Results 4,401-4,420 of 6,804 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (8 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister for his opening statement and update. We are here to discuss the transfer of €128.6 million from subhead B4 - residential and community retrofit - to subhead B11. We discussed this move previously but were not clear about where and to what level the funding would be moved and where it would come from. The Minister acknowledged that transfer but said the...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (8 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I do not deny the headline figures outlined by the Minister in terms of the budget and spend. We will no doubt spend a lot of time in the months and years ahead tracking that and ensuring it gets delivered. However, it does not address the decision to move €128.6 million. The better energy communities scheme has been identified as one that must reduce its spend in the year ahead....

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (8 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I have one question and I hope to be able to provide assurance to people. There is concern that there is an issue with supply of transport fuel and home heating oil. Is that the case? I am hearing different things in different places. It is important to hear what the Minister has to say about it. I appreciate the difficult context we are in. In the days, weeks and months ahead, how will...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (8 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Is the Minister doing anything about regulation? He mentioned what was reported in the newspapers. My second question related to the timeline for decisions from Government to mitigate the problem.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister has just said that planning takes an inordinate amount of time. We are on notice there will be opposition to this plan when it comes. That is the nature of privilege. We hear it through the national airwaves. The Minister said the planning process takes an inordinate amount of time and there is a balance of rights to be struck between development and environmental impact....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister is hearing this from all quarters. The opportunity is available. If one maps our rail infrastructure and our forced car dependency, there has to be very significant development if we are to achieve a modal shift. Much of that will be to an improved public bus network, but rail has a very important role to play. I am speaking about Navan but also about the west and north west....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 29. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of submissions received for the all-island rail review; the next steps in this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12131/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister for his response. There is a great opportunity here and we have made submissions to the overall rail review. The Joint Committee on Transport and Communications is looking at various aspects of this. I will mention two of these. The Minister has already discussed the western rail corridor, WRC, and some of the opportunity this presents. This is an ambition that needs...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The challenge here is clear. For hauliers, particularly small hauliers with several lorries on the road, the margins are squeezed unbelievably because of the increasing cost of fuel. What has the Government done in response? Based on the reply of the Minister of State, the answer is "Nothing". It has done nothing to respond to the runaway fuel prices. When I raised this with the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: It is a matter of urgency at this stage. The ball is firmly in the Government's court in terms of coming up with solutions. The hauliers have put their hands up. They are crying out for support. The Minister of State mentioned the alternatively fuelled heavy-duty vehicle purchase grant scheme. Approximately 60 vehicles bought under that scheme are currently parked up because they are not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Coast Guard Service (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 1. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the steps taken to identify and resolve issues between volunteers and management at the Irish Coast Guard; the status of the reconstitution of the Doolin Coast Guard unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12311/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Coast Guard Service (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I ask the Minister of State the status of the steps taken to identify and resolve issues between volunteers and management of the Irish Coast Guard generally, and the status of the reconstitution of the Doolin Coast Guard unit.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Coast Guard Service (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: We have seen the Mulvey report, which identified a breakdown of mutual trust, respect and confidence. That was a real concern and still is, in many respects, because the Doolin unit has not yet been fully reconstituted. What is the volunteer complement at the moment, on an interim basis? How does it compare to the full capacity? Is the Minister of State satisfied that the interim...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Coast Guard Service (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: That is where I was going with my supplementary question. As the Minister of State is aware, much attention has been focused on cultural and operational difficulties within the Coast Guard. Indeed, committee members in particular, and people more broadly, have been contacted by volunteers and former volunteers about the issue. A dire picture has been painted. The Joint Oireachtas...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 3. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way that he is assisting the haulage sector with issues such as increasing fuel costs and the skills shortage in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12312/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Haulage Industry (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: In respect of the previous question, I ask the Minister of State that she afford an opportunity to the Irish Coast Guard Volunteers Representative Association to submit to that review of the CUAG. It would be helpful to take on board its perspective. In this question, I am asking the Minister of State how she is assisting the haulage sector with issues such as increasing fuel costs and the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 17. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an update will be provided on the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12134/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 64. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an update will be provided on the actions his Department is taking to research, promote and expand green hydrogen use in the transport sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12133/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Small Public Service Vehicles (3 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 66. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an update will be provided on his engagements with the taxi sector; the actions he is taking to support the sector; the regulatory reforms that have been introduced since the taxi protests in September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12132/22]

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: From the Seanad (2 Mar 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: We will not oppose either amendment. This is one occasion where we welcome the Government amendments. Sinn Féin had put forward a series of amendments on both Committee Stage and Report Stage in the Dáil that, I firmly believe, would have given the Government greater flexibility regarding the upper limits and would have meant we would not need primary legislation if we were to...