I think there was one fixed-charge notice fine this year. The range of fines has gone from €80 to €250. Around 20% of the fleet comprises wheelchair accessible vehicles; I think it is about 4,836. It is an important matter and deserves the attention the Deputy gives it. If a person has a complaint, they should log it so that we can follow through. We must make it easier and we are providing training and that accessibility peice for the taxi driver. I take the Deputy's point on board. We are on a journey and must co…

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. Rural transport is an important point. In the context of the budget, the Minister and I are aware of the role that enhanced connectivity plays in supporting communities in Offaly. I commend the Deputy on the work he does in that regard. In the budget for this year, the Department of Transport secured €940 million of funding for PSO and TFI Local Link services, providing a significant 43% uplift from last year. This package includes a dedicated €31 million for rural transpo…

The Deputy is right in that access is not just an option; it is important not just for employment but also for connectivity, going to hospital appointments, going to medical services and even going to the local village. That is why we review local transport provision under the programme for Government commitment. The Minister and I are very much committed to ensuring we see an uplift again in the provision of transport links. This is critical. The TFI Local Link rural transport programme has worked right across the…

I dtús báire, gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as ucht an ní iontaigh agus thábhachtaigh seo maidir leis an mbóthar M20 agus na bóithre máguaird a phlé sa Seanad. I thank him for raising the M20. He is right that the safety concerns are real. The volume of traffic has increased and there is a real fear on that road. I commend the Senator on working with Councillor Liam Madden on raising the matter here and being advocates for it. Councillor Madden met me at the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, confere…

The point the Senator made is that in the short term we have to intervene. He is right and I concur with him in a personal capacity. The timeframe for the delivery of the new Cork-Limerick motorway is long and the timeline is perhaps uncertain. In that sense, we have to work with the residents who are facing real and urgent issues on the road. I thank the Senator for his advocacy. It is not the first time he has raised this matter with me. I commend Councillor Madden, who has been very proactive on this. He is righ…

I thank Deputy Dolan for raising this important matter. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, who sends his apologies. The Deputy is correct that this is an opportunity to get this right. It is important that our public transport offering provides services that benefit people. I agree with the Deputy in that regard. In my city of Cork, we see that commuter rail is successful. It works. As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, has responsibility for policy and overall funding. As the …

Deputy Dolan makes a compelling case. The Deputy can be assured that I, the Department of Transport, the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, are all strongly committed to providing all regions and citizens with reliable and suitable mobility options. Public transport plays a key role in the delivery of this goal. I live in Cork where we have an ambitious plan. It has been successful. Cork, Mallow, Cobh and Midleton are beyond recognition from where they were ten years ago. The Deputy…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an ábhar seo a ardú. I welcome Ciarán and Damian and thank them for their work, advocacy and what they have been doing. I thank Deputy Bennett for raising the matter. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister who sends his apologies for not being here. In order to ensure the safety of road users, it is vital that Ireland only exchanges licences following a detailed examination of the relevant country's licensing and testing regime. Engagement with the relevant licensing authorit…

It is not a question of political will. We all accept the great need to have that piece around connectivity. As I said at the beginning, entering into a driving licence exchange agreement is complex. It is not straightforward. We completely agree that we need to find the solution going forward. Let us have the solution. I commend the publication of the report and the work that has been done genuinely.

Whoa, whoa. Taistil go mall.

I do not disagree with the roadmap; the question is how you get to the end of the road. What we cannot do - and if we were to do so, the Deputy would come in here and excoriate me - is compromise on road standards and safety. We must engage. That is the one thing we will do. I will take back to the RSA and the Department the need to go through the report and meet with the group. They are fine people. I know them. Larry McCarthy, the former president of the GAA, has been on to me and I have spoken to him about this.…

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter, which I am dealing with on behalf of Minister for Transport. On a personal level, I do not disagree with a lot of what the Deputy said. He is absolutely right and I will come back to that in a minute. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for the overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to greenways. The planning, design and construction of individual greenways is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TIl, as the approving authority…

The first point I will make is that greenways will have significant benefit to the local areas, as the Deputy said, in terms of significant benefits beyond the transport sector in areas such as regional economic development, public health, climate resilience and economic activity. The point the Deputy made is that it is important that three sections of the Kerry greenway will be open to the public by the summer. I will restate that it is, and should be, as the Deputy said, the primary objective across all proposed …

Hear, hear.

I thank Senator Cosgrove for raising this important issue. I apologise the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, cannot be here. The Senator certainly whetted the appetite for a visit. In her wonderful contribution she illustrated the merits of Sligo Abbey. I thank her for that. It is, as the Senator said, a national monument in State care of significant architectural and cultural importance. She spoke about the fact that it goes back to the 13th century. If one were to analyse it, Sligo Abbey is one of the most complet…

I welcome the students - céad míle fáilte - and thank them for being here. I thank the teachers for being here as well. I hope they enjoy the homework off. The students should get homework off tomorrow night because they are probably not in school to get homework today. Let us give them tomorrow night off as well. We need to think differently about tourism in the world we live in, with the threats happening geopolitically. We must look at homegrown tourism and the shoulder season. I give the Senator a commitment th…

I thank Senator Kennelly for again raising the important matter of the local improvement scheme. He is right. The profound weather is having a huge implication for these roads and I accept the points he made. It is not his first time raising the matter. I have listened to his contributions and will take them back to the Minister, Deputy Calleary. It is important to note that the focus of the scheme is to continue supporting the improvement of non-public rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by l…

I hear what the Senator has said and the figure of €5 million he mentioned. Kerry County Council has been allocated over €1.3 million for the LIS this year bringing its total allocation to €12.7 million since 2017. I encourage and support our local authorities to ensure the continued and effective use of this funding in supporting our rural communities. It is an important scheme. The programme for Government makes clear its support for the LIS and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are committed to ensuring this …

Gabhaim mo bhuíochas le gach Seanadóir a bhí páirteach sa chuid seo den díospóireacht. The first thing is that we will not oppose the amendment. Second, and I am taking this for the Minister but I am also speaking in a personal capacity as well as from the Government side, I do not know anybody who supports what is happening in the world today. It is important that we agree on a number of things. The principles are first of all that the international rules-based order must be upheld at all times. I have travelled w…

Elected; I thank the Senator. We as parliamentarians have a duty and responsibility to lead and be fair in these Houses, and we have, but others have not. Senator Clifford-Lee, who has done Trojan work in the IPU in a variety of different roles, will attest that in Istanbul this week some countries wanted to absolve themselves of any responsibility. I do not want to divide with Senator Higgins because I am probably a lot closer to her than she might think, but our Government is very clear and very consistent. The M…