Results 81-100 of 349 for speaker:Tom Morrissey

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Mar 2006)

Tom Morrissey: A few years ago, the Government very successfully gave a Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, responsibility for children. The Department of Health and Children has effectively tackled the issue of children by bringing together various strands from the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Health and Children and Education and Science. We read every week about migrant workers...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Mar 2006)

Tom Morrissey: More than 100,000 people, the majority of whom are young, are on a waiting list for the driving test. A number of them have been on the list for more than 12 months. The Minister for Transport has tried to implement a scheme over the past 12 months, which would have involved outsourcing driver testing, to reduce the backlog. However, two weeks ago, the Civil Service arbitrator shot it out of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Mar 2006)

Tom Morrissey: Now that we have received a final decision from the courts on the management of the lease for Campus Stadium Ireland's National Aquatic Centre, I ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism to come before the House to inform us of his long-term plans for the management of the centre. Does he intend to keep responsibility for the management of the centre within Campus Stadium Ireland? What...

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (16 Feb 2006)

Tom Morrissey: It is on the Tipperary road.

Seanad: Dublin Port Tunnel. (16 Feb 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I thank the Minister of State for attending to reply to my motion on the Dublin Port tunnel. As we all know, the Dublin Port tunnel is a major infrastructure project for this country, and for this city in particular. Depending on what figures one reads, it is over budget or on budget, and it is either on time or over time. That is not what I want to raise today. I am raising the issue of the...

Seanad: Dublin Port Tunnel. (16 Feb 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I could not but notice the sentence that the recent leaks are part and parcel of the issues that arise on large engineering projects such as the tunnel. Dublin City Council is on record as saying this problem arose because a jackhammer went through a membrane. I would not consider that to be part and parcel of the issues. That was the basis of my...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Feb 2006)

Tom Morrissey: As part of Transport 21 our ports were transferred from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to the Department of Transport. We have an issue with port capacity for importers and exporters. There has been a 30-year debate on whether 52 acres should be reclaimed at Dublin Port. It has received little support. I would like the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, to...

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Tom Morrissey: Save us.

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Tom Morrissey: We are back in this House tonight to discuss the vexed question of the M50. While I do not want to give a history lesson to some in this Chamber, it is important to note that when the M50 toll contract was signed, there was no monopoly because an outer ring road was planned for approximately two miles from the motorway. As people drive along the N7 today, they will see a large sign at...

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Feb 2006)

Tom Morrissey: I echo the sentiments of Senator Cox and would welcome a debate on the future of the Great Southern Hotels. Such a debate is long overdue. Only 18 months ago these Houses gave a remit to the airport authorities to compete independently of each other. The Dublin Airport Authority has now set out its stall on where it wishes to go. Its core business is in developing Dublin Airport to meet the...

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements. (1 Dec 2005)

Tom Morrissey: I welcome the Minister of State to the House for this timely debate on Transport 21. It is timely because the €34 billion or so that will be spent over the next ten years must be debated. The timeframe must also be debated. I say this because the Dublin Transportation Office has stated that traffic levels in 2003 reached the levels projected for 2016, demonstrating how far behind we are and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Dec 2005)

Tom Morrissey: This has been discussed here previously but I am concerned that, regardless of what the Minister is trying to do — I wish him the best of luck — to achieve barrier-free tolling, we are still going to have to wait three to five years to get it. The outer ring road, the much talked about alternative to the M50, will not happen for many years either. I learned last week that the NRA is only...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Dec 2005)

Tom Morrissey: This is operational on many roads like the M50 where there are no alternatives. Sadly, there is no alternative to the M50 at the moment and there will not be for many years to come.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Dec 2005)

Tom Morrissey: I wish my party was in charge of the Department of Transport.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Dec 2005)

Tom Morrissey: Yesterday, we learned through material accessed under freedom of information legislation about discussions taking place between the Department of Transport and National Toll Roads about trying to end the long suffering motorists have to endure every day on the M50.

Seanad: School Staffing. (15 Nov 2005)

Tom Morrissey: I thank the Minister, Deputy O'Dea, for coming to the Seanad this evening to respond on the Adjournment to my comments about the language needs of foreign primary school pupils, an issue I last raised approximately 12 months ago. I am raising the problems in this regard again this evening because they are continuing to increase. Additional resources need to be invested to assist schools which...

Seanad: Dublin Port Tunnel. (10 Nov 2005)

Tom Morrissey: I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Callely, for addressing this matter. I have raised this issue a number of times over the past two years and do so again due to the ongoing public debate concerning an impending height restriction on large vehicles. I wish to put on record the contents of Mr. Pat Kenny's radio interview with the senior Dublin City Council...

Seanad: Dublin Port Tunnel. (10 Nov 2005)

Tom Morrissey: Much misinformation has been put into the public arena. For example, comments to the effect that there are 9,000 trucks travelling in both directions on the quays were made in that interview. We are speaking about how many trucks will be accommodated in the tunnel and taken off our streets but the most senior people involved do not know how many trucks there are, giving a figure of 18,000,...

Seanad: Dublin Port Tunnel. (10 Nov 2005)

Tom Morrissey: What about consultation with EU partners, not consultation within the country?

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Nov 2005)

Tom Morrissey: This morning the people of Galway woke up to another unofficial strike by workers in Bus Éireann. While this Government is investing unprecedented amounts of money in a ten-year transport plan, much of it in public transport, we should discuss bus deregulation. My party has always said that reform must come with investment. Bus capacity problems can be solved by subcontracting to the private...