Results 3,201-3,220 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with both Deputies. I was not forgetting north Kildare and the DART+ South West. A lot of projects are coming, and they will get through planning. I am confident that we are going to see them start to come through the planning system now. We must then immediately start thinking that now we have got them through planning, let us build. I will make one broader and much wider...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Deputy Griffin and I have had a discussion on this in the past, so I am particularly attentive to it. I do not believe I have been given the actual statistics on fatalities or injuries the road. I will make sure that my officials deliver that to the Deputy later today. I apologise because that is not the answer with which I have been presented, which I only realised when we came in this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy. I know that road well. It is very important that if we start it and upgrade some sections that we complete it and do the entire project. My understanding is that we are committed and that the funding will be provided to do it on a phased basis. It would make no sense to improve safety on large sections and then people suddenly come to a very poor section of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: It will be in the next week or two.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We were heartbroken this morning when we heard that news from County Carlow. It is devastating for their families. We pray for them and for the individual in hospital. That is why we have to do everything we can to try to reduce those instances and why we will invest to improve safety on our roads. I absolutely echo and agree with the Deputy's comments.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Costs (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: It is difficult; the reply looks like more than a minute's worth. I very much agree with the Deputy. Perhaps in the limited time I have, I could give some figures that I did not give earlier. That might answer the question in a way. This is part of the Supplementary Estimate I have but it is just to give an understanding of the figures. I will focus on the cost of public transport for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Éireann (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We need more drivers. The key thing we can do to help the bus service in Cork and around the country is to deliver the BusConnects network because no amount of drivers will be able to work-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Éireann (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We need to look at that. As I said earlier, we have carried out two years of consultation. In my mind, there is broad political support for the BusConnects network. In terms of what we need to do, I would look to accelerate that in order to get it into planning this year rather than next. That is one of the ways we could accelerate it. That will involve pushing all of the levers flat...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Éireann (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is absolutely correct; the bus service In Cork has to become more dependable. That requires new investment in drivers, as well as new buses and facilities. It also requires us to improve the conditions in which buses operate so that those drivers are not stuck in traffic. That is my key point. Delivery for the likes of BusConnects corridors is frustratingly slow, but it is the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The DART+ programme is a key programme of projects which will significantly expand the DART train service across the greater Dublin area. The programme comprises the DART+ fleet project, as well as various infrastructure projects. The NTA, in consultation with Iarnród Éireann, is progressing these projects which are at various stages of planning and development. In December...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I am not aware of the difficulties of the turnback in Malahide but I will try to find out about them and speak to the Deputy after the debate. There are a lot of different moving parts. The trains are coming. We need to determine the things we need to get right to accelerate the roll-out of the project. I spoke to officials about this yesterday. I question why it takes us so long to test...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy's example is very good and an important one. I am aware of the situation in Bawnogue. In January of this year there were a number of incidences whereby drivers did not go through certain estates for fear of some of the issues I mentioned earlier. There was a real threat of detour of all these routes. I am glad that my understanding is that that has not happened. That is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I do not disagree with the Deputies. To give some reassurance as to what Dublin Bus is doing, each bus, as I said, is equipped with CCTV. It also has access to central control, An Garda Síochána, both radio audible and silent alarms so they can get back up. It is also engaged a lot in the community forums Deputy Ward mentioned. It does that in a progressive way as well as in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Éireann (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I reassure the Deputy that I and my Department have regular engagement with Bus Éireann at all levels, including at CEO level, on issues such as governance, finance, investment, safety and service provision. I last met the chairwoman of Bus Éireann on 27 September last. I am aware of the ongoing public transport service issues in Cork city and the negative impact they are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Further to what I was saying a moment ago, I fully agree that we need to encourage more people to use public transport. That is why we are investing in significant service and infrastructure improvements as well as funding various fare initiatives that have been introduced in recent budgets which complement the heavily discounted fares already available for under-18s on PSO services....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy quotes our policy from April 2021, but he should look at what has happened since then. For a student, the 50% reduction is in effect a 60% reduction because it also benefits from the wider 20% reduction. If people in college who use public transport are asked what has changed in the last few years and whether they notice that change, they say "Yes". That was delivered thanks to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I am very glad about the Green Party policy we introduced whereby 10% of funding is going for cycling and walking, which has never been done before. That is delivering. I would welcome the Deputy cycling down from Tallaght on the new green route, which is going to be spectacular.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We will start concluding it this year, joining up south Dublin with Dublin city centre. That is Green Party policy being delivered. It was also Green Party policy that introduced in the programme for Government the 2:1 ratio between public transport and roads in the remaining capital budget. There was nothing like that before we came into government. That is also part of what we need to....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: People Before Profit councillors are going to vote against it, I am told.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (1 Feb 2024)

Eamon Ryan: If the position has changed, it will be good news.