Results 26,421-26,440 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Seanad: Climate Action: Statements (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: They are in the Lower House.

Seanad: Climate Action: Statements (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I do not use one.

Seanad: Climate Action: Statements (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: Senator Leyden raised the issue of the electric vehicle network. There are currently 668 charge points and 77 fast charge points. As I recently announced, through the climate action fund the ESB will invest in approximately 30 fast charge points. There will be multiple locations, mainly on motorways, and it will also upgrade a number of them. Hundreds more, therefore, will come on stream....

Seanad: Climate Action: Statements (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: It does not matter. The idea of schools is good. There is an issue with low occupancy, which the Senator acknowledged by saying schools would need the capacity to sell solar power back to the grid. It is similar to the issue of the role of microgeneration that arose time and again. A microgeneration pilot is in place and there has been considerable uptake, but we need to develop a...

Seanad: Climate Action: Statements (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: That was the way-----

Seanad: Climate Action: Statements (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The concept of the carbon tax is not to pay for failure. The issue with carbon tax is that in our daily lives we are all generating carbon for whose consequences we do not take account. The purpose of a carbon tax is not to take money but to make people recognise that there is a cost for the community, for the global environment, of some of our behaviours. The Taoiseach has been clear that...

Seanad: Climate Action: Statements (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: Okay. Senator Boyhan raised the issue of oversight of the plan. It is crucial. It will not work unless we can be seen to be driving it forward. I very much agree with that. I will seek to implement it. We will have to agree to differ on the licence. I do not see that banning exploration will suddenly get farmers or the transport industry to change their behaviours. I have to be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Carbon Budget (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The regulation of greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland is currently determined through two different mechanisms. Emissions from power generation and large industrial installations are regulated by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), which imposes an overall emissions target at EU level rather than Member State level. Emissions from other sectors of the economy, including agriculture,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme Eligibility (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date over 135,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme, leaving the occupants better able to afford to heat their...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services Provision (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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. This intervention is the subject of an ongoing procurement process. The procurement process to appoint...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access 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 Irish premises had access to high...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the BLUE area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Heat Incentive (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) has been developed to financially support the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System. Under Project Ireland 2040, the National Development Plan published earlier this year sets out an allocation of €300...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Administration (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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. This intervention is the subject of an ongoing procurement process. The procurement process to appoint...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: Providing telecommunications services, including mobile phone services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. I do not have statutory authority to require commercial companies to rollout services and make specific investments in particular locations. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Legislative Process (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: There has been no legislation or heads of bills sent to EU institutions by my Department prior to publication in the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 474 and 475 together. The total cost of illegal dumping is not collated by my Department as it includes local authority enforcement, disposal and legal costs and also involves costs for other State agencies such as An Garda Síochána. Illegal dumping is first and foremost a matter of individual responsibility and compliance with the law. While...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme Administration (30 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date over 135,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme, leaving the occupants better able to afford to heat their...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Data (30 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the only major State infrastructure procurement underway in my Department and it is managed by a dedicated team. Within my Department, there are 29 persons working on the NBP, the majority of them on a full-time basis. This includes a number of contractors and secondees based in my Department. This internal NBP Team is supported by expert consultants...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (30 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I note that the Deputy is making reference to the deployment of infrastructure by eir. This is part of that company’s ongoing rural fibre roll out to some 300,000 premises. eir’s rural investment in high speed broadband is an entirely commercial undertaking, and not part of the planned State Intervention network. Although the deployment is monitored under the terms of a...