Results 7,961-7,980 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: That is not paltry money. That is money which I hope has been and is well spent. It is my job to see that is well spent and I will see that it is well spent. The taxpayer is entitled to value for that money, not empty rhetoric from Deputy Munster.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Tourism Promotion (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: That is a fair question and one which I suspect will be asked and answered continually in the months ahead, and it is fair that this should be monitored monthly. I welcome the overall growth in visit numbers to Ireland in the first eight months of 2017. However, the decline in the numbers visiting from Great Britain continues to be a concern. While growth from North America, mainland...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Tourism Promotion (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: While I accept the genuineness of what the Deputy said, he should not expect anybody on any side of the House to anticipate currency movements. As he rightly pointed out, the reduction in visitor numbers from the UK has been compensated for partly by the visitor numbers from the US. Also, what is happening within Fáilte Ireland is something very commendable. It will receive €2...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Tourism Promotion (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: Just one more second-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Tourism Promotion (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: I will use it to give those figures because they are very important.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: We had a meeting of the multi-stakeholder forum on 10 July. It was a very successful and constructive meeting with representatives of all the unions, including the chief of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU. That resulted in an agreement that they would send suggestions to me about how the forum would work. I am awaiting some of those. I am absolutely committed to doing this. We...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Priority Question No. 1 because it contains some of the content that Deputy Munster will need. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has statutory responsibility for regulating fares charged by public transport operators, while the funding of the free travel scheme is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: As I have already stated in reply to Deputy Troy, an 8% increase in the overall Exchequer funding for PSO services will be distributed across the bus and rail networks. As is normal the allocations to the companies, including Iarnród Éireann will not be decided by me. It is consistently peddled in this House that somehow I have got an involvement in the day to day running of, or...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: The Deputy is aware that the taxpayer make a very large and recurring contribution each year to Iarnród Éireann. This contribution takes the form of both current, PSO, funding and capital funding under what is known as the infrastructure management multi-annual contract, IMMAC. In 2017 funding under the PSO and IMMAC programmes will cumulatively increase by over 17% when compared...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rail Network (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: I thank the Deputy for telling me about the specific case he has brought to my attention. It would, however, be more appropriate to bring it to the attention of management in Iarnród Éireann. I will do so if the Deputy gives me the details of the case, particularly if it is in his constituency. I have not heard widespread reports of it happening around the country or being a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: Since Ryanair announced that it had made a commercial decision to cancel or suspend flights on a number of routes across it European-wide network, officials from my Department have been in regular contact with all the relevant entities including Ryanair, the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) and the Irish Aviation Authority. I have also been in direct contact with the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: As I stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 8 (42136/17), of 11/10/17 it is a statutory function of the National Transport Authority (NTA) to conduct the public procurement process relating to the tendering out of 10% of the PSO bus network. I am aware of industrial disputes involving the company and workers at a rail franchise it holds in the UK. The Labour Relations...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects Status (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual national road projects  is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. ...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities Funding (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: I am pleased to have secured an increase in funding for cycling infrastructure and greenways as part of the mid term review of the Capital Plan.  The awarding of funding to individual projects will be a matter for the National Transport Authority in the case of cycling infrastructure projects within the Greater Dublin Area and the Regional Cities of Cork, Waterford,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 26 together. I refer the Deputies to my replies to Priority Question Nos. 1 and 2, which I answered earlier. In terms of subvention, I have increased the actual level of subvention available for public transport, which has allowed Iarnród Éireann to receive higher levels of support. Of course I recognise that...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: As the Deputy is aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including the new Metro North project.  Together with a number of other large scale projects included in the NTA's Transport Strategy for the GDA 2016-2035, the new Metro...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Tolls (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: As Deputy Munster notes, I recently visited the toll bridge and the surrounding areas to hear about the difficulties faced by some local residents and businesses. I am reflecting on the issues raised and whether there are reasonable measures within my power that could ameliorate the concerns expressed to me without causing adverse consequences to the tax payer or local...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Funding (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: I welcome the overall growth in visit numbers to Ireland in the first eight months of 2017. However, the persistent decline in the numbers visiting from Great Britain continues to be a concern. Growth from North America, Mainland Europe and other markets has allowed us to maintain upward momentum. Overseas marketing is vital for tourism. While recent tourism performance has...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: The National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) 2017-2021 launched by my colleague, Minister of State for Disability, Finian McGrath T.D., in July last contains a number of transport actions, including one committing to the implementation of consistent and reliable on-board audio and visual announcements on all public transport vehicles. While the issue raised by the Deputy is a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann Services (11 Oct 2017)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 35 together. I am not aware of a recent announcement by Bus Éireann to discontinue routes.  I am, however, aware that Bus Éireann has experienced significant operational issues in the eastern region recently and it is a matter for the Company to resolve those issues.  I am also aware that the National Transport Authority...