Results 8,141-8,160 of 26,021 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Department's-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is something that could be looked into.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: On the basis of the point Deputy Ó Murchú has made, could the Minister just give us an update on how the task force is operating?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is at the Senator's discretion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: That is a slightly different matter from the Comptroller and Auditor General report.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: On another note, when the BusConnects comes into Limerick, which I think is starting next year, part of that could be a BusConnects service from somewhere like Cratloe running regularly to Shannon Airport. It might be a productive interim measure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: The rail is the Rolls-Royce and-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is something we can agree on. We could keep the link up. It is about connectivity, whether it is rail, road, bus or whatever. It could be moved on pretty quickly. Jim Meade and Irish Rail are keen to get going on the commuter rail link in Limerick. It looks to me it could be up and running in two years. I know the Minister is supportive of that. It is on the existing rail network so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: He gave a figure of about €120 million, whether that is-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is to upgrade the existing rail line. It could be of the order of €200 million. The point I am making is that I agree with public transport but I do not believe these modes are mutually exclusive. The Minister spoke about the northern distributor road. He can ask anyone in Limerick or, when he comes to Limerick, go out to Coonagh and look at the road under construction and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: That will eventually come into State ownership. It is about a window in time. This will come back for public consultation in January. They will do their work and their will be further discussion at that time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Minister would need to be very secure in his facts.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: We have very hard-pressed and hard-working people in Limerick who are contributing to the public purse.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I will pull the Minister up on that one because at the end of the day, if we consider the person out there who is earning €1 million and paying a huge amount of tax versus the person who is earning €40,000 and paying tax, the person paying the €40,000 is making just as big of a contribution, in some cases bigger, to the public purse in terms of spending.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: The way one does that is very simple - through balanced regional development. If we do not want Dublin to be a gridlock, we must be able to be competitive. That is why the Atlantic corridor is so important. That is why national aviation policy must have as one of its terms of reference how we address the growth in travel exponentially through Dublin Airport versus Cork and Shannon...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am not disagreeing but many industries are located in Cork, Limerick and Galway and are telling me they want to be able to commute from one to the other. We must have connectivity. Is the €360 million, which is very good in terms of active travel, included in the 2:1 ratio for roads to public transport?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: So by definition, the 2:1 ratio is actually much higher than 2:1 because the €360 million for active travel is really about public transport, which is very positive. We obviously want to push in that direction. The Minister is right. Up to 2025, there is not a huge amount of headroom based on the current spending proposals but many projects will get going from 2025. I want to deal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: I take that point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: But they must be connected by motorway. They are not mutually exclusive arguments. I agree with the Minister about rail, public transport and active travel. I have been at this a long time and I passionately believe that if we are to take that pressure off Dublin and compete with it on an international scale, we need to be equally served. I want to be certain that someone can get from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Kieran O'Donnell: We will not get the synergies. We will differ on that point. We will not get the synergies to make us competitive on a national and international level with the Atlantic corridor unless we get that fast connection between the cities; both rail and road. Whether we like it or not, nearly 80% of the road between Cork and Limerick has no hard shoulder. It is lethal and it does not work. TII...