Results 2,941-2,960 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I thank all Deputies who made contributions on Second Stage of this electricity credits Bill. We will be back later today to discuss this on Committee Stage. I will address various points that have been made. They have been constructive and I will not try to play politics with them. We are trying to deal with energy poverty, which is more important than scoring points off one other. I...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. The purpose of amendments Nos. 6 and 13 is to insert text that will ultimately remove arrears limits on prepay meters. I have a prepay meter, so I am familiar with the system. I am interested to discuss further with the Deputy whatever we can do for people with prepay meters, although not necessarily what we can do for me. As with the previous electricity credit...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Amendment No. 7 relates to section 6 of the Bill and a review by electricity suppliers for customers who did not receive payment under the scheme. I thank the Deputy for the amendment, which I propose to reject. Proposed amendments for Parts 3 and 4 seek to include a limit of 28 days for a supplier to consider a review request and 28 days to respond in writing to review requests. I...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: No, but I thank Deputy O'Rourke for submitting the amendment last year, when I did accept it. The amendment calls for a report, and reporting has been going on since last year. It will continue this year on an administrative basis. I am not accepting the amendment because I would then not be able to bring the Bill to the Seanad tomorrow, but I appreciate that it is good to have...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Having regard to the continued high energy costs for households, I am pleased to commend the Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024 to the House. This Bill will establish two schemes to give further support to households with their electricity bills, following the success of the previous electricity costs emergency benefit schemes in 2022 and 2023. The...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: One of the things we do every year is meet with people who are representatives of those living in energy poverty and those who are directly affected by it. One of the things they say to us is that they did not want to have large arrears building up on their electricity accounts where they have prepay meters. This amendment proposes to remove all arrears limits on prepay meters. As with the...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator. These proposed amended sections 6(3) and (4) seek to include a limit of 28 days for a supplier to consider a review request and 28 days to respond in writing to review requests. While I recognise the merit of this amendment, this could cause unintended consequences for electricity suppliers and consumers. Setting a limit of 28 days for a supplier review and response...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I agree with the underlying sentiment of this amendment. We did accept it last year. The issue is that there is a typo in the amendment which refers to the No. III scheme rather than the No. IV scheme. What we are willing to do is to continue to supply these reports on an administrative basis. I give my commitment as Minister of State that they will continue to be produced in the same way...

South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan for Offshore Renewable Energy: Motion (10 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan for Offshore Renewable Energy, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 26th September, 2024. On behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, I welcome this opportunity to seek the support of Deputies for Ireland’s first forward spatial plan...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Senator Boyhan asked about the rate of VAT and if we are giving money to electricity consumers, on one hand, and taking it away through VAT, on the other. We reduced VAT on electricity and gas at great expense to 9% from 13.5%, and that is being extended to 30 April. Senator McGahon pointed out that this is an important measure that will really help people. I have spoken directly to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (9 Oct 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. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. National Broadband...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The premises in question is in the BLUE area on the broadband map. The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The Department defines high-speed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The premises in question is in the BLUE area on the broadband map. The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The Department defines high-speed...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: It is ludicrous to suggest that bin companies are putting up their prices because of the deposit return scheme. They are absolutely capable of putting up their prices, and often did so before the deposit return scheme was brought in. People have said to me that they are not happy about the number of bin companies operating on the same streets around the country and that this is not the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (17 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The mapping consultation between fixed line operators and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications was concluded in 2019. As part of this mapping consultation the three large, fixed line operators (open eir, Virgin Media and Siro) were...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (16 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: As provided for under the Circular Economy (Waste Recovery Levy) Regulations 2023, an independent expert review was commissioned to assess the continued relevance and applicability of existing landfill levy exemptions including that for bio-stabilised waste. The review recommendations are currently under consideration within my Department and as such it would not be appropriate to comment on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (16 Oct 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. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. I am advised by NBI...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Service 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Chair and the committee for this opportunity to present details of this Supplementary Estimate for my Department. This Supplementary Estimate is required to provide additional funding of €30 million for the national broadband plan because it will exceed its planned delivery for this year. Other elements of the Supplementary Estimate include: funding of €520 million...