Results 12,961-12,980 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Speeds (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed broadband services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority.  This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment by the telecommunications sector and a State intervention in those areas where...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: North-South Interconnector (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 342 together. In light of the motions passed by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann, I requested officials in my Department to prepare a proposal for an updated independent study that will bring further clarity to the relative cost and technical merits of overhead and underground solutions for the North South Interconnector. In...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Grid Connection Fees (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: My Department is currently developing a proposed new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) which will be designed to assist Ireland in meeting its Electricity (RES-E) targets out to 2030. The new scheme design requires detailed economic analysis on the viability and cost effectiveness of supporting several renewable technologies, at various scales. The Programme for Government...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Charge (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: I have no plans to replace the current Television Licence fee with a broadcasting charge.  In addition I do not intend to raise the cost of the current licence fee of €160.   I recognise the important part that public service broadcasters play in our democratic society. The provision of stable and adequate funding is essential to ensuring the continued delivery of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Projects (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: The introduction of a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a commitment in the White Paper on Energy and the 2016 Programme for Government and will be the primary support mechanism in the heating sector designed to meet Ireland’s renewable energy obligations. The aim of the RHI is to build on the progress already made in the renewable heating sector and to help reach...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Production (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Single Electricity Market (SEM) is the wholesale electricity market for the island of Ireland. The SEM is regulated by the SEM Committee and administration of the SEM is managed by the Single Electricity Market Operator. Data for 2014 and 2015 in relation to the cost of electricity production per megawatt hour (MWh) for the various technologies is available at Table 3.7 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 to 340, inclusive, together. The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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 a State led intervention in areas where commercial services have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: The table shows the number of premises covered and to be covered by the National Broadband Plan.  The NBP is made up of commercial investment and a State Intervention.The information contained in the table is derived from the data provided by commercial operators to my Department in the course of the National Broadband Plan mapping exercise.  This...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Natural Gas Grid (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: The development and expansion of the natural gas network is in the first instance a commercial matter for Gas Networks Ireland (GNI), which is mandated under Section 8 of the Gas Act 1976, as amended, to develop and maintain a national system for the supply of natural gas that is both economical and efficient. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is statutorily responsible for all...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: The provision of telecommunications services, including mobile phone and broadband services, is a matter for the service providers concerned which operate in a fully liberalised market regulated by the independent Regulator of the telecommunications sector, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). I am, however, critically aware of the frustration currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Information and Communications Technology (13 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Government’s Capital Investment Plan (2016 – 2021) includes an initial provision of €275m for the National Broadband Plan (NBP).  This represents an initial stimulus for the first five years of the NBP intervention, with remaining payments being spread over the full 25 years of the contract.  The amounts required by bidders will only be known after...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Agencies Data (2 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: My Department provides funding to the Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) which was established under the Digital Hub Development Agency Act 2003 to support digital entrepreneurship through the creation of a cluster of enterprises focussed on digital content and technology. The Digital Hub project in Dublin commenced in 2000 with the establishment, on an interim basis, of Digital...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Responsibilities (2 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1251 and 1252 together. Following the reorganisation of Departments in 2016, my Department took over responsibility for the following areas from the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government: Environment Policy & Awareness; Climate Policy; EU and International Environmental Policy; Waste Policy & Resource...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Waste Management (2 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1253 and 1283 together. The charges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation.  My Department is currently reviewing, together with the regulatory authorities and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Commission for Communications Regulation (2 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: This is an operational matter for the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), an independent statutory body, established in 2002 under the Communications Regulation Act 2002. I have, however, sent the Deputy’s query to ComReg for reply directly.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Communities Programme (2 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Communities (BEC) Scheme on behalf of my Department. The scheme aims to support and encourage community based partnerships to improve the energy efficiency of homes, businesses and community facilities in a local area. To date the scheme has supported the upgrade of more than 12,000 homes and several hundred...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Vehicle Testing (2 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: A significant contributor to the rise in NOx emissions in recent years throughout the EU has been the higher than expected emissions from the new fleet of road vehicles, particularly diesel vehicles.  Over time, discrepancies have come to light between the emissions recorded from vehicles during emissions testing and ‘real’ driving.  The European Commission has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan (2 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1257 and 1258 together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) represents a very significant capital investment project for the State and aims to deliver high speed services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland.  The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan (2 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1259 and 1285 together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed broadband services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority.  This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment by the telecommunications...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee (2 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I recognise the important role that public service broadcasters play in our democratic society and the provision of stable and adequate funding is essential to ensuring they can continue to deliver on that role. While the existing TV licence fee model has provided a measure of stability to date, the rapid changes in technology altering the traditional way in which television...