Results 5,081-5,100 of 6,809 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: Yes, that would be best.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: That is fine. On public-private partnership, PPP, payments, under subhead 3.4, with respect to Covid and tolls, there are contacts for a road to Limerick Port and a road beside me, the M3, that were liable to be underused. Does the Minister know how much, if at all, that has been affected so far this year?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I appreciate that. Is it the case they are not budgeted for in these Estimates but they would be in the annual budget?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: There is significant interest in the MetroLink project, which I will also touch on later and which the Minister referenced in his opening statement I am trying to understand what is happening about it. There is a delay in progressing it but it has been presented as if it is not a delay and that it is just going through the decision-making gates. The review of the NDP, as I understand, is to...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: To be fair, my specific question was about the date. I appreciate what-----

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: There is going to be a target completion date in whatever document is published next week. Is that not the case?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: That answers my question. There will not be a target, which I see as a step backwards rather than forwards. It will be frustrating for people not to have even a date to work towards.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: Yes. The people in the area in question have been looking at dates for 20 years. In fairness to them, it is not an unreasonable ask.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: There must be a range, at least.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: The Chairman's was the line of inquiry I was going to pursue myself. It sits within the context this year of a projected underspend at this stage of €247 million in the Department. Communities and transport sector workers throughout the country are to the pin of their collar, whether they are in DAA, Aer Lingus or Dublin Bus. They look at their industry and are concerned for their...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: Does the Minister expect to be able to spend the money next year?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: Is he satisfied that the local and authorities and agencies are starting to scale up?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I might come back in on this again. Next Monday when people see the NDP document, I expect that what they will do is compare it to the previous NDP document. They will look for their project and their completion date. It sounds like it will be a different animal. What can people expect to see? What should they look for? There were concerns, which the Minister has heard, especially about...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I will ask about the potential underspend this year and the challenge of realising that spend next year. The Minister earlier touched on some of the particular challenges. A separate but related aspect is whether this issue is about reassessing for the NDP, the decision-making processes we have and how we prioritise now. We do not have a system in place to adequately assess the challenge of...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 29 - Communications
Vote 31 - Transport (29 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: Do the engineers and technical experts have sufficient expertise in the area?

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (28 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to discuss this incredibly important issue. I can say on behalf of the staff of Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, that there is serious concern about the future of critical and emergency care services at the hospital and that concern is matched by the local community and the population of County Meath. The rumour mill is rife with stories of impending cuts to hours,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (28 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for her forthright response, which is appreciated. However, I cannot understand how she can say there is no change in policy and then read that script. As far as I can see, the writing is on the wall. I have read enough from the HSE and enough health service policy down the years to know that. I have seen this before in the cases of Roscommon, Monaghan,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (28 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I might ask Dr. Tienhaara about the ECT. In her most recent contribution she said there is no positive benefit for the public from the ECT. If that is the case, I wonder what she would suggest if she was advising the Government or the Minister on it. A number of European colleagues have called on the European Union to withdraw from the treaty. Is that something Dr. Tienhaara would support...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (28 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Chairman and the witnesses. I will pick up on some of the queries that have been raised with us, particularly in the area of data protection, monitoring and enforcement. I appreciate that there are many questions still to be answered on this matter. Is it the case that there is a question over the concept of data minimisation and how that will be ensured, and enforced? Is it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (28 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I also asked about the relationship with the private sector digital service providers and oversight. Are their concerns that sensitive personal data might get into the hands of actors, whatever their intentions, that one did not intend to have control of or access to such data?