Results 10,181-10,200 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: Let me finish and I will answer the Deputy's other question. The subsidy is provided as per the contracts which are drawn up. It is based on EU regulations and on those contracts and it is not provided per head of the population, it is based on the contracted levels of services provided. That is the answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: The private operators do accept free travel passes, but not all of them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: They do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: No, they are not required to, but some do. More than 90 operators do. The Senator has to be aware of that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: They are certainly not required to, I agree, but they do so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: It is optional for them to do so. It is worth looking at the model on a continual basis and we are happy to do that but at the moment there is an enormous amount of criticism at the way the model operates. The results we have recently are very good. Passenger numbers are going up, revenue is going up so there is something to be said for it. The models are working in parallel and in tandem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: I do not think that is the case for a moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: I will answer that as clearly as I can. The under-funding of free travel is being addressed as we speak, so the answer to the Senator's question is yes but it is being addressed this week. The officials in my Department-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: We are looking at everything. To clear something up, the majority of passengers on the Expressway service are not free travel passengers. That is not the case. The Senator can be assured of that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: No member of my Department has gone in and done a full examination of what the Deputy refers to, that is a matter for the board of Bus Éireann. Who they employ and what they pay them, within guidelines, is a matter for the board. It is something the Deputy justifiably raises as an issue. I do not know whether it is a matter of contention but it is a fair thing to comment on. It would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: Most of the PSO runs?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: Is the Deputy certain of that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: I am just told that Bus Éireann does a lot of subcontracting there which it is reducing. The Deputy has a point there. It is doing so to increase efficiency.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: There is certainly no policy to privatise, if that is what the Deputy means. It looks to me as though it is on an ad hocbasis and that they subcontract them where it is convenient. Sorry, what was the last question, I missed it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: That would be the ideal but of course if there is very small demand there is not much point in having competition and having two loss-making operators which might be the result of that. I am in favour, and all recent Ministers have been in favour of competition. That is fine but not to have competition where the route is making a loss. That would not make sense and the private operators...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Wild Atlantic Way Project (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: I propose to take Questions Nos. 300 and 301 together. While overall responsibility for the application referred to in the Deputy's question rests with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland, commissioned an assessment of the proposed Galway Bay Marine and Renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Policy (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: In 2014 my Department engaged Cycling Ireland to develop a new national cycle training standard which would ensure a standardised level of cycle training around the country. The new standard Cycle Right  which was launched in January, 2017 will be rolled out during 2017 to as many primary schools as funding allows. I am confident that this new cycle training, which includes...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities Funding (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: Details are set out in the following table of the funding amounts drawn down in 2015 and 2016 under the various programmes administered both directly by my Department and by the National Transport Authority (NTA) that provide infrastructural and behavioural change measures to support cycling. Under the Sustainable Transport Measures Grants (STMG) Programme, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities Provision (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: ​The National Cycle Manual has been prepared by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in order to guide planners and engineers in their work to improve cycling provision in urban areas. The National Cycle Manual is available at . In relation to Greenways and rural cycling infrastructure, local authorities receiving funding from my Department are instructed to follow TII...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Railway Stations (1 Mar 2017)

Shane Ross: As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport. The operation of the rail network and stations on the network are a matter for Iarnród Éireann in the first instance, including any relevant feasibility studies. Iarnród Éireann remains in a challenging position financially and has limited resources...