Results 21-40 of 1,239,543 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív OR speaker:Martin Kenny OR speaker:Michael McNamara OR speaker:Danny Healy-Rae OR speaker:Neale Richmond OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív5 OR speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin OR speaker:Thomas Byrne OR speaker:Paul Murphy OR speaker:Joe McHugh OR speaker:Pippa Hackett OR speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan OR speaker:Sorca Clarke OR speaker:Marc Ó Cathasaigh OR speaker:Charlie McConalogue OR speaker:Aindrias Moynihan OR speaker:Francis Noel Duffy OR speaker:Martin Browne OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh OR speaker:Noel Grealish OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Simon Harris OR speaker:Seán Crowe OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív15 OR speaker:Pat Buckley OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh24 OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh18 OR speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh23 OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh29 OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Brendan Griffin OR speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh14 OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív11 OR speaker:Ruairi Ó Murchú OR speaker:Mary Lou McDonald OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh02 OR speaker:Louise O'Reilly OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív06 OR speaker:Hildegarde Naughton OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh22 OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh06 OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh17 OR speaker:Mattie McGrath OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív58 OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh09 OR speaker:Niamh Smyth OR speaker:Thomas Byrne0 OR speaker:Ossian Smyth OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh6 OR speaker:Seán Canney OR speaker:Michael Lowry OR speaker:Eoin Ó Broin OR speaker:Richard O'Donoghue OR speaker:John Brady OR speaker:Joe O'Brien OR speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh16 OR speaker:James Browne OR speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice OR speaker:Roderic O'Gorman OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh8 OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh04 OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív56 OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív14 OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív46 OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh00 OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh13 OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív1 OR speaker:Michael Creed OR speaker:Catherine Connolly OR speaker:Alan Farrell) in 'Committee meetings'

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: Thanks very much Deputy. Now I gave you enough leeway. I have a whole list of-----

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I am learning here.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: -----Fine Gael TDs and people. I could reel them off if you like. I thank the Deputy and also the Minister of State for his responses. I will go through items based on the Estimate and the contribution the Minister of State made earlier. Then, as I mentioned, I would like to go into a little more detail regarding Dublin Airport and recent judicial decisions. I will start, as Deputy...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

James Lawless: This is a bit wider than the Estimates and is more a policy decision but I am quite happy to engage on it. It is important. In the first instance, before I get into the fares piece, I have always had a very strong view that public transport should be the primary default choice of commuters or travellers for whatever reason. It should not be the car first and people saying "Oh maybe there...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: I will come in on that specific item because when people think of BusConnects, they think it is a few new buses and a few new drivers, and they ask why it will take until 2030 and potentially beyond to deliver it. The reason, of course, is that the infrastructure requires change and sacrifice. There are communities up and down this city, and I am sure in other cities where BusConnects is...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

James Lawless: That is a very helpful and insightful comment. The Chairman is correct. We need to take a little bit of inconvenience - I will not say "pain" - to get to the final goal, which is a far more streamlined, efficient and effective public transport system. BusConnects is not just a few buses and a few routes. It is actually public transport corridors and quality bus corridors, which involve...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: For the record, at the beginning of the meeting I did not offer the apologies of Deputies Feighan and Matthews, who are unable to make it to the meeting. Deputy Cathal Crowe is also unable to attend due to a bereavement. On behalf of the committee I offer our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to him and his family on their recent tragic loss over the weekend.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

James Lawless: I would like to be associated with the condolences to Deputy Crowe. On Sunday morning the Tánaiste informed me what had happened. We are all in shock in the wider party and in the wider system. My condolences to Deputy Crowe and his family.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: I am sure Deputy Crowe would be here and participating in this conversation. It is a shock and we spoke before the meeting. There are a few items I would like to touch on. The first point I want to raise is the underspend by our Coast Guard. The Minister of State mentioned that €18 million was allocated due to an underspend in the Coast Guard. He also mentioned the new...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

James Lawless: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I will deal with the building programme first. With regard to the figures I mentioned on the Coast Guard spend being carried over, the building programme has not moved as rapidly as we might have hoped. There has been some transition of certain projects to the OPW. They have been devolved to the OPW. There were some administrative handovers that probably...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: I thank the Minister of State. I have no desire to get into the technical details either, but it might be useful to understand the criteria used in that particular contract period. As to the capabilities of the aircraft, again I am not going to get into the technical details. I am not aware of the AgustaWestland being used for search and rescue, SAR, in other jurisdictions. However, I may...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

James Lawless: There are slightly more than there were before. We will have an increase in aircraft. Possibly six, although I do not want to put a figure on it today. There will be more than there were previously.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: Technically you can now say they have a fixed wing one, so it is five. Maybe they are running two out of the same location. Regarding the rotary-wing aircraft, it is four bases. Is there any capacity or requirement for expansion of that?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

James Lawless: I can certainly provide a note for the committee on that. I understand they are using that spare. The Dutch as well as other jurisdictions may use them in search and rescue. I think Bristow was operating helicopters in the North Sea in the 1980s so it has some pedigree in this service for this line of work. It is a very reputable and established company which has been around for...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: I appreciate that. I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate the Department of Transport is looking at these issues from a cost perspective. There is a long-held view that sometimes costs should be set aside when it comes to our Defence Forces performing this function as it did for many generations. That conversation has passed. Unfortunately, I understand there was work done to...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

James Lawless: I will stay with helicopters and the coastguard. On the Defence Forces capacity, there is a provision in the contract that the Defence Forces could begin to play a greater role over the lifetime of the contract. Certain technical specifications and so on would have to be met on both sides for that engagement to proceed but it is something that is envisaged as a possibility. This means the...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: I see an underspend with regard to greenways, which is a slight disappointment. There is a greenway under construction in my constituency, linking Malahide and Donabate. It can only be constructed on a seasonal basis due to the sensitivities of the land. I commend the Department on its prior grants and Fingal County Council on the significant work it has done. It is a little disappointing...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

James Lawless: I hear the point the Chairman is making and agree with it. I would also be disappointed if I thought the greenways were not progressing. For the reassurance of the Chairman and anyone following this, that funding is being reallocated within the same subhead, so while it is technically coming from the greenways, it remains within active travel. It may not be for a greenway per se but it is...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: What is the basis for the underspend in the first instance?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

James Lawless: Every transport project has its own challenges in terms of securing planning, going through Part 8, community consultation, the tender and then the issue of construction companies being available. I am sure the Chairman sees, as I do in my constituency, that the sequence does not always flow as quickly or as smoothly as we would like. There have been a couple that just did not-----