Results 1,601-1,620 of 26,561 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Sector Pensions (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: From the outset I would like to clarify that I, as Minister for Transport, have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ, Group and their employees. As a commercial semi-state body CIÉ are responsible for the provision...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the DART+ Programme. Capital funding is being provided to the NTA for this purpose. There has recently...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the DART+ Programme. Noting the NTA's responsibility in this matter and the specific issue raised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, each local authority has statutory responsibility for the improvement and maintenance of their regional and local roads. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources and are supplemented by State Road grants. Of these grants, the vast majority (approximately 90%) are targeted at the maintenance and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2024, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) was appointed to lead the development of the first National Safety Camera Strategy. In the first instance, the strategy is focused on speeding from a road safety perspective and red light running and bus lane infringement from a traffic management perspective. The strategy will be flexible to accommodate further offences over times, such as...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. Further, Bus Éireann's Expressway services are commercial bus services and responsibility for the operation of the service is a matter for the company. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the Driver Testing Service, including the provision of test centres. As such, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct, detailed reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. In the new Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, this Government has committed to increasing Local Link services in rural areas to better connect villages, towns and cities. Under Budget 2025, the Department of Transport secured €658.442 million of funding...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Traffic Offences (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Courts Service informs my Department of disqualifications to be endorsed on driving licences via a weekly file. An Garda Síochána receive a nightly file from my Department which, from March 2025, will include the disqualification status of every driving licence. This can be used by frontline Gardaí on mobility devices at the roadside. The Road Safety Authority has access to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Procurement Expenditure €2,628.5M €3,389.6M €3,472.1 M €3,499.4M €3,655.9M* *not yet audited With regard to the bodies under the Aegis of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The issue raised by the Deputy in relation to the disposal method for railway sleepers is an operational matter for Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to Irish Rail for direct...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Bodies (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: While there are no single-function, quasi-judicial bodies under the remit of my Department as Minister for Transport, certain bodies under my remit have a statutory role for hearing appeals/hearing of complaints functions. For example, the Commission for Railway Regulation (CRR), as regulatory body of the rail market, has a function to hear appeals under regulation 30 of European Union...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243, 267 and 268 together. Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. This includes all application and scheduling matters. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputies' questions to the RSA for direct, detailed reply. Please...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The 2025 Electric Small Public Service Vehicle Grant Scheme (eSPSV25), which was launched the 17th of February, has this year seen an unprecedented level of interest from taxi, hackney and limousine operators across Ireland. This Scheme supports the uptake of EVs in the small public service vehicles sector and has a budget of €12.5m in 2025. Due to the record number of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure including, through engagement with Iarnród Éireann, certain rail project proposals. Works are currently underway to reinstate rail freight...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, the All-Island Strategic Rail Review was led by my Department and the Department of Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and published in July of last year. The Review Report commits to 32 strategic recommendations over the period to 2050, including reducing track access charges for rail freight services. As Minister of Transport, I have responsibility for policy and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Services (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I would like to thank the Deputy for his interest in this matter. Shannon Airport Group made a submission to my Department seeking financial support to establish Public Service Obligation (PSO) air services to provide EU Hub Connectivity to airports such as Schiphol from Shannon Airport. This request was considered in the context of the Mid-Term Review of the Regional Airports Programme....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Airport Policy (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the deputy will be aware, daa has the statutory responsibility to operate, manage and develop Dublin Airport, including the operation of flight paths arising from the use of the North Runway. As the matter raised in your question falls within the remit of daa, I have forwarded your question to daa for direct response. If the deputy does not receive a response within 10 working days...