireland for the...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Our country is neutral. Our foreign policy is very clear on it and informs all choices the Government makes on foreign policy and other matters. My Department has clear responsibilities regarding legislation on the safety of aircraft. To extend the Deputy's analogy, the implementation of road traffic law is a matter for the Garda Síochána and, similarly, if there is evidence that...

Other Questions: City of Culture Initiative (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The European capital of culture programme is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Two cities are designated as capitals of culture each year. In 2020, an Irish city will share the designation with a Croatian city. A number of cities are competing for the designation in Ireland and it would be inappropriate for my Department, a national...

Other Questions: City of Culture Initiative (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: For the record, the cities applying are Dublin, Limerick, Galway and a combined bid from Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford. If I did not acknowledge all of them, I could be in difficulty with some of my colleagues, as would the Deputy. We want to acknowledge all of them. I believe an announcement of the winner will be made by next July. I understand that a pre-selection phase in relation to...

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, earlier this year, the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, and I met representatives of landowners in that area and representative bodies, including the IFA. After that meeting, the Minister of State and I requested the project team tasked with delivering the western section of the Dublin to Galway greenway to commence a consultation process with landowners along the...

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I will go to the heart of the Deputy's question on the use of private land. During the Easter school break earlier this year I had the opportunity to go to the greenway located in the county and constituency of the Minister of State, Deputy Ring. I observed the success of it running from Westport through Newport and Mulranny to Achill. Much of that greenway is located on and through...

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy can put that question to me again then. We have a process in place with TII and I will not prejudge the outcome of that, just as I did not prejudge the previous process that led to this conclusion.

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I am sorry but the Deputy earlier asked me to give a commitment on how the greenway would be built. I will not give that commitment when an independent body is in place to ascertain how it could be built. I will not prejudge what it might recommend or undermine its work in any way. The overall Galway to Roscommon section, at more than 110 km, is the largest portion of it, as the Deputy...

Other Questions: Greenways Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: In answer to the Deputy's first question, I expect the preparatory work on the Kildare and Meath portions of the greenway will begin in the first half of next year. I expect those new portions of the greenway to be open by the summer of 2017, which will then allow us to have made much more progress on the first half of the greenway. I am not in a position to say if further funding will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Traffic Offences (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: If I could just conclude, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I wish to put this information on the public record because the Deputy did make an important point - that if a perception arises regarding the ability of people to deal with road traffic offences in court, that is a big matter of concern to me and to the Government.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Road Traffic Offences (11 Nov 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The message is very clear that our courts are independent, but the overwhelming majority of people who appear in court for drink driving offences are successfully prosecuted.