Results 761-780 of 10,460 for speaker:Gerry Horkan

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: We are not on that one yet.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: We will get there, but we are not there yet.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Amendments Nos. 39 to 42, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together, by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: The purpose of today's meeting is to meet with the Road Safety Authority, RSA, to discuss issues relating to road safety. I am pleased to welcome on behalf of the committee Mr. Sam Waide, chief executive officer, Mr. Brendan Walsh, chief operations officer, Mr. Michael Rowland, director of research, standards and assurance, Ms Nessa Kelly, director of strategy, performance and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Thank you, Mr. Waide. I will take the first slot on behalf of Senator Dooley. We are all discussing this. It is clearly a very significant topic for this committee and for everybody in Ireland. The new Taoiseach has put a renewed focus on it in meeting you, Mr. Waide, and your chairperson within his first week in office, as you alluded to. What does the RSA need from us? You have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Our time is limited today. I could probably talk for an hour, as I am sure many of the other members could, if we had the time, which we do not. I will just zone in on a couple of things you mentioned. You have referred to late nights, weekends, rural areas and young people. In the other document the RSA sent us, the additional briefing information, it points out the counties most...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: The numbers overall are up, but there are particular factors still.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I do not want to cut across Mr. Waide but I am conscious of time. All those points are very valid. It is very obvious that the volume has increased. The number of cars has increased and since the pandemic, the volume of traffic has increased a lot but I am talking about the 185 fatalities of last year. The coroner and An Garda Síochána have investigated these particular...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: What are the statistics on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Including drivers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Sorry, fatigue surprised me. So 20% of people said they have fallen asleep at the wheel.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: It is one in five. It is not all the time but they have admitted doing it on an occasion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I could go on and on but I want to allow other members of the committee in too. Hopefully we will get a second round in before we are finished. I want to thank everyone for all they are doing. I hope people are watching. We will all do our best to communicate to our communities and the people we know the significant risk factors. There was a reference in Mr. Waide’s briefing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Before I call Deputy Smith, I want to commend the TY programme being rolled out. I am the chair of the board of Ardscoil Rís in Limerick, which was featured on "Today with Claire Byrne" some weeks ago. It is really impactful. I remember going to the access road shows in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire where there were people in floods of tears. You do not want to upset...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I was going to give the Deputy a little extra. I will bring everybody back in for a second round. I will also bring in Senator Garvey after committee members have been dealt with.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: It is proposed to upgrade and change the syllabus because motorway driving is not currently part of the driving test or lessons. We did not have motorways 30 years ago but we have many of them now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: People comply when they are watched.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Was it a "gimmick"?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Or the pedestrian or cyclist.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I do not wear high-visibility clothing when I am cycling because it is a fashion statement; I wear it because I do not want someone to hit me. That is the only reason I wear it. It is like cycling helmets. People do not wear helmets because they want to do so. Someone does put a fire escape into a building because they want to have a fire. It is there if something goes wrong. I saw...