Results 13,301-13,320 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

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

Eamon Ryan: Before I address that, may I refer to the Committee Stage amendments we expect to make to the road traffic legislation currently before the Dáil. The legislation is designed to create the kind of flexible environment in which we can experiment and obtain good value for money in putting in new active-travel and BusConnects projects. The impetus for the amendments came from the judgment...

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

Eamon Ryan: I just referred to that because I was asked.

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

Eamon Ryan: On fares, I agree that public transport must be affordable in addition to being reliable and frequent. That is why we have introduced a 50% reduction for those under 24. It will be introduced next year. It is the reason for the 90-minute fare structure, which allows for efficiencies such that passengers can jump from a DART or Luas to a bus without having to pay more than once. Regarding...

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

Eamon Ryan: I listened to the advice of some of our road engineers who do not believe it is an appropriate project to advance. I agree because of what it would do. As I said at a previous meeting of this committee, a €200 million bill would be due to the operator of the tunnel under the River Shannon. Within the confines of its contract, it will be entitled to compensation if we provide an...

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

Eamon Ryan: I wish to make a clarification. It will not necessarily be light rail. It will be light rail in the sense that it will be electrified rail, like all new rail developments, but it will use the existing heavy rail lines. A real benefit Limerick has is that it has the infrastructure there already and building on top of that makes sense. I do not know how informed the Minister, Deputy...

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

Eamon Ryan: It is important to have clarity and I expect we will. That relates to the fundamental question as to whether the NTA supports the proposal that we do compact, low carbon and transport-orientated development. In the end, the wisdom of that will be clear. It is important, in my mind, that we see real expansion, real investment and real increased population in Limerick. If we go by the old...

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

Eamon Ryan: That is an important and valid point. That first section, in the end, was agreed and developed, and it was for the local community. It was their clear sense that they had been excluded, isolated and not provided with connectivity, particularly in the community of Moyross. When we agreed that with Limerick City and County Council, a condition to proceeding was that we would also take down...

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

Eamon Ryan: Work on a national aviation policy will start but has been delayed by Covid. Coming back from Glasgow last week, all of the talk in aviation was about how it can play its part in decarbonisation. That will be a very interesting and useful part of these developments. There will be Dáil statements on the R116 report so I might leave that if I can because it is more respectful to...

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

Eamon Ryan: The Senator is right. We require a variety of initiatives to get cycling to come up to the numbers we want. We need safe places to park so that you do not get that gutting feeling when you come out and your bicycle is gone. Yesterday, CIÉ announced a new Heuston quarter. It is 10 ha, so it is not small. It includes Conyngham Road and the car park around Heuston Station. It will go...

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

Eamon Ryan: It is not impossible for us to deliver these improvements. First and foremost, we must provide the infrastructure. Regarding the Luas and the wider greater Dublin area transport strategy review, what we do regarding the metro on the south side has been one of the most contentious and complicated issues. The original plans to connect it to the green line near Beechwood Avenue became...

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

Eamon Ryan: That issue is really well set up for a committee debate. We are into technical questions of how to get up the Mount Merrion hills.

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

Eamon Ryan: That is what Committee Stage is for.

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

Eamon Ryan: Far from being concerned about "overproviding", I am concerned about how fast we can provide the service. We have had real issues with Covid-19 and even some of the practical concerns around ducting, getting local authority permits and so on. Our job is to push the accelerator. There is no problem of overlap. There was a report in the Business Postbut my Department's assessment is the...

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

Eamon Ryan: There is huge potential in Cork for delivery from CMATS. First and foremost, it is happening with rail. This is next year's budget. Our use of our portion of the European recovery and resilience fund will allow us to invest in the first phase of the upgrade from Midleton to Kent Station and will allow for the run-through from Kent Station out towards Blarney and Mallow. That is not on the...

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

Eamon Ryan: I will get back to BusConnects and active travel in Cork but I will speak briefly to the Senator's point. We all recognise the current road is not safe or fit for purpose. It must be improved and the question is how. Connectivity between Cork and Limerick must be improved. Various options are being considered and I understand they include improved rail connectivity between Cork and Limerick.

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

Eamon Ryan: I do not either because I also passionately believe in road safety. We absolutely need to improve that. The question is how and what route. There are a variety of options there for both road and rail. Let us not prejudge it. I know that road intimately. I have been up and down it hundreds of times, so I am fully aware of that issue. I am aware also of the need to get traffic out of the...

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

Eamon Ryan: To make that work, we need high-quality public transport in the centre.

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

Eamon Ryan: It is starting. You cannot get more Cork than the South Mall and MacCurtain Street, both of which are starting to create a better public environment for active travel and also BusConnects. However, we need to do much more. I recognise this is difficult. I mentioned Deansgrange and Strand Road, where we had difficulties. The Wilton Road on Cork is another example of the precursor of the...

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

Eamon Ryan: I think a good job has been done. I do not know what the Senator's view is.

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

Eamon Ryan: Some areas might think they have lost a service but I do not think they have. It provides much better connectivity from the north side to the south side of Cork. It provides end-to-end journey routes that make sense. Delivering that is now the key. That public consultation is under way. The quicker Cork can deliver on that, the more it will thrive. I do not see anything to stop us other...