Results 3,861-3,880 of 6,802 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (21 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 567. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is policy to obtain an independent valuation of a school property in circumstances (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32385/22]

Emissions in the Transport Sector Report: Motion (16 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion and report. I thank the previous speakers, the Chair and the Minister of State for being here. I also thank the witnesses, the committee secretariat and the committee members for their input to the process. We know that the current emissions situation is not good. After a fall in emissions in 2020, we are back to business as usual and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (16 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I will leave the following with the Minister of State. He did not come back to me on the opportunity, if any, to speed these things up and move more quickly. To bring that Q4 of 2024 back to mid 2024 or late 2023 would make a significant difference. I made points on the contingency, the response, the supports for vulnerable customers and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (16 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue, which is of deep concern to residents in Ratoath, as the Minister of State might imagine. There are regular outages there; we had in the region of six significant outages this year and many more instances of low pressure and everything that goes with that in the return, dirty water and the service being unavailable for a period of time....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: On Monday, Oireachtas Members from County Meath heard that the HSE intends to move imminently into the final stages of implementation, as it calls it, at Navan hospital. By September, the HSE intends to close all intensive care unit beds in the hospital and to close the emergency department and replace it with a medical assessment unit. This clear intention was restated yesterday at a...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Cycling Policy (16 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 62. To ask the Minister for Finance if he has plans to expand the bike-to-work scheme to ensure that students, pensioners and those on social welfare payments can access the same benefit that this scheme delivers for PAYE workers; if he is working with colleagues in the Departments of Transport and Public Expenditure and Reform on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30742/22]

Annual Transition Statement: Statements (15 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Although the annual transition statements framework was abolished and replaced with a new process under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, this gives us a good opportunity to reflect on the Government’s progress to date on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and take on board suggestions from the...

Energy Security: Motion [Private Members] (15 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The Rural Independent Group has identified a problem but, unfortunately, it has looked in exactly the wrong place for the solution. We have an energy security crisis and the Government has significantly contributed to it. We have an energy cost crisis and the Government has significantly contributed to it. The Rural Independent Group suggests, however, that the answer is new fossil fuel...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Ms Byrne for her presentation. It is good to see the witnesses again. I welcome that there has been some progress since we last met. I will pick up on the last point Ms Byrne made about how An Post would like to see things unfold now in respect of engagement. There is a process to work its way out in respect of the potential government services and a one-stop shop and what that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: That is the point I was going to make. Things happened in between and it is almost as if the branch network of An Post might be a physical place to go and access that one-stop shop.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The SEAI has taken that space in terms of the online portal whereas An Post's great advantage is the physical branch network and the branding. Can An Post link the two to get the best of both? There is opportunity there is heads are put together.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: When we had representatives of the DAA before us, they said they were relying on information from the best sources they could get, including the Minister of State's Department. Therefore, I will ask my question again: did the Minister of State agree with the DAA's analysis of the nature of the recovery? If so and if she was relying on the same evidence from her Department, does it mean its...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Has the Minister raised concerns with the DAA in respect of the high volume of security staff who were let go over the past two years? Has she expressed concern that letting staff go during this period was unfair and opportunistic? Has she raised the likely scenario that this would affect Dublin Airport's ability to deal with a full return to aviation activity?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: It is quite clear with the benefit of hindsight, at least, that the DAA cut too deep. I would argue that it should have been better informed and prepared and have had better foresight of what the prospective return to aviation would look like. There is a clear charge, which I think is a logical and substantiated one, that this was opportunistic. The nature of the cuts by the DAA was not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Aviation Industry (14 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 62. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he intends to publish an updated national aviation policy; if he will outline the policy options being considered to deliver a more even distribution of air traffic between Irish airports in order to support the objective of balanced regional development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30746/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Aviation Industry (14 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The Chair will have an interest in this question. When does the Minister of State intend to publish an updated national aviation policy? Will she outline the policy options being considered to deliver a more even distribution of air traffic between Irish airports in order to support the objective of balanced regional development? Will she make a statement on the matter?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Aviation Industry (14 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: A number of members of the transport committee are here. Aviation has been a particular focus of our committee right throughout this period, since the committee was established under this Dáil, whether during Covid or, more recently, in respect of the issues at Dublin Airport. We are undertaking a series of visits to a number of our airports. We have been at Dublin and Shannon...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Aviation Industry (14 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: We are constrained by state aid rules. The lack of State influence in Aer Lingus is a limitation. It is not one my party supported but it is one we have to live with. The transport committee continues to meet with representatives of regional airports. Members of the committee make the case that we want to hear from them and that they need to engage with the review of the national aviation...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (14 Jun 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 61. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the year-on-year timeline for the delivery of the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan; the budget that he intends to provide in each year to deliver this plan; the routes that will be commenced in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30745/22]