Results 1-20 of 1,055,757 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Alan Farrell OR speaker:Michael Ring OR speaker:Simon Coveney OR speaker:Marian Harkin OR speaker:Joe Flaherty OR speaker:Jackie Cahill OR speaker:Carol Nolan OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:Seán Crowe) in 'Committee meetings'

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

Alan Farrell: The purpose of this meeting is to consider the Supplementary Estimates for Vote 31 - Transport. I remind members the committee has no role in approving the Estimates. This is an ongoing opportunity for the committee to examine departmental expenditure, make the process more transparent and engage in a meaningful way on relevant performance issues. I thank the Department for the briefing...

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)

Alan Farrell: I thank the Minister of State for his overview. Deputy O'Rourke is first to contribute.

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)

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)

Alan Farrell: Thank you very much.

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

Alan Farrell: Yes, go ahead. Just a brief one.

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)

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)

Alan Farrell: I am absolutely happy to have this discussion. We are in the unique position that this is our last meeting. The committee will not have the opportunity to weigh in on this matter. I ask that the Minister of State responds to the Deputy's other questions. I will then come back in on the matter of the airport, perhaps at the end of my contribution, if that is okay.

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)

Alan Farrell: I have my own remarks to make. I was going to ask for the leeway of the committee. I did not need to, as it turns out. Deputy O'Rourke and I are in the very advantageous position of being here with the Minister of State for whatever amount of time this takes. Therefore, let us come back to it.

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)

James Lawless: The young adult card is a scheme that is being rolled out to private operators as well as the public operators. That has been very popular. It has had a great take-up. The 20% fare reduction has not been applied to private operators to date and it is not envisaged it will be in the current year either.

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)

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.