Results 14,301-14,320 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Postcode System Report (7 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: My Department conducted a number of Cost Benefit analyses on the Eircode project in 2008, 2010 and 2015.  These showed that, in addition to the project yielding a positive Net Present Value to both the State and Private Sector, that it would also bring about a wide range of other benefits including accurate location of all addresses in the State, including the 35% of addresses...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (7 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together. The premises referred to by the Deputy is in an AMBER area on my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie.  It is therefore be included in the State Intervention Area under the National Broadband Plan (NBP). My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Freedom of Information Data (7 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: My Department processes all Freedom of Information requests received and has dealt with a total of 799 requests in the period from 2010 to 2017 inclusive.  As all requests are dealt with on receipt, none have been escalated to the Office of the Information Commissioner as a result of not having been processed. The Data Protection Commissioner has not been involved with any departmental...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Brexit Data (7 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together. While the outcome of the December European Council and the move on to Phase 2 has marked  progress in dealing with the UK's withdrawal form the European Union, contingency planning is advancing through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade. This work is also...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Contracts Data (7 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: The company referred to in the Question was awarded a 10 year contract in December 2013 to develop, implement, maintain and promote the use of the National Postcode System "Eircode". The payment to the company for  establishing, operating and maintaining the National Postcode System (NPS) is expected to be €33.3m (VAT inclusive) over the life of the 10 year licence. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Appointments to State Boards Data (7 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: As Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, I am responsible for appointments to the boards of relevant bodies under the aegis of my Department. All appointments are made in accordance with the requirements of the governing legislation and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards.  My Department does not...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Strategy Statements (7 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Government has outlined, in a range of policy guidance documents, including the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP), the Energy White Paper - “Ireland’s Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future, and Ireland’s National Climate Mitigation Plan, a series of policy interventions and measures  for the realisation of Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: A carbon credit is a generic term for any tradeable certificate or permit representing the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas equivalent. In relation to Ireland, the term “carbon credits” may relate to allowances issued under the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) or the EU Effort Sharing Decision. The EU ETS is a cornerstone of the EU's policy to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Strategic Communications Unit (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: I met with Mr. Concannon and a colleague from the Strategic Communications Unit on 5 October 2017. The meeting was also attended by the Secretary General of my Department, the Assistant Secretary over the Corporate area, and one of my Special Advisors. Mr. Concannon, at the request of the Secretary General,  also addressed a monthly meeting of Senior...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: I welcome news of Aqua Comms DAC (“Aqua Comms”) recently announced commercial plans to lay and operate a new subsea cable system connecting New Jersey, U.S.A., to Ireland, and Denmark. My understanding is that the HAVFRUE subsea cable is the first new undersea cable traversing the North Atlantic to connect mainland Northern Europe to the U.S. in nearly two decades....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: Delivering high speed broadband to citizens across Ireland remains a firm commitment of mine and of this Government. The premises referred to by the Deputy is in an AMBER area on my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. It will therefore be included in the State Intervention Area under the National Broadband Plan (NBP). My...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Freedom of Information Data (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Table provides details of the number of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests received, along with the number of requests responded to outside of the time limits specified in the Freedom of Information Acts, during the period from 2013 to 2017 inclusive. Dealing with FOI requests forms part of the usual duties of officials and the time spent on processing such requests can vary...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol: Motion (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Chairman for inviting me to the committee today to make a presentation on why Ireland should ratify the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol. The Government strongly supports the concerted international action needed in order to address the global challenge of climate change. Together, with our EU colleagues, Ireland had to facilitate entry into force of the Paris Agreement...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol: Motion (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: Absolutely not. This was approved by the Government in November but, as there is a financial cost involved, it must get the consent of the Oireachtas before I can have it ratified. Technically, it will be ratified by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. It could be debated in the Dáil but the procedure up to now in regard to the Paris Agreement, for example, was to refer it to...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol: Motion (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: Hydrofluorocarbon gases, HFCs, replaced chlorofluorocarbons, CFCs. We all remember the big debate on the ozone layer a number of years ago. I may be corrected on this but my understanding is that HFCs are mainly used in coolants in fridges and in air conditioning systems. When we got rid of CFCs from the backs of our fridges, we replaced them with HFCs. While this does not have an impact...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol: Motion (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: There is a mechanism which is the same as that for CFCs. A chemist would have to answer the question though. We can get a note for the Deputy on it. My chemistry does not stretch that far, however.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol: Motion (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: We will come back with a written response.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol: Motion (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: We spend approximately €780,000 per annum contributing to the international fund and we expect that to double. Those are the types of figures involved. From our perspective and the reason the US State Department is so complimentary of it is that we were one of the first countries to contribute to this. We are a small player in the overall pool but it is not the amount of money but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh. I am joined by some of my senior officials who are working on the national broadband plan. Orla Ryan and Ciarán Ó hÓbáin are to my left and to my right are Fergal Mulligan and Pat Neary. I thank committee members for giving me the opportunity to address them in a discussion of the decision of Eir to withdraw from the procurement process for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan: Discussion (8 Feb 2018)

Denis Naughten: To clarify, I believe members were circulated with a note in advance. We have bizarre and archaic rules in this House but they are put in place for good reason. I can answer some of these questions but I cannot answer some of the others because I am not directly involved in this process. The people sitting beside me can answer those but, bizarrely, they cannot answer them in public session...