Results 41-60 of 4,673 for speaker:Seán Canney

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rail Network (26 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: I thank Senator Crowe for the question. It is an issue which we have discussed within the Department. It is an important issue because, for me, the experience of a passenger on public transport is key to getting them to repeat using it and trying to reduce the number of cars. I would like to clarify that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding of public...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rail Network (26 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: As I have said, the Department has engaged with the NTA and Iarnród Éireann on the matter of restoring catering services on intercity services and, where possible, services have been restored, with catering now available on the Belfast and Cork lines. At present, due to funding constraints, there are no plans to reintroduce catering services on all other rail lines as funding is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (26 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: I apologise as well on behalf of the Department. I do not know what happened. I was chosen today to do Front Bench cover, but it is unacceptable that the Senator cannot do her job to raise an issue with the Government. I apologise on behalf of the Government. I hope she gets priority number one at the next Commencement Matters session.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Traffic Offences (26 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I am all too aware of recent fatal collisions on Irish roads involving e-scooters. I am happy to clarify that an extensive suite of regulations governing the legal use of e-scooters on public roads was introduced by my Department in May 2024. These regulations include provisions for a minimum...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Coast Guard Service (26 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I have responsibility for the Irish Coast Guard and the SAR Aviation Contract. Coast Guard Helicopter Search and Rescue (SAR) services are provided under contract, which is currently transitioning from the incumbent contractor, CHCI, to Bristow Ireland Limited (BIL). As with the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (25 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that the Road Safety Authority has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Licence Service, which includes licence application matters. My Department does not have access to individual driving licence exchange applications and may not intervene in that process....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Primary Medical Certificates (25 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: Following a review of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (DDS) Scheme, as part of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy review of Government-funded transport and mobility supports for those with a disability, it was recommended that the DDS should be replaced with a modern vehicular adaptation scheme, in line with international practice. On foot of this recommendation, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electric Vehicles (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: I thank the Deputy very much for the question. The Government is fully committed to tackling climate action with practical, innovative solutions that support our economy, communities and future generations. Promoting EVs is a central pillar of our strategy to reduce transport emissions, along with proposals to increase the use of active travel and public transport, reduce overall car usage...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electric Vehicles (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: I agree that the time it takes to put these things in place is not what we would like. The EU JTF EV charging scheme provides funding to support EV infrastructure at community facilities in the just transition area in the midlands. These include community centres, public libraries, public health centres, recreational facilities and enterprise centres in counties Laois, Longford, Offaly,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electric Vehicles (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: I agree with the Deputy that it is not all being done as quickly as we would like. We need to expedite the process to give confidence to people who are considering buying an EV that the infrastructure will be in place and that they will be able to rely on it to get from A to B. Many things have been happening and we are coming to a point where we will see things happening on the ground. We...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: I agree with the Deputy. The important point is that the all-Ireland rail review is exactly that; it is about regional development, the cities, connecting the cities and connecting rural Ireland by public transport. When we are realising the recommendations of the review we need to ensure passengers are at the heart of it and have a good experience, so that when they take a train they will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: I thank the Deputy for the question. As she may be aware, my Department provides public service obligation, PSO, funding for socially beneficial but financially unviable public transport services across the country. In 2023, Iarnród Éireann was allocated €187 million in PSO funding by the Department, increasing to €215 million in 2024. This is expected to further...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: The all-island strategic rail review undertaken by the Department of Transport in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland informs the development of rail on the island of Ireland in the coming decades up to 2050, in line with net zero targets for both jurisdictions. The review's final report was published in 2024 and sets outs 32 strategic recommendations to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: I know that for disabled people being able to make seamless journeys in accessible environments and on public transport are critical to their daily lives and active participation in society. Ensuring they have 'access of choice' and are empowered to access education, employment, health services and recreational activities on the same basis as everyone else is paramount. During 2025, we...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ports Policy (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: A review of the National Port Policy (2013) is underway within the Department of Transport. The National Ports Policy has been successful in achieving many of its broad objectives including the categorisation of State-owned commercial companies into two tiers of national significance and ports of regional significance, the successful fostering of competition between commercial state ports...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: As the Deputy may be aware, the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) sets out a framework for transport development in the Cork Metropolitan Area up to 2040. The National Transport Authority (NTA) developed CMATS in collaboration with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), Cork City Council, and Cork County Council. A key principle for CMATS is to reduce dependency on the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: The National Driver Testing Service is operated by the Road Safety Authority as part of its statutory duties. It is not a service provided for by way of contract and driver testers and other staff of the Authority who run the service are directly employed by the State. The agreed Service Level Agreement with the Department of Transport is for a 10 week average wait time. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I am committed to supporting the decarbonisation of road freight and commercial coaches. While my Department’s policy, as detailed in Ireland’s Road Haulage Strategy 2022-2031 is for the Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) fleet to transition to zero emission technologies, interim...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: As the Deputy may be aware, the All-Island Strategic Rail Review was undertaken in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Following two public consultations, the Review’s Final Report was published in July 2024. The Review's Final Report sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland up...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (24 Jun 2025)

Seán Canney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 128 and 133 together. As the Deputy may be aware, the All-Island Strategic Rail Review was undertaken by the Department of Transport in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The Review’s Final Report was published on 31st July 2024. The Review sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the...