Results 27,521-27,540 of 32,961 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (23 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I have no proposals at this time for amending legislation in relation to pedelecs (electrically assisted bicycles). I will however keep the matter under review.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann (23 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 645 and 646 together.​ The issues raised are matters for Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus and I have forwarded the Deputy's questions to the companies for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (23 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: ​This is a matter for the Road Safety Authority. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within ten days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Policy (23 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: SI 182 of 1997 as amended by SI 332 of 2012 provides that cyclists should use cycle lanes where provided. Cyclists, like all road users, are required to obey road traffic law, and in addition, like all road users, are expected to act in a safe and responsible way.  There are no cyclist-specific speed limits, but cyclists are bound by the normal speed limits on any road. I...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services (23 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue raised is a matter for Irish Rail and I have forwarded the Deputy's questions to the company for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Wild Atlantic Way Project (23 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: While my Department provides the capital funding for investment in tourism offerings such as the Wild Atlantic Way, it is not directly involved in developing or managing these.  The development of the Wild Atlantic Way is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly I have referred the question to the agency for direct reply.  Please contact my private office if you...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Strips (23 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The subject matter of this particular question is the responsibility of the Irish Aviation Authority, and I have referred the question to them for direct reply.  I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.

Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects Status (18 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I fully take on board the points the Deputy has made to me. I made a point of responding to the Deputy myself because I genuinely accept the merit of these projects extends beyond the Deputy's county as they would have an effect on the region overall. The Deputy correctly stated the projects would need to be carried out in an integrated manner because, if they were carried out in isolation,...

Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects Status (18 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this matter. I have had the opportunity to respond to him about this on a number of occasions. It is a matter he is pursuing very strongly on behalf of his constituents and all of the employers in the area. As he has acknowledged, the project has significance beyond County Kildare and his constituency. Indeed, some of my constituents have raised the issue...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (18 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: ​The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including responsibility for administering the SPSV Entry Test, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences Renewals (18 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: ​The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including the issue of SPSV licences, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It feels like only a moment since I saw some of the members, and it is. It is good to be back at the committee to answer members' questions. I am very pleased to appear before the committee to discuss the outcome of the Transport Council in Luxemburg on 11 June. I attended the meeting and represented our country and our interests at the session. I will go through the main agenda items and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for his points. He is correct that we want a compensation programme that encourages airlines to continue to do their best to get people to destinations on time. The original proposal from the Commission on a threshold of five hours and above strikes the right balance and we support it. We share a common analysis on the railway package. We do not have the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I will begin with the Deputy's last question about the general views regarding PSO funding across Europe. It would be fair to say that virtually all member states understand the role PSO funding can play in meeting transport needs, as there is wide acceptance that the private market will not deliver all the transport needs that societies have. The diversity of views, however, is with regard...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: With regard to the road and rail freight points Senator Mooney has put to me, I will begin by dealing with the point about the upgrade of the roads to which he refers. We are constantly working on that to try to make an increase in the funding available for the upgrading of our existing road network. I accept that, due to the cutbacks in maintenance in recent years, many parts of our road...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I assure the Senator that there is no question of the interest in anything being left on the back burner. There is a fire burning brightly under many priorities and projects people and communities want to progress. In terms of the challenge facing me, Irish Rail is looking to progress rail opportunities. The National Roads Authority has very good road projects, not to mention our bus...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is, and to give an example of the interplay we now face, I know that the plant to which the Chairman referred has a number of specific needs which we can address at another point but if we look at the development taking place in our timber industry and the changes now taking place in agricultural communities due to the abolition of milk quotas, all of those have profound and direct...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: l will begin with Deputy O'Donovan's question as to current EU funding. I have provided letters of support for a number of projects across the country and these are now with the European Commission and are being considered. On his point about how we support ports and the need for a single Department to have responsibility for ports, the Taoiseach will decide the structure of the Government...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I understand the Deputy's argument although I am not sure I would agree with it because there is so much in each of the areas to which the Deputy refers. For example, there is so much complexity and law in the area of the foreshore issue that in my view it is best left in the Department with expertise in the area. Similarly, areas relating to marine development clearly sit better within the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Transport Council: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (17 Jun 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I can answer that question. The reason is that the European Union has a definition of what is the core transport network and we apply for it. The reason it is different for the UK is because of its different population densities and size. I work to influence the definitions but once the definitions are set it means that different countries can apply for funding in different ways.