Results 621-640 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (21 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020, contains some 200 measures which will be delivered on a phased basis over the 5 year lifetime of the Plan.  Since the plan was launched my officials have been working on advancing priority measures, including measures relating to plastic waste, end of waste, and food waste.The Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Grant Payments (21 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No 60 of 9 September 2021. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy sets out the roadmap for the introduction of a national Deposit and Return Scheme in 2022.  Materials to be included in the scheme will be those for which there are challenging EU recycling and separate collection targets. The scheme will therefore focus on plastic bottles and aluminium beverage...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has a broad remit across the cyber security of Government ICT and critical national infrastructure. The NCSC has three main roles: national incident response; information sharing; and Building Resilience. The NCSC supports Government Departments and other public bodies to improve the resilience and security of their IT systems to better protect...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. My Department has now prioritised primary schools with no high speed broadband and continues to work with the Department of Education in this regard. An acceleration of this aspect of the National Broadband Plan will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I will address the Deputy's written question. I am happy to come back to the questions about ventilators in the HSE in my second response. The interim procurement reform board was appointed by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in May 2017 to oversee delivery of the procurement reform programme, advise the Government on a national public procurement strategy and advise on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: These stories of the delivery of substandard medical equipment to the HSE underline the importance of having central procurement. The aims of public procurement are to make sure that we achieve a good price for the State, obtain a quality product with basic standards and have transparency, whereby we know deals are fair and non-discriminatory. In an atmosphere of emergency procurement, when...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Deputy's first question was on the extent of the procurement and whether more substandard equipment was delivered to the HSE. As she can imagine, I would expect there was more. I do not have the full report from the HSE. It has sent us initial reports at this stage stating how much of its procurement was done in an emergency fashion. The Comptroller and Auditor General will also be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (23 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Later this year.

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Departmental Expenditure (23 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Public procurement is governed by EU legislation and national rules and guidelines with the aim of promoting an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. The EU public procurement regime is set out in a suite of EU procurement directives. Article 56(3) of the principal directive governing procurement rules for public bodies...

Criminal Justice (Public Order) (Quadbikes and Scramblers) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I am sharing my time. I thank the joint sponsors of the Bill, Deputies Paul Donnelly, Ellis, Seán Crowe, Mitchell, Ó Snodaigh, O'Rourke, Ó Murchú, Ward and Quinlivan, for raising what we all know is a very real problem, namely, the dangerous misuse of scrambler bikes and other vehicles. Deputies Donnelly and Crowe spoke from the heart. When Deputy Donnelly stated...

Criminal Justice (Public Order) (Quadbikes and Scramblers) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I will follow on from what Deputy Ward said. When he was mayor of South Dublin County Council he suggested that scramblers were being used in pairs for drug-dealing. I was not aware of that. He also pointed out that scramblers are also used safely. I presume there are locations in the Dublin mountains where they can be used. Such safe use needs encouragement and support. I am also glad...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cyber Security Centre Review: Discussion (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Chairman and members for inviting me to attend before the committee today and answer questions. I am joined today by Mr. Richard Browne, acting director of the NCSC, and Mr. Peter Hogan, principal officer in the Department's cybersecurity and Internet policy division. I am delighted to have this opportunity to present to the committee on the capacity review of the NCSC, which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cyber Security Centre Review: Discussion (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy for his questions. The capacity review was ordered to assess what additional resources were needed by the National Cyber Security Centre in the face of an escalating level of cybersecurity threats. I am sure that the Deputy is aware that the volume of cybersecurity attacks that are happening around the world greatly increased even before the pandemic but during the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cyber Security Centre Review: Discussion (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy again. His first question is whether the Government accepts the recommendations of the report and the answer is we do. He further asks if we accept the recommendations for the additional staffing and the decision was made at Cabinet earlier this year to go beyond that level. I recommended a higher staffing complement and this was accepted. It will be a challenge to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cyber Security Centre Review: Discussion (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The first question is how much money is needed for a new cybersecurity headquarters and there are two parts to the answer to this. First, we are building an interim headquarters to move into next year and then there is the permanent building, which will be a brand-new building which is being constructed for the entire Department. One floor of that will be used for the NCSC and will be built...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cyber Security Centre Review: Discussion (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I do not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cyber Security Centre Review: Discussion (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: It will probably be in the single-digit millions. The Deputy also asked about comparisons with other countries. There were comparisons with other European countries and with countries outside of Europe. As the Deputy will appreciate, when looking at the weaknesses and strengths of cybersecurity centres in other countries, the details are probably not something that we want to publish to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cyber Security Centre Review: Discussion (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: It is early days to say that. Part of the response to this is that two reports have been commissioned. The HSE commissioned a report for its board from consultants. There is also a report into the origins of this and exactly what happened. It is being compiled by an international security company, Mandiant. That will also provide information. At the same time, an investigation by An...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cyber Security Centre Review: Discussion (22 Sep 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The NCSC has a policy of trying to publish as much information as possible on its website. This is open communication. Most of what is being done is not secret and does not need to be hidden from people. Most of the information about how to protect yourself in terms of cybersecurity is open, public information that everybody can read about. If one goes on the NCSC's website, one will see...