Results 5,261-5,280 of 6,852 for speaker:Ruairí Ó Murchú

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I welcome the Minister. I will continue with some of the questions and back and forth the Chair and Minister were engaged in. On section 254 guidelines, it would be fair to say that National Broadband Ireland, NBI, said the streamlining has improved things. I ask the Minister to correct me if I make a mistake, but NBI said what it really wanted in a perfect world was a different planning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I understand the modus operandihas changed regarding how people are operating. There was an acceptance there were too many obstacles and, therefore-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: They put in their own ducting to get around that problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I accept that. It is only when people see a hole in the ground that they realise the reality and size of what they are dealing with. I accept the Minister's comments on wider planning changes, and we will leave that to one side. As regards the request for a specific resource, I ask that there be some element of engagement on that because it looks like-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I appreciate that. I will draw the attention of the Minister to what he has mentioned as regards the intervention area and Eir. In straightforward terms, I assume the Minister has done a wee bit of due diligence on this. Regarding the intervention area, does he have any idea how many premises have been passed by Eir and how many currently have access to Eir and NBI networks? Does the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: It is not 45,000.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Regarding the contract, was this foreseen? Some of my questions can only be addressed when we get answers on the numbers. Was it foreseen that there would be an overlap in some of these areas? I accept that at times NBI will build to get to the next area. Some places, if we are talking about a seven-year project, will become more viable for SIRO or Eir to build into, in particular in a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: In fairness, I think that is what most of us want. Questions are in the public domain and we want answers. I accept it is not the responsibility of the Minister whether all of the necessary due diligence regarding the procurement process was done in terms of putting a contract in place. He said there is a sufficient amount of leeway, and in situations where NBI will not build but somebody...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I am delighted to hear that. Could we get some of the detail on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The bigger question relates to whether it can do so and what the rules are. If we could get that information, it would assist. We might have to do our own work on this. In fairness to the Minister, the matter takes in the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, and relates to the provision of the other pieces of information. NBI has been open. In our interaction with it, we probably...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Yes, it is the end of January. The number of properties passed is approximately 17,000 but this figure does not seem to have changed. There are more-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I believe there were even issues over NBI dealing with CIÉ and other State entities. Most of these have been dealt with-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: It said March in respect of the plan only. It said it would be 2023 before any major moves would be started.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: There Minister does not have the number passed to hand. A significant number are probably in build at present and, therefore, we hope the target of 60,000, or greater, will not be a problem. We have been promised that by NBI. It is fair to state these figures should be included on the website. We should look for a quarterly report. I would imagine that the Minister would be supportive...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I am not claiming there are otherwise; I am just trying to make sure that whatever is happening within the company will not have an impact.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I am referring to where the Minister might be getting an update on the contract. The mobile phone and broadband task force sits somewhere between his Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development. It should probably sit within the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. It is necessary to get it in place. We are still talking about a best-case...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: It probably should sit within the Department responsible for communications. I get why has been under the Department of Rural and Community Development. Using the language in the sorts of answers we receive, it is now being reconstituted.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I believe it could be a more useful tool, particularly as a clearinghouse for other elements of industry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Some of the stuff on school transport has been said and answered. I get that it falls within the Department. Even when we have moved from 50% to 100% capacity and buses have been taken off, we have received calls from people who thought they would get concessionary travel and but are not getting it, or half of them are getting it. It is just a continuation of the general disaster. The...