Results 181-200 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: 9 o’clock I thank the Deputy for his contribution. He has a brass neck. The Ceann Comhairle was very generous to him also. I am very happy to answer the question on driving tests. I answered it the last time and I think I answered it when Deputy Michael Healy-Rae was in the House, but he is entitled to-----

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I will answer it again. I share the Deputy's sympathy for the people who cannot do their driving test at the moment. What he is saying is right but he is not providing a solution for me. The reason people are not doing their driving tests is a very good one. It is that to do so would be a danger to their health and the health of the people testing them. I will take the advice of NPHET on...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: They are very quick out of the traps. I am not sure what the Deputy's plea for the coach sector is.

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I thank Deputy Lowry for his contribution, which was very reasoned and moderate. What he voiced are the opinions I have heard all over the House for the past two hours. It is a plea for the workforce and an understanding of the extraordinary change which has been made to their lives so suddenly. That is something which all sides of the House share. It is matter of how we address something...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I have already said I have not ever in this area in any way departed from the health advice.

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: It is self-evident that the vast majority of people want to see the restrictions back to zero but they also want the conditions to be correct as well.

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: The tale told by the Deputy is a very sad one.

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: It is very sad and tragic for a large number of people; an extraordinary number of people. It involves the DAA, Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Stobart Air and all the airlines and airports. We are seeing lay-offs on a scale the Deputy and I have never seen before. We are also seeing a situation the likes of which we have never seen before and people are reacting to it in ways that are sometimes...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I also share the Deputy's anger but she does not have a monopoly on anger. Just remember one thing that is really important. The revenue of these companies, which were monsters - one of which was a monstrously sized company while another was a State monopoly - has gone down by 99%.

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: On the health advice, I have followed and will follow consistently on this issue.

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: -----providing protective screens, where possible, between airport staff and travellers; the wearing of medical grade face masks by passengers and staff; the provision of health declarations by passengers; measures to contact passengers for contact tracing purposes; and thermal screening of passengers.

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy. I take her point about wider and differing views in the workforce. Obviously, we cannot have 20 representatives of various bodies. That would be a problem. However, we want to embrace as many as possible. It might be a good idea to have someone from ICTU or one of the largest unions there. We do not want to provoke some sort of inter-union jealously, but...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I would like to say I will not be sending that letter. The Deputy is perfectly entitled to his view on Michael O'Leary; I do not share his view. I do not agree with everything he does, of course, but I believe his contribution to connectivity in this country is without parallel. While he certainly says things to the Government, to me and to my Department that are not always complimentary...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: The Deputy has probably seen from what has been happening in recent weeks that there has been a concerted effort to keep all the airports open and running and ready for the recovery, the exception being Knock Airport. Knock Airport closed down but intends to reopen on, I think, 1 July. That decision was taken by the airport itself. My intention is, and I am sure my successor's intention...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: Not all airlines have these HEPA filters. Ryanair and Aer Lingus do and I will send the Deputy the details on the other ones if he wants them. On the point the Deputy made about the United Kingdom, one of the initiatives being taken by Europe is that when we open up, we would start by opening up with countries that have matching Covid-19 levels. We are conscious of the fact that we are...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I see no sign of anybody separating us from the UK in that way.

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I do not know but I can let the Deputy know. I know Ryanair and Aer Lingus do and I can let the Deputy know what others do and do not.

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I will listen closely to the advice of the Minister for Finance on that and on the state of the public finances. My predisposition would be that there should be full support for those people who have lost their jobs and who are out of work. What way it is done does not particularly matter except that these people are supported. We will have to look at the public finances as well to see how...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I thank the Deputy. I cannot make judgments on statements such as those the Deputy makes in the House without hearing what I consider to be the full facts. I do not doubt what the Deputy is saying but I cannot say what Aer Lingus is doing is outrageous. I can write to it and convey to it what the Deputy has said. If there is a good case for the company meeting these people, sure, I will...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Shane Ross: I will communicate with the Deputy about that.