Results 1-20 of 1,058,040 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Michael Lowry OR speaker:Joan Collins OR speaker:Mattie McGrath OR speaker:Anne Rabbitte OR speaker:David Cullinane OR speaker:Michael Ring OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:Darren O'Rourke) in 'Committee meetings'
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for being here today. I have a question on the public transport subhead, the reallocation of funding and the additional capital. I think that the Minister of State said there was a shift of €29 million from capital to current expenditure. It certainly is the case that there are increased numbers on public transport. I think it is a shared policy...
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) James Lawless: That is an important question. As the Deputy said, I am very familiar with it, representing Kildare North in my role as a TD. I also know the Deputy’s area. Councillor Caroline O’Reilly has been very vocal on those issues as well - bus services to Ratoath and Ashbourne, the ones the Deputy mentioned - and I met with her on that recently. The Deputy is right that there are...
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) Darren O'Rourke: I can look at the cancellations: the 7.30 a.m. 103 service from Dublin to Ratoath; the 8.40 a.m. from Ratoath to Dublin; the 8.25 a.m. 109 from Dunshaughlin to Dublin; and the 7.42 a.m. NX from Dublin to Navan. Those were all cancellations this morning, which is, unfortunately, par for the course. Every one of those buses is full. There are 80 or 60 people. When those buses are cancelled,...
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) James Lawless: I am very familiar with the issues the Deputy has raised, both as a Minister of State and as a TD. I see them in my constituency as well as seeing them across the country. We will be introducing revised contracts from 1 December. We are a month away from that. Key performance metrics will be included as part of the criteria for those contracts to outsourced services and will be a...
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) Darren O'Rourke: Am I okay for another question?
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) James Lawless: This is my second time appearing before the committee. I took a Bill through Committee Stage recently. I would have liked a greater opportunity to engage with this committee, as it is a good one that does important work, but I have engaged with each of the members individually on transport issues in the short time I have had this brief and I thank them for their diligence and interest in...
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) James Lawless: There is one other point that is related. I have asked my Department and the NTA, and will be asking the NTA again today, to ensure that the TFI real-time app is improved. It is a source of frustration for people when they are waiting for a bus. I have done it myself. You go onto the app to see if the bus is due and it says it is, but actually it is a ghost bus that does not turn up. I...
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) Darren O'Rourke: I might get the Minister of State to run through a couple of points briefly. He might come back to me on the 20% fare reduction in respect of private operators. There is a shared objective for public transport. There are ambitious plans in respect of Connecting Ireland and the rural bus transport network. I encourage the speedy roll-out of that. There are challenges relating to drivers,...
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) James Lawless: It is not an item relating to the Estimates but I am happy to give a short comment on it. I do not think there is any aviation estimate in the current pack but given it is a very topical issue, I am happy to briefly engage with the Deputy on it. On yesterday's decision, and I have said this many times but it is useful to say it on the public record, the passenger cap at Dublin Airport is...
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) James Lawless: Absolutely. If it was not for the imminent election that we all expect to be called in the next couple of days, it is a topic that I may have well invited the committee to have a dedicated session on. It would have been helpful. It is a pity we did not have it. Time is ahead of us and all that.
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) James Lawless: Sure.
- Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024) Darren O'Rourke: On the 20% for private operators in terms of public transport, has that been or will it be considered?