Results 28,641-28,660 of 32,961 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Rail Services (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: As I indicated in response to questions from Deputies Dooley and Ellis, before Christmas the Department introduced a Supplementary Estimate of €101 million specifically for public transport. This funding was allocated towards the modernisation of the Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann fleets and renewal and infrastructure works on busy parts of the rail network. These works are under...

Other Questions: Rail Services (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I intend to commence a public consultation on rail policy. As Deputy Durkan is aware, the rail service plays an important role in meeting transport needs. It also has specific funding needs and must continually fund maintenance and renewal works on the rail system. This is one of the reasons almost €50 million was allocated to Irish Rail before Christmas. We also maintained the...

Other Questions: Road Signage (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: That is a matter for Google in terms of how such vehicles are to be planned. I am actively considering the home zone proposal for a different, lower speed limit within residential areas. I am considering whether a designated amount could be set aside to look specifically at the issue of speed limits in residential communities, because it is a point of which I am aware. I will have to...

Other Questions: Rail Services (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I refer the Deputy to my answer to the Priority Question No. 127. I have touched on the Supplementary Estimate I brought in the purpose of which is to address the points the Deputy has raised. Some additional points are pertinent to the question he has put to me on public transport use and integration. Since 2011, €143 million has been topped up on Leap cards. For 2014 alone, that...

Other Questions: Road Signage (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I note that there were several extraordinarily tragic incidents on the roads at the start of the year. Of course, any loss of life is tragic, but our hearts go out to everyone involved in the incidents that occurred. While there has been a slight decrease versus where we were one year ago, I derive little satisfaction from this, given the number of people who have lost their lives. ...

Other Questions: Road Signage (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy asked a number of questions. I will come back to him on two of them as I am not in position to answer them now. He asked me a specific question about the Vienna Convention. I will come back to him on the matter within the next week. I expect that the signage book would be updated, but I will confirm that and will reply to the Deputy on it. Regarding the A5, there is a...

Other Questions: Transport Infrastructure (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: To answer the Deputy's specific question, I do not believe that BRT on its own would replace a long-term rail or public transport option for the north side of the city. At the moment, we are exploring what role it can play in the medium term. As the Deputy is aware, and as I have said in response to other Deputies earlier on, we will be getting back a business case which will allow me to...

Other Questions: Transport Infrastructure (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy can well understand, I am not going to pre-judge a process that is weighing up all these different factors. I understand he has participated in it and has made his views known. The reason we have the National Transport Authority doing this work is so that it can evaluate all the different options and make a recommendation to me. BRT could play a role in the future. I do...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: On access to the airport, a matter Deputy Alan Farrell has also raised, we have put in place a process to examine the options that might substantially improve access between Dublin city centre, the airport and Swords. As I told Deputy Timmy Dooley earlier, I aim to have that process completed by the middle of the year to ensure we will be clear on what projects will be involved which will...

Other Questions: Transport Infrastructure (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The National Transport Authority, NTA, has commissioned the Fingal-north Dublin transport study to examine all existing proposals, namely, heavy rail, metro, Luas extensions, as well as other options for a rail-based transport solution to meet the needs of the Swords-Dublin Airport to city centre corridor in the long term. Phase one of the study was launched on 8...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I will try to respond to each of the points made by the Deputy. In regard to the north east, I spent all day yesterday, including yesterday evening, in Donegal where I heard first-hand many of the points made today by the Deputy. For example, the county manager made the point that there is more than 6,000 km of road network and between 4,000 and 5,000 bridges in County Donegal. The vast...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Provision (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I absolutely appreciate the Deputy’s point, that there is a need for public transport projects in parts of our country to alleviate congestion challenges just as in many other parts of the country there is an acute need for infrastructure and investment in our local road network to respond to the needs in many counties. For me to gain support within Government for projects to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I am committed to supporting a well-funded public transport system into the future, recognising the vital role it plays in our economy and society generally. I ensured that PSO funding for bus and rail services was maintained at current levels in the last budget, the first time this has happened since 2008. At the end of 2014 I brought forward a Supplementary Estimate which...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Provision (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: The National Transport Authority, NTA, has responsibility for the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the greater Dublin area, GDA. Under this remit, the NTA has commissioned the Fingal-north Dublin transport study to examine all existing proposals as well as other possible options for a transport solution to meet the needs of the Swords-Dublin Airport-city...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Transport Provision (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: By the middle of 2015 I aim to have achieved clarity on the projects that should be progressed and why. It is more difficult to answer the second part of the Deputy's question about when work will begin and when the projects will be open to serve the travelling public because the recommendation I take to the Government will determine which projects will be built and how long it will take to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: It is at least possible that the Deputy might be misinformed on this as well.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I am glad to hear that she has such certainty. I am struck by such certainty on this matter. I have my own information that I have put on the record of the House and I have answered each of the questions the Deputy has put to me. When I have answered them, she has then-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I have given the Deputy the answer on that. My information on the process that is taking place is that SIPTU has provided a statement to the expert panel.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: In the communication that my Secretary General and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation made to the expert panel, we requested that engagement take place between the expert panel and senior officials within SIPTU to facilitate engagement. This is the information that I have. I understand that the process of engagment is under way. If the Deputy has information to the contrary,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (3 Feb 2015)

Paschal Donohoe: I must again make it clear that the IASS and its funding are primarily matters for the trustees, the companies participating in the scheme, the scheme members and the Pensions Authority.  Following SIPTU’s recommendation last November to its members in the DAA and the Shannon Airport Authority to reject the IASS trustees proposal, the Secretaries General of my Department and...