Results 181-200 of 29,015 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Driver Licences (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We will not know the final details of the directive until a new European Parliament is elected. My understanding from talking to officials in the Department is that we do not expect it within this mandate of the Commission; it will be the next one. It would be slightly premature for us to try to second guess what a new Parliament and a new trilogue process will deliver in the directive. In...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Like Deputy Hourigan, I take the safety and security of transport workers and passengers very seriously. It is an unfortunate truth that public transport is not immune to instances of antisocial behaviour and those who work within our public transport network are among those most directly impacted. To address this, the NTA, An Garda Síochána and the operators work closely to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Active Travel (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I assure the Deputy that there is no intention whatsoever to disadvantage the northside of Cork city versus the southside. If there are particular projects on the southside or elsewhere that are being advanced faster, that is a matter for Cork City Council in conjunction with the NTA. There is no Government strategy to try to disadvantage one versus the other. I will make a general...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Active Travel (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I would love nothing more than to see the northside of Cork get a larger, fairer share, but it comes down to the council.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Active Travel (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy. We need greater investment in Cork – southside as well as northside – in terms of improved footpaths and an improved environment to make it safe for our children to walk or cycle to their local football clubs, boxing clubs or whatever it may be. Historically, there has been an underinvestment, although that has not been the case under this Government....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Active Travel (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I hear from officials that Cork tends to be a bit slower and more expensive. We need to spend the money wisely, widely and well.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Work on these roads is funded from councils’ own resources and supplemented by State road grants. The Department emphasises to local authorities each year the importance of setting aside a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I went to Midleton the day after the storm. The floods were just receding. It was remarkable to see the work of the local authorities and various other State agencies managing the crippling impact on the town and surrounding areas, including Glanmire. We committed then, and I recommit here today, that whatever was needed to restore the roads and provide connectivity, safety and so on would...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We will work closely with the council to ensure that we solve the problems.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We have already significantly enhanced some of the services to Macroom. West of there, route 257, which was part of the first phase of Connecting Ireland and goes all the way to Millstreet, was introduced in December 2022 and the patronage in the following year increased by 112%. I agree with the Deputy about the demand that is there. With regard to the section east of Macroom and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with both Deputies on the points made. I argue that there are two key constraints to what we all want, which is a major expansion of public transport services in Cork county and city, as well as in the rest of the country. The first is a budget constraint. Even with the significant resources provided, the truth is that we are going to have to make difficult decisions because...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The second issue is resources, as Deputy Gould said. There is a real problem in Cork, not just with drivers but also mechanics. We have a real challenge and it is a question of how we address that. Obviously, we will try to get the people but the other way to address it is by providing the bus priority.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Bus Connects in Cork would get the priority out to Ballincollig, which could get the service improvements to Macroom, as well as addressing the problems in the city. It is our job to give prioritisation to public transport on the road to help to solve that problem. I am sorry if I am over the time.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Active Travel (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I had thought the question referred to an uneven allocation from year to year and I did not realise it was specifically about the northside versus the southside of Cork. I will come to the details of that in my supplementary reply and I will first give the original written response. I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to active travel, which is administered...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy for his question on this project, which I know is of real interest to him. Approximately €411 million of Exchequer capital funds have been provided for national roads through Transport Infrastructure Ireland to local authorities this year. Of this, approximately €57 million was included for both Cork city and county to advance the roads projects in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: There is no intention to delay the project. I do not have any evidence that insufficient funding was provided for any reason. TII has to make the decision on the necessary allocations. There may sometimes be differences between what a council and TII consider should be the next allocation expenditure. TII has the real expertise and responsibility in this area. The allocation was made to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Some €7 million was returned last year to the Exchequer but €2.7 billion was spent.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Yes, out of €2.7 billion.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: With regard to the ordering of projects, the reality is we have approximately €35 billion within the NDP for a whole variety of projects, from public transport and active travel to roads.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Projects (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We have €100 billion worth of projects. The timing of any one project and the necessity to expand or spend further funding on any project are matters for agencies such as TII, which often have a whole range of different projects to advance. In truth, some projects get stuck in the planning system. The biggest delays in projects are caused by judicial reviews or where further...