Results 6,221-6,240 of 6,541 for speaker:Ruairí Ó Murchú

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I wish to add my voice to the thanks expressed to Dr. Holohan, Dr. De Gascun and Mr. Morris. It is easy for me to say that they will be busy for some time to come. My first questions concern the summer period. It has been mentioned that a quarter of outbreaks were imported. Can I have the details? Were any learnings made at that stage? Testing and tracing are a major part in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: That is it. We accept that travel at this point in time, for non-essential reasons, does not make any sense given the conditions, particularly across Europe. However, I accept that the aviation sector requires a framework so that it knows how to operate into the future while accepting that we do not know exactly what the community situation will be at that stage. People will still travel...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: It does not sound as if air travel is going to be one of those settings.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Therefore, we are going to need some sort of protective shield, for want of a better term. If that also suits a framework that will work for aviation into the future, that would be a positive thing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Okay. Can I get some sort of detail on the validation process?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: That was a comprehensive answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: To follow up on that, the traffic light system will only work as a framework if it is combined with a testing facility. All of us can work out what the witnesses are not going to propose but at this point, the Department should be putting together something that can fit into a framework and part of that would need to be testing. The witnesses have had those discussions. At this stage, I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: As for the all-Ireland response or lack thereof, is there anything NPHET would need to facilitate it in doing its work with greater co-operation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Is Dr. Holohan reasonably happy in that respect with regard to tracing and so on?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Most people in this room accept and have worked individually and collectively from the point of view that there is a requirement for a framework. Everyone accepts that. We have all asked individual and collective questions on when we can get antigen testing in operation if that is up to specification so we do not take away from community testing. Most people are in that scenario. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Mr. Wilson has stated what he wants. We all know there is a need for a framework. Mr. Wilson has been incredibly clear that he needs the Government to move. The first question is on the difficulty regarding harmonisation across Europe. My second question concerns the travel agents we had in before the committee who spoke about the fact they and individual consumers have had incredible...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I accept that. It is what Mr. Wilson said earlier. We need movement as quickly as possible at State level even if we cannot be absolutely sure of getting harmonisation across Europe. That is okay. Could Mr. Wilson give me the answer with regard to travel agents?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I accept we need movement. Can Mr. Wilson give me the answer on the travel agents?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: There are still difficulties but I accept Mr. Wilson's answer with regard to the waiver. I will quickly move to Mr. Moriarty. What information did Aer Lingus get with regard to the initial period when it would not sign the X and O forms for those people who were on the temporary wage subsidy scheme, TWSS? Did it get instruction from the Department of Social Protection? What exactly was it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I will be very quick as some of my questions have been answered. What refunds have been paid, in both percentage and monetary terms, and what refunds are still to be paid? What flights across Europe have been reduced and what other bases have been dropped?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The witness has.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The witness has answered that. Does he know, in percentage or monetary terms, the refunds paid and those which are still to be paid?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Has the general number of flights reduced on the basis of the airline stopping operating in locations across Europe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: What about the reduction in flights?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I thank the witnesses, particularly Mr. Bassato. I assume this probably gives us some element of solace of a possibility. I agree with Senator Dooley that we probably do need a discussion with either the Minister for Foreign Affairs or the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs because we have had this discussion over the past two decades regarding harmonisation. What...