Results 26,261-26,280 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

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

Richard Bruton: The NBP is a Government initiative which 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 criteria for establishing if a premises should be included in the State intervention area, is whether or not commercial...

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

Richard Bruton: The grants for air, water and ground source heat pumps were introduced in April 2018. The grants were set at €3,500 for all categories except air-to-air heat pumps for which a grant of €600 is available. In addition there is a grant for €200 towards the cost of a mandatory Technical Assessment which is essential to ensure the correct performance of this technology. Home...

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

Richard Bruton: Current legislation in the area of noise does not specifically address the use of bird scarers (also referred to as crow bangers). There are no plans at present to introduce such legislation. There is provision, however, under sections 107 or 108 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 to deal with the issue of nuisance noise from a range of sources, including agricultural sources. ...

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

Richard Bruton: The question of regulation of domestic solid fuel use will be addressed in the context of the Clean Air Strategy, which will provide the framework for a set of cross-Government policies and actions to reduce harmful emissions and improve air quality and public health to meet current and future EU and international obligations. Comprehensive analysis of the replies received to the public...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 540 and 541 together. I do not have statutory authority to require commercial companies to rollout services and make specific investments in particular locations in what is a liberalised market. The provision of mobile telecommunications services is subject to a requirement to secure a wireless telegraphy licence to access the required radio spectrum. The...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 542 and 543 together. Ireland uses the extended producer responsibility model for dealing with waste packaging. Repak, the national producer responsibility scheme for packaging, is a not for profit organisation which charges fees to its members in accordance with the amount and type of packaging they place on the Irish market. These fees are used to...

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

Richard Bruton: 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 has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. In 2012, less than 700,000, or 30% of all 2.3 million...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 549 together. The Energy in Ireland 2018 Report was published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) last week. The report sets out the progress that Ireland has made in reducing reliance on fossil fuels for transport, heating and electricity production. In 2017, as Ireland’s economy grew by 7.2% as measured by gross domestic...

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

Richard Bruton: European, national and regional waste policy are all predicated on the management of waste in line with the waste hierarchy, whereby the prevention, preparation for re-use, recycling and other recovery of waste are preferred (in that order) to the disposal of waste. For instance, collectors of waste must conduct their activities in accordance with the relevant legislation and the conditions...

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

Richard Bruton: Ambient air quality monitoring in Ireland is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the 2008 Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) Directive (Directive 2008/50/EC) and the Fourth Daughter Directive (Directive 2004/107/EC of 15 December 2004). These Directives also include rules on how Member States should monitor, assess and manage ambient air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency...

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

Richard Bruton: The National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport in Ireland was published in May of last year. It set out the ambition that by 2030 all new cars and vans sold in Ireland will be zero-emissions capable. The National Development Plan, published in February of this year, raised this ambition such that no new non-zero emission cars would be sold in Ireland post...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that great care will be taken in evaluating the tender that was submitted on 18 September to provide a national broadband plan. As the Deputy knows, the Government regards the delivery of high-speed broadband to every home and premises in the country as a high priority. We recognise that the process, as a result of the findings of Mr. Peter Smyth, is robust. Concerns...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: An Post has undertaken a restructuring programme, under which there was an agreement with postmasters, as a result of which a number of post offices will close. It set out a protocol under which it seeks to maintain an adequate level of service and, as the Deputy observed, there is an independent review when post office closures occur. That is entirely independent of my responsibility...

Estimates for Public Services 2019: Referral to Select Committee (19 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I move:That Revised Estimates for the Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2019, be presented to the Dáil and circulated to members and be referred to Select Committees, as appropriate, pursuant to Standing Orders 84A(3)(c) and 182(3).

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (19 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Mitigation Plan, published in July 2017, restates the Government’s commitment to move from a fossil fuel-based electricity system to a low-carbon power system. Investment in further renewable generation will be incentivised. The new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, approved by government in July 2018, will provide for a renewable electricity ambition of 55% by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Expenditure (19 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 467, 476 and 477 together. My Departmental remit includes complex policy areas, oversight of State regulation and service provision across key strategic services such as energy and public service broadcasting, as well as regulation of sectors such as mining and hydrocarbon exploration. Given the technical complexity, economic significance and community...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Health and Safety (19 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Smart Meter Programme is a meter replacement programme which will result in the upgrade of 2.4 million meters to modern, smart-ready technology. By 2020 it is expected that over 700 million smart meters will be installed globally. These new generation meters are being rolled out across Europe and internationally and when the upgrade completes in Ireland in 2024, all domestic and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Postal Codes (19 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: National Broadband Plan Implementation (19 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, where commercial operators acting alone are unlikely to invest. There are just...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Generation (19 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: Details of the installed capacity of electricity generation plant for each of the dams are listed on the websites of the Transmission System Operator (TSO) and the Distribution System Operator (DSO) available at: www.eirgridgroup.com/ and www.esbnetworks.ie/ respectively. The installed capacity of the larger hydro plants is available in Appendix 2 (page 56) of the All-Island Generation...