Results 8,181-8,200 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: No, it is January.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: I want to refer to the people of Limerick. The LSMATS plan came out and front and centre one of the aspects was the northern distributor road. Deputy Crowe and I are in adjoining constituencies so we know the people of Limerick. Ultimately, LSMATS will come back with an upgrade that will include the use of the rail network, which is very welcome.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: LSMATS has committed to us publicly that it will be in there. I have held public engagements on this matter in my constituency and people were very supportive of the plan.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: The Minister has told me that LSMATS is a priority for him. If it is a priority for him, and ultimately with rail and once again it is over a period, then we very much welcome that. Equally, on the northern distributor road, the LSMATS is coming back with it being included in the revised draft. We just want the project to go out to public consultation and continue to go through the process.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: That is all we are asking.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: The northern distributor road will be a huge artery in terms of the provision of public transport in Limerick. All we ask is as follows. The National Transport Authority will come back to us. Once again, going back to the point made by Deputy Crowe, it is about hard facts. There are an awful lot of loose figures but we want to know the hard facts. What will the project cost? There is a...

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

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: That is correct.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: The bottom line is that if one lives in Corbally one cannot get out of there. This discussion is going around in circles. LSMATS is coming back with its plan. LSMATS has told us publicly that the northern distributor road would be included. We await the public consultation in January. The process will continue, which we welcome.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: The Senator has gone down that 70% figure.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: While the Minister is dealing with aviation, I wish to raise a point that we did not discuss. Professor Mary Horgan’s report has come out and it stated that the Department made no request for antigen tests to be considered for aviation travel. The Minister might give his up-to-date views on that. We will certainly have a session with the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy...

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

Kieran O'Donnell: Why has no request gone in to Professor Mary Horgan for antigen testing to be considered for air travel?

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

Kieran O'Donnell: I have read the report and it specifically says that no request was made. The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, told us that Professor Mary Horgan’s group was set up for individual Departments to go directly to it, not through him. Has the Department of Transport made a direct approach to Professor Mary Horgan? If not then the Department needs to make such an approach if it is...

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

Kieran O'Donnell: I have asked the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, that specific question. He said it is up to individual Departments and Ministers to go directly to Professor Mary Horgan’s expert group on rapid testing and to ask it to come up with a blueprint for a particular roll-out of antigen testing in that Department. If it has not been done to date then it needs to be done....

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

Kieran O'Donnell: In terms of Dr. Walsh's Cork credentials, he was matching himself up with Larry Tompkins and Shea Fahy in that they came from Kildare to play football for Cork. Those were his connections.

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

Kieran O'Donnell: What difference would it make? Does the Minister know the practicalities?

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

Kieran O'Donnell: Has an indication been given of how quickly it would speed up the timeframe of projects? Have you got into that level of detail?

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

Kieran O'Donnell: Does Deputy Carey want to come in?

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

Kieran O'Donnell: Okay. We did huge work on antigen testing. I ask the Minister to follow up and get clarity on a body of work being done on antigen testing for air travel. Our understanding is that the Department has to go directly to Professor Horgan's group, which was set up to allow Departments to go directly to it to set up projects. Will the Minister follow up on that? There may be a degree of...

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

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Minister very much for attending. It was a robust meeting, but that is democracy. It is important. We live to fight another day.