Results 41-60 of 67 for 5 million speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (17 Apr 2024)

Ossian Smyth: ...last summer estimated that 14,088 children were enrolled in early learning and childcare in Galway. This represents an 8% increase from 13,047 in the previous year. The data also indicated that 50% of services had waiting lists and 50% had at least one vacant place. This year's annual early years sector profile will commence in May and will provide an updated picture of the capacity in...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...important points on the need to act on energy poverty will, I believe, be best moved forward in the forthcoming revision of the strategy to combat energy poverty. This will be in addition to the €109 million that has been allocated to energy efficiency upgrades and the €146 million projected to be spent on social protection measures in 2022. Alleviating energy poverty will...

Communications Regulation Bill 2022: Instruction to Committee (25 Jan 2023)

Ossian Smyth: ...2022 which are outside the existing subject matter of the Bill. This is required so that I can introduce Government amendments to the Bill on Report Stage. Deputies may recall that on Second Stage, on 5 October, I noted the possibility that the Government would bring forward a short amendment to the Postal and Telecommunications Act 1983 to provide for payments to be made to or via An...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2023: Second Stage (8 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: ...two electricity costs emergency benefit schemes, in 2022 and 2023. The electricity costs emergency benefit scheme III will see three payments of €137.61, excluding VAT, made to approximately 2.2 million domestic electricity accounts between December and April. Following a review of the previous schemes, this scheme will introduce a low-electricity-usage threshold to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (18 Nov 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the over 554,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 699 schools.I am advised by NBI that, as of 5 November, almost 274,000...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...poverty and to improving health and social inclusion outcomes, while at the same time contributing to decarbonisation. The residential energy efficiency budget for my Department in 2022 is €202 million. Financed by carbon tax revenue, €109 million of this will fund Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, schemes to provide free energy efficiency upgrades to households...

Rising Costs and Supply Security for Fuel and Energy: Motion [Private Members] (10 Nov 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...and Communications is carrying out a review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems which is focussing on the period to 2030 in the context of ensuring a sustainable pathway to net zero emissions by 2050; — that, while national average diesel prices have increased significantly since the start of the year, there are schemes in place,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cybersecurity: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...their own IT security infrastructure and IT security staff. In the case of Departments and non-commercial State bodies, this money is funded from the Exchequer and is many times the figure of €5 million which has been quoted in commentary in the last fortnight. The NCSC team comprises highly skilled, specialist technical civilian staff, with skill sets in areas such as computer...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Oct 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...this debate by setting the broader context for the action to be taken on foot of this legislation, which will establish an electricity costs emergency benefit scheme II under which a total of €550 will be paid to each of 2.2 million domestic electricity accounts in three payments between November of this year and April of next year at an estimated cost to the Exchequer of...

Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (1 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...Stage to facilitate an exemption from the 10% stamp duty charge in circumstances where houses are bought by investors for leasing to local authorities. The Bill is relatively short and contains 15 sections. I will run through them in brief. The first 12 deal with the various business supports and the remaining ones deal with the stamp duty issue and the financial resolutions passed by...

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Prohibition of Winter Disconnections) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...framework. The responses it sets out include a further €100 fuel allowance payment, bringing the total fuel allowance payment for 2021-22 to a total of €1,139. It also includes a new targeted €20 million scheme for the installation of photovoltaic panels for households that have a high reliance on electricity for medical reasons; a reduction in VAT from 13.5% to 9%...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: Second Stage (21 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: ...late. Although Deputy Bruton pointed out that €1.6 billion in energy credits were paid out over the last 18 months, that is in fact only a fraction of what was paid out. I calculate that approximately €5 billion was paid out to consumers over the last two years in electricity and energy supports. How will the money that is raised from this windfall levy be spent? It is...

Seanad: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Statements (30 Nov 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...commitments will continue over the next decade on an upward trajectory to allow them to plan and equip themselves to deliver. The NDP sets out a clear long-term strategy of planned investments of €165 billion over the next ten years. It is an ambitious plan, one that will provide the infrastructure needed to accommodate a growing population and a digital transition of our economy,...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Oct 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...at the start was why this Bill is so similar to another Bill we introduced recently and why we cannot just reuse that Bill. The reason is that this Bill grants a payment of €1.2 billion across more than 2 million families. The Attorney General's view is that no Minister should have the power, through executive order, to issue such payments to the public without the consent of the...

Climate Action Plan 2021: Statements (23 Nov 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...and future generations can live sustainably in a low-carbon and climate-resilient world. In line with EU ambition, the programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to achieving a 51% reduction in Ireland's overall greenhouse gas, GHG, emissions from 2021 to 2030, and to achieving net-zero emissions not later than 2050. These legally-binding objectives are set out in the...

Seanad: Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: ...the sector effectively and will bring its powers further in line with comparable regulators in the State and in Europe. ComReg will be empowered to find non-compliance, impose sanctions up to €5 million or 10% of annual turnover, require operators to pay refunds and compensation, and withdraw authorisation and rights of use for spectrum and numbering resources. These penalties...

Seanad: Carbon Budgets: Motion (5 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...programme in October 2021. The programme submitted by the council establishes a pathway to achieving our legally binding climate objectives. That means it will deliver on our commitment to a 51% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and it will set us on the way to net zero by 2050. Last December, I caused a copy of this proposed carbon budget programme to be laid before both Houses of...

Seanad: Waste Management: Statements (22 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: ...hot water to heat homes in the area. At the moment, we have approximately 41% of our municipal waste being incinerated, approximately 16% being landfilled, approximately 26% being recycled and 15% being composted or anaerobically digested There is a mix of things there. Generally, there are EU targets on recycling. It is considered to be a better thing to do than incineration, which is...

Regulations for the Sale and Distribution of Turf: Motion [Private Members] (5 May 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...including but not limited to the fuel allowance, to address the impact on consumers of energy costs. These measures include budget 2022, which increased the weekly rate of the fuel allowance by €5 to €33 per week, so that €914 was paid to eligible householders over the course of the winter. An additional lump sum payment of €125 was paid in mid-March 2022 to...

Energy Security: Statements (27 Oct 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...and the current energy crisis are having a significant impact on people's day-to-day lives. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has caused a humanitarian catastrophe and displaced millions of Ukrainian citizens. Even before the invasion began, Russia had been reducing its gas supplies to Europe. The invasion has triggered a decision by the European Union to phase out its...