Results 201-220 of 1,255 for speaker:Ossian Smyth in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.The majority of premises...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Economic and Social Council (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I welcome the recent publication of the NESC report Digital Inclusion in Ireland: Connectivity, Devices & Skills which recognises the opportunities of the increasing digitalisation ofeconomic, social and cultural systems. The report also highlights that a number of sectors of society are assessed to be poorly engaged with digital technologies, including those...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy,  launched by Minister Ryan in September 2020, recognizes the vital importance of improving how waste arising from the construction and demolition (C&D) sector is managed, given that it is the largest waste stream in the EU and represents a huge cost and loss of value to the construction sectorThe Waste Action Plan, which has a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: While substantial progress has been made to date, the Covid 19 pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of the fibre network resulting in delays on delivery of aspects of the programme. Impacts include challenges with mobilisation of key contractors with restrictions on operations and supply chain and logistic delays, both nationally and internationally. In addition, there have been...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I am very conscious of the importance of the End of Waste in the transition to a more circular economy, in particular in relation to the construction sector.  The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economywhich was launched by Minister Ryan in September 2020, has a dedicated chapter on End of Waste, and commits to a number of measures including to the establishment of a working...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Extensive investment plans are in place by a range of commercial operators with further investment plans recently announced. These plans will see improved high speed broadband access across the country.  Of the 2.4 million premises across Ireland, 77% of premises now have access to high-speed broadband of more than 30 Mbps.  National Broadband Ireland (NBI), through the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 43 together. The telecommunications market is regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation. It is not possible to identify scam call numbers in advance, which can resemble normal, familiar geographical, or international numbers encountered on a daily basis. The Regulator has published information for consumers in relation to this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 63 together. While substantial progress has been made to date, the Covid 19 pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of the fibre network resulting in delays on delivery of aspects of the programme. Impacts include challenges with mobilisation of key contractors with restrictions on operations, supply chain and logistic delays (both nationally and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Despite the unprecedented challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, National Broadband Ireland has made steady progress on delivery of the new high speed fibre broadband network under the National Broadband Plan. I am advised by NBI that, as of 3 September, over 14,500 homes are passed and available for connection in Counties Cork, Cavan, Galway,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 45, 47 and 48 together. While substantial progress has been made to date, the Covid 19 pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of the fibre network resulting in delays on delivery of aspects of the programme. Impacts include challenges with mobilisation of key contractors with restrictions on operations and supply chain and logistic delays both...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I understand that my Department has just recently received information from the service provider operating in the area who confirmed that copper cabling is available to the premises referred to and that broadband services should be available. Furthermore, the commercial operator has confirmed that the premises will be in the next phase of its fibre...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151, 152 and 159 together. I propose to take Question Nos. 151, 152  and 159 together. Extensive investment plans are in place by a range of commercial operators with further investment plans recently announced. These plans will see improved high speed broadband access across the country.  Of the 2.4 million premises across...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: According to the most recent Quarterly Report by ComReg, the  Quarterly Key Data Report on the Electronic Communications market for the period (1 April to 30 June), Q2 2021, which is available at www.comreg.ie/media/2021/09/ComReg-2188.pdf, the total number of live broadband subscriptions (mobile and fixed) at the end of June 2021was 1.887m, which represents a 4.2% increase on the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air Quality (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Air quality in Ireland is protected by a range of legislation and policies, in line with EU and international policy, and is monitored by the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme, operated by the Environment Protection Agency, and funded by my Department. This programme has undergone significant expansion in recent years, from 29 stations in 2017 to 96 today. All monitoring...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. As of 3 September, 366 BCP sites have been installed by NBI across the country and the high speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through service provider contracts managed by the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The provision of telecommunication services, including mobile phone and broadband services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator.Obligations in relation to mobile coverage are set out in licences granted by Comreg to the mobile operators and ComReg...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (16 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. My Department has now prioritised primary schools with no high speed broadband and continues to work with the Department of Education in this regard. An acceleration of this aspect of the National Broadband Plan will see...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (21 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The premises referred to in the Question is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Legislative Measures (21 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Repairing products, and making products which are more easily repairable, is central to circular economy policy in Ireland and the EU. “A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy”, Ireland’s national waste policy 2020-2025, announced a number of initiatives to support repair activities including a commitment that the National Waste Management Plan due in 2022 will...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 115 together.107 and 115 together The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, which was published in September 2020, details a range of measures that will be adopted to achieve optimum results in the area of plastics and packaging over the coming years. The over-riding objective is to ensure that all packaging placed on the Irish...