Results 19,821-19,840 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I understand that the focus of the Deputy's question is about the approach for supporting both public and private operators in the public transport sector in relation to the challenges raised by the Covid-19 health emergency. Over the course of the COVID-19 crisis, my Department has been working closely with the National Transport Authority (NTA) to ensure public transport services...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (16 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The National Driver Licence Service has resumed its counter service for people applying for driving licences from 8 June, with revised working practices to keep its customers and staff as safe as possible. There is an inevitable backlog of people wishing to have a driving licence/learner permit issued, and walk-in applicants are not admitted at the moment; appointments are required for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (16 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The Driver Theory Test service resumed full operations on 8th June 2020, with some operational changes due to Covid-19 measures to minimize the risk to both candidates and staff. Inevitably, there is a backlog of candidates waiting to take the test. A candidate who believes they have a valid case for being allowed to sit the Driver Theory Test before others in the queue can email the National...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (16 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: As the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, 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 is an operational matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with Iarnród Éireann and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Semi-State Bodies (16 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I can confirm to the Deputy that management in Shannon Group have been in contact with officials in my Department in relation to recent announcements by the Group to seek a small number of voluntary redundancies and pay cuts among staff. The Deputy will be aware that Shannon Group is a commercial State Body and such matters are operational matters for the Group and Shannon Airport...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sport Ireland (16 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I am informed by Sport Ireland that it has not released any funds to the association mentioned by the Deputy to date in 2020 and that no funds are scheduled to be paid out by Sport Ireland to the association in advance of an Emergency General Meeting which I understand the association will convene in the near future. I understand that the association has indicated that its Annual...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Consumer Protection (16 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy has identified a difficulty with the legal requirements on airlines under EU law. Under EU Regulation 261, air passengers are entitled to a full cash refund within 7 days in instances where a flight is cancelled by an airline. However, if a flight goes ahead and a customer does not use their ticket, they are not entitled to a refund. I understand that the main Irish airlines have...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (16 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: In a case such as this, because of the length of time since the learner permit expired, the person must start at the beginning of the process once more, and successful undergo the Driver Theory Test before applying for a learner permit. If a candidate for the driver theory test is unable to read or write, he/she can apply for special arrangements to take the test. A letter of evidence...

Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I send my thoughts to Deputy Cowen and his family. It is incredibly difficult when one loses office in the circumstances we witnessed last night. There are issues and questions again about how people's personal private data are revealed to the public and we have to look at that in a variety of different ways. Regardless of that matter, it is true what the Taoiseach said in that we in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy for his kind words. I look forward to working with him, hopefully in closer quarters when we return to the Dáil Chamber. The high-speed broadband map shows the areas in Cork East which will be included in the national broadband plan, as well as areas targeted by commercial operators. As I said earlier, the map is colour coded and searchable by address and Eircode....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I would be happy to do that. I agree with the Deputy's assessment that the establishment of digital hubs provides huge opportunities, particularly for Irish towns and villages, to restore commercial and retail life to the centre of our historic streets in our towns. In terms of an example, the Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen has shown how we can progress. There are other examples. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: One of the areas on which we can work together is the identification of premises that might be appropriate. Local authorities and community enterprise have a critical role in identifying premises for the creation of such digital hubs. By definition being wireless they can be located anywhere. The purpose of the national broadband plan is to bring connectivity to the individual house. For...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Wind Energy Generation (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: It is vital that we ensure that community energy can play a role in reaching at least 70% renewable electricity, including a community benefit fund and a community category within the renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, auction; and that we aim to continue to work with the EU to agree community participation as an integral part of installing new renewable energy and a route for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: On the last point, I do not believe the contractual arrangements are agreed about the exact route network options that will be used. In opposition, and now in government, I have argued there is much strategic sense in using the ESB network in deploying some of this architecture, and that there is real benefit. There is an electricity wire going to every house in the country. That might...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Often during Minister's questions, a Minister will respond by saying they will revert to the Deputy with further information. In this case, I will throw it back the other way and ask the Deputy if he will provide me with much more details about that officer in Meath County Council. If it is working well, it is something we could examine and support and ensure that every other council does...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I fully support increased climate ambition at EU level and welcome the publication of the EU climate law proposal, including the delivery of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions at EU level by 2050. The EU climate law is currently under negotiation in the Council, and the impact assessment to increase the EU 2030 climate ambition will be published this summer with a view to reaching...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Those targets will probably not be ambitious enough. My sense from yesterday's European Council meeting is that there was a clear majority of Ministers representing a majority of states and population who were willing to look at a higher reduction target than 40% but a reduction of 50% to 55%. It has not been possible to get European Union agreement on it yet but I believe that it is close...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I hope to have it in September or October, whenever the 100-day limit is. It must come within that sort of timeframe. The benefit of that timeframe is that it will be in tune with the timing of the European climate legislation. It will also allow us to be in tune with the new national economic plan which has to incorporate the scale of change that brings. People have asked why the target...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Yes to most, or all, of those comments. The Commission will work now on the new higher ambitions. Sending in the outgoing NECP proposal around the climate action plan will give us a baseline by which the new Commission can do its assessment of what a higher ambition will target, and how we would contribute to the higher ambition of at least 50% to 55% emission reductions across the European...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (15 Jul 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Dialogue is key. The Oireachtas committee will have a role in that. We represent communities and can provide a forum where people can come in, on the record, to engage in the whole process. We also need to go beyond that and beyond the regional assemblies that have been set up so far, to much more local and detailed discussions on what this transition is going to look like. From my...