Results 1,501-1,520 of 2,988 for speaker:James O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: Who paid for that? Was it Applus?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: I will now turn to the RSA and the customer charter decision. Much of the controversy brought to the attention of the committee by road safety campaigners was around the decision to reintroduce the customer charter. I understand there is much dispute about what it necessarily means. We do know, however, that a decision was taken in October 2022 that the charter be reintroduced, which meant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: Why was this stipulation reintroduced to the customer charter when we could foresee the backlog? On the front page of the Irish Independent, it was reported there were 375,000 vehicles on the road without a test. Who thought that was a bright idea? Whose decision was it? Why was the stipulation reintroduced in October when we knew we would be dealing with an enormous backlog?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: Mr. Waide is the chief executive of the Road Safety Authority. Based on the response I just heard, this amounts to very serious mismanagement and it suggests Applus and the RSA underestimated the degree of backlog that would develop. In ten centres, a member of the public who needs to apply for a test may have to wait until the autumn before he or she will be seen for an NCT. I am due for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: Mr. Waide also has a statutory responsibility in this area. Am I correct in stating he is the person who has to manage the relationship with the private operator, which has been given a substantial State contract?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: My next question is for the RSA. An issue in Munster was brought to my attention. I will not give any more geographical detail because it would help to identify the case, but it relates to a driving tester who was serially rejecting students from a certain motoring school. Someone has come to me on a number of occasions with great of anger and frustration regarding the RSA's intervention...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: In respect of driving tests, a large number of drivers have learner permits. Although more than 11,000 of them have been disqualified in court since 2016, only 722 of them, according to information I have, have surrendered their permit to the RSA, which is required by law. This was raised in a parliamentary question previously. Why is this allowed to happen and what steps is the authority...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: It is a Garda issue and it does not concern the RSA.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: Has the RSA communicated with An Garda Síochána that it has a concern this issue is not being followed up? The figures show clearly that of 11,000 drivers who have been disqualified, only 722 have surrendered their permits. Have the witnesses followed up on that matter with An Garda Síochána? Mr. Waide stated the primary purpose of them appearing before the committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: When those court cases relating to an individual who has lost his or her licence arise, does the RSA send a representative to the court to participate in the trial?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: There would not be RSA personnel.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: Perhaps most important, has the RSA calculated how many people it expects may be entitled to refunds, based on the figures in quarter 4? Is there an estimate as to how many motorists who paid for an NCT may be entitled to a full refund of their fee?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: From time to time, cases come to the constituency offices of Oireachtas Members that merit intervention relating to people being unable to obtain a driver's licence, where they might have been waiting a long time to get it. In the past, if people communicated with the RSA, they might have been able to be accommodated through the NDLS system. I ask the witnesses to ensure that if there is a...

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (31 Jan 2023)

James O'Connor: I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, on his appointment and wish him well in that role. No doubt, it is going to be one with plenty of travel and I know he will do his very best for us. In regard to the latest European Council summit, a number of important points were made. There was particular reference to the passing of Private Seán Rooney following his very...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (31 Jan 2023)

James O'Connor: 107. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications from County Cork that are currently outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4392/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diaspora Issues (31 Jan 2023)

James O'Connor: 112. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Diaspora Strategy, 2020-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4393/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (31 Jan 2023)

James O'Connor: 531. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position regarding funding that has been put on hold for an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4454/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Briefing on Current and Future Plans for the School Building Unit: Department of Education (31 Jan 2023)

James O'Connor: I thank the Chairman for allowing me to speak today and I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for informing me. On the east Cork area, I represent the area and I know that the officials are familiar with the growing amount of housing that is going up in the region. At today's meeting there has been reference, through questions asked by Deputy O'Sullivan, on the potential medium-term decline in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Briefing on Current and Future Plans for the School Building Unit: Department of Education (31 Jan 2023)

James O'Connor: I thank Ms Cusack. I apologise to Mr. Loftus, but I have limited time. Ms Cusack painted an excellent picture there. I have to agree with her in respect of forward planning. She referred to rail. A sum of €1.4 billion will be spent in east Cork and north Cork on tripling the rail capacity. As regards roads infrastructure, there is just shy of €1 billion in projects that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Briefing on Current and Future Plans for the School Building Unit: Department of Education (31 Jan 2023)

James O'Connor: Upon completion of the project, the school will be full. That is the frightening thing about it. I commend the work the Department is doing on extending the existing schools and on building that school. It already exists, which is an important point to make, but tit is moving to an actual home, which it has been trying to get since 2013. The school is full. I appreciate Mr. Loftus's...