Results 6,941-6,960 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: Okay. That is fine. Deputy Barry was next. On the staffing of stations, the Deputy stated all stations have to be staffed. I understand the point. I am not sure that the Deputy is correct. That is why we have this pilot on the DART. The pilot will hopefully come up with the answer to the Deputy's question on whether hubs are effective. At present, there are only two stations, maybe...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I understand the coach is a different type of bus. It is what they call a high-floor bus. The problem is it is difficult for those with a disability to get in and out of such buses. There are also mismatches - some referred to it - between the pavements and the bus stops. The NTA is addressing this problem by looking at smaller short-distance buses for 50 km journeys. They should be able...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I do not know specifically what the Deputy is referring to, but I think the Department is responding pretty aggressively and responsively. Is Deputy Catherine Murphy referring to the European Accessibility Act?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: The officials are responding with parallel work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I do not know what engagement there is at the moment between the officials. I will ask them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I have a note here. I will get more detail on this issue for the Deputy. However, I am told that the Department of Justice and Equality is the lead Department and we are feeding into its work. That applies to both the strategies we are talking about, namely, the CES and the NDIS. The Department of Justice and Equality is leading on the proposed European Accessibility Act. I will provide...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: Yes. They will be part of the NDP. I cannot imagine any situation whereby the same requirement of full accessibility would not apply. It is a given, as far as I am concerned.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I will ask my officials to raise the matter with Irish Rail tomorrow. The Deputy is referring to a particular report. I will try to get hold of it. Is the report ten years old?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: Does the Deputy know the title of the report?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: If it is in the Department, we will.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: There are three officials who spend a lot of time on it. I do not think there is someone who is dedicated full-time to disability issues, but we have three people who are extremely engaged in respect of them. Moreover, an accessibility consultative committee in my Department has been assigned to the NDIS and the CES.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: It does not. Perhaps it should.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: This does not just concern the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: If everybody agrees to it-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I will put in a request for the Department to publish it, but I think everybody involved would have to agree to that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: If everybody agrees, there is no reason not to publish.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: Membership of that committee is drawn from a lot of different organisations representing people with disabilities. I do not want to infringe their privacy in any way. They are entitled to some sort of protection. In response to Deputy Catherine Murphy, they are drawing everything into one body and one report, and it will be published as soon as possible. I need persuasion in respect of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: It is very difficult to direct money into a certain region.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: I will address this question. I do not know how the Government could target money towards counties, constituencies or similarly defined areas. There is a case for saying that the taxis will go there if there is an appetite for them. There is a commercial imperative.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Accessibility of Public Transport for People with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Shane Ross: Yes, they are. Absolutely.