Results 2,241-2,260 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Broadband Infrastructure (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: High-speed broadband has become a basic utility, like having water or electricity. I am told by estate agents that it is the number one feature for selling a house in rural Ireland. It is critical to any business. I understand that. This is a seven year roll-out plan. It started in 2020 and will be complete at the end of 2026. I can imagine the disappointment of people whose premises is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Pension Provisions (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I am here on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, who has delegated authority over postal policy in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Under section 46 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Pension Provisions (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Senator Craughwell will appreciate this is a complex matter. There are a lot of legal issues here and it is important I put the exact official position on the record. I am sorry if I could not address points he raised in his opening remarks. He raised very detailed and specific points which I will take to the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, for him to reply directly.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mortgage Interest Rates (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: At the outset, it is important to point out that the setting of official interest rates throughout the eurozone is a matter for the European Central Bank, ECB. The ECB recently announced a further 0.25% increase in interest rates, bringing its main lending rate to 4%. The Government has no role in setting official interest rates, nor in setting the retail interest rates that lenders may...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mortgage Interest Rates (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I am acutely aware that there have been increases in certain mortgage rates by some lenders. It is important to point out that mortgage interest rates and, in particular, fixed interest rates have fallen over the past number of years. For example, in December 2014 the average level of fixed interest rate for new lending was 4.11%. That compares with 3.54% in April 2023. In April, mortgage...

Seanad: Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Second Stage (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I am pleased to address the House and I thank Senators for the opportunity to present this Bill. As they will be aware, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 led to exceptionally high energy prices. The Government is aware of the resulting financial strain on households and businesses in Ireland and has introduced numerous supports for homes and businesses to off set the increase....

Seanad: Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Second Stage (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The main purpose of the Bill is to provide for the TSC under Council Regulation No. 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices. This is an important Bill which will provide for a fair collection of surplus revenues from fossil fuel companies that have earned unexpected revenues from the high energy prices resulting from the war in Ukraine. It...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: On behalf of the Government, I extend my sympathies to the family and friends of former Deputy Cott on this occasion. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of providing safe drinking water in east Cork, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Safe and secure drinking water is an issue of both national and local importance. I appreciate...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I can hear in the Deputy's voice his sincerity and his wish to have this problem resolved. It is a very basic thing to have a clean supply of drinking water. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, acknowledges the patience and co-operation of the residents and businesses in the Whitegate area who have been affected up to now. As I said in my opening remarks, the Minister's concern is to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Local Authorities (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Again, on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I will answer this. I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue on the taking in charge of private housing estates by local authorities. With regard to the specific development in the Deputy's constituency, I have to emphasise that under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Local Authorities (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I note the views of the Ceann Comhairle and the Deputy on the meaning of the Act. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has asked me not to refer to the specific development but to speak in generalities. We can manage this case-----

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Local Authorities (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: -----by sticking to the generalities of the case. As the Deputy said, there is devolved power in this case. It is a devolved power to take in charge, following a majority vote from the residents of the estate. Second, there is the power to set budgets. Fingal County Council sets its own rates and it has a large rates base, including the airport. It also sets its own property taxes. In...

Seanad: Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The text of Senator Boylan's amendment refers to a report "within two months of the passage of this Act", rather than two weeks, so I want to clarify that this is what is intended by the Senator. I thank the Senator for the amendment. I appreciate that Senators are seeking transparency on the distribution of proceeds collected from the temporary solidarity contribution, TSC. Article 17 of...

Seanad: Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: How the money is spent will have to be decided in the budget, and the budget is in October. The amendment calls for a report to be published two months after the enactment, which would be September. In other words, the amendment calls for a report saying how the money will be spent from the TSC a month before it is decided in the budget in October. That is the problem I have with the...

Dereliction and Building Regeneration Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (13 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I ran for election first in 2014 in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and one of the issues on which I ran was that there were 100 vacant properties along the main street and in the town of Dún Laoghaire. I looked into this problem and later on I became the chair of the corporate policy group in the council and I was able to effect the budget. What we found was that people were making a...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: Second Stage (21 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to address the House on the Second Stage of the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023. As Deputies are aware, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 led to exceptionally high energy prices. Although wholesale prices have reduced in recent months, they are still significantly...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: Second Stage (21 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Deputies for their contributions today. I particularly thank all the parties, comprising virtually every party, and many Independents who have welcomed the Bill. The Bill is to be welcomed because it is to recoup excess income that was received by these energy-generating companies as a result of the war in Ukraine. There is significant financial pressure on households and...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: Referral to Select Committee (21 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Environment and Climate Action pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 181(1).

Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (27 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to address the House on the Second Stage of the Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023. As Deputies are aware, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications is the Minister with responsibility for gas policy and all legislation relating to gas and energy policy. The European natural gas directive - directive 2009/73/EC...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (26 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Directive (EU) 2022/2555 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity across the Union, amending Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 and Directive (EU) 2018/1972, and repealing Directive (EU) 2016/1148, also known as the NIS 2 Directive was agreed last December and published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 27...