Results 7,681-7,700 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Business of Joint Committee (Resumed) (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: The pre-legislative scrutiny will be discussed on the following week on Wednesday, 27 June. We are trying to include additional items that are of public interest.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: The purpose of our meeting is to hear from the chairpersons designate, their approach to undertaking the role of chairperson and their vision for the company. I welcome Ms Fiona Ross, chairperson designate of CIÉ and Mr. Basil Geoghegan, chairperson designate of DAA. I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Ms Ross for a very comprehensive statement. Her qualifications are outstanding in the context of the challenges facing public transport. I will call members from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and Independent in that order if that is agreeable to everybody.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Dúirt an cléireach liom gur thosaigh an cathaoirleach nua atá ar Dublin Bus, Ultan Courtney, mar thiománaí bus. Things have changed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome Ms Ross’s appointment. She will be dynamic. As other members said, her qualifications are excellent and wide-ranging. The economy is doing well. For the first time in many decades, there is significant investment in public transport. It is important that the public transport companies will be changing. Competition is good. I welcome it because it gives choice to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I invite Mr. Geoghegan to make his opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Before I open the debate up to Members, I congratulate Mr. Geoghegan on his nomination. Like Ms Ross, Mr. Geoghegan is highly qualified. In fact, both of the chairperson designates are exceptionally qualified to carry out their new commitments. Their comments are so important that I think we should immediately forward them to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I hope so. As a committee, we will formally forward the comments.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is hugely important that we forward the comments. I do not mind a joke here or there but this important matter is a serious one. I know that Members will wish to comment on it. It would be a good step for us to forward the comments; I do not mind if we convey them using a paper aeroplane, a paper trail or an electronic flight but they should be delivered immediately.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Did Senator O'Mahony ask about a conflict of interest?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: We should invite the Minister to attend a meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Just before Mr. Geoghegan answers and in order to be helpful, I suggest that we ask the Minister in to answer this question separately. Perhaps we will ask him to come in as soon as possible - in addition to the other communications we will be having with him - because this is a hugely important issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: In fairness to the Minister, if we are to ask him in to answer questions on all of those issues it would be fair, appropriate and proper that we do it as soon as we can. It would be fair to make those points to him directly. I do not expect Mr. Geoghegan to make a political comment on it. Glaoim ar an Seanadóir Pádraigh Ó Céidigh arís.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Not as Gaeilge though.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: He is a politician.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Mr. Geoghegan for his comprehensive replies. As someone who uses the airport frequently, I know it has lots of franchisees that supply goods at different costs. Sometimes I find if one is buying a litre or half a litre for water, one pays an arm and a leg for it. What price control exists? How does the DAA regulate the transparency of the charges and make sure they are fair and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: There might be but the ones I go to are not free.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is an issue, notwithstanding Mr. Geoghegan's excellent reply. It is a problem and some people are being ripped off. I have no doubt about that. I appreciate Mr. Geoghegan is not the CEO. Deputy O'Keeffe has invited us to visit Cork Airport in the future. I think it might be a good idea if we meet in Dublin Airport with the chief executive and tease out some of these issues. I will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: CIÉ and DAA: Chairpersons Designate (13 Jun 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: Before I bring the session to a close I thank Ms Ross and Mr. Geoghegan for coming here and answering the questions in an open and transparent way. The bodies to which they will be appointed as chairperson will be served very well. The public will be very well served too by their capacity to deal with significant and complex issues. We are in good hands under their stewardships as chairpersons.