Results 26,241-26,260 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The single electricity market for the island of Ireland has brought many economic and social benefits, both north and south. The enduring success of the single electricity market depends critically on the degree of interconnection. Currently just 300MW of electricity supply across the existing north south interconnector is permitted so as to ensure that electricity is securely provided to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Postal Codes (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: Eircodes are assigned to new property addresses using a valid postal address and verified geo-locations. An Post collects information on new and existing buildings, as well as changes to existing addresses and Ordnance Survey Ireland provides the geo-locations for these buildings. An Post GeoDirectory, issue a new release of the GeoDirectory database file on a quarterly basis to Capita...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I strongly support a route to market for citizens and communities to generate their own renewable energy and to receive a fair price for doing so, but equally recognise the importance of finding an appropriate balance between costs to electricity consumers and the level of subsidy provided. In July 2018, a new pilot scheme to support micro generation was introduced, initially targeting...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 516 together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP)aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. This is being achieved via a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention. The NBP State led Intervention focuses on areas where industry investment...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme Data (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Warmer Homes scheme has been in operation since 2000 and provides free energy efficiency upgrades to low income homeowners living in or at risk of energy poverty. The number of homes and overall funding for each year is set out in Table 1. A county breakdown is available for the years 2015-2018 and is set out in Table 2. Table 1 Year Homes Cost (incl VAT) €M 2000 1430 0.200...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Efficiency (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The information requested in relation to energy efficiency schemes to end November 2018 is set out in the tables below. Funding for energy efficiency programmes next year will be provided from within the overall capital funding envelope of €142.6 million for the Energy Programme in Budget 2019, with individual programme allocations still to be finalised and published in the Revised...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. 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. In August this year, the scheme was expanded to recipients of the Carer’s Allowance...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). In March this year, a decision was taken to expand the scheme to cover internal and external wall insulation and replacement of single-glazed windows. Homes that previously received works are not currently eligible to receive additional works having regard...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the NBP State intervention network is now at the final stage. My Department’s assessment of the final tender submission received from the bidder on 18 September 2018 is reaching a conclusion. While I have received briefings from officials in my Department in relation to the NBP procurement process, I have yet to receive an interim or...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme Applications (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Homes scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). As Minister I have no function in relation to individual grant applications. I have been informed that the applicant has made an appeal to the SEAI and was notified by written correspondence from SEAI in July that the appeal was unsuccessful. If the applicant...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Homes (BEH) scheme is funded by my Department and operated by the SEAI. In January 2018 the grant which was available for boiler upgrades under this scheme was removed. Prior to this a grant of €100 was available for the upgrade of a fossil fuel boiler when carried out along with the installation of heating controls, for which a grant of €600 was available....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 522 together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland - regardless of how remote or rural - has access to high speed broadband. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment across Ireland; and a State intervention in those areas, mostly rural areas, where commercial...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 521 and 523 together. Illegal dumping is first and foremost a matter of individual responsibility and compliance with the law. While enforcement action in this area is a matter for local authorities, my Department encourages a multi-facetted approach to tackling the problem, incorporating enforcement, public awareness and education and, as such, provides...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Household Waste Collection Price Monitoring Group (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 530 together. The recent Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) report recommended that existing national waste management policy, as set out in 'AResource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland', should be reviewed. This review process will be initiated in 2019 and will take account of a number of initiatives, such as the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland - regardless of how remote or rural - has access to high speed broadband. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment across Ireland; and a State intervention in those areas, mostly rural areas, where commercial operators acting alone are unlikely to invest. Since...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Administration (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan Division is one of the Divisions making up the Communications Area of my Department. The current work of the Division is primarily focused on activities related to the procurement process for the NBP State led intervention.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Local Authority Funding (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Local Authority Anti-Litter and Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme (ALAGS) aims to assist local authorities in their efforts to raise awareness of the litter and graffiti problems in their respective functional areas. The National Litter Pollution Monitoring Survey report (www.litter.ie) provides vital information to my Department on the national picture regarding litter...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Warmth and Wellbeing scheme is validating the health and wellbeing impacts of improved energy efficiency in homes. The scheme is a joint policy initiative between the my Department and the Department of Health. The initial 3 year phase of the scheme will conclude at the end of 2018, with the full allocation of €20m being spent. There is already strong evidence from participants of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Medical Waste Disposal (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is continuing the work of developing a mechanism to provide a €75 support for vulnerable persons with a condition such as lifelong or long-term medical incontinence to help meet the average annual cost of disposing of their domestic waste. I am informed that this process has taken longer than envisaged, due to a number of issues, including data protection issues that have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Litter Pollution (18 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am working with the European Commission and other Member States on the development of a Directive to reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. The proposed Directive was published on 28 May 2018. This draft legislation proposes new EU-wide rules to target the 10 most prevalent single-use plastic products found on Europe's beaches and seas, as well as lost and...