Results 441-460 of 1,048,387 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Réada Cronin OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Catherine Connolly OR speaker:Pat Buckley)

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Road Tolls (4 Jul 2024)

Aindrias Moynihan: The proposal to advance the new road and motorway between the cities of Cork and Limerick is a very positive move and it is good to see headway being made on that. An area of concern is the possibility that this road would be tolled. That is a major concern for people along the way and in both cities. Can the Minister outline the possibility on that? We want to get some assurance that it...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Road Tolls (4 Jul 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. The proposed N20 or M20 Cork to Limerick project, consists of a replacement of 80 km of the existing roadway. This project would bypass towns such as Mallow and Charleville. It would also improve the quality of the road network, address safety issues along the existing N20 and allow for improved intercity bus services through increased capacity...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Road Tolls (4 Jul 2024)

Aindrias Moynihan: New roads with tolls are often associated with public private partnership, where funding had been brought in to build that road. I understand that is not the case with this road, or is it? Can the Minister outline whether it is proposed that it will be a PPP, or why there would be any possibility of a toll on the road? Second, we see that there would be congestion charges in, for...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Road Tolls (4 Jul 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I am in a difficult position-----

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Road Tolls (4 Jul 2024)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: An Teachta Gould. Gabh mo leithscéal.

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Road Tolls (4 Jul 2024)

Thomas Gould: With regard to the announcement that this road could be tolled, or that tolling is being considered - according to what the Minister is outlining here - we have seen other roads that had been tolled, like the M8, and we have seen increases in those tolls even though the money invested originally by the private sector has long been paid back. Multiples of it have been paid back and still they...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (4 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: I suggest the Minister needs to put a bomb under that unit. It has far too narrow a conception of what shared mobility might offer, by confining itself to these commercial operators. The truth is that 95% of our vehicles lie idle, 95% of the time they are idle, 90% of journeys are single occupant and in a world of modern app technology, surely we can start to exploit that opportunity. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (4 Jul 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy’s sense of frustration and with his sense of vision and opportunity here. I will commend my Department to accelerate the various different measures we need to make, and not just my Department but others as well. The underlying reasoning behind what the Deputy says, namely, economic gain and savings for householders, as well as improved emissions, is very real....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (4 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: I listened to the debate with Deputy Brendan Smith. If we had a mobility hub in rural Cavan where drivers, not linked to the ownership of a particular car but availing of the facilities in the hub, could offer such services to those who wanted them, would we not have a very cheap and effective win-win for Deputy Brendan Smith's suggestion? Is it not the case that the mobility hub in Finglas...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (4 Jul 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with Deputy Bruton. The underlying benefit of shared car use and ownership is, as he says, most cars are parked 95% the time and if that cost can be shared, it significantly reduces the cost to the householder, in urban and rural areas. There is a particular problem in urban areas, as the Deputy will know, where we will not be as easily able to deploy electric vehicles with charging...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Public Transport

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Thomas Gould: 11. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding provided to maintain the Parnell Place bus station in Cork; and for an update on plans to renovate same. [28578/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Thomas Gould: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for facilitating me. Will the Minister provide an update on funding provided to maintain Parnell Place bus station in Cork and an update on plans to renovated it? Right now, the Parnell Place bus station is in a terrible condition. It looks absolutely horrible. When tourists come to the city, this is their first stop. When they see the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The National Transport Authority has advised my Department that an accessibility upgrade project of Parnell Place bus station in Cork, which includes some station enhancements, is planned under the public transport retrofit accessibility programme. This programme funds the retrofitting of older public transport infrastructure and facilities, to ensure access for everyone, including disabled...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Thomas Gould: The Minister discussed BusConnects but that is not what I am here to talk about today. I am here to talk about the condition of the Parnell Place bus station. The Minister has outlined over €5 million for works that will be started if funding is got in 2026. The bus station is a disgrace to Bus Éireann and to the people of Cork, and it is a disgrace to this Government that it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The regulation of the small public service vehicle, SPSV, industry is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority, under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 as amended by the Public Transport Act 2016. As Minister, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the industry. While transport service provision has improved in both rural...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his reply. It is clear the pilot programme that was rolled out was not very attractive. It has obviously been a complete failure. The Minister mentioned the transport regulator. Over the years, successive Governments have given far too many powers away to entities and statutory agencies. We need to make decisions at the political level. Most of the Minister's...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I absolutely agree. We have to provide good quality public transport and transport services for all our people. I deeply regret that the local hackney pilot scheme was not successful. The Deputy is correct about that. The uptake was far lower than we wanted. We will review that and come back with further iterations. When something does not work, we can at least learn why it did not....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Brendan Smith: I am glad the Minister agrees that we need to address the issue of there not being a public transport service for those people living in remote areas who do not have a family member or even a neighbour next to or near them. They need assistance. That must be driven politically. It will not be driven by any statutory agency or Government Department. I appeal to the Minister to make use of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (4 Jul 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Does the Minister agree that, as the Deputy has said, the conditions of the scheme were ludicrous? People in areas such as west Connemara were refused on the basis that there were already taxis in the area. Taxi drivers who lived in rural areas and who went to the towns or cities to provide a service were considered to be providing a local service. As the Deputy has said, many areas have...