Results 2,821-2,840 of 6,797 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Car Test (2 Mar 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: Will the Minister provide an update on the national car test, NCT, delays; the number of customers afforded a free test in 2022 and to date in 2023, in line with the recently reintroduced provision of the customer charter; the date on which the company concerned will meet its 12-day waiting time target; and the penalties it has faced to date for failing to meet this target? Will he make a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Car Test (2 Mar 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I am concerned about what we have we heard from Applus and the RSA, and the Minister of State is today just reflecting figures that Applus is giving him. He said 35,000 tests have been done, a significant improvement on December; however, it is no improvement at all on the figures we were given in the committee on 23 January. The figures the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Car Test (2 Mar 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: My sense is Applus is giving the RSA and the Government the runaround. That is my firm position. This company came before the Oireachtas committee and said the big issue was no-shows and people not turning up. When we questioned them on it, it transpired they are operating at 100% capacity and all those slots are filled. If there are no-shows, in some cases they are getting paid 150%....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences (2 Mar 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 31. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on taxi licence numbers, driver numbers and late night working following the recent driver recruitment campaign; if the restriction on plate transferability is recognised as a barrier to recruitment; his plans to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10512/23]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management (2 Mar 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 32. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline his plans to bring forward legislative provision for experimental road traffic orders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10513/23]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Airport Policy (2 Mar 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 57. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he will take to address the interference of drone activity on civil aviation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10511/23]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (2 Mar 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 59. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to create a second-hand market for electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10514/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister. I raise the sector's role in the energy transition, with a particular focus on solar. It operates at different scales, at a utility scale in large holdings, with a number in my own county, Meath. It is also on farm sheds, commercial buildings and piggeries. I ask the Minister for an update on that, the opportunity he sees in it and the efforts to try to realise it....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses for their attendance. Their collective contribution to getting us to this stage at all, which Mr. Kingston referred to, is a significant achievement. I made the same point to the Minister last week. We have still some way to go, so let us keep at it. I will pick up on a couple of points. Mr. Kingston will have heard the exchanges last week on the heads of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: In regard to the sequencing, I am not entirely clear. The two gentlemen have responsibility for overseeing the preparation of a review, but will they conduct the review in that three- to six-month period? Will the Department wait for the conclusion of that protected disclosure process? Will it inform the future functioning of the IFI? Are the Minister and the Department in a position to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 65. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will carry out a full review of the role and governance of Inland Fisheries Ireland, in light of recent revelations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9982/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to ask the Minister of State if he will carry out a full review of the role and governance of Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, in light of recent revelations and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: To be clear, are Mr. Barry and Mr. Neely conducting the governance review or are they preparing a plan for a governance review? Could the Minister of State clarify that? What is the expected timeline for the new board to be appointed? Does the Minister of State have an indication of when we might expect to see that? What is the process by which that will be conducted? The most important...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: A number of points arise. There is a significantly increased ambition regarding solar energy, with a goal of 5 GW by 2025, which was announced to great fanfare, but it will take much work to deliver on that. There is significant opportunity at a smaller scale, outside of utility scale, to realise that and to bring people along and have them play their part. There are a number of key...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: There are unnecessary barriers. It is not the Minister of State's responsibility but as I understand the targeted agriculture modernisation scheme, TAMS, 3 criteria, they are not getting paid for their excess electricity. They still cannot sell back to the grid or export. The community energy grant run by SEAI is available for businesses but there is a level of bureaucracy. We had the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Prices (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to ask the Minister of State a straight question and I hope he will give me a straight answer. When will the windfall tax be legislated for, when it will be introduced, what period will it apply for and how much will it bring in? I noticed that initial estimates were in the region of €1.9 billion and the lower estimates are in the region of €200 million to €300...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 58. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he will take to maximise delivery of solar photovoltaic, PV, systems on homes, schools, farm sheds, and community/sporting, commercial and public buildings in 2023; his targets in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9984/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to ask the Minister of State the measures he will take to maximise the delivery of solar PV systems on homes, schools, farm sheds and community, sporting, commercial and public buildings in 2023; his targets in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Prices (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 56. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures being taken to ensure that energy companies reduce their prices for customers to reflect the significant reduction in wholesale energy costs; if he has met with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in this regard; the date on which windfall taxes will be introduced; the amount they are expected to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Prices (28 Feb 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I am disappointed the senior Minister is not here. It is not the first time this has happened. I think he has ten advisers at this stage and he does not seem to be able to line up his diary. We can reschedule these questions. They are rescheduled regularly. I am disappointed that he is not here and that neither he nor his ten advisers gave us the courtesy of telling us he would not be...