Results 13,921-13,940 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Priority Questions: Post Office Network (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: Yes.

Priority Questions: Post Office Network (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: This is about expanding the number of people who will utilise and depend on the post office in rural areas. Since David McRedmond became chief executive, we have already seen the expansion of the parcel service. We now have a service in Ahascragh and Elphin that is equivalent to what is available in Amsterdam or Edinburgh. A van travels six days a week to homes throughout this country...

Priority Questions: Waste Disposal Charges (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Deputy. The necessary regulatory steps have already been put in place to phase out flat-rate fees for household waste collection. The permits of household waste collectors have been amended in order that existing customers who are seeking to renew their contracts or new customers are not offered flat-rate fees. It is worth noting that this measure is not "new" for about half of...

Priority Questions: Waste Disposal Charges (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: On the matter of having mechanisms other than side-by-side competition, mechanisms been considered and reports have been published on them. The results of the analysis of the household waste collection price monitoring group, in conjunction with the results of the study being completed by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, will provide an evidence base regarding future...

Priority Questions: Waste Disposal Charges (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: On the Deputy's final comment, there is a review taking place. That is what the commission is doing. I am quite happy to consider the recommendations that emerge from that review. My objective is twofold. First, it is to try to reduce the amount of waste generated in the first place. As the Deputy knows, we have set up a group involving the retailers and major supermarkets across the...

Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: The national broadband plan, NBP, is about connecting people in rural areas, towns and villages across Ireland to high-speed broadband through a combination of commercial investment and State-led intervention. The NBP continues to act as a catalyst to commercial investment, with more than €2.75 billion invested by industry over the past five years. That is €1.8 million...

Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: When I was appointed as Minister last May 12 months, no one envisaged that at this stage we would be talking about fibre being on the ground in rural areas.

Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: It is happening. I have said before that my focus is on delivery not indicative dates. People in this country are sick and tired of being promised they would have broadband by a certain date but it has not happened. My priority is the people who have not got high-speed broadband at the moment. I am leaving no stone unturned to ensure that is delivered as quickly as possible. We have a...

Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: Many of my constituents do not have mobile phone coverage never mind broadband services. As Minister, I am determined to make sure that every single person, home and premises in this country gets access to high-speed broadband. I am determined not to stop until that happens. It is important to point out that 27% of our population live in villages of fewer than 50 people. We have one of the...

Priority Questions: Mobile Telephony Services (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: 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 to identify immediate solutions to broadband and mobile telephone coverage deficits and to investigate how better services could be provided to consumers prior to the full build and roll-out of the network planned under the national...

Priority Questions: Mobile Telephony Services (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: Deputy Sherlock has given me a day's work with those questions. As Deputy Sherlock knows, I cannot bring in ComReg. The only body that can bring in ComReg is Deputy Sherlock and his colleagues who are members of the relevant Oireachtas joint committee. ComReg is answerable to the committee, not to me.

Priority Questions: Mobile Telephony Services (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: While I am on the issue of ComReg, I wish to point out that since January, ComReg has received a little more than 5,000 complaints, a total of 163 of which relate to mobile telephone coverage. People are not complaining. I do not disagree with Deputy Sherlock. This is a problem. Far too many times I have had to turn off the data on my mobile telephone to try to get telephone coverage....

Priority Questions: Mobile Telephony Services (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: Sadly, the problem dates from before I came in-to this job. I am unsure who was the Minister at the time. We will not go into it, but I understand one of Deputy Sherlock's colleagues was in the Department when the last auction took place for the 4G spectrum. That auction sought 85% population coverage throughout the country. I do not think that is good enough. That is why I am committed,...

Priority Questions: Mobile Telephony Services (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: The problem is that under the licensing in place, those companies are compliant. I have spoken to the companies and I will be speaking to company representatives again tomorrow. I will continue to do that. What I am dealing with is unacceptable; I am not disputing that. That is why we have released the 3.6 GHz spectrum. The committee has a role as well. The communications regulator...

Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: 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 their role in this regard. I am very much aware, however, of the challenges that face the existing television licence system, including the current unacceptable levels of evasion.  While the...

Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: I do not disagree with anything the Deputy said. The system needs to be reformed and the joint committee is actively considering the issue. A range of funding models are utilised in the European Union, with some member states having licence fees and others funding public service broadcasting from taxation or charging a fee linked to electricity bills. Finland, for example, has a...

Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: I have reiterated several times my commitment to public service broadcasting and news content. While I have accepted that this comes at a significant cost, we are very lucky in terms of the way in which news content is disseminated in this country and the balance it provides. This balance is not provided in other countries, including the United States, the example the Deputy cited. One...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: The national broadband plan will ensure high-speed broadband access of a minimum of 30 Mbps to all premises, regardless of location.  The plan continues to act as a catalyst to commercial investment, with more than €2.75 billion invested by industry in the past five years. Current investment is running at €1.8 million per day. As a result, approximately 1.5 million or 65%...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: As I stated earlier, this is a complex procurement process. It is the first time this type of procurement has been used. The advantage with this competitive process is that it will facilitate a far quicker build-out than would have been the case with the traditional procurement processes. It is a 25-year contract. It is important that we get it right, that we do not do like we did with...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (21 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: There are indicative proposals but what we and the public need are definitive dates in relation to it. I am confident that, by 2020, more than 90% of people and premises will have access to high-speed broadband. I cannot be any more definitive than that until we award the contract and look at the build-out in relation to it. I want to see this happen. My constituents, the people in...