Results 6,601-6,620 of 6,812 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on International Travel (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: On the prospective scale of job losses Mr. McGowan mentioned a tsunami. I ask him to give us a sense of the number of job losses that might be on the horizon if we stay on the current trajectory and with the current level of intervention from the Government.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on International Travel (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Mr. McGowan. Moving to the issue of the health and safety of workers, the submissions outline the really important work that is being done in terms of bringing our people home and transporting essential goods. Is there any information of clusters of positive cases among airlines or people working in the aviation sector that might indicate they were at increased risk of exposure to...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on International Travel (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: What about workers more generally in the aviation sector?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on International Travel (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Does Mr. McGowan have an exact figure on the positive cases at Dublin Airport?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on International Travel (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: We wish them well in their recovery and thank them for all the important work they do. On the challenge for the sector overall, I take the points made about Ireland being an outlier but it strikes me that there is a fundamental conflict between the wishes for public health when NPHET has been very clear in its requests here, and the interests of the aviation sector more generally around...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Mr. O'Leary, Mr. Waldron and Mr. Macken for their presentations. I also thank them for their work and that of the people they represent on the front line. I have a question for Mr. O'Leary and Mr. Macken. In terms of the supports they believe are needed for the taxi industry, what is the scale of the subsidies that are needed? What form should they take? Should it be grants or...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Out of interest, does Mr. Waldron know how many taxi drivers are over the age of 66 and, thereby, not eligible for the Covid payment? They may be in a more difficult position in terms of weighing up whether they should be back at work.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I wish to ask about the experience of the witnesses in dealing with the NTA and the Department. We have a new Minister in situ. In terms of engagement, reference was made to some of the weaknesses of the taxi advisory committee. I am aware that a range of other issues have become significantly magnified as challenges in the sector, such as NCT tests, suitability tests, the buy-back scheme...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Mr. Macken and Mr. Waldron both mentioned challenges as they relate to the operation of taxis at Dublin Airport. Will they expand on that, outlining the current circumstances, how Covid has affected them, and what they believe needs to happen in that regard?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I am keeping an eye on the clock. I have a number of questions arising out of issues that have presented over time but I also wish to address some matters that arose during this morning's deliberations. I thank the witnesses for their attendance. There is deep concern that our ports and airports are gateways for further import of Covid-19 and that they will increase the risk of the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Mr. Towey for that response. I will make a point about the low passenger numbers at this point in time. My sense is that the challenge at the moment is not what it might be in the future. This morning we heard a strong case for a relaxation of restrictions, and we do not know where we are in the development of a vaccine. We may be some months living with Covid-19. We will have to...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I wish to move on to another issue. We had representatives from the-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I have two more questions and they will be brief. Then I am-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: That is no problem. I am watching the clock myself. Representatives from the taxi sector appeared before the committee this morning. They outlined a deep sense of frustration in their industry and how it has been affected by Covid-19 and with the supports from Government. One issue they raised was engagement with the NTA and, to a lesser extent, I think, the Department and the Minister....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: What form did the Minister's meeting take? Was it with the taxi advisory committee or was it more general?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Ms Hanlon. I welcome the fact that there has been engagement, but in addition to the assessment, it is fair to say that a question arose in our earlier session in terms of the representativeness of the taxi advisory committee. I ask that the witnesses engage in a full and comprehensive way with the groups we met earlier. I do not know the exact detail in terms of the make-up, but...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Yes. I thank Mr. Spratt. I will conclude and I thank the witnesses for their contributions.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a commitment in the programme for Government on the future of the aviation sector. We are an island nation and the sector is of essential strategic importance but it has been adversely affected by Covid-19. The approach of the industry in response to this has been to delay refunds and the issuing of vouchers to people who had flights cancelled, to charge exorbitant rescheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: County Development Plans (23 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 50. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the Meath county development plan process will now be stalled in view of the commitment in the programme for Government to review and extend the National Development Plan 2018-2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17616/20]

National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: From the Seanad (22 Jul 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister has said the Government amendment is to provide legal certainty on funding for projects where there will not be a competitive tender. Bog rehabilitation was the example the Minister gave in the Seanad last week. I understand and appreciate the rationale, but as my colleague, Senator Boylan, told the Seanad, and as I put it in this House last week, the Minister must put...