Results 9,121-9,140 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Other Questions: Traffic Management (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I thank the Deputy for his partly positive response. It might be sensible for him to sit back and look at this when it is presented at the end of May, and then make a judgment on it. However, it is a very serious proposal that will require an enormous amount of funding. For those who say we have no vision and no plans, here is a concrete and very constructive plan for relieving congestion...

Other Questions: Traffic Management (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I anticipate that the launch of this project will happen before the end of the month and I am quite happy to have a debate in the House, to answer questions or to go to the joint committee on this issue, perhaps with the NTA. Anything that is necessary in order to inform people of this, I will do it. However, I do not think it would be helpful if we started suggesting the record of the...

Other Questions: Railway Stations (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 68 together. The Deputy is presumably aware that issues such as those set out above are operational matters for Iarnród Éireann and not issues in which I have any statutory function. I am, however, informed by Iarnród Éireann that the company has instituted some remote monitoring from Howth Junction covering all stations along...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I am not familiar with those specific cases, so I will ask my Department to clarify the situation for the Deputy. The Deputy also referred to the Turkish-Syrian situation, but that is a matter for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, not me. I have and will make decisions on grounds of safety, have made certain demands and refused permission to several aircraft on safety grounds,...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: -----I am of the view that it would be timely to carry out a full review of SI 224 of 1973, the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order.

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I thank the Deputies for straying into the area of foreign affairs, which is something that I do not intend to get into this afternoon. My duty, job and function in this matter are purely related to grounds of safety and civilian aircraft. That is where the question is. That said, and given the need to define the various functions between the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade,...

Other Questions: Traffic Management (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 85 together. I recognise that there is considerable evidence emerging of increased travel demand across the Dublin region in particular, with growing traffic levels on many of its roads and streets. The welcome increase in employment has impacted on transport, not only through the beginning of a recovery in public transport numbers, but also...

Other Questions: Road Projects Expenditure (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I thank Deputy Wallace for his question which relates to a road with which he and I are both familiar for obvious reasons. I travel on it every day, including this morning. As Minister for Transport, Tourism and 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...

Other Questions: Road Projects Expenditure (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: The Deputy has strayed some distance from his original question. I am not averse to investing more in rail lines if good and cogent reasons are provided for doing so. If there was a commercial imperative for increasing investment in rail, it would be perfectly acceptable to do so.

Other Questions: Road Projects Expenditure (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: If Deputy Wallace can present a good case for more investment, let us address the issue but it would have to make commercial sense.

Other Questions: Road Projects Expenditure (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: Deputy Wallace knows the route from Dublin to Rosslare well. We could certainly examine the issue, although I emphasise that it would be an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann. The company would certainly be prepared to listen to the Deputy if he had any suggestions to offer. Transport Infrastructure Ireland is seeking funding under the mid-term capital review to commence...

Other Questions: Road Projects Expenditure (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I am always open to suggestions of this sort. I will refer the Deputy's proposal to the Department and obtain a response for him if he likes because, on the surface, it appears sensible. I have no doubt the Department will have some comments to make on it. The Deputy can have an interaction with officials on the issue. While I frequently travel from Enniskerry to Dublin on the N11, I also...

Other Questions: Road Projects Expenditure (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I ask the Deputy not to interrupt me. He can speak again in a moment. There is a shortfall in the existing capacity of the M11-N11 mainline corridor and capacity will need to be increased as far south as junction 8 Kilmacanogue, which is just beyond the area to which the Deputy referred.

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: ​The Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, SI 224 1973, as amended, provides that no munitions or weapons of war may be carried by an aircraft in Irish airspace without an exemption granted under the order. I confirm that, in accordance with Article 5 of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods)...

Other Questions: Tourism Promotion (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: Following what was a record year for overseas visitors to Ireland in 2016, recent figures published by the CSO showed that overseas visitors in the first quarter of 2017 were slightly up on 2016.  While there was strong growth from the North American market, visitors from Britain were down 6.5% year on year. It is too early to state definitively the reasons for this...

Other Questions: Tourism Promotion (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: The Deputy is correct to raise this as a serious issue, flag it as a difficulty and ask the question about the response, and there is alarm about Brexit, especially its effect on tourism. However, I point out to him, notwithstanding the recent CSO figures, and I think he is referring to visitors from Britain, that Tourism Ireland aims to grow overseas tourism revenue by a further 4.5% in...

Other Questions: Tourism Promotion (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: -----for the medium to long term.

Other Questions: Tourism Promotion (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I thank the Deputy for acknowledging that we have a commitment to the tourism industry, particularly in the area of tax, specifically VAT and the air travel tax. I hope this commitment will remain intact for many years to come because I think its effect has been to increase tourism in this country, which will be increasingly necessary, especially in the situation in which we find ourselves...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I know Deputy Ryan will hate this but he will have to wait until it is published. I am sorry but I cannot reveal it in advance and the Deputy will have to accept that. I will tell the Deputy the progress we are making and give him some broad outlines. This Friday, in accordance with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, I will submit the transport mitigation measures...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 May 2017)

Shane Ross: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for his latitude in the past few minutes. I have stated perfectly clearly that the Deputy will have to wait. He should not assume anything is omitted or included. However, he must not for one moment doubt our commitment. I have also stated that the Government investment must support emissions mitigation in the transport sector by financing additional...