Results 27,301-27,320 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Alternative Energy Projects (21 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The most recent Energy in Ireland report which covered the period up to end 2017 was published in December 2018 by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Renewables, including wind (25%) generated around 30.1% of Ireland's electricity in 2017, with the other main sources being gas at 51%, coal 12% and peat 7%. The SEAI estimates that there were 15.7 MW of installed solar PV...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Production (21 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: Overall electricity costs in Ireland are influenced by various drivers, including global gas prices, the costs of capital, exchange rate fluctuations, and the small size of the Irish market, geographical location and low population density. Data for electricity and gas retail price statistics are collected by Eurostat for European Union Member States including Ireland and these statistics are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (21 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 552, 558 and 559 together. The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland has access to high speed broadband. Following rigorous evaluation by my Department, I recently brought a recommendation to Government to confer Preferred Bidder status on Granahan McCourt, the remaining bidder in the NBP procurement...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Post Office Network (21 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The provision of postal services and counter services is an operational matter for An Post and not one in which I, as Minister, have a function.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (21 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am fully committed to discouraging the use of single use plastics as evidenced by the fact that I secured Government approval in January this year to ban the purchase of some commonly used single use plastic items by Government Departments and all public bodies and state agencies under the aegis of Ministers. I am awaiting the final adoption of a Directive from the EU which will enable me...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (21 May 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: Bioenergy Strategy (21 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: Biogas produced from anaerobic digestion has the potential to play an important role in Ireland's transition to a low carbon future. In addition to helping decarbonise the energy sector by replacing fossil fuels, the production of biogas can also reduce emissions in the agriculture and waste sectors. Anaerobic digestion plants can utilise a wide variety of feedstocks ranging from food...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (21 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: European, national and regional waste management policy is predicated on the waste hierarchy as set out in Article 4 of the 2008 Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), whereby the prevention, preparing for reuse, recycling and other recovery of waste are preferred options to the disposal or landfilling of waste. Statistics compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency show that we have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Incentives (21 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The High Level Design of the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) was approved by government in July 2018. The RESS will be characterised by a series of renewable electricity auctions, aligned with the ambition set out in Ireland's All of Government Climate Action Plan and final National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). The RESS is a significant and ambitious policy measure in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (21 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 563 together. The declaration of a climate and biodiversity emergency by the Dáil on 9 May underlines the importance of the work currently under way to develop a new All of Government Climate Action Plan. The challenge is such that a significant step-up in policy ambition and delivery is required by all sectors, to ensure that we at least...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: That was in parliamentary questions yesterday.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I think there is a genuine issue here. There is no doubt that the revenue sources of traditional media are being undermined significantly as a result of the explosion in online activity. As the Deputy is aware, I am bringing forward a broadcasting Bill to provide for changes in the way the broadcasting levy is raised. We are examining the potential for deploying the levy in new ways. Of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (22 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The purpose of the National Broadband Plan is to ensure that over 1.1 million of our citizens in rural Ireland have the same opportunity to participate in the digital society as citizens living in urban areas. The availability of ubiquitous high speed broadband will bring significant benefits in areas of e-Health, e-Education, smart farming, regional development and tourism. The premises...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Adaptation Plans (22 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department currently has a total of 66 staff assigned to climate and related energy policy functions, across eight separate divisions. This staff complement has significant experience in developing and implementing climate and energy policy at international, EU, national, regional and local levels. In addition to its own staff, the Department also has access to scientific and technical...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (22 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is a new entity established by Granahan McCourt for the purposes of delivering the NBP. It is this company that will be the signatory to the NBP Contract.The equity of NBI will be invested in NBI via a holding company as would be typical for projects such as this. The holding company will be wholly owned by Granahan McCourt Dublin (Ireland) Limited. The Bidder...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (22 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. In 2012, less than 700,000, or 30% of Irish premises had access to high speed broadband. Today, 74% of the 2.4 million premises in Ireland can access high speed broadband. The State intervention is the subject of the procurement process to engage a company to build, operate and maintain the NBP State intervention...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (22 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: As is required under State Aid guidelines, the procurement process for the NBP was technology neutral. Fibre was proposed by the bidders in the process as the best solution, which involves deployment of fibre cable along poles and ducts within the intervention area. Also under State Aid guidelines as much as possible of the network build will comprise the re-use of existing infrastructure....

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I will try to be as brief as the questioners were. The first point to make is that the Bill to which the Deputies refer will not reduce our greenhouse gases by a single ounce or gramme. Our challenge is to reduce greenhouse gases in Ireland.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: We have failed to meet our 2020 target and we are determined to meet our 2030 target. The reality is that, today, 84% of our needs are met by fossil fuels. Our problem is not too much exploration, it is too much dependence on and use of fossil fuels. We must reduce that 84% over the coming years, which is what we are determined to do.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: We are determined to reduce its use in every sector of the economy, including buildings and transport, and to use a range of policy tools to bring that about, including carbon pricing, which is an important system for pricing the damage that is done.