Results 14,821-14,840 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Post Office Network (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: As Minister, I am responsible for the postal sector including the governance of An Post. I am acutely conscious of the value placed by communities in both rural and urban areas on services provided by post offices and am concerned to ensure the needs of those communities continue to be met. As part of the strategy for modernising the post office network, An Post has established a dedicated...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Post Office Network (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: They are two key aspects of this issue on which I have been highly focused. That is why, as part of the overall process, an agreed protocol has been put in place. Just to give an example, we could have a situation where there are two post offices within 700 m of each other. There is a broad range of situations here. It is not just about isolated rural communities. We have to try to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Post Office Network (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Government gave An Post a €15 million loan before Christmas specifically to allow it to look at the modernisation of the post office network. The first practical step that the Government is taking is the digital assist pilot programme. Under that programme, post offices will provide access to a wide range of Government services. We have picked out ten locations for the pilot...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Protocols (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together. Deputy Stanley should not forget that my Department also deals with a lot of environmental NGOs. My Department is responsible for a number of areas critical to economic and social development such as energy, climate action, cyber and environment which are complex and cross-cutting areas. As Minister, I am required to make...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Protocols (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: We do comply with all the standards and the legislation as set out. As I said, I have discussed this with my Secretary General and he is reviewing the position to consider if any further changes are necessary. I can tell the Deputy that I will not be taking any phone calls from lobbyists in the future. The reality is that we do comply with it. If the Deputy looks at the register he will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Protocols (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: No. I did not give confidential information, and I am categorical about that. I sincerely regret that conversation and acknowledge that it was a political mistake to have had it. I have learned from my experience and I sincerely apologise for that, but I did not give confidential information because I did not have any information available to me at that stage. The information I had was...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Protocols (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: In my initial reply to Deputy Stanley's supplementary question I said I will not be taking calls from lobbyists. I have said to him that I have discussed the issue with my Secretary General and he will be reviewing the position to see if any other changes in procedures are necessary, but procedures are set out clearly in this regard. I have apologised for it. I sincerely regret it. I just...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Protocols (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: First, I did not give any confidential information. Second, I made it crystal clear that I would be guided by whatever advice I got from my officials, and the file shows clearly that is exactly what I did. The reason for my apology is because this is the fourth day in a row this House has been discussing the issue of a 30 second conversation I had in which I gave an opinion that I sincerely...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: Under the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is the contractor for broadcasting licences for both television and radio stations in Ireland. In the context of that role and its obligation under the same Act to promote diversity and plurality in broadcasting services and the wider media landscape, the authority operates an ownership and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: I will deal with the Deputy's final question first. On foot of the Celtic Media-Independent News and Media phase 2 assessment, I asked my officials to review the process to see if there were weaknesses in it and if it could be streamlined to operate in a better way. One of the criticisms of it and potentially other ones that would come forward is the time lag involved in turning around the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: They are very serious allegations. The Data Protection Commissioner, Helen Dixon, is looking into these matters and I have every confidence in her carrying out her inquiry into very serious allegations. There are two processes. One is about to commence and the other, which relates to ownership and control policy, is ongoing. It has implications, as has the ownership and control report....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: I will read the reply and then try to address the Deputy's questions. The 2016 programme for Government and 2015 White Paper on energy recognise that solar PV has the potential to provide a community dividend, thereby enhancing citizen participation in Ireland’s energy future, and that it has the potential to contribute to meeting Ireland’s renewable energy and climate...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: Some supports are available for SMEs through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Once we get microgeneration off the ground, I intend to see those supports expanded. The experience across Europe is that there are technical challenges with microgeneration. Strengthening the grid to deal with microgeneration output would require a significant amount of investment. In light of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: Yes. Microgeneration, rooftop, SME and ground-mounted solar power will form part of the energy mix over the next decade. To be honest, though, I suspect that the heavy lifting will be done offshore. This country's potential, in particular off the coast of Deputy Dooley's constituency, is significant. We need to develop that resource. We are on the cutting edge of research in that regard...

Other Questions: Bioenergy Strategy (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: No more than is the case with Deputy Stanley, this issue is very close to my heart. I have a large personal interest in it. I should also declare two vested interests, those being, Lanesborough and Shannonbridge. There has been significant progress to date in the use of biomass in Ireland. In 2016, 6.8% of energy consumption in the heat sector came from renewable sources. Of this, three...

Other Questions: Bioenergy Strategy (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: First, 80% of the biomass used in Edenderry in 2017 was from indigenous sources. The objective is that the biomass in Edenderry, Lanesborough and Shannonbridge will be from indigenous sources. The supplier of the biomass to those three plants, and one of the major suppliers in the country in relation to the support scheme for renewable heat, will be Bord na Móna BioEnergy, which is a...

Other Questions: Bioenergy Strategy (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: I know.

Other Questions: Bioenergy Strategy (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: I agree wholeheartedly with everything Deputy Stanley said. All of those engagements are taking place right across the board. Specifically on farm waste, Deputy Stanley is correct. Within the national development plan, there is a specific provision to look at utilising farm waste and the brown bin waste for use in biogas or biomethane plants that would supply district heating systems to...

Other Questions: Bioenergy Strategy (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: It is on my desk.

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: Meeting Ireland's EU targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and 2030 will be extremely challenging. The latest projections of greenhouse gas emissions, published by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, in April 2017, indicate that emissions from those sectors of the economy covered by Ireland's 2020 targets could be between 4% and 6% below 2005 levels by 2020 in the context...