Results 5,141-5,160 of 7,597 for speaker:Ruairí Ó Murchú

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: All right. That is fine.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: President Zelenskyy spoke about Russian war crimes and many other issues, including hunger being used as a weapon. We all accept we need to hurt the Russian war machine and its finances. There has been much conversation about the IFSC and section 110 companies. The Ukrainian ambassador, H.E. Ms Larysa Gerasko, spoke to the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs about a list of Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I thank Mr. Walsh. When he was here before, he spoke about difficulties in the planning process and he has been more clear here. I think we all realise the changed circumstances we are in and what is referred to as the cost-of-living crisis. It has a huge impact on building at every level of project. I will raise two things. Previously we discussed how planning is being looked at by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: That is fair enough. Therefore, it is not the forum TII needs to get the proposals that it has put at this meeting. Has TII had any other engagement with the Government on this?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: It has been listening but has it given any answers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: No, and there are obviously a large number of subcontractors and so on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: No, that is all right. We will speak in generalities. We want a system that works. Mr. Walsh has spoken on the tendering process and how the lowest cost wins model does not work. He referred to the NEC or FIDIC forms of contract. Will he go into some specifics on how that would work better?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I get the idea of partnership, of everybody being involved from an early stage and where the due diligence is done. Beyond that risk sharing, particularly in the circumstances where we have such price volatility at this point in time, that is probably a given. I do not think anybody is going to take on a contract they may have looked at six months ago. Where is the conversation with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: They cannot do it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Here is the question. I imagine that any time we review the tendering process, contracts or anything, this takes a significant amount of time. What sort of timeline would there be in changing this?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The fact is that Mr. Walsh has had nothing back to say that anybody is looking at or putting a plan in place in regard to this other than listening to him and hearing his problems. We can all do that on some level.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Could we possibly get something closer to a proposal, even if it is not absolutely nailed down, that we could possibly put to multiple Departments to get some kind of movement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: We have discussed the issues of contracts and tendering, particular during this period of volatile costs, and even planning. The onus is on us to chase up on what our guests have put in front of us, which we will do very soon. That is an absolute necessity. Our guests spoke about the Ardee bypass. Will they explain how it is the only show in town and outline the timelines? As is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Yes, and I appreciate the difficulty that will always be caused when a period of time passes. Certain people probably missed some of the design issues at the beginning. Mr. Walsh made a fair point earlier when he referred to making whatever changes are necessary to make the planning process more streamlined, but there is a necessity for the judicial element to be resourced to the hilt....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: -----so I will not seek further comment on that. Does he have any further information on the upgrading of the N2?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Yes, but I refer in particular to the part that relates to my area, where the road passes through Monaghan and so on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Is that the same kind of language the Minister for Transport used recently when he talked about a competitive process in respect of planning and an acceptance that sometimes matters do not work out, on the basis of which somebody else will benefit? I am not suggesting it was something he was happy with, although I did not get all the answers from him that I was looking for.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland Projects and Related Issues: Discussion (6 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Obviously, there are multiple necessary works and this work will involve upgrading, which is what a large number of people had supported. Otherwise, it would involve moving a significant portion of road, which would impact negatively on many communities. The sooner, the better, therefore.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Digital Hubs (5 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I imagine there will be a considerable degree of agreement on the issue of remote working hubs. Remote working is a game changer. While it will suit certain people to work from home and everyone is now talking about hybrid working, which might be the best of both worlds, I would also use that phrase in regard to remote working hubs. An example is Creative Spark Downtown in Clanbrassil...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Digital Hubs (5 Apr 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: In fairness, County Louth has a number of these hubs and is already seeing successes, as the Minister pointed out in respect of the Mill centre, Drogheda, and beyond. Creative Spark has its primary building as well as this new, secondary building, but a considerable number of other businesses are examining the idea too. Sites are available and can be utilised for this, and many companies...