Results 4,041-4,060 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bioenergy Strategy Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy and I are on the same page with regard to the potential of this sector. If officials have not examined the case in the United Kingdom to which the Deputy referred as part of the consultation process on the draft bioenergy plan, I will ensure they do so. Realising the potential from forestry presents cross-departmental opportunities. I will contact the Minister of State, Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: White Paper on Energy Policy (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta as ucht a teachtaireacht dearfa agus guím Nollaig shona air fosta. Work on the development of a definitive energy policy is continuing. More than 1,240 written submissions were received arising from the public consultation process by the deadline of the end of July last. The Department is continuing to consider these...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: White Paper on Energy Policy (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: We are moving into a new phase in which we must be ambitious about what can be achieved. Whether using biofuels or providing grants for electric vehicles, we must consider all options. I have here a statistic on the biofuel obligation which will give the Deputy an idea of changes taking place in this area. The biofuel obligation increased from 4% to 6% from January 2013 and further...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: White Paper on Energy Policy (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: The introduction of wind energy is having a direct effect on price and creating a more competitive market. The development by EirGrid of east-west infrastructure in recent years has also contributed to the energy mix and introduced more competition. While final agreement has not yet been reached on the new INTERREG programme, it appears there will be a pillar focused directly on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for his question. The national broadband plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State-led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The commercial telecommunications...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: The reason the Minister introduced this intervention last month is to try to address the challenge of broadband service provision in Kerry and other parts of the country that do not have access to broadband, be that for businesses, primary schools, secondary schools or at a domestic level. The focus now is on whether the mix in this regard will be a combination of wireless and copper or...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I share those sentiments and can relate to the Deputy's argument. I have come across similar businesses. In regard to the specific business in Castleisland, if the Deputy forwards me the details, I will discuss it with my Department officials and seek to have them engage with the company. I also have responsibility for the Gaeltacht in County Kerry. Údarás na Gaeltachta is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Postcode Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: 10 o’clock I thank the Deputy for the question. The Eircode postcode has been designed, inter alia, to manage challenges around finding addresses in Ireland, specifically the fact that more than 35% of addresses are not unique. This issue underpins the solution adopted which will assign a unique seven-digit alphanumeric identifier to each address. The first three characters of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Postcode Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: The cost to the Exchequer of the national Eircode system over the ten-year cycle of the contract is expected to be €27 million, excluding VAT, with costs covering design, database upgrades, media and postcode distribution. The cost of the contract will be €16 million over the first two years and a further €1.2 million per annum for the remaining eight years of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Postcode Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: Rather than repeat what I said in my reply, I will revert to my officials. If there are other costs or ancillary costs, I will get the officials from the Department to shed more light on them. The important point about costs is something on which all Departments have to be focused, namely, efficiency. There is a lot of engagement with An Post, for example, in terms of data. It has a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Postcode Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I will be repeating some information as the question is similar to others. The cost to the Exchequer of the national postcode system over the ten-year cycle of the contract is expected to be €27 million, excluding VAT, with costs covering design, database upgrades, media and postcode distribution. A contract was signed with Capita Business Support Services Ireland limited in December...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Postcode Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for his questions. On the first point with regard to emergency services, my information is that the ambulance services have welcomed it. I do not have information on fire services but my officials certainly will follow up on that point. An exhaustive consultative process has been carried out in this regard and consequently, I am sure the fire services already have been...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Postcode Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I acknowledge that a number of concerns were raised in the past. There always will be issues with a new system but with regard to the Data Protection Commissioner, as part of the Department's approach to the introduction of Eircodes, communications between the two have addressed the implementation, dissemination and commercialisation of Eircodes to ensure adherence to all pertinent data...

Other Questions: Television Licence Fee Collection (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for the question. The programme for Government commits to examining the role and collection of the television licence fee in light of existing and projected convergence of technologies and to transforming the television licence into a household-based public service broadcasting charge to be applied to all eligible households and applicable businesses, regardless of the...

Other Questions: Television Licence Fee Collection (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: In respect of the spend and the money that is not being collected, there is an evasion figure of anywhere between 15% and 16%. The total amount for the television licence is between €185 million and €190 million - I believe the latter is the correct figure. I am aware, for example, that some of this money goes to the likes of TG4 and is going back into the system. Moreover,...

Other Questions: Television Licence Fee Collection (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: We will be taking more time to work out a very complex system.

Other Questions: Wind Energy Generation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for the question. Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on energy co-operation with the UK Government in January 2013, a joint programme of work was undertaken to consider how Irish renewable energy resources, onshore and offshore, might be developed to the mutual benefit of both Ireland and the UK. Economic analysis conducted on the Irish side clearly...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Generation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I was not involved but I was certainly watching very closely from the sidelines when I was Co-Chair of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly when the agreement went to a memorandum of understanding between the British and Irish Governments. There was momentum behind the movement towards a bilateral agreement between the UK and Ireland. That did not happen and that conversation is off...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Generation (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I do not have the answer but I will get the Minister, who has responsibility for this section, to get back to the Deputy on that question.

Other Questions: Post Office Network (11 Dec 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for his question. It is Government policy that An Post should remain a strong and viable company in a position to provide a high-quality postal service and maintain a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community. The network stands well-positioned to become the front office provider of choice for Government and the financial services sector for...