Results 28,581-28,600 of 32,961 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roads Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputies for raising those points. To begin with Deputy O'Donovan's points, when the Bill completes all Stages in the Dáil I will need to take it to the Seanad, as the Deputy is aware, and I hope to see it passed promptly enough. It will then be a matter for the body as to how it uses its powers. The reason I am making this change is to try to enable a planning process...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roads Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I move amendment No. 16:In page 14, to delete lines 27 to 34 and substitute the following: "(b) request the Authority to, and if requested the Authority shall— (i) make grants to road authorities in respect of any or all of their functions under this Act or otherwise in relation to regional and local roads, or (ii) make payments to any person in relation to regional and local roads,...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roads Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I move amendment No. 17:In page 14, line 38, to delete "paragraph (b)" and substitute "paragraph (b)(i)".

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roads Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I move amendment No. 18:In page 15, after line 11, to insert the following:"8. Schedule to Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act 2013.".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is very good to be here with all the members this morning. I acknowledge that the issues we are discussing today are very important to members, their constituents, the country in general and all the people on the island. I will start by referring to the projects the Chairman alluded to, namely, the N2, A5, N14 and N15 projects. I am fully aware that the financial crisis has had a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I will respond to Deputy Conlan first. He discussed the neglect of the road network, the need for that to be addressed to facilitate economic development in that region and the need for local authorities and both Governments to focus on this. I fully accept the Deputy's point regarding the need for investment in that part of our road network, the maintenance of what is there and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I will begin with Deputy McGinley's contribution and will make one broad point. When I was in County Donegal on Monday, I had the opportunity to meet the American Chamber of Commerce and a group of employers. All were united in saying that road connectivity was absolutely essential to economic development. They made the point - these considerations are applicable across the Border counties...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank members for their questions. I want to emphasise that I accept that to address the development needs of the region, we must improve the road infrastructure in the area. My challenge is that I need to meet those needs in the context of a fixed budget. The budget will always be fixed in the future. However, as we see economic recovery, I am aiming to ensure that not only will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I pointed out in my earlier contribution that I am not assigning responsibility for what happened to anybody. I said that. Lest there be an inference that I am in a position of assigning blame or responsibility for what happened, I draw everybody's attention to what I said. I have the height of respect not only for members here but for Louth County Council, the officials of which I have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: That is a question for other people to answer. I was very clear in answering the question that the Chairman put to me. I am not today seeking to assign responsibility or blame for what happened to any individual or party. As a Minister who is accountable to the Dáil for how money within my Department is spent and who deals with issues such as this all the time, I stand over my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I accept that. I know from what the Chairman said that it has the support of the full committee. I cannot deliver €1.5 million or €2 million at this meeting but I am clear on the request.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: If the question is addressed to me, I cannot give an answer. I am sure we engaged with the council on the project when the original decision was made in 2013. That is when the tender process was completed. Across that period is when the cost would have changed. I can revert to the committee about the discussions we have had with Louth County Council.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I want to be very clear that I am not coming in here assigning responsibility to particular parties.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Developments in Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: To respond to Senator D'Arcy's point about my not answering the question, I did not do so as I am not in a position to answer the query with hard facts and information. I will not make comments that I cannot stand over. I will revert to the committee within the next two weeks with our own observations on what happened in the process.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities Provision (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The proposed Great Eastern Greenway is an ambitious plan by Louth County Council (LCC) to construct a 44km cycleway stretching from Dundalk, Co Louth to Newry, Co Down.  A Steering Group was established in late 2014, comprising representatives of LCC and the Newry and Mourne District Councils, to discuss the delivery of the 7.4km link to Newry City to which the Deputy is referring. I...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Local Improvement Scheme (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Local Improvement Scheme remains in place and it has not been abolished.  The purpose of this Scheme is to provide funding for roads and laneways that Councils have not taken in charge.  However, the maintenance and improvement of these is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant landowner. At present, local authorities may use up to 15% of their initial Discretionary...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Parking Regulations (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Under regulation 36 of the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 (S.I. No. 182 of 1997), it is illegal to park on a grass margin. A grass margin is defined in the regulations as 'that portion of a public road situated on either side of a footway and which is provided for the growing of grass, trees or shrubbery of any kind.' Enforcement of road traffic regulations in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue raised is a matter for Iarnród Éireann and I have forwarded the Deputy's question 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: Driver Licence Renewals (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The National Driver Licensing Service (NDLS) under the Road Safety Authority (RSA), normally requires attendance in person at an NDLS centre on one occasion for image capture when renewing a licence.  This is part of the SAFE 2 (Standard Authentication Framework Environment) identity verification standard.   However, given the difficulty in cases where people ordinarily...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roads Maintenance Funding (5 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: Details of the 2014 regional and local road grant allocations and payments to county councils are outlined in the regional and local road grant payment booklets which are available in the Dáil Library.  Details of the 2015 regional and local road grant allocations to each county council are being provided to the Dáil library. With regard to national roads, details of the...