Results 101-120 of 216 for long speaker:Ossian Smyth

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...of Ireland and public bodies such as the National Disability Authority, the HSE, the Department of Health and the Department of Social Protection, in an effort to see how best to support persons with long-term incontinence with respect to the disposal of medical incontinence wear. Since mid-2017, a range of charging options have operated, which encourage householders to reduce and...

Recent Cyberattack and its Impact on the Health System: Statements (18 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...an incident response team is on the ground trying to sort out problems that are causing knock-on effects for patient health, the staff are probably not going to be available to answer questions for a long period. In the same way that firemen would not answer questions about the cause of a fire until the incident was over, I am sure they would be delighted to come in before a committee and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Irish Aid (14 Dec 2023)

Ossian Smyth: ...territory and support to Palestinian refugees through UNRWA. During this time, Ireland's programme of assistance focused on targeted interventions seeking to maintain the space for a two-state solution. Ireland is a long-standing and committed supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the near east. UNRWA delivers essential services, including in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wind Energy Generation (21 Jun 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...'s offshore renewable energy resources, and it also commits to the achievement of 5 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030.Our programme for Government sets out a further commitment to develop a long-term plan to harness the estimated potential of at least 30 GW of offshore floating wind power in our Atlantic waters, which could enable Ireland to become a major regional generator and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wind Energy Generation (21 Jun 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ..., therefore, there is more to be harvested. However, it also has deeper waters and a more environmentally sensitive coastline. There are, for example, the Cliffs of Moher and many beauty spots along the west. It is, therefore, harder to develop wind there using the conventional approach, which is to put a wind turbine in the sea and build it onto foundations. That can be done in the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Waste Management (19 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, recently delegated authority over waste policy and the circular economy to me. I appreciate that the Deputy has had a long series of engagements on this issue and that it is not yet resolved. The waste management market in Ireland is serviced by private companies, on a side-by-side competition basis. Prices in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Implementation of the EU Digital Covid Certificate: Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (14 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...was that if we started up transport again, there would be so many queues where everybody took out a different format of document to prove that they were vaccinated or tested and it would take a long time to validate them. The idea of the QR code is that it can be quickly scanned and it goes red or green. There will only be spot-checks at immigration. We do not want unsafe crowds...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Recycling Policy (7 Mar 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Those are all very reasonable questions. We are in the changeover period for this scheme. The changeover period is four months long. The reason there is a changeover period is so that the old stock on the shelves of the supermarkets can be sold off and at the same time the new stock which has the logos and the new bar codes is coming in. We could not change over overnight because that...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (8 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...the case of a particular company and I understand it obtained a determination in the end. However, it should not take years to reach decisions. Inquiries were made into why things were taking so long. We made sure there was sufficient funding in place this year. There should be better communication with those applying for determinations of licences and there should not be a situation...

Emergency Bed Capacity: Statements (24 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: ...about queuing in emergency departments. The acute hospitals emptied during the pandemic. There was a determined effort to make space available in case of a surge, the discharge of patients into long-term residential care was encouraged and funded and meanwhile patients were not admitted because they were not presenting for fear of catching coronavirus. That has changed. It is now...

Seanad: Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...from the point of view of equity. People will not want to comply with climate action requirements if they think that shipping and aviation are getting a free ride. Traditionally and for a long time the fuels used for aviation and shipping have been virtually free of tax because if a tax is imposed in one country, those providers will refill in another. The way to sort out that problem...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Ambulance Service (8 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: ...just about the number of ambulances providing a good emergency call-out service as the approach also involves considering how we can treat people before an ambulance arrives, particularly when such long distances must be covered. With regard to some programmes, a large proportion of people, or even a majority, realise they do not need an ambulance and can be treated at home. The...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (14 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: ...dry in order that students can participate in sports indoors; that having healthy students is part of the preventive health and public health programme for the country; and that it saves us money in the long term if students are getting their physical education in school. This applies to everybody, not just those students who are sporty and able to catch a ball. Plenty of sports can be...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Passport Services (18 May 2022)

Ossian Smyth: ...of the pandemic. We have all done a great deal of that kind of work and a lot of representing our constituents in such cases. We understand, for example, that new passport applications take much longer than renewals. People have told me they have applied to renew their passport at lunchtime and then received it the next morning. They are delighted with that outcome. On the other hand,...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (18 Oct 2023)

Ossian Smyth: ...additional reports to those specified in the legislation before us tonight. The problem with the additional reports is that they would contain commercially sensitive information about hedging strategies and long-term power purchase agreements, which form an important part of the competitive energy market. For that reason it would not be in the public interest to release that information....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Local Authorities (6 Jul 2023)

Ossian Smyth: ...Fingal County Council, that it is responsible for taking in charge of estates, particularly in a case where the residents wish it to be taken in charge, where it has not been taken in charge for a long period, where there is any sense that it is unsafe or where it is leading to poor quality of life. Local authorities should set their policies around taking in charge appropriately and they...

Expenditure Response to Covid-19 Crisis: Statements (16 Sep 2020)

Ossian Smyth: .... These include liquidity supports, restart grants for businesses negatively impacted by Covid-19 and a commercial rates waiver. The next phase of the Government's response seeks to minimise the potential longer-term effects of the crisis on our economy. By supporting the connection between workers and employers and providing targeted supports to business, the objective of policy has...

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

Ossian Smyth: ...vulnerable position. I can say that it has made enormous progress. From the point of view the NCSC telling people about the risk. If one looks at the centre's website, on 30 October 2020, long before any attack like this, it issued a warning about the possibility of ransomware attacks on the Irish healthcare sector. That was based on information from the FBI. Again, that is not a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Prices (14 Dec 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...range of demand and supply factors that have contributed to a tightening of the European gas market supplies and the upward trend in wholesale gas prices we have witnessed since mid-2020. The best long-term approach for Ireland to insulate consumers from volatility on international wholesale energy markets is to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy, to expand interconnection...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ...and the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, so far as practicable. The Bill also includes the need to maximise employment, the attractiveness of the State for investment and the long-term competitiveness of the economy having regard to the principle of climate justice. That is the guidance to the CCAC. In general, the agricultural sector is distinctly different from other...