Results 5,601-5,620 of 9,059 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Airport Policy (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to thank the Deputy for his question in relation to Cork Airport and to also refer him to my detailed reply to his question on Cork Airport on 29 September last. As previously outlined the Government has already put in place a suite of measures to assist businesses in facing the challenges of Covid-19. Airports and airlines have been able to avail of some of those measures,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: As Minister for Transport I very much share the view that parking on the footpath is a selfish and dangerous practice that puts vulnerable road users such as wheelchair users and parents with buggies at particular risk. Under Section 4 of the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has responsibility for promoting public awareness of road safety matters. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I appreciate that there are costs involved in the process of learning to drive and obtaining a driving licence, most specifically in respect of insurance, test charges, and lesson fees. I believe, however, that these costs are not particularly high when measured against the cost of running a car in the long term. Nor is the cost of taking the driving test itself unreasonable when held against...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (12 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: Under the Road Safety Authorty Act, the Road Safety Authority is responsible for the conduct of driving tests. The Road Safety Authority developed protocols for conducting the driving test safely during the pandemic, following detailed consideration and medical advice. I am advised that the Authority is not considering the suspension of check tests under the protocols. It is worth...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Driver Test (11 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy. My understanding is that the 36 figure refers to the number of extra driver testers who will be in place. I know how concerned many constituents are about this and while the service is limited during level 5 restrictions, the Road Safety Authority is examining ways of increasing the number of tests within the health constraints, with an eye on resuming the wider testing...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Driver Test (11 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Deputy Funchion for raising this really important matter. The driver test service and the driver theory test are the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority, RSA. The Department has been in constant contact with the RSA since the start of the pandemic regarding all of its services, the impact of Covid-19 on those services and how they can best be maintained in the...

Regional Airports: Motion [Private Members] (11 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Deputies for their valuable contributions to this important discussion. The importance of the aviation industry in terms of its contribution to Ireland's GDP, foreign direct investment, FDI, and job creation cannot be understated. Aviation plays this vital role in facilitating economic growth, but on a human level it also links different cultures and peoples. The national...

Confidence in Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Motion (10 Nov 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Tánaiste gave a full and frank account of his actions and motivations last week in this House and took considerable time answering Deputies' questions. Today is two hours of statements and counter statements, a rehash of last week's events when we are in the midst of the most serious health crisis to face our nation and staring down the barrel of a no-deal Brexit. We will spend...

Railway Safety (Reporting and Investigation of Serious Accidents, Accidents and Incidents involving Certain Railways) Bill 2020: Second Stage (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Deputies for their support for the Bill. As stated already, it is an important Bill to ensure that the railway accident investigation unit will continue to have the full range of statutory powers from 31 October. The transposition regulations of 2020 will provide the statutory basis in respect of heavy rail and through the operation of this Bill, the RAIU will be in a position to...

Railway Safety (Reporting and Investigation of Serious Accidents, Accidents and Incidents involving Certain Railways) Bill 2020: Order for Second Stage (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I move: “That Second Stage be taken now.”

Railway Safety (Reporting and Investigation of Serious Accidents, Accidents and Incidents involving Certain Railways) Bill 2020: Second Stage (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I move: “That the Bill be now read a Second Time.” The Bill is to provide a statutory basis for a continuation of the powers of the Railway Accident Investigation Unit, RAIU for the reporting and investigation of serious accidents and incidents involving certain categories of railways that are specified in section 3. The RAIU is the independent statutory body that carries...

Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: “recognises: — the important role that An Post and post offices have played during the Covid-19 pandemic in its commitment to rural communities and to the elderly and vulnerable in our society, and its provision of a swift and sustained response to the...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the committee for the opportunity to present the 2020 Estimate for the Department of Transport. As stated by the Chairman, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will attend the committee at a later date on Programme A of Vote 29 for the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. The Estimate is, in fact, a further Revised Estimate, published in September 2020 to take into...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: The NTA is monitoring the gaps being created in the bus routes. While it was a commercial decision by the company, at the same time the NTA has committed to looking at routes that are critical to ensuring we have connectivity. That work will be ongoing with the NTA. It was disappointing to see that news, but those routes were not commercially viable. The NTA will monitor and work with the...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: As the Deputy knows, a suite of supports was announced at the outset of the pandemic, which I outlined to the committee, so he is very well aware of them - the temporary wage subsidy scheme, the commercial rates waivers, and access to liquidity funding through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF. In the 2021 budget we allocated €21.3 million to our regional airports along with...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: As regards the Deputy's latter point, all the road projects mentioned in budget 2021 will be under construction in 2021 and that is why they were named. In general, further phases that are not ready will come on board as the designs and planning are completed. Regarding what was announced in budget 2021, the first phase will be under construction next year. I can come back to the Deputy...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy. These are very important questions, especially now that we are in level 5. A number of services, including the driving test service, the National Driver Licence Service, NDLS, the driver theory test and the national car test, NCT, are considered essential services. However, there is a backlog and many Deputies have been in contact with the Department about it. Due to...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: During the initial lockdown, all testing stopped and it slowly opened up again over July and August. As I alluded to, the issue related to the health and safety protocols. The RSA is looking at rehiring temporary testers who had been laid off during the initial lockdown and bringing them on board. There is another cohort of temporary driver testers whose contracts will expire this month or...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: It is important to mention our ports too, which will need to have these testing facilities. PCR is recognised by the Department of Health as the standard test. There was an understandable call from the aviation industry that it wants a rapid, efficient, low-cost test that will help passengers, not add to the financial burden of connectivity. To answer the Deputy's questions, there is a...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Hildegarde Naughton: I expect the cost will be borne by the passenger. It would have to be. People could be travelling to Ireland from across the world. They would have to ensure that they had their own pre-departure test, validated, recognised and certified within their own country, and there may be a request to have another test here on arrival, depending on the location the passenger has come from, to...