Results 3,381-3,400 of 5,625 for speaker:Cathal Crowe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: There is gravel, traffic lights and traffic cones. Can the officials give us hope by telling us that something will happen in the interim to ameliorate the situation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: I thank Mr. Mullaney for his replies. In conclusion, I was a councillor before I became a Deputy and the Chairman is a former councillor. Over the years we attended similar briefings, as Oireachtas representatives and councillors, and I never ever heard the Limerick northern distributor road be treated as just being a discrete infrastructure project from Coonagh to Knockalisheen. It was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: I want to withdraw,if possible, my comments relating to subcontractors and plant machinery. I thank the Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: Thank you. I welcome Mr. Parlon and Mr. Sheridan to the meeting. There were overlapping meetings for me today. I have been following most of this meeting and have read the CIF's opening statement but I apologise for arriving a little late. I do not know if our guests watched "The Great House Revival" on television on Sunday night with the architect, Mr. Hugh Wallace. It is about the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: Very good. The entire series was filmed during Covid. Basically, a house renovation begins and halfway through the programme, after the ad break, Mr. Wallace says that they ran into trouble because costs spiralled out of all control. Every week they seem to resolve it because the contractor and the family split the costs. It resolves itself and then in the second part, the project gets...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: We have a lot to chew over here. I am glad the CIF is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform but it concerns me that it is has been months since both parties met. We are talking about big projects at this committee but my main concern is how this is impacting across housing and smaller scale projects throughout the country. We are not supposed to get into that too...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: The next question is a big "if" and the witnesses might not want to answer it. I am being company-specific here and I know there may be liquidity information to which none of us is privy. Could one of these more flexible contracts, had it been in place for the northern distributor road in the Limerick-Clare area, have saved Roadbridge from going wallop last month?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: The other point I would add, and I would have said it earlier when the departmental representatives were here, is that while we are talking today about the cost of materials such as aggregates, steel and so on, fuel is also an issue. Roadbridge employees, who are able to speak freely now having been unshackled from the company, told me that if they had remained on contract, they heard that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: That is huge, especially when we are talking about projects costing tens of millions of euro.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: It would be no harm for the committee to communicate that to the Department. It is very important. This is the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, after all. We have spoken about fuel costs previously but to hear Mr. Parlon quantify it at up to 10% in the context of projects costing tens of millions of euro is extremely worrying. A few weeks ago, during questions on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: It is worth exploring though. We did not really understand supply chains until Covid came along. We have seen how it worked in terms of PPE and vaccines. Bulgaria will see 60% of its gas shut off today but the European bloc has rallied overnight and secured alternative supplies. It is not within the gift of this committee, the Irish Government or the Houses of the Oireachtas but the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: Is the CIF impressed with or concerned about how many projects the Government has given the green light to? We are Deputies. I constantly go on social media pointing out that this is great. However, I hear people back home asking whether, although all these projects are being announced, the country has the capacity to build them. It is one thing for politicians to announce them, but they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: However, is there not a problem for the 18- or 19-year-old who wants to get into construction or one of the trades? Their parents are likely to suggest that is well and good but they should try college first. When he or she comes out of college, they are no longer the hands-on tradesman with the callouses and welts with a lump hammer and a shovel doing the work; they are the foreman or the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: Currently for €20 I can object and hold up a €20 million project. There is something wrong with that.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Impact Assessments (26 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: 231. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a plant (details supplied) will require an environmental impact assessment under the EIA Directive of the EU. [19276/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Legislative Measures (26 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: 394. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider introducing a law to make it compulsory for motorists to have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher in their vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20444/22]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Data (26 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: 551. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a percentage breakdown of the areas (details supplied) in which the funds collected from carbon tax are spent in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19728/22]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ukraine War (26 Apr 2022)

Cathal Crowe: 569. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the former Garda station at Lissycasey, County Clare; and if the Office of Public Works have given consideration to this building being used to accommodate refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20443/22]