Results 28,281-28,300 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Disposal Charges (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Since mid-2017, a range of charging options have operated, which encourage householders to reduce and separate their waste. This provides flexibility to waste collectors to develop various service-price offerings that suit different household circumstances. Mandatory per kilogramme 'pay by weight' charging was not introduced. ​A Price Monitoring Group (PMG) was established in mid-2017...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I refer to Questions No. 233 and 234 answered together on 10 October 2019. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Disposal Charges (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: As Minister, I have no role in setting price levels. Since mid-2017, a range of charging options have operated, which encourage householders to reduce and separate their waste. This provides flexibility to waste collectors to develop various service-price offerings that suit different household circumstances. ​A Price Monitoring Group (PMG) was established in mid-2017 to monitor...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Adaptation Plans (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 441 to 443, inclusive, together. I understand the Deputy is referring to a report prepared by the Internal Audit Unit of my Department entitled ‘Final EU 2020 Climate Targets Monitoring and Reporting Audit.’ The report set out a number of recommendations concerning the reporting of progress against targets within my Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Proposed Legislation (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: On 17 June 2019, the Government published the Climate Action Plan 2019, which commits, inter alia, to bringing forward a new Climate Action (Amendment) Bill to amend the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. The objective of the Bill is to significantly strengthen the statutory framework for governance of the climate challenge, and ensure delivery of successive Climate Action...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Administration (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government appointed National Broadband Ireland (NBI) as the Preferred Bidder for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) in May 2019. Since then my officials have been performing the necessary financial and contractual due diligence work needed before a contract can be concluded. The Department’s work is well progressed and, pending Government approval, I expect to sign the contract...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty, who meet the defined eligibility criteria. The processing of applications under the Warmer Homes Scheme is an operational...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Offices (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department currently occupies office space in 2 locations outside Dublin. The current number of vacant desk spaces available in each location is set out in the following table; Office Location Vacant Desk Spaces Cavan 12 Wexford 3

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The telecoms market in Ireland is fully liberalised and regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The development and rollout of telecoms infrastructure is primarily a matter for private operators, operating on a commercial basis. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland, regardless of how remote or rural,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The contingency fund within the NBP subsidy can only be drawn down in 14 specific circumstances, both during the deployment period and after the deployment is completed. This contingency fund can only be sought by NBI where additional, unanticipated costs have been proven to have occured for these specific circumstances. The contingency fund is capped at €480m (excluding VAT) with...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Trading Online Voucher Scheme (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Trading Online Voucher Scheme is an initiative specifically designed to support small businesses to trade online. Funded by my Department and administered by Enterprise Ireland through the national network of 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), the scheme offers financial assistance of up to €2,500, subject to matched funding, to help small businesses develop their online trading...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Efficiency (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has been engaged to undertake research on the Warmth and Wellbeing Scheme. The Warmth & Wellbeing Scheme is a joint policy initiative between my Department and the Department of Health under the Government’s Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty and the Healthy Ireland Framework. The main aim of the Scheme is to validate, in an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Disposal (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Under the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2015, household waste collectors are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of, a separate collection service for food waste from households in designated brown bin areas. In accordance with the Regulatory Impact Assessment prepared for these Regulations, the roll-out of the brown bin has been phased in on a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 and 456 together. In January 2018, my Department entered into a five-year financial commitment of €10m to establish four Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs). Building on a business case prepared by the Local Government sector itself, this commitment recognises the significant obligation which has been placed on Local Government to develop and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Freedom of Information Data (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Freedom of Information Disclosure Log for my Department was last updated on 11 November 2019. The log, which contains details of all valid non-personal FOI requests received, is updated and published on a weekly basis, or more frequently as required. This exceeds the requirement provided for in the Code of Practice for Freedom of Information for Public Bodies, which requires that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Climate Action Plan, which was published in June, sets out a range of actions to support the delivery of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. These actions include expanding the Electric Vehicle Home Charger Grant, provided by the SEAI, to include locations with shared parking such as apartments. Budget 2020 provided €36 million in funding to my Department to support...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Following approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on competition grounds, notification of the proposed transaction referenced in the question was received by my Department on 22 October 2019. I have 30 working days from the notification date of 22 October 2019 to conduct an initial, or phase 1, assessment of the case on media plurality grounds. Following this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air Quality (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I refer the Deputy to the replies to Questions Nos 462 of 1 October, and 58 of 16 October. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Plastic Bag Levy (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department published a consultation paper on 6 November 2019 which outlines proposals with regard to environmental levies. This consultation will help inform the development of a new range of environmental levies on a phased basis over the period 2020-2025, aimed at encouraging positive environmental behavioural change and climate action. The proposals regarding the plastic bag levy are:...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (12 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The ‘Be Winter Ready’ campaign is coordinated by the Office of Emergency Planning, under the remit of the Department of Defence. This year the theme of the campaign is Met Éireanncolour coded weather warning system. While my Department does not run ‘Be Winter Ready’ information campaigns aimed directly at the public, agencies operating in the sectors for which...