Results 141-160 of 911 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Brian Leddin

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Monuments (17 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: I thank the Minister. I ask her to consider a visit to King John's Castle and the wider Limerick and mid-west area. There are many amenities there. I know she has visited already. Her officials will obviously liaise with the council as to when the appropriate time might be to visit King John's Castle. We look forward to that. On the broader issue of sustainable tourism she mentioned,...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: I think Deputy Crowe is in a committee so I will keep going and if I use the eight minutes so be it. I will begin by adding my voice to those of other Members across the House, such as Deputies Howlin, Gannon and Haughey, who made strong statements about the dire situation in the Horn of Africa. We are beholden as a Parliament, a democracy and as a developed country to do everything we can...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: 93. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress which has been made by the steering group to advance the flood mitigation works at Ballycar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56453/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: I wish to ask the Minister the progress which has been made by the steering group to advance the flood mitigation works at Ballycar in County Clare. My Government colleague, Deputy Carey, would like to come in on this one as well.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: I thank the Minister of State. I take issue with the answer. He has said Irish Rail is to lead on this project. The solution to this serious issue is a couple of kilometres away from the rail track and really it should be with the OPW and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Confidence will be lost in the service between Limerick and Galway if this floods. We had 2.5 times...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: I acknowledge that it is a long-term project. The situation at the moment is that responsibility for the project is being passed between different Departments. That is a problem. We are two years in now and nothing has been done. A recent parliamentary question I submitted to the Department of Transport passed the buck again over to the OPW. Now we are hearing the buck being passed back...

Science Week: Statements (15 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: I endorse Deputy Ó Ríordáin's point on the challenge in gender and science. I am an engineer by training. Engineering is where science meets pragmatic application in many ways. We have a massive challenge in engineering to get balance; we are far from it. We do not have enough young women getting into the sector. If we did, I dare say that many of the challenges we have in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: I commend the Taoiseach on the genuine and effective leadership he showed on the international stage last week. He told the international community that we do not have a minute to lose in our efforts to combat climate change. There is a missing piece in this country in how we communicate the importance of climate change to our communities across the country. Climate action at ground level...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ports Policy (10 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: 10. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to develop the port infrastructure here to enable the deployment of offshore wind farms, particularly on the west coast, in view of a report finding that Belfast Harbour is the only port capable of supporting large fixed and floating wind projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55750/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ports Policy (10 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: What are the Department's plans to develop port infrastructure to enable the deployment of offshore wind farms, particularly along our west coast, in light of the report by Wind Energy Ireland which found that only Belfast is suitable?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ports Policy (10 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: I thank the Minister of State for her answer. I am particularly interested in the west. Galway and Limerick have a major role to play as we develop our offshore resource. This is strongly linked to the development of rail. This issue is not just a matter of offshore renewable energy but about shifting rail freight from east to west. There is a fantastic opportunity in the Minister of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ports Policy (10 Nov 2022)

Brian Leddin: I welcome the Minister of State’s response and I fully agree with the multi-port approach. I encourage the Government to leave no stone unturned in developing all our ports as quickly as possible. An important point to make about the development of these sports is that they are keystone projects in realising a wider and positive vision. We in this country can be accused of siloing...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rail Network (27 Oct 2022)

Brian Leddin: I thank the Minister for the answer. I am happy to hear him expand on the vision for rail freight and for rail in general. It is a very coherent and important vision for us to follow. It chimes incredibly well with the policy agenda and ambition of the Government. It is generally shared these days across the political spectrum. I was happy to hear the Minister mention the potential of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rail Network (27 Oct 2022)

Brian Leddin: It seems to me that we are on the cusp of changing how we do transport in this country. For 60 years, the rail system has been starved of investment. Unlike other countries, Ireland did not see a future for rail. It perceived that the future would involve a transport system based on private cars and, to some extent, city and intercity buses. In recent years, the Government has invested...

Energy Security: Statements (27 Oct 2022)

Brian Leddin: I would have been happy to give Deputy Bruton more time to expand on that point, if he needed it. I am glad he referred to data centres and the simplistic narratives we hear about them. I heard many of them while following the debate in my office, although they were not made by anybody in the Chamber now. On the idea that we have failed to develop offshore wind, while I agree we have...

Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Bill 2022: Second Stage (26 Oct 2022)

Brian Leddin: The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action decided to waive pre-legislative scrutiny for this Bill. It was appropriate to do so. It was certainly not a unanimous decision but given that it is emergency legislation, when we were asked, I think that was the right thing to do. However, I must agree with Deputy Bacik that the committee should not have been in the position where it...

Finance Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Brian Leddin: I welcome the Bill. Last week, we had the very welcome news that the bike-to-work scheme is to be extended to €3,000 to enable people to purchase cargo bikes. There is empirical evidence that cargo bikes give at least some families the option to get rid of their car or second car. Many short trips that would be taken by car can and will be taken by bike or cargo bike with this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Impact Assessments (25 Oct 2022)

Brian Leddin: I agree with the Minister's thoughts. There is a completely new thinking, but we need to go a lot further. It is the case that all applicants, as the Minister said, receive an on-site inspection, but it is also the case that 95% of landowners who seek approval do get full permission. All that adds up to 2,000 km of hedgerows being removed every year, which is a conservative estimate made...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Impact Assessments (25 Oct 2022)

Brian Leddin: 74. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the current environmental impact assessment, EIA, regulations are fit for purpose as a deterrent against the removal of hedgerows and other on-farm vegetation; if he will revise the regulations to provide for greater environmental protections for rural landholdings; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Impact Assessments (25 Oct 2022)

Brian Leddin: Will the Minister outline whether the current EIA regulations are fit for purpose as a deterrent against the removal of hedgerows and other on-farm vegetation? Does he intend to revise the regulations to provide for greater environmental protections for rural landholdings?