Results 21-40 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The transparency around this is there. The operators have to report on service level agreements. When specific issues arise, a lot of the time I see that people will tweet the NTA on X, send emails or whatever. I get text messages regularly, including from my daughter if a bus does not show up when she is travelling to DCU, so I know from my family that this happens from time to time....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Navigation Orders (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I am aware of the regulations and the legislation. The Chicago convention of 1944 is the main international treaty that governs the operation of international civil aviation. Article 35 of that convention provides that no civil aircraft may carry munitions of war in the sovereign territory of a state without that state's permission. That provision is implemented in Irish law in the Air...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree on that point. An Garda Síochána is doing a good job already. The Deputy will be aware of Operation Saul. That is under way. To take the Dublin metropolitan region, the area in which we have the best data in this regard, as an example, there are gardaí delivering both overt and covert policing on bus, Luas, DART and other train services. In 2024, the operation...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: We have a public transport safety working group on which unions, workers and operators are represented. I have met these representatives. We will be discussing this in more detail. I assure the Deputy that, when the proposals in this regard become clear, I will be seeking their input. I do not have an exact timeframe for the Deputy. Suffice it to say that this is an important...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Taoiseach is not here.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Thanks.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Climate Action Plan (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. I welcome the publication of the Climate Change Advisory Council's annual sectoral review of the transport sector. I recently met with the council and, separately, with its chair, Marie Donnelly. We had a very constructive discussion. My Department and I will be reviewing this report and its recommendations. I certainly will take them into account as...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Climate Action Plan (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I said last week that I am reviewing the EV grants. We have made significant progress. The Deputy referred to the reduction in growth in that sector last year but he did not mention that quarter 1 of this year saw a significant rebound in EV sales and registrations. Today, I brought to Government a policy on renewable fuels for transport, which sets out the ambition in this regard. It...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Climate Action Plan (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: We are trying to cover a lot in a short time. We will have a chance to go through a lot of these points in more detail at the transport committee, which is meeting tomorrow, and at the environment committee. Regarding EV charging, under the motorway infrastructure scheme, 131 additional high-powered charging points across 17 different locations on the motorway network will be delivered...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question on what is a real and important issue for public transport users. We debated it in some detail yesterday. Particularly among those who do not use public transport often, they can have a certain perception of the level of safety on it. To the Deputy's specific question, antisocial behaviour is a broad societal issue to which public transport is not...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Energy Security in Ireland to 2030 was published in November 2023 and outlines a strategy to ensure energy security in Ireland for this decade, while ensuring a sustainable transition to a carbon neutral energy system by 2050. The report was published as part of an Energy Security Package, containing a range of supplementary analyses, consultations, and reviews, which have informed the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices provides for a temporary solidarity contribution on unexpected surplus profits (“windfall gains”) in the fossil fuel production and refining sectors as a result of the Ukraine war. The temporary solidarity contribution was implemented in Ireland through the Energy (Windfall Gains in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling of those services in conjunction...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to Irish Rail for direct response. Please advise my private office if you do...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme is a key project in the National Development Plan 2021-2030 and the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy 2040. The Programme is being delivered on a phased basis and will provide a more efficient and decarbonised transport service for the area to help facilitate population and economic growth over the coming decades. ...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including the administration of the wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) grant, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV industry. In...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Fleet electrification is expected to continue to provide the greatest share of emissions abatement in the short-to-medium term for the transport sector. Over €100m has been allocated in 2025 to support the continued transition to electric vehicles through funding for EV grants and EV charging infrastructure. This underpins the Government’s commitment to making electric vehicles...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and maintenance of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Services (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Irish Aviation Authority ("the IAA") is the designated National Enforcement Body for Regulation (EC) 261 of 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights ("EU 261"). The IAA investigates alleged breaches of this Regulation based on information provided by members of the public. ...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Staff (19 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with the Civil Service Blended Working Framework, published on 31st March 2022, my Department has implemented its own Blended Working Policy. Since the 1st July 2022, my Department has facilitated flexible blended working arrangements for all eligible staff members, on a pattern of up to a maximum of 5 days over a fortnight period on a 2 days / 3 days alternating pattern for...