Results 27,761-27,780 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: An Post is not the developer concerned.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy should not be casting aspersions on An Post as a result of compliance issues involving a different body.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: Work on completing the contract is ongoing between the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the preferred bidder. Under that contract, certain issues will have to be nailed down in law and finances will have to be provided. The contract will not be signed unless those are delivered. The House has held hearings through the Oireachtas committee. I understand...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: Individual applications are matters for the planning authorities. On the wider issue of whether LNG could contribute to energy security, there is no doubt that as we move away from and close down peat and coal production, security of supply of gas will become an issue. LNG is one of the options put forward to deal with energy security. Having access to LNG supplies also has support...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Job Losses (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputies Carey and Dooley for raising this issue. I understand absolutely the concerns they raise on behalf of their constituents and the workers at the Moneypoint plant, in particular. As Deputy Dooley rightly pointed out, the use of coal to power electricity plants is to be phased out, with 2025 having been assessed as the date for the ending of such energy generation. The...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Job Losses (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: The approach we have adopted is one I introduced when I was Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Prior to my appointment as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, we had no regional enterprise strategies, whereas now we have pulled together an enterprise group for the mid-west, on which are represented all of the key players one would need to have to develop a diversification...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Oil Reserves Agency (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: The current rate of the NORA levy is 2 cent per litre, payable when oil is placed on the market. The levy was set at this rate in 2009. In 2018 the total NORA levy amounted to €134m. A one cent increase in the levy would, other things being equal, result in an increase of approximately €65m in the total annual amount.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Landfill Sites (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: In December 2018, Kildare County Council, the contracting authority, invited tenders for expressions of interest in the remediation of Kerdiffstown landfill. The closing date for submissions was extended until 14 February 2019 on foot of requests for more time made on the eTenders procurement website. This process of evaluation is at an advanced stage and is being managed by Kildare County...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bord na Móna (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Voluntary Redundancy Scheme is an operational matter for the Board and management of Bord na Móna and not one in which I, as Minister, have a statutory function.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Shareholdings (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: Shares are held, either directly by me as Minister or by my Department on my behalf, in the following entities:- - An Post; - Bord na Móna; -EirGrid; - ESB; - National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA); and - Irish National Petroleum Corporation (INPC).

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Adaptation Plans (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: I published the Government's Climate Action Plan on 17 June. The Plan sets out, for the first time, how Ireland can reach its 2030 targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and also puts Ireland on the right trajectory towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Plan commits to reducing public sector emissions by 30% and improving public sector energy efficiency by 50% by 2030. The Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Biofuel Obligation Scheme (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Biofuel Obligation Scheme, administered by the National Oil Reserves Agency, is the principal support for the uptake of biofuels in Ireland. The scheme was introduced in 2010 and requires suppliers of liquid road transport fuel to ensure that biofuels make up a certain percentage of annual fuel sales. A public consultation on the development of the scheme is planned for later this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Contracts Data (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department has a contract for the provision of security services for its Dublin and Cavan offices with Key Guard Security Limited. The contract duration is three years with an option of extending it for up to twelve months. The contract was awarded following a competitive tendering process under the Office of Government Procurement Security Services Framework Agreement. The information...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Traveller Community (10 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: Buildings constructed since 2006 are generally more energy efficient due to energy performance requirements in the Building Regulations. These Regulations have been progressively strengthened and new buildings must now meet a very high energy performance standard. My Department funds a number of retrofit schemes that are primarily aimed at improving the energy efficiency of houses built...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Barry for raising this as it does give me the opportunity to clarify some of the points. The Deputy is absolutely right that it would be illegal for me to instruct An Post to do anything. That has been provided by this Oireachtas. We consciously decided that the operation of commercial State bodies should not be dictated by political decisions by the Minister. That is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh (Atógáil) - Questions on Promised Legislation (Resumed) (11 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Tánaiste has outlined the position as of today. I will deal with this during the Topical Issue debate this afternoon.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh (Atógáil) - Questions on Promised Legislation (Resumed) (11 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is moving from our brief to greener fields in agriculture but the climate action plan has set out many of the issues he has raised with regard to how we will develop renewables. Bord na Móna has been leading the field not only with regard to renewables but in recycling and new sectors. It is a very powerful agency and is using its resources to develop new opportunities in a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Bord na Móna (11 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. I understand the concern expressed locally. It is an appalling shock for workers to receive notice that they have been put on protective notice as a result of decisions made. As the Deputies know, last month the ESB shut down the Lough Ree power generating station to carry out planned maintenance. The generating station was due to return to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Bord na Móna (11 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: I assure Deputy Troy that the EPA has independent powers and, in the context of a full licence review of this nature, it is required to conduct a full environmental impact assessment, EIA. That is required. It is also required to have public consultation. The EPA, therefore, is meeting the obligations of its governing legislation. It is not for me to interfere in how it conducts that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (11 Jul 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 732 and 763 together. The NBP State intervention is a gap funded model.  While National Broadband Ireland (NBI) will be a commercial operator, its primary function will be to deliver the obligations set out in the NBP Contract.  NBI cannot use the State aided network or subsidy in breach of State aid law. In addition to this function, NBI is also...