Results 28,521-28,540 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The government is determined to reduce the excessive use of plastics. As a first step, the purchase of single use plastics has been banned throughout the public service. We are determined to increase recycling of plastics from 37% now to 55% in the coming years and, along with other EU member states, to phase out non-recyclable plastics entirely. A Deposit and Return Scheme is one...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Expenditure (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department, along with a number of other government departments, has an annual presence at the National Ploughing Championships. The Department’s attendance at the Ploughing Championships is an important means to engage with the public as it enables citizens to meet representatives from the Department and our various agencies on issues such as rural connectivity, soil and geological...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Service Obligation Levy (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The support scheme for use of biomass in electricity generation, the Renewable Electricity Feed-In Tariff (REFIT 3), runs until 2030, with support payments made through the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy. The Bord na Móna-owned plant at Edenderry was allocated support for fuelling the plants with up to 30% biomass. As Bord na Móna currently co-fires the Edenderry plant...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy Review (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The major review into Ireland's energy security and sustainability, which I have initiated, will: - Consider the optimal actions that need to be taken, in reaching 70% renewable electricity, to ensure Ireland's electricity system is backed up in a secure, safe and sustainable way. - Assess the role of gas during the transition, as the lowest CO2 emitting fossil fuel, and consider how and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 to 205, inclusive, together. I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question 1 on today's order which dealt comprehensively with these matters. In addition to the €220m in equity and working capital which NBI has committed to invest in the project, NBI bears the risk of having to provide additional equity injections over the life of the project, should...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Government policy in relation to the Role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation in the first instance. The Government Statement on the role of data centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy, 2018 recognises that a plan-led approach is needed to develop a range of measures to promote regional...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department does not record the number of electric vehicles in use by state bodies. The public transport sector falls within the policy remit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The European Environment Agency produces an annual report which provides an assessment of the progress of the EU and individual Member States towards their climate and energy targets. The latest report “Trends and Projections in Europe 2019” is based on official statistics on energy and greenhouse gas emissions reported by Member States up to and including 2017. The report can...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 218 together. The Climate Action Plan, which I launched in June, sets out the comprehensive suite of actions to ensure Ireland can meet the 2030 climate commitments putting us on a trajectory to be net zero by 2050. Broader Government policy, including carbon pricing, and grant supports offered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, will...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together. The Climate Action Plan identifies the long-term challenge for the agriculture sector to meet the national policy objective, set out in the 2014 National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development, of an approach to carbon neutrality which does not compromise our capacity for sustainable food production....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan 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, 76% of the 2.4 million premises in Ireland can access high speed broadband. On 19 November, the Government signed the contract with National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to provide access to high speed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The provision of 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Generation (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together. EirGrid have estimated that, in the 12 months ending September 2019, 35.2% of generated electricity has been from renewable sources. That figure consists of approx. 32% from wind energy, 2.5% from hydropower and 0.7% from other renewable sources. This does not include small scale and micro generation which could contribute up to 1% more...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Biofuel Obligation Scheme (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Biofuels Obligation Scheme is the primary method by which the use of biofuels is supported in Ireland. The Biofuels Obligations Scheme Annual Report for 2018, which is available at www.nora.ie, sets out that 216 million litres of sustainable biofuels were placed on the Irish road transport fuel market in that year. This included 162 million litres of biodiesel and 54 million litres of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Alternative Energy Projects (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has estimated that, in 2018, approximately 33.2% of electricity demand was met from renewable sources. The following table shows the progress on the contribution of renewable energy sources to electricity generation. Progress since 2008 to date has been that its contribution increased from 10.8% of gross electricity consumption to 33.2% in...

Confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Motion [Private Members] (3 Dec 2019)

Richard Bruton: I wish to share my time with the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, the Minister of State, Deputy English, and Deputy Heydon. Like Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, I welcome this debate. It reveals just how threadbare the policies of the Opposition are and, indeed, how in complete contradiction they are of one another. This mix of an Opposition that...

Confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Motion [Private Members] (3 Dec 2019)

Richard Bruton: We have a problem with housing, but have Deputies forgotten what created the crisis in housing? For a while under a previous regime, 90,000 houses were being built. They were being built because of the toxic relationship that had developed between banking, housing and property.

Confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Motion [Private Members] (3 Dec 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, had to rebuild a model that was workable on the ashes of the previous approach. That is the reality that has had to be taken on.

Confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Motion [Private Members] (3 Dec 2019)

Richard Bruton: Deputies want to cite-----

Confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Motion [Private Members] (3 Dec 2019)

Richard Bruton: -----figures selectively, but the truth is that, under the Minister, we have seen for the past four years the number of houses built increasing by 25% per annum. That was 25% in 2016, 25% in 2017, 25% in 2018 and 25% in 2019. That is a housing policy that is delivering.