Results 13,361-13,380 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: The Minister of State responsible for this area, Deputy Ossian Smyth, is starting with a task force on the consumer aspects of this in terms of-----

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

Eamon Ryan: The key strategic decision-making is within the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. It has worked. It is almost ten years since the first broadband task force was established. The strange mix of collaboration and competition has delivered. The most attractive part of Virgin Media's latest announcement on rolling out connectivity of 11 GB is that it is now opening...

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

Eamon Ryan: I will, of course.

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

Eamon Ryan: The capacity has been increased by 30% recently. It was proposed to extend all 26 trams to 55 m, and an additional eight new trams are being purchased. The key point is increasing the frequency, including through work at the St. Stephen's Green junction. There is scope to increase capacity. The Senator is correct. I use the Luas regularly during the morning peak hours. Numbers are...

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

Eamon Ryan: It will not be a feasibility study. I am not sure if the Senator was listening earlier when I was discussing the development in Cork with Senator Buttimer. We will look to build a high-capacity BusConnects corridor through the city, and then when the demand is shown to rise, we would upgrade it to light rail. I think the second is a real possibility in Galway. I know the group in Galway...

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

Eamon Ryan: That could be one of the options. Alternatively, the bridge to be used for the BusConnects could be converted to light rail. That will take time and it requires the BusConnects to go in first, which will not be easy. There will be difficult decisions. Galway traffic is probably the most congested and the poorest planned. It will not be easy to make the decision to give priority to the...

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

Eamon Ryan: The great advantage of it being a public consultation is that they can get that feedback and get the right route alignment. We were recently talking to people in Ballinasloe about whether new Local Link services being put in were connected to the hospital. It is important to understand the actual need at a local level. In some of the examples developed recently, the use of Local Link...

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

Eamon Ryan: Given that the Bill is in the Dáil at the moment and needs to be passed by the Dáil and go to the Seanad, I imagine this will clear the Seanad early in the new year. As the Senator knows, it takes time to put regulations in place, particularly when significant safety issues are involved, as we have with e-scooters. There is a delicate balance. I look forward to debating the...

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

Eamon Ryan: I believe this committee has a meeting tomorrow with representatives of the Coast Guard. I was briefed to answer questions today on the national development plan. I will be speaking in the Dáil this evening when we are taking statements on the R116-----

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

Eamon Ryan: There are ongoing investigations and the departmental officials will be able to give further details tomorrow. I am concerned and the Department is doing further investigations into the matter.

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

Eamon Ryan: No, not at all. I look forward to listening to the arguments. I believe the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, introduced that Bill on Second Stage. Subject to advice from the Department, I am always open to amendments. I would not rule anything out in that regard. I do not promise anything as I do not know the details of the amendments.

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

Eamon Ryan: I will happily make sure the Department engages with the OPW and Clare County Council, but I know their advice will be that this is not a railway issue. It is a flooding issue and numerous landowners are involved. While the Department of the Transport could pretend it has full control or the yea or nay on it, it is, in truth, the local authority and the OPW that are responsible for making...

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

Eamon Ryan: I look forward to doing that.

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

Eamon Ryan: We might call it a rail map rather than a roadmap but, yes, absolutely. We need to do a whole variety of things in Limerick to use and add to the existing rail infrastructure. The first is the Colbert Station development and the likes of a new station at Moyross, which has real potential as it is within walking distance of Thomond Park and Limerick Institute of Technology, LIT, and it is on...

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

Eamon Ryan: There is a development in its early stages whereby the New Zealand and Scotland governments are looking at the provision of 25-passenger seat electric aircraft. They are looking at running services by 2025. They are working with a Swedish aircraft manufacturer. There are developments. It is probably the hardest nut to crack in terms of sustainable mobility but we should be at the front...

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

Eamon Ryan: That makes eminent sense and it is important we connect Shannon Airport and Limerick city.

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

Eamon Ryan: Yes. It is similar to what we said about Galway and Cork. You build a bus connection first to prove the demand and then you can upgrade it. My recollection of the road from Cratloe to Shannon Airport is there is a reservation almost all the way. It would be relatively easy to put in and if-----

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

Eamon Ryan: The cost is relatively light. Putting a station in Moyross would not be that expensive.

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

Eamon Ryan: That is more than just a station. We just-----

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

Eamon Ryan: Concerning the northern distributor road, we have the fundamental problem that there is a €200,000 million bill to pay an existing contractor before we start anything. That stops it dead in its tracks.