Results 4,221-4,240 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Offshore Islands (11 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I assume that the Deputy is referring in his Question to the new arrangements for certain non-Gaeltacht inhabited islands. As the Deputy will be aware, I have been in contact with my colleagues, Minister Alan Kelly and Minister of State Ann Phelan, with regard to the continuation of some services that had been delivered under the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) on these...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge (11 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I gcomhréir leis an ngealltanas a tugadh i gClár an Rialtais, rinne mo Roinn athbhreithniú ar Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003. Ag eascairt as an athbhreithniú sin, thóg an Rialtas cinneadh anuraidh Bille a dhréachtú chun leasuithe a dhéanamh ar an Acht. I gcomhréir le polasaí an Rialtais, cuireadh Ceannteidil an Bhille faoi bhráid...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: An Teanga Gaeilge (11 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I gcomhréir leis an ngealltanas a tugadh i gClár an Rialtais, rinne mo Roinn athbhreithniú ar Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003. Ag eascairt as an athbhreithniú sin, thóg an Rialtas cinneadh anuraidh Bille a dhréachtú chun leasuithe a dhéanamh ar an Acht Teanga. I gcomhthéacs an athbhreithnithe, thóg an Rialtas cinneadh nach...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge (11 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I dtús báire, ní miste a rá go bhfuil an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge fite fuaite le gníomhaíochtaí mo Roinne thar na réimsí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta go léir. É sin ráite, cuireadh allúntas ar leith de €0.5m ar fáil don chéad uair riamh don Straitéis i Vóta mo Roinne anuraidh. Caitheadh an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Schemes (11 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: Ireland's Eel Management Plan (EMP) was accepted by the EU in 2009 under the the EU Eel regulation 1100/2007. The plan outlined the following main management actions aimed at reducing eel mortality and increasing silver eel escapement to the sea: - a cessation of the commercial eel fishery and closure of the market, - mitigation of the impact of hydropower installations, - ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Regulation (11 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: One of the principal functions of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is the protection, management and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. In this regard, IFI have statutory responsibilities in circumstances where there is evidence of potential harm to fish stocks and/or habitats such as the occurrence of a fish kill. All such incidents are fully investigated with a view to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The national digital strategy, which was launched in July 2013, focuses on driving digital adoption in three key areas: enterprise, citizens and education. Implementation of initiatives across these three strands is progressing well. The trading online voucher scheme aims to get 2,000 small businesses trading online. More than700 businesses have been awarded vouchers of up to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for his supplementary. It is important to point out that the new national broadband plan has to be technology neutral in terms of EU state guidelines. There has been much communication and consultation at European Union level. The Deputy's last question was about possible European Union funds and strands of funds. Consultation is under way to look at a combined package...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The track record in terms of trying to get broadband roll-out for the whole country was 4 Mbps to 5 Mbps in certain instances under the previous programme. However, in trying to roll out a minimum of 30 Mbps to every house, the biggest challenge for Government is to ensure that it follows EU competition guidelines. That is where the urgency and the focus have been in terms of ensuring that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, in June 2013 EU member states authorised the European Commission to commence trade and investment negotiations with the US. These negotiations are ongoing. Their purpose is to reduce barriers to trade and investment in order to generate jobs and growth. Ireland stands to gain significantly from this because of the existing significant flows of trade and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: In fairness, the Deputy's question was well thought out and I commend him on exploring whether there is a connection, but the answer is in black and white. In terms of the research into hydraulic fracking, the two main pillars for ensuring that the study is done comprehensively and in line with the consultation are the environment and health. The Deputy referred to the importance of people...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The exploratory licences were granted. Although the European Commission will not necessarily set rules in respect of each country, it will have an important role in ensuring an EU-wide approach to anything that will affect the environment, for example, EPA studies and environmental impact assessments. Every private company can use court proceedings at a broad level. The significance of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy. The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. A well-balanced fuel mix is essential to meeting these objectives for consumers and businesses. Onshore wind contributes significantly to achieving these objectives. A 2014 Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I am certainly on the same page as the Deputy as regards exploring all potential alternatives. A reliance on one source, especially onshore wind energy, as a single solution for sustainability is not the way forward. I recently met a company looking to invest in Donegal in tidal energy, which was fostering the community approach in order to get community buy-in from day one. In the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: One cannot go to a community and say, "This is going to be the way, and you have to accept that." Mistakes were made on the part of private industry, but I am certainly not going to speak on its behalf. We have to learn from the mistakes that were made and bring communities with us. Communities have to be at the heart of the solution for sustainable rural economic models. That is why it...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The European Commission’s energy union package is aimed at enhancing energy security, sustainability and competitiveness throughout Europe. It proposes that EU member states work collaboratively and intensively on a list of actions in pursuit of common energy policy goals. Included in the package is a Commission communication on achieving interconnection of at least 10% of installed...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The North Sea offshore grid is in the first priority list in the annex to EU Regulation No. 347/2013, which sets out guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure. These guidelines cover integrated offshore electricity grid development and related interconnectors in the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the English Channel, the Baltic Sea and neighbouring waters aimed at transporting...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I agree it must be kept on the agenda. If we want to keep something on the agenda, the question of resources and funding must be addressed. There could be a role in this matter for the European Investment Fund and the Connecting Europe Facility, which can attract capital at favourable interest rates and, in turn, leverage debt and equity financing to enable major energy infrastructure...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising a question close to my own heart. The Government's national broadband plan aims to deliver a minimum high speed broadband service of 30 Mbps to every home and business in Ireland. This State intervention can be delivered over a number of different technology platforms and, in designing an intervention strategy and a procurement process, we must be mindful of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: We have to get it right conclusively. The more than 60 towns that Eircom will be targeting and the 50 towns that ESB, along with Vodafone, will be working with in the initial stages of the plan comprise large urban areas. In rural areas, somebody employed by, for example, Pramerica in Letterkenny should be able to work from home in Malin Head or Killybegs. That is the critical issue. The...