Results 3,641-3,660 of 6,851 for speaker:Ruairí Ó Murchú

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: That is brilliant stuff. We have dealt comprehensively with a considerable number of issues, which will feed into the work we are doing on accession in general. While there are a number of caveats and worries, there is a lot of hope. We all want to go in the same direction and play whatever small part we can. Before I finish, do members have any questions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I too welcome both ambassadors. Tá fáilte mhór rompu. Maybe one day we will get to the point where we will have ambassadors in situin Ireland and the need to travel here would not be necessary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Go raibh maith agaibh go léir and we will finish the meeting on those kind words.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I get it. We are in a world where there is not only the regular play of politics one would have had traditionally but also online platforms. Not only are we open to cyberattack, we have facilities that are very easily weaponised by state and non-state actors to push confrontational politics, which can make that worse. That is a particular worry we have. We had a meeting of the Joint...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: This is something we have to build into any conversation we have in the next while. It is part of the wider conversation of just how interconnected we are, but we all have to make this journey together. We have to get through this winter and eventually put ourselves in a better place. Does Albania have a timeline to deliver on the obligations required by the European Commission in order...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: This has gone over and back a number of times, so I promise not to repeat what has been said, and then I will go ahead and repeat every point that has already been made. That is what sometimes happens here. Let us start with NCTs. We realise where we are. We know the situation as it stands. As the Chair stated, the timeframe that was mentioned is unacceptable. It will probably be the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I think my letter was late. We will not worry about that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I got that. I could go through the process that everyone else mentioned about booking timeframes. It was due at some point in August that I cannot remember now. I did put myself on the cancellation list. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Is the promise that a person is generally called within 30 days? I rang up. I was not sure whether I went on the cancellation list. Given the fact that I was not asked for a payment I wanted to make sure that I had not messed up. I contacted the call centre-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Is that still the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Unless everyone on the list decides to go on the cancellation list, in which case it will not work. At the moment it is an option that is open to people. I must admit that I got it very quickly. I can admit at this stage that my NCT was probably out of date for a number of days but not for months. I will be honest: after I got notification, I first tried to get a test and I was offered...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I accept that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Mr. Walsh has mentioned that particular issue. Anyone would say at the moment that no young people are going through apprenticeships.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Yes, more so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: So quicker, faster, better. That is as much about the RSA looking and the Department answering and reacting. That is something we can follow up. There is a particular issue with the driver test centre in Drogheda. Are we any further on?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: So by hook or by crook it will be business as usual from February on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I get that. The RSA should interact with anybody who might possibly come up with a solution. Who did the RSA interact with on the matter of finding a site?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: It is just about making sure we do not have a break in service. We must do anything that can be done from the point of view of finding the location. We only need to find one. It is just the case that time is running out. People might say this is utter clientelism or localism. It is probably an issue when people have to travel to Drogheda. There is no NDLS office in Dundalk for people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: As much as one might want to centralise, there will be an element of a sensible solution in offering people as many services as close to them as possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I have been over and back to the witnesses about a person who is looking to change what they claimed was a full English licence. It was in rag order, which is about as best as I can describe it. In fairness to the organisation, it has been on to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, DVSA. A solicitor also made contact because, in fairness to the guy, he maintained it was a full licence...