Results 27,001-27,020 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

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

Richard Bruton: It is harder to get participants and they need these valuable programmes to be continued. The Government has recognised the need to adapt this scheme for the circumstances we now face. That is the purpose of the interdepartmental committee that the Minister has established. I have every confidence that we can work out something that will deliver a better balance for communities and for...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: There was no breach of the public expenditure code. The public expenditure code requires that before a procurement process occurs, an estimate is provided. In this case, as the Deputy knows, the procurement process was to identify the best technology and approach in an area in which we did not have a proven knowledge. This procurement process identified what the approach was by having an...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The two bids that came forward were comparable in scale. Those bids of course were substantially greater than the estimate that was put in. That estimate was not on a foundation of a clear projection.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: When that higher projected cost occurred, there was, as the public spending code provides, a complete revaluation to see if there were alternatives that could deliver this.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with the public expenditure code, those alternatives were evaluated.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government has a very clear commitment to build a new mortuary there. That is contained in our capital programme. I will have to ask the Minister to provide the Deputy with a timescale in respect of that. In terms of taking immediate action, I understand that new refrigeration facilities are being provided and will be in place this week. The Minister has signalled that there will be a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I fully acknowledge that the announcement that these services could be withdrawn within 12 months was a major shock for anyone who depends on those services. As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, met representatives of Rehab yesterday, I believe. As a result of that meeting, Rehab will not issue that notice on suspending...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I will not comment on the decision to sell Telecom Éireann, but when it was sold obviously we were depending on the private sector to deliver. It has been very successful in delivering for 75% of the population. People in urban and suburban areas will get access to fibre broadband.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: This would not happen in the areas where the other 23% of the population live. We set up a procurement model. One of the companies that entered that procurement process was the ESB in partnership with SIRO. For its own reasons, it decided not to proceed with that. We were strongly advised that the best and most cost-effective way to build this network was to build it off the core...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: Unfortunately, I am not briefed on physiotherapy services in Galway. I will have to ask the Minister for Health to get back to Deputy Connolly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: It is not anticipated that people will have to pay more. There is flexibility in the contract that up to 2% can be provided not by fibre to the home but by wireless. There is within the contract a provision, the same as would apply in a telecommunications standard line, that if the connection is more than a certain figure, a cost could fall on the individual premises, but it is not...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: If that number of questions were permitted, I have to take the time to answer them or I am not doing my job.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: They have been permitted to be asked so I am trying to answer them. If the company cannot complete this - the asset - we will only have paid for whatever has been rolled out at that point. Those lines that have been rolled out at that point will revert to the State. We will have possession of the lines that have been rolled out. I can assure Deputy Doherty that no capital project will be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff Scheme (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department is developing the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), the primary objective of which will be to incentivise sufficient renewable electricity production to enable Ireland deliver its 2030 renewable electricity contribution to EU wide targets.The economic appraisal undertaken for RESS involved comparing the cost of supporting a range of commercial renewable technologies,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1203 and 1211 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1205 and 1206 together. 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. In April 2017 my...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Reports (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: A review of "A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland" will be initiated this year. This review process will take account of a number of initiatives, such as the European Circular Economy waste and plastics legislation framework and the reports from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Price Monitoring Group. This process will inform the development of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department monitors deployment of high speed broadband on an ongoing basis as part of the NBP and this monitoring continues in parallel with the NBP procurement process. The NBP High Speed Broadband Map can be updated to reflect new commercial plans, or to update areas where previous plans have failed to fully materialise.Officials from my Department have met with certain...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (8 May 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: Broadband Service Provision (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy are in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map, which is available on my Department's website at . The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP.The Deputy makes reference to the premises' proximity to a commercial deployment of high speed broadband. This deployment...