Seán Canney

The Department of Transport has been liaising with all of the local authorities on foot of the flooding that happened. They have done a schedule and survey of all of the roads that have to be done. Preliminary costings have been prepared. Our Department is working with each local authority to put in place a plan for executing these works. As the Taoiseach said earlier, some discretionary money has…

I thank Deputy O'Connor for raising this important issue. As Minister of State with responsibility for rail, I thank him for the opportunity to address the House on this issue today. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has responsibility for planning and developing public transport infrastructure and for developing the Cork metropolitan area transport strategy, CMATS. This strategy has been de…

I understand the Deputy's frustration in trying to get a clear line of sight on what might be happening here. From the outset, the CMATS review will start later this year. That is the avenue by which this project will or will not move forward. This project does not appear in the national development plan, which we have published, or in the sectoral plan for transport and the all-island rail review…

It is very clear from today's contributions that in the past this country has often failed to treat people equally and it has failed to look after the most vulnerable, especially vulnerable children. In sending vulnerable children to State institutions run by religious orders in many cases, we left them unprotected and open to abuse at the hands of those who are supposed to help and protect them. …

I too extend my deepest sympathies to the family of Grace Lynch. Her death leaves an unfillable void in their lives and the lives of her friends and the wider community. Regarding the accident that happened in Dublin city centre this afternoon, our thoughts are with the families who are affected by that accident and everybody involved. Yesterday, we announced that we will introduce regulations as…

A Cheann Comhairle----

I will not be here for the end of the debate but I will give the Deputy-----

I thank all the Deputies for their contributions to this debate. While the Government has opposed this motion and tabled an amendment to it, that does not mean that we do not recognise the difficulties and additional costs that disabled people face. We are very aware of those costs. Our determination to assist people with those costs is reflected in the improvements we have made to disability supp…

The Department's community welfare system is available to provide financial support for these essentials. The additional needs payment and the heat supplement exist for precisely that purpose. As a TD, I am acutely aware of that. People are getting support that way. We have to be very careful not to frighten people by putting out messages about people having to choose between food or heating their…

Supports are in place for the people who need them. It is up to us as public representatives to direct people to those supports when we know they are struggling. Opposition Deputies had their chance to speak. It is called respect and democracy. The Minister spoke about the Government's commitment to introducing the annual cost-of-disability support scheme. This is incredibly important but is just…

I thank the Deputy. I extend my condolences and those of the Government to those who lost a loved one on our roads in 2025. With 190 lives lost, it was the worst year on our roads since 2014 and a sobering call to action for all of us to do more to make our roads safer. Reducing deaths and serious injuries is an all-of-society challenge. It is a priority for me, as Minister of State, and for this…

The Deputy makes a very important point. The four major causes of collisions on our roads are speeding; driving under the influence of alcohol or drug substances; not wearing a seatbelt; and distraction through the use of a mobile phone or all the technology in a car, which is more like an office than a vehicle to get from A to B. There are many issues we have to deal with but the Road Traffic Act…

Absolutely. It is being considered. I did not see that reply going out. We have a huge amount of work to do to update our legislation on road safety. However, going back to the point the Deputy made, personal behaviour is vital. We will provide the legislation and enforcement. At the end of the day, if somebody makes a conscious decision to sit in a car and do the wrong thing, it is very difficult…

I thank the Deputy for the question and I wish to confirm straight off that my Department is working with the National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann to progress a number of rail projects in Galway, including double-tracking the line between Athenry and Galway. In order to progress this project, Iarnród Éireann has appointed a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy, and the Galway line…

I thank the Deputy for raising that issue. As someone who has been in politics since 2004, I am glad to see the demands that are now coming for rail and for investment in rail. At that time, the agenda was to close down the railways and people continued with that up to two or three years ago. I am glad to see that my colleagues in the constituency have seen the light of day and are now supporting …

When mentioned colleagues, I was not referring to Deputy Dolan but he knows the history of what people were trying to do. They were trying to close down lines and they were from political parties and none. Basically, I am saying that agenda is gone. What we need to do now is to work together to make sure we deliver what we can deliver. We have the will to do it and Iarnród Éireann is capable of do…

Yes, I thank the Leas-Ceann Comhairle.

I thank the Deputy for asking the question. I know he is passionate about it, as are a lot of Deputies and Ministers, because it is something we need to get sorted. The overriding consideration in relation to age limits for bus drivers has been safety. It is a matter for relevant bus companies, including Bus Éireann, to set their own terms and conditions in relation to employment, including retir…

A private operator can be asked by the school to bring a group from Galway to the zoo in Dublin and someone aged over 70 can drive the vehicle, but someone that age cannot drive students in the local area to the local school, a route with which they will be a lot more familiar. There is an issue there to be resolved. In all fairness, Bus Éireann is looking at that. It has to look at it from a safe…

I reassure the Deputy and every other Deputy in the House that this is a priority for the Department of Transport and that I have the support of the Ministers and the Government on this. We are making sure that any changes we make, or made, take into account all the safety factors that have to be considered as well. I agree with the Deputy. I see this in my constituency where private operators fin…

On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, who is here beside me, I again thank Deputy Carthy for raising this important issue today on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. I also extend my appreciation to all of the other speakers who have contributed to the debate this evening. I reiterate the Government's commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to domestic, …

I thank Deputy Gould for raising this important topic, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy O'Brien. From the outset, I would like to clarify that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport but neither the Minister nor his officials are involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. …

That is not what I said.

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. First, I accept and I said here that the service is not right. I have also said I and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, are not responsible for the day-to-day running of the service - we are responsible for providing the funding. If there are issues with the service we will get to the bottom of it. I know there have been issues with getting drivers and I appreciate…

Sorry-----