Results 2,721-2,740 of 9,052 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I was very clear on the role of the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The terms and conditions of the VSS were approved by both Ministers. On staffing levels, the take-up under the VSS is completely a matter for the DAA. It runs the airport. It is looking at projections for passenger numbers. It is predicted that the return to the levels of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I agree with the Deputy on ensuring we have a functioning airport. It is not just about people getting their flights, although that is an absolute because it is the key service, it is also about staffing. It is about ensuring that the infrastructure is in good repair. It is about a whole range of issues that the DAA is well equipped to deal with, given that it knows both its role and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputies. It is clear from their contributions that we need to take a wider holistic approach to this. We are doing an awful lot in respect of public transport and active travel. There was a question today, for which the Deputy was not present, about electric vehicle charging points and the roll-out of charging infrastructure. It is very clear that a large part of reducing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: Electric vehicles play a central role in COP 21 with a target of 175,000 EVs on our roads by 2025 and 945,000 EVs on the road by 2030. There are currently more than 58,000 EVs registered on Irish roads. That is since the end of April 2022. By 2030, the abatement impact for an additional 845,000 passenger EVs is estimated to be about 2.5 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This figure...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71, 76 and 89 together. The DAA introduced a voluntary severance scheme, VSS, during the summer of 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 crisis as part of the cost-cutting measures deemed necessary to secure the continued viability of the company. This was at a time when the DAA was losing €1 million per day, passenger traffic was substantially...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Costs (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Deputies for their comments on this. It is clear that we need to look at ways to encourage more people to use public transport. That is an aim and objective of Government. We will look at the NTA's research on it. We can all see the positives anecdotally before even seeing that research. This will be broadened to include commercial operators as quickly as possible. The NTA is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Costs (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will raise the expansion of these services with the Minister. He is also looking at the matter. This all comes down to budgetary constraints. The youth travel card has been extended to commercial bus operators. There are currently no plans relating to the 20% PSO.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 91 together. My Department is currently focused on delivering a number of existing measures in our climate action plan, sustainable mobility policy and road safety strategy, none of which propose the introduction of a curb on new vehicle sales on the basis of a vehicle's size. However, our existing approach to the taxation of motor vehicles through...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the two Deputies for their comments, which I will relay to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The BusConnects network redesign for the entire bus network in Dublin, as overseen by the NTA, is being rolled out in 11 phases. It began in 2021 with the launch of the first two phases: the H spine from Howth or Malahide to the city centre in June, and the C spine in November. Phase 3,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: This communication with commuters who are trying to travel to work does not sound in any way acceptable. I will certainly raise this with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, who I am sure will raise it with the NTA.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Costs (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The young adult card was launched on PSO services on 9 May, with more than 1,000 applications received by the NTA on the launch day alone. We are currently working on broadening the initiative to include commercial bus services, with the aim to have that in place before the return of third level colleges. This will mean that, nationwide, those aged between 19 and 23 will be able to avail of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I agree. We want to encourage people to use public transport. That is the aim with the 20% price reduction and the young adult card. I will relay his point on those issues to the Minister. No matter where you draw the line there will be someone outside it but I hear exactly what he is saying. We want to get people out of their cars and incentivise them to use public transport where they...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am taking this question for the Minister so I will raise that with him and ask him to respond to the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I understand that the National Transport Authority expects to engage support services later this year to undertake the review of the Galway transport strategy and commence the review process at the end of the year. The review will be led by the NTA in co-operation with Galway City Council and Galway County Council. The review process will include consideration of all potential transport...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I must say I agree about park and ride and the urgency of identifying sites if we want to encourage people out of their cars to use public transport. I understand that the NTA is developing its park and ride strategy for Galway and will present it to Galway City Council and County Council in July. As I am sure the Deputy will know, a feasibility study for light rail in Galway will be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I share the frustration about the progress on public transport options in Galway. There has been the cross-city corridor, the Salmon Weir Bridge and there is some movement with BusConnects but it needs to continue and move faster. I understand the NTA will present the strategy on park and ride sites to both councils in July and that the feasibility study for light rail will be done as part...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 86 together. I am responding on behalf of the Minister. As the Deputy may be aware, the BusConnects Dublin preliminary business case was approved by the Government on 8 March of this year, on the Minister's recommendation. Approval of this business case allows the 16 core bus corridors to enter the planning process. The NTA will submit the 16...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy and am taking these questions on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan. We are acutely aware of the increase in the cost of living in recent months and the Minister recognises the impact that this has had on households across the country. For this reason, he was pleased to be able to introduce a 20% average fare reduction on public service obligation, PSO, public...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The decisions on this will be through the 2023 Estimates process, when we will be discussing this issue with our Government colleagues. It has only been a number of weeks since the 20% fare reductions have come into place on the young adult Leap card. The National Transport Authority, NTA, will be carrying out detailed research to determine the impact of fare reductions at that stage...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: On the question of people's working patterns now and hybrid working, I will furnish some further information. As I said, overall PSO passenger numbers are approximately 84% of pre-Covid-19 levels. Passengers are returning in good numbers in most markets with Local Link and Bus Éireann's town services in Limerick and Galway all reporting levels at or similar to 2019 levels. ...