Results 3,561-3,580 of 6,802 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (4 Oct 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 512. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the distribution of the SUSI grants by socio-economic group; the distribution of such grants between urban and rural applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48389/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (4 Oct 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 513. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details in relation to the way that he ensures that SUSI grants go to genuinely deserving applicants and that the system is transparent and fair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48390/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (4 Oct 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 551. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 139 of 29 June, when a response will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48384/22]

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Financial Resolution No. 6: General: Financial Resolution (Resumed) (28 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak on budget 2023. I will focus my comments on the transport and climate budgets. At a time when we need a transformation in transport to make it safer, more accessible and more affordable, budget 2023 fell far short. Despite a concerning level of antisocial behaviour on public transport, there was no funding for a public transport policing unit. While the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a great opportunity here, as can be seen from the demand. A great many schools are putting up their hands, eager to lead by example and to address the congestion and chaos outside our primary and secondary schools. It is a positive scheme but greatly oversubscribed. There is a real need to unlock that potential and opportunity. This will require additional funding and a different...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a very significant opportunity here. Much of what we discuss with regard to climate action is contentious and difficult but here there is a perfect alignment between the wishes, needs and frustrations of people and the solutions that are available. On the solutions, the Government needs to look at the opportunity presented here and to treat our education centres, our primary and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 15. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to increase funding to the safe-routes-to-school programme to improve cycling infrastructure on the approach to schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46321/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Greenways Provision (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I have previously raised this matter with the Minister. There is considerable potential in this project. The Minister has put his finger on the issues. I and the Mayor of Navan, Councillor Eddie Fennessy, have met Meath County Council about this matter. It a Gordian knot of complexity because of how the greenway is linked with the navigation project. The environmental piece and the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Go-Ahead Ireland has a limited number of services, yet I hear about many of them from colleagues throughout the country, largely in the commuter belt area and Dublin, such as the 184, the 185, the 45A, the 238, the 270, the L52, the 115, the 120 - I could go on. I raised this with representatives of the NTA who appeared in committee yesterday. There are problems in the sector generally, but...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: In light of those fines and the recognised poor standard of service, there are questions to be asked as to why it is worse with Go-Ahead Ireland than it is with State providers and as to its terms and conditions of employment and so on. Was it a mistake to privatise those routes? Should they have been maintained within the State service? Plenty of private providers do an excellent job...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Taxi Regulations (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 1. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to set out the efforts he is making to ensure the sustainability and viability of the taxi sector; if he will abandon or extend by five years the ten-year rule; if he will relax constraints preventing the transfer of plates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46549/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Taxi Regulations (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to ask the Minister about the efforts he is making to ensure the sustainability and viability of the taxi sector; if he will abandon or extend by five years the ten-year rule; if he will relax constraints preventing the transfer of plates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Taxi Regulations (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: There has been a welcome U-turn on the ten-year rule. We have discussed this on a number of occasions in the Chamber and in the committee. I believe there was intransigence on the part of the responsible authorities, which flew in the face of the obvious. I welcome that there has been a U-turn and that there is a consultation, which I hope will come to a successful conclusion. An...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Taxi Regulations (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I hope it is introduced but it is a U-turn. A number of months ago when I raised the issue with the Minister, he could not have been more categoric in his opposition to it, despite the fact that at the time taxi drivers right across the country were shouting from the rooftops about the impending crisis. The job of the Taxi Advisory Committee is to advise. The NTA told us yesterday that it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 3. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which he intends to address poor service standards, including no-shows and poor punctuality, on many bus routes operated by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46550/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: How does the Minister intend to address poor service standards, including no-shows and poor punctuality, on many bus routes operated by Go-Ahead Ireland? Will he make a statement on the matter?

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Schemes (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 26. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reform the EV grant scheme to target grant support as persons that need it most; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46319/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motor Industry (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 32. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce a scrappage scheme for the oldest and most polluting lorries to help hauliers transition to more environmentally friendly engines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46318/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 66. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to extend the 20% fare reduction for public transport to commercial bus operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46317/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (22 Sep 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 41. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to extend the short-hop zone to more train stations to help reduce the cost of public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46320/22]