Results 28,261-28,280 of 32,961 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bus Éireann Services (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: In regard to the Deputy's reference to the importance of money in the context of delivery of these services, that is the challenge. Bus Éireann has withdrawn these services because there is no adequate commercial rationale to it delivering them. In the absence of these services, changes will have to be made to existing subvented services. The Deputy will be aware that subvented...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of Aer Lingus (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for his question. As I have previously said on a number of occasions, the IASS and its funding is a matter for the trustees, the companies participating in the scheme, the scheme member and the Pensions Authority. The Deputy will be aware that the trustee proposal which was approved by the Pensions Authority and implemented on 31 December 2014 includes a contribution by...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bus Éireann Services (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Tá brón orm that I do not have enough of the líofacht to respond to the statement from the Deputy as Gaeilge but I want to accurately respond to the points he made. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has responsibility for securing the provision of public transport services, including the provision of PSO subvented services. I ensured that PSO funding was maintained at...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bus Éireann Services (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I appreciate the point the Deputy is making regarding the tábhacht or the importance of the services to which he is referring. These are services commercially delivered by Bus Éireann and not delivered by way of the PSO funding made available to Bus Éireann by the State. As I outlined in my initial response, one of the challenges to which Bus Éireann is currently...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of Aer Lingus (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is now very much a matter for IAG as to whether it wishes to make a further proposal which we would then consider in the way I have outlined. In response to the Deputy's specific question about the nature of assurances, we have not received any further assurances beyond the proposed deal that IAG made available a number of weeks ago which I have said was not acceptable to the Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of Aer Lingus (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is very important to be clear about the legal powers of the State at the moment. As the Deputy knows, the power that our shareholding confers on us at the moment is the ability to play a role in blocking the disposal of slots at Heathrow but not in determining their use. I must emphasise again that maintaining and growing access for our country, with particular focus on what will happen...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Sale of Aer Lingus (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: As I stated previously, as Aer Lingus remains in an offer period under the Irish takeover rules, I am constrained in what I can say publicly on the matter, as these rules apply to significant shareholders in some regards as well as offerors and offeree companies during an offer period. However, I did make a detailed statement clarifying the Government's position on the matter last month. ...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The basis for the question, as submitted by the Deputy, is that there is a significant difference between the actuarial assumptions recommended by the Society of Actuaries in Ireland and those used by daa to calculate its capital contribution to resolving the IASS problem. The Deputy’s information here is incorrect.  The assumptions used by daa followed the standard guidelines...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Light Rail Projects Status (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The National Transport Authority (NTA) which has responsibility for  the Luas Cross City project, reports regularly to my Department on its progress.  I chair the Luas Cross City Project Group comprising business representatives, the NTA, RPA, Dublin Bus, and An Garda Síochána to review progress and ensure the city remains open for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects Status (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects, such as the M50 is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. The M50 is the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The new Tourism Policy Statement "People, Place and Policy - Growing Tourism to 2025" will be officially launched later this month.  The three headline targets, to be achieved by 2025 are as follows: - Revenue from overseas tourism, excluding air fares and ferry charges, will rise from €3.3 billion in 2013 to €5 billion per year by 2025 net of inflation; -...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, Tourism Ireland is the agency with responsibility for the overseas marketing of Ireland as a tourist destination. Decisions on how Co. Donegal is marketed overseas are matters for Tourism Ireland Limited and these decisions are not subject to my approval. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's question to Tourism Ireland for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects Status (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Implementation of the A5 upgrade project is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland authorities.  The quashing by the High Court in 2013 of the Minister for Regional Development’s approval for the construction of two sections of the road has resulted in significant delay.  Since then the Northern Ireland authorities have been working on the additional evaluations...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann Services (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Priority Question No. 115 which I answered earlier.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aer Lingus Sale (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: In my statement following the Cabinet briefing on 24 February I set out the Government’s position in the context of the proposals from IAG to make an offer for Aer Lingus.    The position is that information and commitments that have been provided to date do not at present provide a basis on which the Government could give an irrevocable commitment to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbours and Piers Development (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I share everyone’s disappointment at the recent announcement by Stena to centralise all Dublin ferry operations through Dublin Port. While the Dún Laoghaire service has been greatly reduced in recent years the financial impact on the port is significant and challenging and it is clear that the company faces a very different financial and operating environment. In...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aer Lingus Sale (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Firstly it is important to point out that  IAG has made a proposal to make an offer only and no formal offer has yet been made for Aer Lingus. I have not had meetings with Aer Lingus stakeholders but I have paid particular attention to the views expressed by stakeholders during sessions of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications. In my recent...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aer Lingus Sale (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Firstly it is important to point out that  IAG has made a proposal to make an offer only and no formal offer has yet been made for Aer Lingus. As I indicated on 24 February, the information and commitments provided to date do not at present provide a basis on which the Government could give an irrevocable commitment to accept an offer to dispose of its shares, should one be made...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann Services (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Priority Question No. 115 which I answered earlier.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Coras Iompair Éireann (10 Mar 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: CIÉ remains in a difficult financial situation and has incurred accumulated losses of over €137m in the five years from 2009 to 2013.  This trend is unsustainable and is being addressed on a number of fronts. CIÉ is dependent on continued bank funding and new banking facilities, agreed in 2013, contain a number of financial covenants,...