Results 4,241-4,260 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

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

Joe McHugh: There is no question that we are constrained in the area of state-led interventions by EU rules and regulations. The Government cannot go into areas that are not viable from a commercial point of view and wrap fibre around a particular infrastructure of its choosing. There has been a lot of advice sought on this and a lot of legal advice given. As well as ESB and Eircom, any other...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The information sought by the Deputy is an operational matter for the individual State companies in the first instance. The Government is fully committed to renewing and significantly expanding the apprenticeship system in Ireland. The recent announcement by the ESB Networks training centre of excellence in Portlaoise of plans to recruit 300 new apprentices in the coming years is a...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy makes a fair point. In regard to the national broadband roll-out plan, I am getting a lot of information from industry that there is potential in this regard. If the roll-out is to go to every single house in the country, we should be planning and preparing for that. I am glad the officials are already having those conversations. There must be joined-up thinking between the...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: It is a sensible suggestion. I have spoken to a number of companies that are outsourcing in different spheres. It is a demand and supply issue and they are operating in the real world of business. If they get the contracts to do the work, they need the people who can do that work. My information is that there is a gap there. "Gap" sounds a little negative; I should say there is potential...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (12 Mar 2015)

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 State-led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The commercial telecommunications sector...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: Areas have already been identified in the amber sections of the national broadband plan maps produced by the Department. This is with regard to 90% of the geographical area but 30% of the population. These are the most peripheral areas. Earlier we spoke about the islands, and several islands down south, such as Sherkin Island, Bere Island and Oileán Chléire, are close to the...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: No doubt Deputy Harrington's suggestion will feed into the conversation. I do not have a problem with it and it is a good suggestion. The Wild Atlantic Way had a number of tourists last year, and before it was actively or aggressively promoted, it was a success. Somebody researching it on an iPhone in Bavaria and deciding to go to south Cork or north Donegal will expect to have Internet...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I am familiar with the MANs from a number of towns and industrial estates in my county. Gweedore industrial estate has a MAN, as do larger towns such as Letterkenny, Carndonagh, Buncrana and Donegal town. At the time, overall responsibility for the MANs was given to Enet and I have had a number of conversations with its CEO. The company wants to work on various projects on its MANs...

Other Questions: Postal Services (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: It is Government policy that An Post remain a strong and viable company that is in a position to provide high-quality postal services and maintain a nationwide network of customer-focused post offices in the community. The post office network faces significant challenges given the impact of the economic downturn over the last few years, changes in technology and customer retail preferences....

Other Questions: Postal Services (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I do not think it is the only initiative. While whether a post office remains open or closed is not a matter for the Government, the importance of retention of post offices has been a matter of huge concern for members of the Fine Gael and Labour Parties, particularly backbenchers. The strong conversation around the need for retention of post offices led to the establishment of the post...

Other Questions: Postal Services (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The statistics are indicative of what has happened in the three years between 2011 and 2014. During that time, 24 post offices closed. During the six-year period between 2004 and 2010, 345 post offices closed. On the basis that this has been the trend, the Government takes this matter very seriously. The Government has faced enormous pressure at parliamentary party meetings in relation to...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The national broadband plan outlined the Government's commitment to deliver a high-speed broadband connection to every citizen and business in Ireland, regardless of location. It reflects the Government and European objectives to deliver new opportunities for jobs, growth and social inclusion. The digital agenda for Europe commits to the delivery of 30 Mbps broadband to all citizens by...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: That is a fair question. We have outlined the time period. We will seek to move the procurement process forward towards the end of this year. In 2016, we will start to roll out broadband in the areas that are not commercially viable for private companies. People do not want to hear about a three to five year period for the provision of broadband. Deputies live in the real world and when...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: -----in the same way that we take the electricity supply for granted.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: We could do a number of things. I accept you have requested brevity, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I will respond to Deputy Durkan on the demands for the here and now. We must continue to engage with the private companies because they are looking at alternative solutions. If I hear from people within industry that there is a deficit in the number of apprentices, then the Government can help....

Other Questions: Television Licence Fee Payments (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: First, it should be noted that RTE is not the sole recipient of licence fee revenue. Licence fee revenues are distributed in accordance with section 123 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 in the following prescribed manner. From the gross TV licence fee receipts, the Department first deducts commission payable to An Post in respect of its role as the Minister's issuing agent for TV licences. TG4...

Topical Issue Debate: Mobile Telephony (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He is correct in that I have much empathy for what he describes as I have driven through the Border twice every time I have come to these Houses since 2002, or for 13 years. It has been an issue. I welcome this opportunity to clarify for the House the steps taken by the EU institutions to control, reduce and ultimately to eliminate roaming charges...

Topical Issue Debate: Mobile Telephony (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: When I was in opposition, I did a lot of shouting about roaming charges. If one was going from O2Ireland to O2UK, crossing the Border, one was charged. That changed when various companies, such as O2, said if one was locked into O2North and South, one did not have to pay roaming but if one happened to move into another frequency, one would be charged.

Topical Issue Debate: Mobile Telephony (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: Yes. There are still charges if one roams into a different network, such as Orange or Vodafone UK. There are data charges on top of that. Compared with 2007, the cost of outgoing voice calls has fallen by over 60% to 19 cent per minute. I agree that we have to work towards zero. Incoming voice calls have fallen 80% to 5 cent per minute. Outgoing texts have fallen from 11 cent in 2009...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Expenditure (12 Mar 2015)

Joe McHugh: The proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan represents a very significant capital investment project for the State. The Minister has undertaken to complete a detailed intervention strategy that will be submitted to Government in mid 2015. This process is complex and will include close examination of issues such as: - The appropriate ownership model for the...