Results 1-20 of 6,908 for speaker:Eamon Ryan in 'Dáil debates'

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy. My Department has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding relating to the national road programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts, 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I happened to be in Cork at the end of last week and was on the road. The Deputy is right. It is not up to the standard for safety that we want and we have to do everything to try and improve the safety standards on the roads. The reality is we have a series of projects. I mentioned the Castlemartyr-Killeagh bypasses. The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach mentioned to me last week that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I am familiar with the problem. I was in Douglas last Friday, as it happens. The Deputy is right; a large amount of the morning rush-hour traffic is children being driven to school. People see the difference between the summer period when the schools are not open and the winter period. It makes a dramatic difference. If that 20% or 30% of school traffic can be taken out, it frees up the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: It is true. We have a direct relationship with Bus Éireann and even though these are commercially operated services, I have met Stephen Kent, the chief executive, and the chair on numerous occasions in recent weeks at various events. It is important to keep in touch with what is a real issue, namely, the ability of the company to get drivers and mechanics. We must ensure that we can...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire. As he is aware, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport, which means that neither I nor my officials are involved in the planning of public transport services, such as those referred to by the Deputy. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public transport services rests with the NTA, which works with the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for raising this important topic. From the outset, I must clarify that while, as Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport, neither I nor my officials are involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public transport...

Ireland's Recognition of the State of Palestine: Statements (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I was very proud that the Green Party argued passionately for the recognition of Palestine in the programme for Government we agreed with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in 2020. Events have moved on since then, tragically so, but the case for recognising the Palestine was as strong back then as it is now. It was not a question of if, but of when and to what effect. Today we deliver on that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I absolutely agree with Deputies Smith and O'Sullivan. Investment in maintaining our roads is our first priority and the best investment because, as the Deputy has said, if you let them go, it costs much more to restore them. There are also great safety and other benefits to properly surfaced and dressed roads. Funding for road maintenance has increased by 20% over the last four years, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: That is true but there was an increase in the budget. Last year, Cavan got a budget of €18.14 million, an increase of €629,000 on the previous year. Monaghan got some €17 million, an increase of €834,000 on the previous year. I have met the officials and engineers in the county councils in Monaghan and Cavan and they do a very good job. They are highly...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I understand that. The area also has a very dispersed and wide network of roads but so do other counties. Cork is a good example. To answer Deputy O'Sullivan's question, we are working with Cork County Council to provide the funding it needs for the roads that were affected by the flooding in Glanmire and Midleton. The resources are somewhat constrained by how quickly the council can...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I assure the Deputy that we will do everything we can. In honesty, the budget available to us is limited but we will try to reallocate any funding we can garner from other areas. The Deputy is right about the increase in costs. The increase in the cost of bitumen and other materials was very significant. It gives us a certain hope that those inflationary impacts are starting to reduce....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I do not have an answer to the Deputy's question as to the survey work that was done. There are sections on the line from Claremorris to Athenry that will require some reasonably significant civil works. For example, roads have been built across the line in the intervening period. However, these issues can be overcome. I cannot recall the exact period in which the section from Claremorris...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: If that is not the case, it is all the better for us if we are to deliver a greenway on the line. The benefit of this is that it would preserve the line in public ownership. It is not included in the strategic rail review and the introduction of a greenway would not be hindered. If held in public ownership into the future, that line provides a potentially very beneficial future asset....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I do not believe that only the quality of the line was considered. There are so many different investment requirements that there has to be some prioritisation. 12 o’clock If the line is, as the Deputy said, still intact and in public ownership, that would help and for it to be maintained in that way is the first priority.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Éireann (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy for highlighting one of the biggest ongoing challenges facing the public transport sector. I confirm that my Department continues to engage extensively with the NTA and operators on this issue. Unfortunately, it is the case that many operators, both public and private, continue to experience difficulties in recruiting new drivers. In its attempts to attract new...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Éireann (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I will make a wider point that Bus Éireann has a real challenge, as all our bus companies do, in getting drivers. This is across public and private services in every part of the country. Bus Éireann, however, is proving to be incredibly successful at present. I remember meeting Mr. Kent a year or two ago, when he said we might get up to 100 million passenger journeys last year....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Éireann (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with Deputy O'Sullivan. I will add that it is not just about a driver shortage. We are also short of mechanics. In Cork, there are ten or 12 vacancies in mechanic positions at present. If the bus is not maintained, then it cannot run. Irish passengers value and are attracted to their bus services. Passenger numbers on Bus Éireann PSO services went up by 27% last year. That...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Éireann (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We will look at that in detail.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I fully support the commitment in the programme for Government to maintain the existing road network to a high standard and to fund safety improvements. That being said, 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 its regional and local road network. Works on regional and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Development (16 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I will give the Deputy one example, because she talks about big projects. From memory, the Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge road, not by act of nature, is a single carriageway of approximately 35 km. It is costing the guts of half a billion euro and pretty much a doubling of the previous contract, which, unfortunately, was not able to be concluded because the contractor went out of business. If...