Results 5,561-5,580 of 9,052 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Aviation Authority (17 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is a commercial semi-state body. It was formed under Section 11 of the and is under my aegis. In addition to the requirements of the Companies Act, 2014 the IAA is required under sections 30 and 31 of the Act of 93 to submit accounts and a report annually to me as Minister. Those accounts and the report are laid before the Houses of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Driver Test (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy and I hear his concerns on this. As I said, this is an operational matter for the RSA. The learner driver who is doing the test can go into the driver test centre to use the facilities. The reason behind the measure is to try to minimise the through traffic inside test centres to protect public health. I hear the Deputy's concerns. It is not only about the driving...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Driver Test (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: These protocols were put in place to minimise the likelihood of the transmission of Covid-19 within the centres and to minimise the throughput of people in them. People doing the driving test must be brought to the centres by an accompanying driver because they are learners who have not yet passed the test. Those accompanying drivers may be parents. I am not detracting from what Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ferry Services (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: Bus and rail services are available for foot passengers travelling to Rosslare to avail of the Stena Line services that run all year. I reiterate that the situation referred to by the Deputy relates just to Irish Ferries during the winter period and to the MS Epsilonvessel, because of health and safety reasons regarding the ramps on board. The Government is, however, looking at how we can...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Airports (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: The impacts of Covid-19 on the aviation industry continue to be devastating, with knock-on effects for our domestic tourism and regional economies, particularly in the west. This has been further compounded by Ryanair’s most recent decision to cut its winter capacity at Ireland West Airport Knock and to cancel all services for four weeks, from the end of next week until mid-December....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Airports (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: The €6 million announced this week for our regional airports will be administered by the Department of Transport, which has begun the process of engaging with the European Commission regarding state aid rules. Ireland is an island nation and I do not have to explain to the Deputy or anyone here the importance of core connectivity. I am very hopeful that will be successful. It will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Airports (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: There is eligibility in respect of state aid rules where airports have suffered damages due to the impact of Covid-19. It is clear and obvious to us that regional airports, such as Knock, have been severely impacted by Covid-19. It is in the context that we are engaging with the European Commission. The Deputy can be assured of the certainty around that and the importance of maintaining...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Driver Test (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: My Department and the RSA are aware that some driving instructors disagree with the decision by the RSA to close washing facilities and waiting rooms at driver test centres, to ensure compliance with public and occupational health requirements during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. I understand from the RSA that prior to the current pandemic some test centres across the country offered toilet...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ferry Services (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: Foot passengers are currently able to travel to France on ferry services, with the exception of one operator over the winter months due to operational constraints. I understand that the Deputy's question was prompted by the announcement last Thursday regarding increased service frequencies on roll-on roll-off passenger, RoPax, ferry services from Ireland to France from January 2021 and by...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ferry Services (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: Irish Ferries and Stena Line operate services on the Dublin to Cherbourg and Rosslare to Cherbourg routes, respectively. Brittany Ferries is expected to provide services from Rosslare to Cherbourg and from Cork to Roscoff from March to October of next year. Both Irish Ferris and Stena Line carry foot passengers during the peak period every year. However, Stena Line carries foot passengers...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Strategy (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: As signalled since the publication of the report, The Implications of Brexit on the Use of the Landbridge, by the Irish Maritime Development Office, IMDO, in 2018, it has been a matter of continuing concern that there is likely to be disruption to access to the British land bridge when customs and border controls between the EU and the UK are introduced at the end of the year. Since the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Strategy (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: In regard to the IMDO report, it is important to note that its analysis took account of the capacity across the ro-ro network and on services between Ireland and continental Europe. As recently as last week, Stena Line and Irish Ferries both indicated that they will be putting on a daily direct service from January. Indeed, they have been responding to demand throughout the pandemic and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Strategy (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: As we move towards the end of the Brexit transition period, there is a lot of engagement happening at a cross-departmental level, incorporating Dublin Port, the Office of Public Works, Revenue and my Department, to ensure we are as well prepared as possible. A huge amount of work has gone into this over the past number of years. There have been many campaigns aimed at preparing businesses,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Driver Test (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: The RSA is working to expand that capacity. The authority is working with its providers to see how it can do just exactly what the Deputy has outlined in regarding to extending weekend hours, overtime, the recruitment of additional staff as well as extending the postal service. It will need that extra capacity in terms of resources, but, at the same time, the throughput at the testing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Driver Test (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: It is an operational matter for the RSA, but I hear the concerns of the Deputy, loud and clear. I know that in normal times, not just driving instructors, but somebody accompanying the learner driver doing their test, would normally be facilitated to wait in the waiting room in the driving test centres. However, these are not normal times. I take on board the Deputy's concerns in this...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Driver Test (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: Maybe there is and we can look at that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Driver Test (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: Covid-19 has created difficulties for many public services, including the National Driver Licensing Service, NDLS and the driver testing service, which are provided by the Road Safety Authority. Closures during the initial lockdown earlier this year led inevitably to backlogs, while restrictions on the services, which are necessary in the interests of public health, have reduced capacity...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: The plan for living with Covid-19 and the Government decision of 20 October both affirm that any testing model implemented for international travel should not impinge on HSE testing capacity. In light of this, any testing for international travel will need to draw on resources from the private sector, which are not being accessed by the HSE. The testing regime envisaged under the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: As Deputy O'Rourke is aware, we are listening to the advice of NPHET at the moment. We are at level 5. We have aligned ourselves with the EU traffic-light approach. People who come to this country from a red-list country will be asked to restrict their movements for 14 days. After five days, they can avail of PCR tests here. Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports and the private sector will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: Deputy O'Rourke raises a very valid point. Whatever we do at national level with the health protocols, there is a level of responsibility on anyone who is planning to travel here for essential work or who is returning home for Christmas to visit family, relatives and friends. It is in our interests to ensure that we act responsibly, that such persons take a PCR test in advance if they are...