Results 2,781-2,800 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I am willing to give the Deputy or any other Deputy information like that if they seek it in particular. About 240,000 homes have now been passed. About one third of the people passed have connected to the service. I expect that will keep rising until about 80% of people passed will connect. We will also reach the halfway mark for the project and will complete by the end of 2026. We will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Through the first two renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, auctions, my Department has provided pathways and supports for communities to participate in renewable energy projects through the application of a community projects category. Ten community projects were successful in the RESS 2 auction. Of these, eight signed implementation agreements to deliver under the RESS 2 terms and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I start by acknowledging that community energy is really important. It creates a sense of ownership and belonging and the mechanisms that might work in the commercial sector have not worked in the community. The mechanism of auction has not proved appropriate in the community sector. It is because of this that a new scheme is being launched. There was extensive engagement with communities...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I will ask the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to provide that information to the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I do not imagine it is. I do not know if there is any legal impediment to releasing it. All the Deputy has asked for is the nature of the products - whether they are solar or wind, who the projects are, and what the status is of the eight projects proceeding. I will ask the Minister to provide the Deputy with more details on that. I do not have details of those particular eight projects,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The statutory 2018 national adaptation framework, NAF, sets out Ireland's climate adaptation policy. Following my Department's review of the framework I approved the development of a new NAF, and the draft was completed in December 2023. It incorporates key sectoral and stakeholder input, including from the Climate Change Advisory Council. A statutory public consultation was undertaken...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: We spent most of our time talking about the climate action plan, the ways to reduce emissions and prevent the worst effects of climate change from happening, and the adaptation plans are what is done when it does happen, and when flooding occurs, how we build the infrastructure to prevent it from happening. There are many questions in this House on flooding. They are answered by the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I agree with everything the Deputy is saying but it is very important these questions are put not just to the Minister for the environment, Deputy Ryan. He is not alone in being responsible for dealing with all of these problems. That is why there are sectoral plans that are allocated to each of the relevant Ministers. For example, there is an agriculture, forestry and seafood plan for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Ireland's digital connectivity strategy, published by my Department, sets ambitious targets, which include providing a gigabit network to all households and businesses in Ireland by 2028 and access to 5G in all populated areas by 2030, which is high speed and future-proofed. National Broadband Ireland, NBI, is rolling out a broadband network through its contract with the Minister. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The nature of the plan is 100% coverage. The country has been divided into 227 areas. The contractor only gets paid when it connects 100% of premises within that area. In other words, it has to pass fibre past every farm, business and home to get its payment. This is not a scheme that leaves people out. It completes by the end of 2026 and at that point 100% of the premises in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: There are crews working in every county in Ireland. The plan was devised in such a way that, rather than go from one county or province to the next, the whole county would be worked on at the same time. It is not a case that one county or community is being left out. Naturally, with a seven-year plan, there are people who will be passed in year 7 and they will not be as happy as the people...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Conservation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I am not sure I have the answer to the question at hand. My apologies.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Conservation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I would like to give the Deputy a proper answer.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Conservation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I do not think I do.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Conservation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I will correspond with the Deputy and I am happy to give him a full answer. Does Deputy Ó Murchú want to make a point on the general issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the committee for inviting me to address it. This is my first time before the agriculture committee. I am the Minister of State with responsibility for the circular economy, so agriculture is not my specific area of expertise, but I will do my best to answer all of the questions from members. If I cannot, I will revert to them with answers. One of my Department’s...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I am aware of this problem. If people are collecting or storing plastic in yards, that is beyond what they are legally allowed to do. The position is the same where it is damaging the environment. The local authorities that are responsible for the enforcement of these rules were in contact with my Department today to confirm that all the relevant yards are now in compliance.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I am saying that all the relevant local authorities contacted my Department earlier to tell officials that all the relevant yards are in compliance as of today. Obviously, I have not visited those yards today. I have not seen what they are like. I stand open to correction, but that is the information I have from my Department and from the local authorities concerned.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Is the Senator asking how much is not recycled out of the total that has been put out there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Recycling Farm Plastics: Discussion (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: As I understand it, it is 10% of the total. We are recovering 90% of the material.