Results 5,121-5,140 of 6,816 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (21 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the officials. I have a couple of questions on a broader level. Perhaps Mr. Maughan or Mr. Regan will outline the timeline for negotiations, where we are in that process and where this meeting sits in terms of the overall adoption of this. I appreciate we are, as Mr. Maughan said, at an early stage. I also have a question on the relationship of this proposal and suite of measures...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (21 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: To what degree have we planned for the potential implications of a reduction in carbon tax? Is that the type of work that will be done in the next 18 months or two years?

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (21 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: 121. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of premises in each county connected under the National Broadband Plan in the past 12 months in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45065/21]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Civil Service (21 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: 233. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason his Department offers civil servants an employee assistance service but this service cannot offer free counselling sessions to staff, some of whom cannot afford to pay for this vital service privately; if he will remedy this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44733/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (21 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: In what sort of ballpark? Maybe Mr. Maughan has the figures before him. Is it 70% or 80%?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (21 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: This question was asked but I ask Mr. Maughan to expand on the point. I share the concern that has been expressed about the constraints on the 25%, in terms of the ability to decide on the important priority areas of focus, on a year-by-year basis. Mr. Maughan said the 75% is to be distributed between member states. Is there an allocation key for that? On what basis will that be allocated...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (21 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank my colleagues as they have asked several of the questions I was going to ask which is probably no coincidence. How much of the carbon tax taken in last year, in 2020, which was €495 million, was taken from building and road transport?

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to raise the issue of global access to vaccines. What role will the Tánaiste and the Government play in ensuring fair and equitable access to vaccines? I am aware of, and support, the call for a TRIPS waiver. Does the Tánaiste support that call? If so, that is great; if not, how will Ireland and the EU play a leading role in that regard? I do not believe that answer is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Driver Test (16 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for her reply. One of the proposals that has been raised by driving instructors and others is that we would avail of the resource of driving instructors, either to assess people they deem ready for tests or possibly give them the responsibility of testing. Have any of those types of hybrid models been considered, or does the Minister of State not see them as...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Driver Test (16 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: 75. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on his efforts to clear the driving test backlog including the plan to hire additional driving testers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44094/21]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Driver Test (16 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for the update. We appreciate the challenges but there is a significant backlog of tests. Some 105,000 is the latest figure I have in terms of numbers waiting for a test and at different stages of preparedness, in fairness. That is more than a year's backlog, based on last year. From what the Minister of State is saying, we hope to increase the number of...

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

Darren O'Rourke: 68. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reduce the number of private cars used on journeys to and from centres of primary, secondary and third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44106/21]

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

Darren O'Rourke: I ask the Minister to outline his plans to reduce the number of private cars used on journeys to and from centres of primary, secondary and third level education and to make a statement on the matter.

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

Darren O'Rourke: One element that the Minister did not touch on is the school bus transport system. I know that technically it falls under the remit of the Department of Education but it is very clear that there is an interdepartmental responsibility in terms of transport and encouraging people out of private cars and onto the school bus transport system. I would urge the Minister to work with his...

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

Darren O'Rourke: In my own constituency, one of the ways we could shift students at different levels from private cars would be through a rail line to Navan. Does the Minister have an update on that? The Tánaiste and local representatives were at the old Navan train station - with photographs published in the local media this week - ahead of their party think-in. Does the Minister have an update on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (16 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: 66. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of BusConnects in Dublin; if he has engaged with Dublin Bus management and unions to try to resolve the current dispute over pay and working conditions at the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44105/21]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (16 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: I would like to ask the Minister for an update on BusConnects in Dublin, if he has engaged with Dublin Bus management and unions to try to resolve the current dispute regarding pay and conditions at the company and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (16 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: Go raibh maith agat. There was a resounding rejection of the proposal that was on the table by workers at Dublin Bus, and for a range of reasons, including the impact it would have on pay and conditions. Is the Minister aware of that and has he heeded it? There was a direct call on him by the workers to intervene and get involved. I ask him to set out his understanding of that process,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bus Services (16 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: From my engagement with workers at Dublin Bus I know they are committed to delivering on BusConnects. It is about it happening in the right way, one that works for everybody. On the issue of delivering on BusConnects, while I appreciate we have the H line and the C line as early pilots or test cases, the big hurdle is delivering on the quality bus corridors as an essential part of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Aviation Industry (16 Sep 2021)

Darren O'Rourke: 64. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the implementation of the recommendations of the aviation task force report and the aviation restart plan; his plans to sustain the aviation sector and aviation jobs over the upcoming winter period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44104/21]