Results 7,341-7,360 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I cannot accept the amendment. This proposal would add a passport to the possible details that could be captured with vehicle ownership records. I appreciate the thinking behind the amendment, but it would not work. We are trying to capture identifiers - a driver number, if available, or a PPS number if there is no driver number - so that we can link vehicle ownership records to existing...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Members will be aware that one of the matters dealt with in this Bill is the legislative underpinning for a motor insurance database. This is a project that was developed over a long time. The aim behind it is to provide a resource to combat uninsured driving. Uninsured driving is a menace. Drivers who drive while uninsured are typically guilty of other road traffic offences and are a...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: There seems to be some sense behind the Senator's suggestion on how we address the issue of large vehicles avoiding tolls, which brings traffic to areas we do want it in. However, it is not for this piece of legislation, which relates to the insurance rather than the toll management systems. As I said in my introductory remarks, it is to the advantage of hauliers to be treated like all...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Senator is right that who gets access is equally important to what the information is. The amendment requires the Minister to set out regulations in that regard.

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: There are a large number of amendments. They have been grouped together for convenience because they are all essentially technical and do not change the substance of the Bill. Many simply correct typographical errors, misspellings or wrongly repeated words. In a few cases they change the numbering of sub-paragraphs to match current practice. For example, section 5(j)(i)(I)(cc) will become...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I have a note on that I would like to give, for the information of the House. It is just to have clarity on it. Members will be aware the Road Safety Authority, RSA, is responsible for the delivery of the driving test. This was the original core purpose of the authority, which was originally to be called the driver testing and standards authority. When first published as a Bill, the Road...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Senator Crowe said, in the programme for Government we committed to addressing the antisocial use of scramblers and similar machines. We included a number of measures in the Bill to ensure the Garda will have the necessary powers to deal with this problem. Among other things, we are creating a power that will allow the Garda to enter the curtilage of a dwelling, but not the dwelling...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: We always have to think about how legislation will be interpreted in a court, where some of the thinking is worked out. I believe the wording of the legislation delivers exactly what the Senator is looking for. It states, "A member of the Garda Síochána may, for the purposes of exercising a power under subsection (1), enter without warrant". As stated in subsection (1), it is...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I hear the Senator’s passion and clear commitment to the issue. We are absolutely in agreement that the improper use of disabled parking is extremely selfish and causes grave disruption for people with disabilities who need access to those spaces. They are provided to people with mobility difficulties who need access to parking close to shops and other amenities and where the bays...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I am very glad to be informed.

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The texter is correct. I was uncertain as to that fact. Our office pushed for the increase in fines. As I said, we have never been shy about trying to protect this. To respond to Senator Higgins, when I speak about dangerous driving I am concerned about the people and not the vehicle. We also try to protect vehicles but we are all of a similar view that it is the human being we are...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I would be happy to support such a stepping up of efforts or a "blitz" as Senator Boyhan calls it. The timing would be appropriate. One of the things that did happen during Covid-19 was that much of the behaviours on our roads such as parking, use of bus lanes and other areas worsened when people maybe felt there was not the same policing operation in place due to the restrictions. I will...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: It is the remit of An Garda Síochána as to how it deploys its resources. I certainly will join calls in making a case and pushing for that.

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: These amendments are designed to allow the Revenue Commissioners to issue fixed-charge notices in certain circumstances. To explain the background, in 2002 the system of fixed-charge notices for certain offences relating to traffic and vehicles was introduced. Under this system, which applies to lesser offences, An Garda Síochána issued a fixed-charge notice in advance of taking a...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Of all the measures dealt with in this complex Bill, it is probably fair to say that the ones which attracted the most attention were those to do with electric scooters. These vehicles have become very popular in recent years and have a great deal to offer as an environmentally-friendly form of micro mobility. At the same time, the laws needs to take account of them like any other vehicles...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Pedal bicycles, including cargo bikes, are not in this PPT category. The treatment of such bicycles is dealt with in a separate section of the Bill. As regards cargo bikes in particular, it depends on the power capacity. Where there is a maximum continuous rated power greater than 0.25 kW, there are particular legal requirements. Anything below that is treated in the same way as all other...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I am happy to return to the issue on Report Stage and, I hope, clarify it for certain.

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: These two amendments are small but are important refinements to the definition of a cycleway in the Roads Act. A cycleway is a specific track intended for cyclists and is not the same as a cycle lane, as defined by markings on a road. It is our intention that powered personal transporters will be able to use cycleways, however, cycleways are first and foremost for cycling. The amendments I...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Senator Ruane for her comments. I completely agree with her that this issue about the regulation of facial recognition technology, artificial intelligence and machine-based learning technology systems is something which we have to treat with real attention. It is a significant issue with regard to getting the balance right between the deployment of technology, the protection of...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: On amendment No. 36 and the subsequent amendments, Nos. 43 to 45, inclusive, 47 to 52, inclusive, 54 to 56, inclusive, and 58, I propose to extend the provisions relating to the use of cameras by local authorities and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, to include other similar devices and to address some technical issues in the text to improve the clarity of the text without changing the...