Results 2,101-2,120 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Authorities (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage issued Circular LGSM/01/2021 in February 2021 to chief executives and directors of planning which provided instructions around developing zones for local authorities. Action 80 of the national Climate Action Plan 2021 required each local authority to integrate the development of its decarbonisation zone into its local authority climate...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Authorities (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I am not sure what the idea is of asking a question and when I give a direct answer the Deputy asks the same question again. She has asked me whether a legal direction has been issued. What I told her is that I know the guidelines were circulated last Friday but I do not know whether they constitute a legal direction. I will find out and come back to her. That is really all I can say on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The draft agenda for the upcoming Environment Council indicates that the meeting will address the following matters: a general approach on the directive amending directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions; general approach on the Council directive on the landfill of waste; policy debates on the regulation on packaging and packaging waste, amending regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and directive...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. She has described a project in Carlow which involves the restoration of a raised bog near the River Barrow and the historic site of St. Mullin's and has asked for an update on that. I do not have information to hand immediately, but I will be very happy to give her an update. I would also be happy to meet her, as I am happy to meet any Deputy, and give her a briefing on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Meetings (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: These projects can provide a local amenity and attraction for tourism. They preserve biodiversity and give people a sense of pride in their area. They can be part of a just transition if jobs have been lost in Bord na Móna or other organisations. Regarding wastewater treatment, I will listen to the Deputy. If she feels any projects are not getting funding, I am happy to talk to her...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. The community climate action programme will see more than €60 million from the climate action fund invested in supporting communities to run direct climate action projects and initiatives under strand 1 as well as capacity building under strand 2 of the programme. The 18 projects selected for funding under strand 2 of the programme are currently moving to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: As the Deputy said, there is a challenge with staffing. Things cannot happen without staffing. On the community climate action officers, the four Dublin local authorities are recruiting their officers on a regional basis. They expect to have staff in place by late April. The post is currently advertised on the Fingal County Council website, on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. Strand 1A is open to community, voluntary and non-profit groups that want to take part. They have to partner with a local authority. As the Deputy said, there are cross-Border projects and there have been successful connections. While the senior levels of the political system in Northern Ireland may be stuck, at local authority level we are making progress. At...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy for asking this question, which is close to my heart and which I have been following closely since we legislated for it. The policy document, A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, contains a commitment to data-proof all waste enforcement legislation to ensure all available and emerging audiovisual recording equipment, including CCTV, can be used in a manner that is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Many Deputies are aware that there were problems in the past with obtaining evidence to get prosecutions because of challenges under privacy legislation. That is why we have to be so careful that we are ensured privacy-wise that we are compliant with GDPR law in order that we do not get challenged or, if we are challenged, that we can win those challenges. The Deputy is right that Tidy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Deputy McAuliffe is right that we need to have positive measures. This is not just about enforcement, catching people and criminality. We have a number of different schemes to promote reduction in litter. There is an anti-dumping initiative, which provides €3 million to local authorities for clean-up operations for removing illegal waste when it has been dumped, for household bulky...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: That is why we need the two things. We need the positive things that help people do the right thing. We also need criminal sanction and evidence against people who are criminals and who are destroying our beautiful environment.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: On 14 February the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, appointed Mr. Tom. Barry and Mr. Seamus Neely under section 18(5) of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 to perform the functions of the IFI pending the appointment of a new, full board through the statutory appointments process, with the support of the Public Appointments Service, PAS. This ensures that the IFI is in a position to continue to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The role of Mr. Barry and Mr. Neely is to oversee the preparation of a governance review of the IFI and it is their job to complete that within three to six months. The timeline for the appointment of new members to the board will be based on the availability of the Public Appointments Service to carry out that function. I cannot comment on how long that will take without asking that body,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Mr. Barry and Mr. Neely have been charged with carrying out this governance review, which amounts to an external review of the governance within the IFI. To give some information on the sequencing for Deputy O'Rourke, it includes an examination of the respective roles of the IFI board and executive. It will be completed within three to six months and include an implementation plan, and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Policy (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Following the enactment of the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, draft regulations to introduce an environmental levy on single-use disposable cups were published last October for public consultation, together with a comprehensive regulatory impact assessment. The consultation ran for a period of six weeks, providing an important opportunity for all stakeholders to make...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Policy (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The regulatory impact assessment projected 200 million cups as an absolute minimum and estimates that the real figure could be far higher than that. I expect, as a result of the public consultation, to recommend some changes to what was in the draft regulations. I spoke to many café owners throughout the country to get their direct feedback. As well as waiting for people to come to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Policy (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Yes, there is great appetite on the part of the public. Surveys are showing that people want this. However, at the same time I need to make sure that it is a successfully introduced scheme and that it takes account of all the concerns that are raised by cafés which have made their submissions so I am taking time over that. There will be some changes to the draft regulations as a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy for acknowledging that the NBP is progressing. More than 120,000 families in rural areas across Ireland can now have access to fibre broadband. One member of the public in Wexford wrote to me to say that she can now use her mobile home because she is connected to the network via fibre. The Deputy's question is very specific, and it is a good one. All new-build premises...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (28 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The Deputy is absolutely right. The NBP is revitalising rural Ireland. It is allowing people to spend time in their home village or at their home farm, with their family, looking after somebody and they can spend time and spend money in their in their local area. It might not be every day of the week, but just the being able to go back to where they are from and spend time there is...