Results 3,161-3,180 of 6,629 for speaker:Seán Kyne

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hardship Grant Scheme (15 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. He is correct that I met Mr. Cuffe and Mr. Creaven recently to discuss an eel hardship scheme. The latest advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, ICES, in late 2017 is that "the status of eel remains critical and that all anthropogenic mortality, for example, recreational and commercial fishing, hydropower,...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hardship Grant Scheme (15 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I cannot give an absolute date, but I certainly hope it will not be beyond this summer. As I said, we have started a process with the Revenue Commissioners. Once that is concluded we hope to complete the terms and conditions. Initial preparatory work has been done on that and a draft scheme has been prepared, but that is subject, of course, to agreement with the Revenue Commissioners on...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hardship Grant Scheme (15 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: It will certainly be in this calendar year.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fisheries Protection (8 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I understand the Deputy is referring to the annual suite of regulations to facilitate management of commercial salmon fisheries by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). I recently finalised these regulations ahead of the opening date for the commercial season on 12 May 2018. These regulations are concerned with conservation of each genetically unique river stock and apply to those rivers with a...

Other Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (2 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 28 together.   PEACE IV supports peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland, promoting social and economic stability, particularly through actions which promote cohesion between communities.  It is co-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.  ...

Other Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (2 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I absolutely agree with the Deputy. The value of the current PEACE programme is circa€270 million, including the Irish and UK matching funding, with €229 million from the European Union and €40.5 million from the Irish and UK Governments. The latter figure is composed of €8.75 million from the Irish Government and €31.7 million from the UK Government....

Other Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (2 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I concur with the Deputy. Obviously he is from the Border region; therefore, he has much more first-hand experience of what happened in the past. We are fully committed to ensuring there will be a successor programme. My Department will provide €6 million for projects over the lifetime of the programme, with a matching contribution of €33 million to be provided by the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fisheries Protection (2 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together. Ireland’s Eel Management Plan (EMP), including the closure of commercial fishing, was approved, in 2009, by the European Commission under EU Regulation 1100/2007.  Fishing for eel was by way of public licence and therefore the issue of compensation does not arise. However, I directed my officials to write to the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Environmental Protection Agency Licences (1 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I thank Senator O'Donnell for raising this issue. I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, who is unavailable. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, is the independent statutory body responsible for protecting the environment in Ireland.The agency performs a wide range of statutory functions in fulfilment of its mandate. These include the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Environmental Protection Agency Licences (1 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I thank Senator O'Donnell for his comments and welcome them. I understand the concerns that he has. He will accept that it is difficult for me to comment on an individual licence application lest I be accused of interfering in the EPA's independent licensing process. We have to take that on board. I would also point out that while overall compliance with EPA licences is good, the EPA's...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Salmon Hardship Scheme (1 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: Ireland manages salmon stocks on an individual river basis. This management is carried out by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the State Agency with statutory responsibility for inland fisheries. This is based on the fact that each of Ireland’s 147 salmon rivers, river sections, estuaries, etc., has its own genetically unique stock of salmon which migrates to sea as juveniles and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries Ireland Funding (1 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland that it is likely that any investigation of the status of sea trout in the Currane catchment will have three elements: census data, and freshwater and marine sampling programmes to measure performance of different life stages of Sea Trout and to determine the environmental and ecological status of the freshwater and marine habitats. IFI have worked...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fishing Licences (1 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: The Atlantic salmon is a protected species under the EU Habitats Directive with which Ireland’s current salmon management regime complies. In order to align fully with the Directive and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) principles and in view of a sharp decline in salmon stocks, the Irish Government closed mixed stock fisheries in 2007 including coastal and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (1 May 2018)

Seán Kyne: I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that in order to commercially fish for eel it was a requirement for any person, including fishery owners, to hold a fishing licence. I am also advised that the majority of eel fishery owners were also licensed by IFI to fish for eel and, therefore, would be included in the proposed support scheme for former fishermen which my officials have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (26 Apr 2018)

Seán Kyne: I understand that the Deputy is referring to speculation regarding the sale of fishing rights. The section of the River Moy which flows through the townland of Pollagh near Foxford, Co. Mayo is part of the wider Cloongee Fishery and is directly managed by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) in whom the fishing rights are vested. IFI have confirmed that state owned fishing rights on the Moy are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries Stocks (26 Apr 2018)

Seán Kyne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 201, inclusive, together. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is the State Agency statutorily responsible for the management and conservation of Ireland's Inland fisheries resources including wild Atlantic salmon. IFI manages salmon stocks on an individual river basis as each of Ireland’s 147 salmon rivers (including river sections and estuaries) has...

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (25 Apr 2018)

Seán Kyne: I thank the Chairman and members of the select committee. I am pleased to be able to join the committee in considering the Revised Estimates for 2018 for the Department. As the Minister has done, I emphasise the importance of the current context and the urgent need for Ireland to put in place on a sustainable basis plans for long-term national development. I welcome the national...

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (25 Apr 2018)

Seán Kyne: I do not know about that. I agree that it is very important that we get 100% geographical coverage in terms of broadband, and I have highlighted that on all occasions possible. The Government is committed under the national broadband plan to 100% coverage. Deputy Ó Cuív knows the issues and the difficulties that have arisen with regard to that plan. We are still in a competitive...

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (25 Apr 2018)

Seán Kyne: One of the reasons for the delays with the national broadband plan or one of the complexities of it is that the technology and the contract has to be future-proofed for the next 25 years. We need to ensure that as technologies change and speeds increase, the infrastructure put in place at the taxpayer's expense will be able to keep pace. We want to see a minimum of 30 Mbps and the...

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (25 Apr 2018)

Seán Kyne: I agree in respect of the enhanced role that is necessary for the WDC. It is in the Programme for a Partnership Government and we are supportive of it. We have given it extra roles in respect of the delivery of the action plan for jobs for the west and north-west regions. It is also represented on the monitoring committee of the action plan for rural development and on the Atlantic...