Results 13,041-13,060 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Deputy for his question. The Government's national broadband plan will provide high speed broadband access of a minimum of 30 Mbps to all premises in Ireland regardless of location. The plan has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector of €1.7 million per day for the past four years in order to bring broadband of at least 30 Mbps to 1.4 million, or...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: Twelve months ago when I took over as Minister, 52% of premises had access to high speed broadband. Within the next 85 weeks, 77% of premises will have access to high speed broadband. During my period as Minister, one in four premises in this country, the vast majority of them rural premises, will have access to high speed broadband, many of them receiving up to 1,000 Mbps, which is the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: There are two issues. First, I am committed to making sure the national broadband plan rolls out a long-term solution to those homes and businesses as soon as possible. With regard to the Deputy's specific point on businesses, I was with a business last month in my constituency outside the town of Ballinasloe and its representatives made the same complaint to me, in that they are just...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Illegal Dumping (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The programme for Government contains a specific commitment to work with local authorities to tackle the problem of illegal dumping and to develop effective deterrents to discourage people from engaging in this anti-social behaviour. In accordance with this commitment, my Department developed an anti-dumping initiative to work in partnership with local authorities and community organisations...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Illegal Dumping (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: An increased sum of approximately €9 million has been provided to resource local authorities on the enforcement side. The most effective tool in that regard is probably on-the-spot fines and I accept we need to improve surveillance. As I said, 111 projects have been submitted. The total cost of the projects submitted is some €1.2 million whereas I had an initial allocation of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Illegal Dumping (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: First, to correct the record, the annual grant paid for enforcement to local authorities is €7.2 million. There are 120 enforcement officers across the country-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Illegal Dumping (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: Specifically dealing with the issue Deputy Niamh Smyth raised regarding the 120 truck tyres that were dumped on the N2 in Monaghan, the estimated cost of removing those was €1,400. I hope to be in a position within the next couple of weeks to make a specific announcement on the tyre sector and to have it robustly regulated. In fairness, the sector is working quite closely with me in...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: Ireland holds 90 days of emergency oil stocks, in accordance with International Energy Agency, IEA, rules and EU legislation, to be used in the event of a supply disruption. The majority of these stocks are held in Ireland and some stocks are held in other EU member states, including the United Kingdom. Ireland has entered into bilateral agreements with those member states, including the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: For EU rules it would not be counted, but for the International Energy Agency rules, it would.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: To maintain those reserves in the UK.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I agree wholeheartedly with Deputy Stanley. To give the Deputy the figures, approximately 57% of Ireland's strategic oil reserve is held in Ireland, 20% is held in the UK, 9% in Northern Ireland and 11% in Scotland. The remaining 23% is held in the other EU countries, Denmark, Sweden and Spain. The reserve held in Northern Ireland is held in Derry and in Cloghan Point - those are the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: My long-term objective is not to increase capacity. My long-term objective is to drive down the need for fossil fuels in the first place. To answer the Deputy's specific question in the short term, NORA funds the purchasing, financing and holding of strategic oil stocks by way of a 0.02 cent levy per litre on certain petroleum products in the State. NORA has reached an agreement with...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I am critically aware of the frustration currently being experienced across Ireland where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. Recognising this frustration, I specifically included in the Programme for Government a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Task force. In July 2016, I established the Task Force together with Minister Humphreys to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Climate Change Advisory Council (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Climate Change Advisory Council was established under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. Under this legislation, the Advisory Council is an independent body whose key function is to provide advice and recommendations to me, to relevant sectoral Ministers and to the Government as a whole in relation to the development of national mitigation plans and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Projects (9 May 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: National Broadband Plan (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 76, 78, 79 and 83 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58, 67, 82 and 585 together. The release of the latest projections of greenhouse gas emissions by the Environmental Protection Agency on 13 April last clearly indicated the enormous challenge facing Ireland to reduce its emissions. The projections indicate that emissions from those sectors of the economy not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan (9 May 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 including those on our offshore islands, 66 of which are inhabited and have a total population of over 9,000. The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority.  This is being achieved through a combination...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: North-South Interconnector (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60, 65, 71 and 80 together. On 19 December 2016 An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for the North-South Interconnector project in Ireland. The decision concluded a lengthy planning process which included an Oral Hearing completed over eleven weeks from March to May last year. The planning decision is currently the subject of Judicial Review...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electric Vehicles (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The EU Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy demand from renewable sources by 2020, including 10% of transport with this target also being legally binding. In the transport sector, Ireland aims to meet its renewable target mainly through the increased use of sustainable biofuels, with electric vehicles (EVs)...