Results 25,781-25,800 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Prevention of Single-Use Plastic Waste: Motion [Private Members] (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Acting Chairman. I thank Deputies Catherine Martin and Eamon Ryan for tabling this motion. I absolutely believe we need an effective policy to tackle plastics and their excessive use in Ireland. The figures I have — I am sure the Deputies are more familiar with them than I am — show that our usage of plastic, at 58 g per capita, is 80% above the EU average. We...

Prevention of Single-Use Plastic Waste: Motion [Private Members] (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is very hard on Ministers.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and is the subject of an ongoing procurement process. The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 521, 525, 527 and 537 together. The terms of reference for the independent NBP process auditor's review of the National Broadband Plan procurement process have been finalised and are available at . These terms of reference include timeline and scope and empower the Process Auditor, at his own discretion, to review all relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Metropolitan Area Networks Programme (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 524 together. My Department entered into two Concession Agreements with enet Ltd., a privately owned company in 2004 and 2009 respectively, following two separate public procurement processes. These agreements set out the terms under which enet is required to manage, operate and maintain the Metropolitan Area Networks. In March,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Meetings (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: In 2017, the Irish Infrastructure Fund acquired a majority 78% shareholding in enet. I understand from the Department that in accordance with the terms of the Concession Agreement, enet notified the Department of the change of ownership arising from the sale of its shares and officials did not meet with representatives of the Irish Infrastructure Fund in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: A number of significant policy initiatives have been undertaken by this Government since February 2016 to address climate change. Ireland's first National Mitigation Plan, which the government published in July 2017, is a whole-of-Government Plan, reflecting, in particular, the central roles of the Ministers responsible for the four key sectors with the most significant contribution to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Metropolitan Area Networks Programme (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: As stated in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 42146 of 16 October, 2018, the Department is engaging with the Management Services Entity (enet) in relation to the implementation of the recommendations of the Review and the Review will be published shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Freedom of Information Data (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department received eleven FOI requests in relation to the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) and to the Concession Agreement with enet who manage the MANs on behalf of the State, in the period from 1 January 2012 to 16 October 2018. Of these, four requests were part-granted and five were refused, as provided for within the exemption provisions of the FOI Act. Two FOI requests are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Freedom of Information Data (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department received fifty-four FOI requests regarding the National Broadband Plan and related matters in the period from 1 January 2012 to 16 October 2018. Of these, three were withdrawn, while two requests were granted, seventeen requests were part-granted and fifteen requests were refused in accordance with the relevant provisions of the FOI Act. Seventeen FOI requests are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The conclusion of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led intervention procurement process and delivery of high speed broadband is a priority commitment for this Government. On 17 October 2018, the Taoiseach requested a report from the NBP process auditor to be presented within three weeks. The terms of reference for this report specify that the process auditor is not required to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: In reply to Question No. 248 on 18 October, to the House last week, with respect to the nature of the "Competitive Dialogue" procedure used in the NBP Procurement process, I described the confidential nature of the process and indicated that it is not proposed to publish details of meetings held as part of an on-going procurement process. Maintaining confidentiality is necessary and normal...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Proposed Legislation (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: On 24 July 2018 Government approved the priority drafting of the National Broadband Plan Bill 2018. My Department is developing this legislation in consultation with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in the Attorney General’s Office. The NBP Bill is included in the Priority Legislation programme for the current Dáil Session 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The majority of the existing network of publicly accessible charge points was rolled out by the ESB through its eCars programme. This network includes 77 fast chargers, mainly on national routes. A map showing the locations of charging points throughout Ireland is available at .There are currently charging posts at three locations in Mullingar. As each charging post consists of two charging...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Meetings (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I have had no meetings with the person identified by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Schemes (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536 and 542 together. The Government's Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty 2016-2019, contains an action to examine the impact of introducing minimum thermal efficiency standards for rental properties. Research indicates that rental properties are twice as likely to be E, F or G rated on the Building Energy Rating (BER) scale. However, rental properties...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: In September 2017 enet/SSE announced a project to bring high speed broadband to 115,000 homes and businesses across the West and North West of Ireland on a commercial basis. No change was made to the High Speed Broadband Map as a result of this intended roll out. My Department understands that these premises no longer feature in enet/SSE's commercial roll out plans. The 115,000 premises...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Internet Safety (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Government's Action Plan for Online Safety 2018-2019, which was launched by the Taoiseach on 11 July 2018, contains 25 actions to be implemented or substantially progressed by the six sponsor Departments before the end of 2019. These Department are the Department of Justice and Equality; the Department of Children and Youth Affairs; the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation;...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme Applications (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department funds The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Measures are carried out by SEAI in the basis of the findings of surveys of each home and the scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures at no cost to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty, who meet the defined eligibility criteria....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (23 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location.  The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. Today more than, 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. This is being achieved via a...