Results 25,881-25,900 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (7 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: I refer to the reply to Question no. 860 of 6 November 2018. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Vehicle Testing (7 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of recent reports that have indicated that emissions testing was not being carried out in Northern Ireland as part of the annual Ministry of Transport (MOT) test on diesel cars, and of concerns that imports of such cars may result in higher emissions from the Irish passenger fleet. Emissions from road vehicles in general, and from diesel vehicles in particular, are a key source...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (7 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: In April 2017 my Department published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie.This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the National Broadband Plan.The Map is colour coded and searchable by address/eircode: - The AMBER areas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Transmission Network (8 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Celtic Interconnector is an estimated €1 billion electricity interconnector jointly proposed by EirGrid and their French counterparts, the French transmission system operator, RTÉ (Reseau de Transporte d’Électricite). It is proposed as a 500km long (subsea), 700MW high voltage direct current line that would run from the north-west coast of France to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Reports (8 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce worked with key stakeholders to produce a report in December 2016, available on my Department’s website, which contained 40 actions to alleviate some of the coverage deficits across the country. An Implementation Group is overseeing the implementation of the actions and comprises all key stakeholders responsible for delivery. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Incentives (8 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The high level design of the new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) was approved by Government in July 2018 and it is expected that the first renewable electricity auctions will take place in 2019. The RESS will be subject to the new rules on public support for projects in the field of energy, adopted by the European Commission in April 2014, which seek to promote a gradual move...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Procurement Contracts Data (8 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 to 224, inclusive, together. The information sought in the Question is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work. However, details of tenders awarded by my Department on foot of procurements via the eTenders platform administered by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) can be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Data (8 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together. Within my Department, the Assistant Principal Officer charged with responsibility for the Department's Accounts and Procurement Units also acts as the designated Procurement Officer.  As such, the annual cost of the Procurement Officer function is included within the individuals annual salary. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air Pollution (8 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal, or the ‘smoky coal ban’ as it is commonly known, was first introduced in Dublin in 1990 and since then has been extended to 26 urban areas nationwide, currently known as Low Smoke Zones.  The ban has proved very effective in reducing particulate matter and sulphur dioxide levels within the areas it applies,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (8 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: Addressing climate change will require a significant step change in Government action across all sectors. It also has implications for how individuals, households, communities, businesses, and schools live, work and learn.   As a means of promoting wider societal action on climate, the Government established a National Dialogue on Climate Action in 2017. The primary...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (8 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: Ireland’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions arise from a number of different sources, including use of fossil fuels. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) produces national greenhouse gas emission projections on an annual basis.  According to the latest inventory figures from the EPA, total GHG emissions in Ireland in 2016 amounted to 61.55 Mt CO2eq. The breakdown of emissions by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Efficiency (13 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: Government grants for improving the energy efficiency of homes are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. The grants provide funding to people who want to upgrade the energy efficiency of their home and switch to renewable heating systems. Funding is provided for a range of energy saving measures, and for installing heat pumps....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (13 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the BLUE area on the High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The BLUE areas are where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. Where a citizen living in a Blue area is unable to obtain a high speed broadband service, I...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: When Ministers and or Ministers of State meet outside stakeholders, the need for note taking is established based on the level of importance of the meeting and the subject being discussed.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (13 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The area referred to by the Deputy is in the BLUE area on the High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The BLUE areas are where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. Where a citizen living in a Blue area is unable to obtain a high speed broadband service, I would...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (13 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The premises 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 are the subject of an ongoing procurement process. The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Freedom of Information Requests (13 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: Under the FOI act, the determination of an FOI request is a matter for the deciding officer. The number of FOI requests received by my Department is increasing, with an 82% increase on the same period last year. The processing of FOI requests is undertaken by officials at Higher Executive Officer level and higher, and this responsibility in undertaken in conjunction with their normal...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (13 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Taoiseach has asked Mr Peter Smyth, the independent process auditor to the National Broadband Plan procurement to prepare a report which will: - take account of his ongoing work as Process Auditor, and his detailed knowledge of the procurement process to date; - consider any implications for the procurement process of the meetings between the former Minister for Communications, Climate...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (13 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: Home charging is the primary method of charging for the majority of electric vehicles both internationally and in Ireland. Charging at home at night is the most cost-effective and eco-friendly way to charge an electric vehicle. Given the high proportion of homes with driveways and dedicated parking spaces, Ireland has greater capacity for home charging than many other countries. From January...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Interdepartmental Working Groups (13 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/841 on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry in the 2030 climate and energy framework (the LULUCF Regulation), mandatory accounting of managed wetlands in the national greenhouse gas emissions inventories of EU Member States is to commence from 2026. It is, therefore, important that robust...