Results 26,961-26,980 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Administration (17 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Broadband Connection Point locations referenced by the Deputy are all located in the AMBER area of 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...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: There is legislation dealing with media mergers that would lead to excessive concentration. That involves an assessment of any proposed mergers or takeovers by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and my Department. In terms of the future of the media, as the Deputy is aware, we will introduce a broadcasting Bill very soon. It has been delayed somewhat because of the focus on...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: I think the Taoiseach dealt with this during the week but, to give the Deputy an answer, since 2012, the date he references, when the national broadband plan was introduced we have seen broadband availability increase from 30% to 74% today.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: It was always envisaged that part of the broadband plan would need to be delivered via state aid. We initiated at the end of 2015 a competitive tender to develop a proposal to deliver state aid to what was then 740,000 but subsequently became 540,000 homes and premises, comprising 1.1 million people. I think the Taoiseach indicated during the week that the work on evaluating this proposal...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: According to my Department’s high speed broadband map, available at www.broadband.gov.iethe premises is in a BLUE area. The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently providing, or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. Where a premises in a BLUE area is unable to obtain a high speed broadband service, I would encourage them to email...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Digital Hub Development Agency (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) was established in 2003 under the Digital Hub Development Agency Act 2003 to support digital entrepreneurship through the creation of a cluster of enterprises focussed on digital content and technology in the Liberties area of Dublin 8. I have no statutory function in relation to the establishment of other digital hubs and my Department does not have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: Providing adequate charging infrastructure is critical to ensure continued growth in electric vehicles. Home charging is the most cost-effective way to charge an electric vehicle and is the primary method of charging for the majority of electric vehicles both internationally and in Ireland. A Government grant of up to €600 is available, via the SEAI, to the purchasers of new and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cyber Security Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 238, inclusive, together. The Government fully recognises the critical importance of protecting the State against cyber security threats and has invested heavily in recent years in strengthening the State’s capacity in this area. This has included the significant development and growth of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Agencies Data (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. While the location of the Head Office of each body has been provided, it should be noted that some boards also have regional offices. State Bodies and Staff Numbers April 2019 State Agency Location (Head Office) Full Time Staff Part Time Staff Raidio Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) Dublin 1585 125...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (18 Apr 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 through 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 2.4 million Irish premises had access to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland has access to high speed broadband. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment across the country, and a State intervention in those areas where commercial operators acting alone are unlikely to invest. According to my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map, 30,856 or...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The information requested is currently being compiled. I will forward this information to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Gnó na Dála - Business of Dáil (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am completely at the disposal of the House. The position is that we took a decision yesterday. We have sought to provide all the documentation, which is substantial and required significant redaction to ensure it was fit for publication. Leaders' Questions is an event that takes place every day in the House. The Taoiseach is not here today to take those questions because of...

Gnó na Dála - Business of Dáil (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: We are now moving to a stage of entering into firm contracts and that will take some time. However, I have always indicated that I would be as open as possible when we had made this decision and that we would make the information available. I am happy to take questions at any stage the House indicates but as I understood it, this slot was Leaders' Questions. I was asked and am happy to take...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: At every stage in this I signalled that I would be open to providing documentation and answering questions, and that will be true today, tomorrow or whenever the House provides.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: This is a major decision to ensure that rural Ireland, which includes 1.1 million people, has equal access to a technology that is going to transform our lives. It is already transforming our lives and it will make a huge impact on rural communities. We as a Government are not willing to see rural Ireland left behind and become second-class citizens-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: -----in respect of a technology that is crucial to its future. Let me say clearly to Deputy Martin that we did not dismiss the evidence or information presented by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. We evaluated every one of those concerns very carefully and spent hours of evaluation on each one. I will take them in turn. In respect of costs, we have looked in detail at...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: That is confidential within the contracts and that will be a matter we will have to nail down at the contract stage to show the documentation for the equity that is being put in. The equity is commensurate with the sort of revenue that this project will generate. This equity is entirely at risk. Many on the benches opposite and in the media have asked what would happen if the take-up was...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The capacity of the company has been carefully vetted at every stage and will continue to be vetted as we finalise the contracts and it will have to show the delivery of the equity to which it has committed.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: It has always been clear that we could set up an independent State body and roll out an alternative but if Deputy Martin reads the detail of what the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was proposing, it is to provide 1,800 premises with wireless broadband.