Results 41-60 of 349 for speaker:Tom Morrissey

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (11 Oct 2006)

Tom Morrissey: Last week I called on the Leader to arrange a meeting with regard to the State Airports Act. The Minister for Transport should come to the House as a matter of urgency to discuss the State airports and aviation policy in view of the events of the past week. The implications for the State airports of the proposed takeover of Aer Lingus by Ryanair could be profound in that Ryanair has...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (11 Oct 2006)

Tom Morrissey: Of course, it is what is needed.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2006)

Tom Morrissey: The Minister for Transport announced last week, after much debate and public comment, that he intends to publish legislation, which will come to this House in time, establishing the Dublin transportation authority. He mentioned during his announcement of the reform of Dublin Bus that the new authority will have the power to dispense the State subsidy that is given to Dublin Bus and to...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (3 Oct 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, for taking this Adjournment matter in respect of an issue concerning the Portrane-Donabate peninsula in north County Dublin, an area which has grown tremendously in recent years. As with the Minister of State's own constituency of Dublin West, it has huge educational requirements, both at primary...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I ask the Leader to arrange with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, a debate on the State Airports Bill and outstanding issues with regard to Cork Airport, the restructuring required in Shannon Airport and the development of Dublin Airport. Passenger throughput at Dublin Airport is expected to increase by 3 million this year. The business plans need to be addressed. I congratulate...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (4 Jul 2006)

Tom Morrissey: Like other Members, I thank the Minister for successfully bringing the Bill through the House, and thank his staff and the Bills Office. We read every day of the shortcomings in trying to bring to justice those who flagrantly blackguard our laws. The Bill will go some way to addressing that problem and will help gardaí to successfully bring criminals before the courts. In that, it is a good...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (30 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I thank the Minister of State for coming at such short notice. I am raising the issue of school needs in north County Dublin because of the vast numbers of houses it is proposed to build in that area in the coming years. It is estimated that the population of Swords will reach over 100,000 in the years to come. The hinterland towns of Rush, Lusk and Balbriggan are also growing at alarming...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I ask the Leader to arrange a debate in the House with the Minister for Transport about the more widespread introduction of private operators into the bus market. Every bus that is introduced into that market by a private operator costs the taxpayer and the Government nothing by way of subvention or subsidy. This is a policy the Government should embrace. A number of issues should be...

Seanad: Private Bus Licences. (28 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, for this Adjournment matter. I tabled it because no matter how many debates we have here on transport, we never seem to have enough because there are so many varied issues in the transport area. Bus licensing is an issue the Department has been grappling with for many years. The Department is not ambitious enough about this area of activity....

Seanad: Port Development. (27 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport to the House. I raised this matter on the Adjournment almost 12 months ago when he was a Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. Since then, the responsibility for our ports has been transferred to the Department of Transport under Transport 21 and I welcome that. It might bring...

Seanad: Port Development. (27 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Dublin Port Company sought permission for its foreshore licence in 1999 and no progress has been made yet. However, we are told of a huge capacity problem, as the port will reach full capacity by 2008. As the Department of Transport now has responsibility for ports, I hoped that it could throw some light on the status of this foreshore licence and...

Seanad: Port Development. (27 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: The gateway to the port will be the limiting factor to the future growth of Dublin Port. The ships bring goods to the country in big containers. We need to resolve the matter. The wait since 1999 is too long. The Department of Transport, Dublin City Council or the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources must take the issue by the scruff of the neck and find a solution.

Seanad: Social Partnership Agreement: Motion. (21 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I thank the Taoiseach for appearing before the House this evening and I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Treacy, to the House for this debate. This opportunity to discuss the recent proposals is a timely one and I commend Fianna Fáil for employing their Private Member's time for this purpose. There has been plenty of commentary in recent days, and...

Seanad: Social Partnership Agreement: Motion. (21 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: The Progressive Democrats will call for reforms. While Senator Ryan referred to our public utilities, transport and what system might be in operation, if we are to invest considerable funds, we can no longer have wildcat strikes in public transport services, as recently occurred. Reforms must take place in that area. I welcome the Minister of State's comments in this regard.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: Later today, the Railway Procurement Agency will publish its annual accounts which will show glowing figures for passenger numbers and revenue generation for the Luas. This proves that people will flock to public transport when it is reliable, efficient, clean and regular. We must acknowledge and applaud success where it occurs.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: Failure occurs too often in our public transport system. At a time when Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann receive considerable subsidies — €260 million this year — from the Exchequer, we must ask why people do not flock to use buses and why Dublin Bus probably operates at a 22% load factor when people flock to the Luas. We need a debate to tease out the reasons behind the success of the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I concur with the previous speakers on the conclusion of the partnership talks. I would like a discussion on the area of reform, which might have been included or excluded from those talks. This Government has an ambitious €34 billion transport plan yet the transport system in Dublin shuts down at 11.30 p.m. The Luas, which cost some €900 million, closes at 11.30 p.m., the bus service...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: Dublin's public transport system is antiquated and I seek a discussion on the reforms sought between now and 2016 by the various interest groups in the partnership talks. Without the deregulation of the taxi system which has brought 13,000 taxis, rather than 3,000 previously, I wonder what kind of transport system would exist in Dublin at 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. The taxi system was meant to...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2006: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I ask the Minister of State to give serious consideration to Senator Brian Hayes's amendment. As an urban representative, I believe this is more prevalent in cities than in rural areas. As an urban representative, however, as with Senator Brian Hayes, seeking to have these permits or bans put into local areas, the Garda seem to ignore the problem for some reason and local residents do not...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2006: Second Stage. (8 Jun 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I welcome the Minister and this legislation to the House. Law-abiding families and road users across the country will cry "Hallelujah" at tougher penalties for drink driving offences, a ban on hand-held mobile phones in cars and random breath testing. As for the law breakers, I hope the full force of this new legislation is brought to bear on them. All Members of the House agree on that. It...