Darragh O'Brien

I know this matter is of great interest to the people of Cavan and Monaghan. I met with councillors from there before Christmas. At the outset, I should state that the improvement and maintenance of the regional and local road network is the statutory responsibility of the local authority, in accordance with the Roads Act. Works on these roads are funded from the council's own resources and are su…

Every local authority is looking for additional funding. Last year, we provided significant additional funding, which the Deputy acknowledged. We intend to provide a further increase in funding this year. I am not being evasive; I cannot give him that figure. I need time with colleagues to be able to go through the draft allocations, which I will look at. We take into account the submissions and f…

We cannot just look at this in isolation. There is the NDP and the projects we are advancing for new roads and new national roads across the country. In Cavan-Monaghan, there is the trans-European transport network, TEN-T, road network, which is critically important in the north west. There have been unprecedented levels of investment. There will be a further increase. The Deputy's definition of "…

Improving accessibility, reliability and affordability of public transport while ensuring the system remains well funded and responsive to passenger needs is a core priority under the programme for Government. While my Department sets the overall policy direction and funding framework for the delivery of public transport services, the NTA has the statutory responsibility for securing the provision…

We will take Dublin as an example. I am using Dublin because two Dublin Deputies have asked this question. We had 164 million passenger journeys on Dublin Bus alone last year. Those are record-breaking numbers. That has been supported by new services being rolled out and improvements to existing services, even acknowledging that there have been human resource challenges. We still have issues in so…

By the range and depth of the questions and contributions here, we see all of the different demands on the Department of Transport. That is good. We have advocates right the way across the House, but we have a Government that needs to deliver. We need to continue a phased and sustainable improvement in services. My predecessor in transport, the former Minister, Eamon Ryan, did a good job and we wo…

The Deputy is allowed to speak.

First, no one has raised the white flag. I read with real interest and, actually, amusement the Deputy's comments in that regard since he is someone who served in the Government in the past five years and his former party leader did a very good job in that area. We are reducing emissions while the economy and the population are growing. A lot of the projects we have been talking about today will h…

We will get back to the point of agreement in this regard. I thank the Deputy for the question. It has been widely acknowledged that transport is and continues to be a difficult sector to decarbonise, but we are making progress. The development of the transport chapter of the climate action plan identified and set out policies intended to put the sector on a pathway to achieve an emissions reducti…

I will come back on the supplementary question with the rest of my time.

To put to bed this mistruth in relation to the ratio, the Deputy is not correct and has been peddling this mistruth. The 2:1 ratio always was and always will be a relatively rough and ready reckoner. Having said that, based on the NDP sectoral plan, the ratio is as at more than 2:1 in relation to investment in public transport versus new roads. That is a fact. The Deputy cannot dispute that. We ar…

How did you buy your constituency office? Yourself and Pádraig bought it for cash, did you not?

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to introduce the Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 2026 to the House. The Bill makes crucial amendments to the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 to improve the safety of the operation, monitoring, maintenance and use of natural gas, NG, and liquefied petroleum gas, LPG, in Ireland. The regulation of natural gas markets and undertakings, gas …

Excellent.

Excellent. They are very welcome.

They have come for the right debate.

Absolutely. Deputy McGuinness is the Chair and can do as he wishes. They are all very welcome.

Not at all.

Is the Chair sure?

Section 23 provides for the Bill's Short Title. It allows for the collective citation and construction of the Electricity Regulation Acts 1999 to 2026 and enables the Minister to commence the Bill by order. I look forward to working with Deputies to progress the Bill, which is relatively technical. The changes it makes will make crucial improvements to the safety regulation of natural gas and LPG …

It was not debated before.

Sorry, this is the-----

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht na leasaithe. We had good discussion on these on Committee Stage. The proposals mirror each other regarding the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Act 1992 and the Waste Management Act 1996. They both concern the laying of orders made by the Minister under both Houses, setting timelines of six months on such orders, as the Deputy outlined. Section 7 of …

Yes. The proposal is to put any timeline on that as opposed to in the Act itself. This should be a very rarely used provision.

Labhróidh mé ar leasaithe a 4 agus a 11. I will address both amendments together. These proposals mirror each other with regard to the EPA Act 1992 and the Waste Management Act 1996. They would go beyond the obligations set out under Article 2(4) of the EIA directive and may not meet the objectives or purpose for which the emergency provision is required. I assure the Deputy that new sections 88…