Results 6,301-6,320 of 6,812 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

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

Darren O'Rourke: That is no problem. Has the impact of the introduction of this system on the demand for flights and the number of people travelling been monitored or measured? If so, is the impact positive or negative?

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

Darren O'Rourke: From the time of conception to the time of implementation, how long did it take to introduce this system? What sort of capital investment was required?

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

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Mr. Bassato for those responses. I echo a point made earlier by Mr. Philips. We are entering a scenario whereby we will accept people coming into this country on the back of a negative rapid antigen test but we seem to be indicating it is not satisfactory for people departing the country. There is an immediate contradiction in that position.

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

Darren O'Rourke: I am sorry to have to dip in and out of the meeting, such is the nature of Covid-19. Mr. Philips referred to the liquidity ask with regard to Dublin and Cork Airports. I ask the same question of Ms Considine. I want to also ask about the risks associated with flying. Earlier we discussed the argument that the risk is minimal. I believe it is a question of managing the risk. There is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank both witnesses. I would like to pick up on a point Dr. Muinzer raised on public participation and engagement. Perhaps Mr. Church would also like to comment. Could the witnesses comment on the importance of that element and what it looks like in other jurisdictions? Are there exemplars?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I have a question on the pros and cons of adopting the split target approach of handling various emissions in various ways. It was referenced with regard to New Zealand.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses. I will follow on from those questions to Mr. Cornelis. I take on board the point on EASA and the ECDC investigation of testing protocols. Will Mr. Cornelis speak to the existing testing protocols that are in place in European Union member states? There is some discussion in Ireland on the prospect of implementing a testing regime here, whether it be PCR or some...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I wish to ask a couple of follow-up questions. When is the report expected from the EASA and the ECDC in relation to a testing protocol and what is the timeline in relation to that? As regards the efforts outside of testing to agree a common approach, Mr. Cornelis referenced that there was a difference between the Commission's proposal and that adopted by the Council. What efforts are being...

Level 5 Response to Covid-19: Statements (Resumed) (23 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I am sharing time with Deputy Paul Donnelly. County Meath is in the eye of the Covid-19 storm, with a 14-day incidence number of 1,287, which is 660 cases per 100,000. The people of my county have endured and suffered a great deal, none more so than Mary Bartley Meehan, whose husband, Ultan Meehan, and son, Adrian Bartley, both died during the pandemic. I call on the Government to engage...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: To follow on from that point, replies I have received to parliamentary questions confirm that there has never been a greater demand for school bus transport than this year and there have never been more refusals. It is wrong to state that this is related to Covid and that there is no demand. There has never been more demand for school bus transport and never have more children been refused.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to discuss subhead B8. Will the Minister explain what it is and how the system works? Will there be fines for missing targets? How is it accounted?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Is the amount paid relative to the degree to which the target is missed? Is there a levy per percentage?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: To whom is the debt owed? How does it work?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Is the €50 million owed now? When is it due to be paid? How will the transaction take place?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I have a question on subhead B1 and the increase in pay. Is it due to inflation, increments or has there been an increase in the number of staff in that section of the Department?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: What is the number in terms of headcount?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: On subhead C3, could the Minister indicate whether there is State-sponsored research of exploration opportunities off the coast, or is the research to better understand the coastal environment?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Based on subheads D1 and D2, it looks as if there has been some sort of shrinkage of activities or the headcount. Is that the case? Are the Ulster Canal and other projects of a cross-Border nature resourced and funded through this stream? Has funding been committed?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: The Ulster Canal is a project that has been on the agenda for many years. I think it is envisaged that there would be inland waterways connecting Belfast to Limerick. The project has been discussed during North-South and east-west negotiations, and commitments were made in a number, if not all, of those negotiations. Are there funding commitments in this subhead or this budget to the...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: There a number of subheads here that people might want to come in on. I will start with subhead E6, on landfill remediation. I appreciate the important work that is done on this. I wish to get a sense of the Department's understanding of the scale of the problem. When I was a member of the local authority in Meath we had a case in Timoole, with over €6 million for remediation. At...