Results 1,281-1,300 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Last July, with the single-use plastics directive, ten of the most common single-use plastic items that wash up on beaches, including plastic knives, forks, plates and earbuds, were banned. That was done on an EU-wide basis. I went into a shop a week later to make sure they were not on the shelves and they were not, so these things actually work. The deposit return scheme focuses on one...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am planning to bring in a number of amendments to the Bill on Committee Stage and am absolutely open to discussing those in committee or beforehand. I am also happy to look at any suggestions from Deputy Bruton, particularly with regard to whether other Ministers or the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, should have certain requirements. Regarding the privatisation of waste...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: A combination of commercial investment and the State led intervention under the National Broadband will ensure access to high speed broadband in every part of Ireland. At the end of 2021 ComReg reported that total broadband subscriptions stood at 1.93m subscriptions, 87% of which had speeds equal to or greater than 30Mbps. The data clearly demonstrates the demand for high speed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Waste Enforcement Steering Committee, which is chaired by my Department and includes representatives from a wide range of regulatory and law enforcement authorities, provides for a coordinated, strategic approach to all waste enforcement priorities, including illegal dumping. The Steering Committee oversees the work of the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 211, 209, 140 and 113 together. Despite the unprecedented challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, National Broadband Ireland (NBI) has made steady progress on delivery of the new high speed fibre broadband network under the National Broadband Plan (NBP). I am advised by NBI that as of 31 March 2022, over 312,000 premises have been surveyed and over...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Litter Pollution (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Data Protection Commissioner has previously indicated to my Department that any actions taken by local authorities in publishing the names and addresses of persons fined as a result of littering or illegal dumping, whether by publication on their websites or by notices published in the local press and paid for by the local authority, would be in breach of the principles of data...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) contract signed in 2019 provides that a future proofed high speed broadband network will be deployed by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to people living and working in the intervention area. It is expected that over 600,000 premises will be served by the fibre network, including new builds.The cost to the State will be a maximum of €2.7...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (7 Apr 2022)

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. Government and NBI have agreed to accelerate the rollout of high-speed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Ireland is a popular location for data centres which securely store and manage the data that supports the digital and communications infrastructure for many sectors of our economy. Data centres also create employment and attract foreign direct investment. However, the expansion of data centres, particularly in the Dublin region, is projected to lead to a large increase in electricity demand...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: There are over 16,000 premises in County Cavan and over 15,000 premises in County Monaghan in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) Intervention Area that will receive access to high speed broadband under the State led intervention to be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI). Government investment in Counties Cavan and Monaghan in the NBP will be in the order of €65 million and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The cost to the taxpayer for the completion of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) high speed broadband network under a contract with National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is capped at €2.7 billion over 25 years. This figure includes €480 million for contingency costs, which are only allowed under specific circumstances. Since the NBP contract was signed in November 2019, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The roadmap for the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans was outlined in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020. In November last year, I signed the Separate Collection (Deposit Return Scheme) Regulations 2021, providing the legal framework for the scheme, in particular the terms under which a scheme operator may be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Local authorities are responsible for municipal waste collection and waste management planning within their functional areas. The obligations on local authorities in relation to collecting household waste are set out in section 33 of the Waste Management Act 1996, as amended. In summary, it provides that each local authority shall collect, or arrange...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Mobile coverage obligations are set out in licences granted by the independent regulator, ComReg, to mobile operators. ComReg advises that the current minimum coverage obligations in those licences are being considerably exceeded by all operators.Capital investment by telecommunications operators over the last 5 years was in the order of €3.3 billion for both fixed and mobile...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The measures to be taken by my Department to protect and mitigate against cyber security incidents are guided by the National Cyber Security Strategy 2019-2024. The Strategy is a whole-of-Government strategy to address the growing threat of cyber security incidents, to ensure Ireland can benefit fully from the digital transformation. The Strategy includes 20 separate measures to safeguard...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: As set out in the Programme for Government, ensuring access to high-quality internet connections for people across Ireland is essential to the development of all parts of our country, socially and economically. Facilitating remote working and innovation opportunities is key to addressing climate change, adapting in an evolving economy, and competing internationally. A combination of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (7 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 217 together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State 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...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Office of the Ombudsman) Regulations 2022 (6 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Chairman and members of the committee for inviting me to speak today. I will begin by introducing in general terms the draft statutory instrument and the background to it. The Office of the Ombudsman performs a vital role in ensuring good administration across the civil and public service. Part of this role includes investigating complaints in regard to particular incidents and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Office of the Ombudsman) Regulations 2022 (6 Apr 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Higgins. I agree that GDPR is often used by service providers as an excuse not to service a request, sometimes perhaps through a misunderstanding of GDPR and not having read what the principles are and so on. This clarifies the situation. Under the previous data protection legislation, there was a complete exemption for the Ombudsman from all data protection rules. Under...