Results 7,361-7,380 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

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

Eamon Ryan: I agreed in the previous amendment with the broad concern the three Senators set out around how we use facial recognition technology and artificial intelligence and the general risk - reality in many jurisdictions - of the surveillance of citizens that is totally inappropriate. I absolutely accept that. I said in my response to the earlier amendment that we all seek to get the balance...

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

Eamon Ryan: I do not agree. I fear we could end up in a situation where we would have to go back to amend primary legislation in an evolving area where we have different types of electronic devices which might want to use the data. I agree with Senator Ruane's earlier contention that we need to regulate how devices using facial recognition technology or artificial intelligence, AI, which could have a...

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

Eamon Ryan: I do not disagree with this issue. It is an issue obviously with mobile phones where there is a very serious issue around all the information, controversially. We have to be careful here not to try to address this whole complex issue through a piece of traffic management regulation. If we are starting to get down to specifics and that every device might be a data sharing device, we would...

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

Eamon Ryan: It is a useful and important discussion. One could look at it the other way. One could say that by being specific in primary legislation, which may only be amended by going through this House and the Dáil, we could end up with a situation where other devices are gathering data that are completely unregulated and outside any control system. That would be a big risk and as Senator...

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

Eamon Ryan: On what basis? They would not be contained in the law.

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

Eamon Ryan: It is far better to have that broad definition and say where there is a device that can collect data, it is part of any regulations and therefore any amendment the Senators have suggested would then have impact. It is better to do it that way than try to set out in primary legislation what exactly each and every device is.

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

Eamon Ryan: The legislation has provisions, or includes provisions elsewhere, that when we are referring to "personal data" it states it "has the same meaning as it has in Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016". Therefore, everything works. Once you are designating something as a "data-gathering device" then the broader European GDPR and other...

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

Eamon Ryan: This is a very useful discussion. The proposed section 77A(6), to be inserted by section 45 of this Bill, sets out that the Minister must set out the regulations to "provide for data obtained using cameras operated by or on behalf of a road authority".It also sets out, in some detail, that a data protection impact assessment and so on should be carried out under the terms of section 84 of...

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

Eamon Ryan: This amendment represents a small but valuable change to clarify the role of TII with regard to maintenance. I am proposing to replace the words "maintenance works" with “maintenance (including maintenance works)” as well as providing for TII to consult the Garda Commissioner, as required, with regard to traffic signs. The change from "maintenance works" to “maintenance...

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

Eamon Ryan: I cannot accept amendments Nos. 40 to 42, inclusive. In section 44, we are allowing An Bord Pleanála, in certain limited circumstances, to approve a scheme or road development that contravenes materially a development plan or local development plan. The first criterion under which the board will be allowed to do this is where the proposal is of strategic regional or national...

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

Eamon Ryan: I do not disagree about the importance of this issue. Some of the debate on it earlier was very useful. I will consider the matter before Report Stage, if the Senator is agreeable. It is a technical issue and I want to get it right and to ascertain whether the proposed change in wording will constitute a practical strengthening of the provision. I would like to have time to consider that...

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

Eamon Ryan: The purpose of Section 46 is to provide a clear legislative power to acquire land for the purposes of certain mitigation measures that may not normally be regarded as traditional or usual mitigation measures. For instance, usual mitigation measures for which lands are compulsorily required of which has been accepted and for which there is very little legal debate include items such as new...

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

Eamon Ryan: In section 50 of the Bill, we are providing a number of amendments to section 95 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, which deals with provision of road signage. The principal aim here is to ensure the necessary powers for the TII to deal with signage on a new class of what will be called national managed roads. The only such road intended for now is the M50. What the Bill does is that it...

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

Eamon Ryan: This amendment to the Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act 1952 addresses two matters which have come to my attention regarding motor tax. The first relates to State-owned vehicles. State-owned vehicles are exempt from motor tax, and almost 6,000 vehicles are exempt in this way by virtue of being State-owned. Over half of these are Garda vehicles. There are also a significant number of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Government is acutely aware of the impact that the recent increases in global energy prices is having on households and throughout 2022 introduced a €2.4 billion package of supports and as part of Budget 2023 has introduced a package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion. This includes a second Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €550.47 (exclusive...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Guidelines (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I refer to the reply to Question No 214 of 26 January 2023 provided by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The preparation and adoption of statutory planning guidelines are a function of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, pursuant to Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). As such, the Minister has no statutory role in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Generation (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The recently published Climate Action Plan 2023 sets out a plan to implement the carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings along with a roadmap for taking decisive action to halve our emissions by 2030 and reach net zero no later than 2050, as was committed to in the Programme for Government. The plan sets out measures and actions to ensure electricity demand is managed in line with...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Advertising (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The following table outlines the Department of Transport’s expenditure on online advertising from 2013 to date. Year Amount Description of Expenditure 2023 €20,000 Social media promotional campaign to support Shared Island EV Sports Club Scheme 2022 €38,466 Social media...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Advertising (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Department of Transport is not aware of any social media accounts operating under false names on its behalf. The Department has official accounts on the following social media platforms: LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. In addition, under Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, a new office within the Department of Transport, it operates separate channels on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (1 Feb 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these...