Results 1,241-1,260 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill 2022: Referral to Select Committee (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 181(1).

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fuel Prices (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Deputy O'Connor for asking about the supports available for private bus and coach operators during this wartime period which has led to elevated fuel prices. I am answering this question on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Ryan. I understand the Deputy's question relates specifically to the possible provision of fuel supports to the bus and coach sector similar to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fuel Prices (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. The first item I will address relates to procurement and State contracts. I refer to situations where a person entered a contract with the State to provide a service but the cost to the person of diesel has greatly increased. This is a specific case of a problem in procurement where inflation has made the economic reality of the contract difficult for the contractor to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fuel Prices (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am not prepared to answer the question on the common travel area. We may have to wait for another Minister, unless we can go to another question.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fuel Prices (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I can reply on that issue if the Ceann Comhairle so wishes. My apologies.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Persons Supports (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I thank Deputy Ó Broin for asking this question and it is a very serious matter. I am answering this question on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Minister has asked me to express his sadness at the news of the death of a man who appears to have been sleeping in a tent in Dublin city centre. This is a tragedy and I...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Persons Supports (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Deputy Ó Broin. From talking to people who work directly in homelessness services, I am told that while addiction is very commonly a factor in homelessness, it is not always the case. Sometimes it is mental health and sometimes it is simply losing one’s money and not being able to manage economically in a very expensive housing situation. On many occasions it is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Persons Supports (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: So it would appear, a Cheann Comhairle.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Persons Supports (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: No.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Persons Supports (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Am I required to make a contribution at this point?

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Persons Supports (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I apologise.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Recycling Policy (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Garvey. Indeed, the term “circular economy” is technical one. It is a challenge for me to get that concept clear to the public. We are bringing in a new circular economy Bill. The Senator is right. The Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun is a great way for people to understand this because it is so practical. It is doing four things: upcycling, paint, bicycles,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Recycling Policy (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator for her praise but, in fact, most of the work on this was done by my Department before my appointment. I have to give the staff full credit for that. I want to collect as little money from this levy as possible. I want people to use reusable cups. I want it to be a habit and a new culture and I want to make that as easy as possible. I want to give people the choice...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Prices (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: There is a fundamental difference in the way the pricing of fossil fuel energy and renewable energy is arrived at. As the Senator knows, oil, gas and coal are traded on international markets and we are subject to the vagaries of those markets. Often they are sourced from highly unstable regions in the world, as we are reminded, whether it is the Middle East or Russia. This has led to great...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Prices (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am happy to look at any proposal the Senator has. My office is always open for her to come to me and discuss a proposal and my mind is always open. The Senator asked a number of questions. One was about commercial rates on fossil fuel generation, as opposed to renewable generation. That is a matter on which I am happy to engage with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am here on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, who cannot be present. I will answer questions on her behalf. In fact, this is a subject that is dear to both our hearts because we have the same issue in south Dublin as the Senator has in Dublin 15. I have to pay tribute to and acknowledge the analysis and work done by the parents of children with autism in establishing that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (24 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator and I share her wish that she will be able to give that information to those parents soon. Two of the most important things that are present here are the political will and the budget to do this. The Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, has used every tool in her negotiations armoury and made every effort to make progress on this. Part of the aim here is to reduce the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (29 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie, shows the areas which will be included in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led intervention as well as areas targeted by commercial operators. The map is colour coded and searchable by address and Eircode. Premises in the AMBER area will be provided with high speed broadband through the State led Intervention,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (29 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for tyres was introduced in 2017 and is operated by Repak ELT. Under the scheme, any tyres which have incurred the ‘Visible Environmental Charge’ are collected free of charge by Repak ELT through registered waste collectors. It is intended that the scheme will ultimately include freight and agri tyres. In 2018, my department...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (29 Mar 2022)

Ossian Smyth: My Department is currently working with NBI to agree an Updated Interim Remedial Plan (UIRP) which will recalibrate the targets for 2022 to take account of the knock on effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, including the latest wave of the omicron variant, which spreads more easily than previous variants, and which I am informed has had a relatively significant impact on the NBI workforce in Q1...