Results 11,641-11,660 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Greenways Development (11 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: ​Clare County Council was awarded funding of €400,000 under the 2014 Government Stimulus Package for infrastructural development to construct Phase 1 of the West Clare Greenway from Ennis to Ballymaquiggan. Clare County Council have delivered a scaled back 3km of the proposed 4.5km cycleway as far as the Lees Road Sports Ground, and are not...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Initiatives (11 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: ​I had a meeting with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) on 8th August 2016 to discuss a range of issues under their remit, including new Metro North. TII and the National Transport Authority (NTA) have commenced preparatory work on planning and design of new Metro North and a dedicated project Steering Group which has been established for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Initiatives (11 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: ​Funding has been made available under the Government's Capital Plan "Building on Recovery Infrastructure & Capital Investment 2016-2021" for planning, design and construction of new Metro North, with construction expected to commence in 2021 with a view to delivering the project by 2026/2027. The Programme for Partnership Government commits to proceeding...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (11 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: ​While the Road Traffic Act 2004 sets default speed limits for national roads (both within and outside built up areas), local authorities may, in consultation with the Garda Commissioner and with the consent of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), make bye-laws to set Special Speed Limits for roads in their administrative areas. Under section 9 of the Act, local...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (11 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads (including the provision of rest areas on motorways), is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. ...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Road Projects (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: I would like to thank the Senator for once again raising this issue. I agree with him and he continuously makes a strong case. The only argument against the project is one with which he will be familiar, namely, that we do not have the money. The case for the road, which he has made on grounds not just of safety but also benefits to the economy of the region, is one with which I am...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Road Projects (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: I take the Senator's point. I am not aware of the stage in the planning process the project had reached at the time, but I accept what the Senator says that it was near completion. I do not want him to have a forlorn hope that the project will go ahead, if that is not true. That would be dishonest and unhelpful. If what he has said is correct - I have no reason not to believe him - I...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Planning Issues (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: I understand that the Deputy may be referring to the Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines 2012 issued by the then Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála are required to have regard in the performance of their functions to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: An Teanga Gaeilge (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: Is é an príomh-spreagadh maidir le taispeáint téacs ar chomharthaí tráchta bóthair a chinntiú go bhfuil an t-eolas a dhéanann siad cabhraíonn úsáid shábháilte an ghréasáin bhóithre agus soláthraíonn soiléireacht d'úsáideoirí bóthair ionas nach ndéanfar dochar...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Funding (6 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: Funding is provided to the Agencies under my remit annually as part of the Estimates process and is managed in accordance with public financial procedures. Where underspends or savings arise, my Department will vire funding to meet pressures in other programme headings. For capital funding, there is the option to carry forward unspent funding from one year to the next with the appropriate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: I thank the Chairman. As time is limited, I will try to be as brief as possible with my answers. I thank the members for their invitation to appear before the committee this morning for what I know will be an interesting and, hopefully, productive exchange of views. The committee has invited me here to talk about the future for public transport and on the levels of subvention. I will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: I will deal with Deputy Troy's questions first. He continually looks for what he calls a vision for transport from me. There are two ways of considering this. In the transport sector, there is the long-term vision and the short-term problems, and they are very closely related. The long-term vision, obviously, must be considered not achievable in a very short period of time because of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: I will come back to that point later. Deputy Munster asked whether my attitude to Bus Éireann was the beginning of privatisation. I have no plans whatsoever in any ideological sense to open what I suspect the Deputy would call the thin end of the wedge to privatisation. That is not the intention whatsoever. If there is to be competition in the bus market or in any of the transport...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: I am not-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: When it came to me, it told me the state of affairs at the time. It was a work in progress. I did not intervene. It was going to the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, and the National Transport Authority, NTA, with that. I did not intervene in any way with its plans. I did not express approval or disapproval. If the Deputy thinks it is the beginning of some sort of trend, it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: I have answered that question already. The plans the company has are only plans and I am not going to comment on negotiations it is going on with. I am not under any circumstances going to comment one way or the other on negotiations between management and unions. That would be ministerial interference and I have repeated time and again that the Minister will not interfere with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: Deputy Catherine Murphy talked about the PSO private operators. I believe she was suggesting that there was uneven treatment between one group and the other. There are a small number of tendered PSO services. These are important and socially necessary for rural Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: Yes, but it is small. Bus Éireann operates one of those routes while others are provided by local operators. Typically, these services arise due to reorganisation of commercial services and are a response to ensure rural connectivity. The Deputy also raised the fares policy. The National Transport Authority, NTA, is responsible for that, so perhaps she will address her questions to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: I am prepared to take any input from Deputy Troy but in all the encounters I have had with him, I have not yet received a single suggestion that was constructive. Perhaps he could make one and I will be delighted to take it up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: A Vision for Public Transport: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Shane Ross: Good, so let us do that.