Results 3,761-3,780 of 9,380 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cycling Facilities (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: It is important to bear in mind the challenges this year in regard to Covid. The level 5 restrictions had an impact on the roll-out of greenways because those projects were not seen as essential projects during the level 5 restrictions, which meant any non-essential construction could not occur during those months. That has impacted on the roll-out of a number of those projects. All...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am delighted to see the new BusConnects Dublin network being rolled-out. I agree with the Deputy that it is important that people have an opportunity to give feedback and their thoughts on its roll-out. It is great to see improvements happening on the ground with this year’s launch of the H spine and the C spine. Next year will see further phases of the new network rolled out,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will forward the Deputy’s comments to the Minister, Deputy Ryan. The information I have is there are channels and clear information for people to make their complaints and give their comments around existing services. I know the NTA is liaising closely with the transport operators in reviewing the introduction of these new services and it will take appropriate action, where...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Transport Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network. The NTA works with the relevant public transport operators...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Transport Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: I assure the Deputy that my Department is actively engaging with the relevant agencies and Departments to strengthen the public transport offerings throughout the country by providing additional funding for increased public transport services. The Government has committed to using the research into the cost of disability to inform future policy direction, and the national disability...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Transport Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: I hear what the Deputy is saying. The NDIS steering group will be key in this area to ensure a whole-of-government approach. The NDIS sets out the overall framework for the equal participation of people with disabilities in society. It aims to improve the lives of people with disabilities and contains precise, measurable actions and timescales for delivery. The Department of Children,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cycling Facilities (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: The programme for Government committed that €360 million in cross-Government funding will be spent on walking and cycling per annum over the lifetime of the Government. This investment will help support the delivery of almost 1,000 kilometres of improved walking and cycling infrastructure by 2025, as well as additional investment in greenways. The total expenditure delivered on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: The current spike in energy prices arises principally from the global recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. It has implications across the economy. With regard to the impact on transport, the Government will continue to monitor impacts on trade and key supply chains as it has done through the challenges arising from Brexit and the pandemic. Road hauliers are currently supported in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am okay, thank you. I appreciate that, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. On the pandemic unemployment payment for small public service vehicle, SPSV, drivers, we all acknowledge how that industry has been hit during the pandemic. As many as 70% of them availed of the PUP at the height of the pandemic and, as the Deputy may be aware, the PUP has been reopened for a limited time to support...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: On the Minister, Deputy Ryan's engagement with the taxi industry, he has met representatives on several occasions, including representatives of several taxi unions twice. Last month, the Minister met a representative of the taxi dispatch operators. Other members of Government, including the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, have also met with taxi driver representatives. As I say, the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am aware of media reports regarding internal documents from the MetroLink project team released under Freedom of Information. And I can obviously appreciate the intense frustration among lots of people with regard to the timing of MetroLink’s delivery. An awful lot of the discussion around delays relates to graphics used back in 2019 which set out an indicative timeline, premised on...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: The review of the Galway Transport Strategy will be undertaken next year and will be led by the National Transport Authority (NTA), in cooperation with Galway City Council and Galway County Council. I believe there is a need to review the Strategy and take stock of developments since its publication in 2016. As I have stated previously, my view is that a feasibility study for light rail in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: As the Minister for Transport, Minister Ryan holds responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I note that he is not involved in the day-to-day operations, provision, or maintenance of public transport services, including matters related to subsidised rail services. The Free Travel Scheme is a non-statutory scheme administered by the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to thank the Deputy for her question and the opportunity to discuss the very serious issue of anti-social behaviour on our public transport systems. Anti-social behaviour is a broad societal issue that we are currently facing to which public transport is not immune, and I recognise that those who work and commute daily using our public transport network are most directly...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy for the question although I think there are probably three linked but separate questions I need to address. Firstly, both Minister Ryan and I were delighted to secure Government approval last week for DART+ West. The approval Government issued is known as Decision Gate 1 approval in the Public Spending Codeand means that DART+ West can now move forward into the statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 35 together. As stated in the National Development Planthese issues are being considered in the context of the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (LSMATS). As the Deputies may be aware, that Strategyis being developed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in collaboration with Limerick City and County Council, Clare County Council...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: My Department is undertaking an assessment of the feasibility of using part of the Kilrane State facilities site to facilitate HGV drivers for parking up purposes at the Port. The primary purpose of the State site at Kilrane is to ensure that all of the appropriate statutory customs, SPS and health checks and controls required for HGVs arriving from Great Britain are undertaken in a secure,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: The SEAI grant scheme aims to encourage behavioural change and support the Government’s commitment to achieving a 51% reduction in transport emissions by 2030. The grant schemes are kept under continuous review to ensure that they are as effective as possible in driving the decarbonisation effort. In the past year, many new BEVs with ranges of over 400km on a single charge have been...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ports Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Deputy refers to specific commitments under the Programme for Government. These two commitments relate to the examination of "the development of national tourism trails linking our ferry port and rail network”and working "with the ports and ferry companies to increase the number of foot and cycle passengers”. In relation to the first commitment, the development and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (16 Dec 2021)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Deputy has highlighted a very important issue which must be addressed in both rural and urban Ireland – the need to integrate and increase the capacity of our sustainable mobility services and infrastructure. Integrated and reliable transport helps us meet our climate obligations by enabling more people to switch to a sustainable option as their preferred transport mode. As...