Results 741-760 of 4,672 for speaker:Dessie Ellis

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2018)

Dessie Ellis: Yesterday, 3 December, was International Disability Day. Under the proposed health (transport support) Bill there are plans to implement a scheme to make individual payments as a contribution towards transport costs for those with severe disabilities and on low income who cannot access public transport. I have a number of constituents whose lives have been made hell. They are unable to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: Recently the Government, and Fianna Fáil, opposed the Sinn Féin Bill that proposed to regulate the use of quad bikes and scramblers. In the newspapers yesterday, the Minister for Justice and Equality, in response to the wife of a victim of a scrambler accident in a public park, clearly indicated that he is "fully committed to supporting any positive actions that can be pursued to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: I thank the officials for coming in. I have been tackling this ongoing problem for many years. The Minister originally said he was going to try to ban these vehicles outright. Now he is basically telling us that motorised rickshaws can be used for personal use and he will regulate non-motorised rickshaws. A number of questions arise in that context, for example, relating to insurance and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: I take the point about the confusion around motorised rickshaws for personal use. I cannot see how anyone would use a rickshaw for personal use, but one never knows. That is why I referred to motorised scooters with four wheels. People are starting to use them. They are used in European countries. They might be small wheels but there are four of them. I wonder, therefore, if that is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: It is like an ordinary scooter but it has four wheels and a motor.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: One could carry a passenger, but it is for personal use. I am agreeing with Ms Nic Lochlainn.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: Deputy Rock was on one and he is not a small passenger.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: They do not have safety belts either.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: Yes, I think it has been answered in the sense that the Minister is looking at the overall picture on all these issues.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: A taxi has a meter that records passenger distances. There are different charging rates and so on. How will the Department operate that system for a rickshaw that is carrying passengers in a non-motorised way? Is there some mechanism or will there simply be a standard charge? I am unsure how that would work. We hear of people getting into these rickshaws. One driver charges a tenner...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: The problem is that it amounts to unfair competition. What we are doing in that case is allowing someone to barter. If that is what we end up with, I think it would be very unfair to people who use meters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: On the rules of the road and safety, will we lay down some rules that anyone who carries passengers must do safety courses and pass the rules of the road? It is important that we have some sort of regulation around how they deal with traffic lights and all of these issues because it would be madness to put a Bill through without having such a guide.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: In the case of non-motorised vehicles, a licence is not needed but surely we should have-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: No, they do not need a driver's licence but I just saying that surely we should have some-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill 2018: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: That is not saying that it will be compulsory so is that something that we would have to address as we go along?

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Applications Fees (21 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: 111. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to restore the free passport to persons over 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48443/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Financing of Social Housing: Discussion (14 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: I thank Ms Bryce for her opening presentation. She spoke a great deal about the regeneration PPPs. I will refer to the Scribblestown scheme in Finglas which is to start before Christmas. As far as I am aware, it is 100% social housing. During the years the reputation of PPPs has not been great in terms of delivery and how they have been operated. I am trying to figure out how this one...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Financing of Social Housing: Discussion (14 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: They will be handed over to the local authorities after 25 years. Is that generally how it is run?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Financing of Social Housing: Discussion (14 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Financing of Social Housing: Discussion (14 Nov 2018)

Dessie Ellis: It is only being put out to tender, but it is being done in one block. It will be a cost rental scheme.