Results 13,741-13,760 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadcasting Sector Regulation (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: The European Communities (Audiovisual Media Services) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 258/10), provides for the implementation of certain aspects of the European Union Audiovisual Media Services Directive. Regulation 13 of said S.I. provides for a system of co-regulation by media service providers of on-demand audiovisual media services in the State, including the creation of codes of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 185 together. The 2009 Effort Sharing Decision 406/2009/EC established binding annual greenhouse gas emission targets for EU Member States for the period 2013 to 2020. For the year 2020 itself, the target set for Ireland is that emissions should be 20% below their level in 2005. This will be Ireland’s contribution to the overall EU...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together. 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 do not have a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: In May this year, the Government approved and published the National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport in Ireland 2017 to 2030.  This policy framework sets an ambitious target that by 2030 all new cars and vans sold in Ireland will be zero emissions (or zero emissions capable). The policy framework also includes an indicative forecast of 20,000 electric...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: Ireland’s climate is changing consistent with regional and global trends. These changes are projected to continue and increase over the coming decades and include temperature rise, changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, sea level rise, and changes in precipitation patterns. The policy responses to climate change are two-fold: - Mitigation of emissions...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together. The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to achieving this target through 40% of electricity demand, 12% of heat and 10% of transport from renewable sources of energy, with the latter target also being...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Disposal (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: European, national and regional waste policy are all predicated on the management of waste in line with the waste hierarchy, whereby the prevention, preparation for re-use, recycling and other recovery of waste are preferred (in that order) to the disposal of waste. Collectors of waste must conduct their activities in accordance with the relevant legislation and the conditions of their waste...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Post Office Network (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong, viable company in a position to provide a high-quality, nationwide postal service and that it maintains a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community. However, the An Post group lost €13.7 million in 2016, with the core mails business losing more than €30 million. The An Post network has just over...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Post Office Network (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: Senator Swanick has hit the nail on the head. The perception is that An Post should be a service for older people, particularly in isolated, rural areas. I disagree with that, however. I think An Post can be a service for the whole community in both urban and rural Ireland. We need to turn the post offices into places people visit regularly, particularly younger people, not just at...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Post Office Network (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: The review is ongoing. I expect to receive proposals from the board of An Post quite soon. Once I have them to hand, I will brief the Cabinet and we will engage directly with the company. I have already asked NewERA to engage with the company. It has done a complete financial assessment, which is of huge benefit to me in making the final decisions.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Schemes (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: I thank Senator Higgins for raising this important issue. Deputies meet this issue on a day-to-day basis and are aware of the very stark choices that people have to make. In the vast majority of cases, it is women who are involved. I apologise that the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Doherty, cannot be here and I will relay the content of the Senator's...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Schemes (4 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: As constituency Deputies, we all meet the practical issues and challenges in this regard on an ongoing basis. Across both Houses, there is a determination to see if we can take lone parents out of the poverty trap and assist them, where feasible and practical, to get back to part-time or, preferably, full-time employment as their circumstances determine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Resumed) (5 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: The focus on programme C is on the delivery of key elements of Government energy policy. The programme provides €9.4 million to cover the operational costs of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, and more than €98 million in capital funding for sustainable energy and energy research programmes. In excess of €70 million has been provided for the better...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Resumed) (5 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: In response to the Chairman's question, it is difficult to know at this stage the type of penalties we face. The significant penalties will accumulate as a result of our failure to meet our renewables targets rather than our emissions targets. We have a big job still to do in that area. Deputy Dooley raised the matter of heat targets, which is 12% by 2020. During the current year we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Resumed) (5 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: I think I will have answered nearly all of the questions by the time I have finished responding to Deputies Brian Stanley and Eamon Ryan and Senator Joe O'Reilly. Deputy Brian Stanley asked about the successful Brexit event in Boyle. He is right when he argues that there is a great deal of merit in having a much broader debate. This suggestion which was made on foot of the White Paper...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Resumed) (5 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: It will be a qualified majority vote.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Resumed) (5 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: France and Germany have taken a strong position on the matter, on which I have had bilateral meetings with the German authorities. My officials have been to Paris and Berlin for a number of discussions on it. There is an appreciation and an acknowledgement of the difficulty in which Ireland finds itself. We need to find a mechanism to deal with it and that is what I will be discussing with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Resumed) (5 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: I hope not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Resumed) (5 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: I will deal with the straightforward question first and then come back to the broader comments made by Deputy Smith and Deputy Lawless. Our overall renewable energy target for 2020 is 16%. For energy efficiency it is 20%, for renewable electricity it is 40%, for renewable heat it is 12% and for renewable transport it is 10%. The 10% target is legally binding; the overall 16% target is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Resumed) (5 Oct 2017)

Denis Naughten: Yes. Coming back to the broader question that Deputy Smith and Deputy Lawless asked about the communities aspect of renewable energy, I was appointed 16 months ago as Minister and I think in the first interview I gave I made this very point: that we need to engage with communities more and we need to broaden the renewable energy portfolio and not put all our eggs into one basket. I think...