Results 15,221-15,240 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fuel Laundering (3 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: Enforcement in relation to illegal diesel laundering activities is primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners from the point of view of avoiding loss of revenue to the Exchequer. My Department assists local authorities in carrying out their role as competent authorities under waste legislation, which is to take the necessary measures, on behalf of the State, to ensure that any waste...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (3 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: In 2017 I commissioned two studies designed to address the main points of the motions passed in Dáil and Seanad Éireann as well as key concerns expressed by the parties opposed to the development of the North South Interconnector as an overhead line. The first is an independent study to examine the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the interconnector. The second...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Protection Agency Staff (3 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I am aware of the Director General's background and note that the employment in question predated her first appointment as a Director of the Environmental Protection Agency in 2004.  While serving as a Director and in response to an open competition, she was appointed Director General of the Agency in 2011. I am advised that the provisions of Sections 37 and 38 of the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Environmental Policy (3 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this issue. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, or as it is commonly known, the Aarhus Convention, was adopted on 25 June 1998, just two decades ago. The Aarhus Convention lays down a set of basic rules to promote public...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Environmental Policy (3 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I have no difficulty initiating legislation in this House. As Senator Boyhan knows, it is a scheduling matter, mainly dictated by the Government Chief Whip's office. I have absolutely no difficulty initiating legislation in this House. My priority is to get legislation enacted. It has to go through both Houses. It is the case that there is limited legislative time available in the Lower...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Movement Therapy Programme (3 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I thank Senator Conway. I apologise for taking this on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills who has provided me with this response. Officials in the Department of Education and Skills were contacted in May by the organisation which promotes this movement therapy programme. At its core, the programme has the aim to promote learning readiness in children. On 19 June, officials...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Movement Therapy Programme (3 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Senator. I do not have a timeline and it has not been presented to me in the information I have been provided with. As part of the negotiations on the programme for Government, I specifically had a commitment written in on page 86 that the Government would be determined to ensure every child leaving primary school could read and write. It should be a basic requirement that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (4 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location.  The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. Today, 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. By 2020, 9 out of 10 premises will...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Efficiency (4 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) scheme is a tax incentive to encourage companies to invest in energy efficient equipment. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the 'Triple E' Register that defines the technical criteria for products that are then eligible for the ACA scheme. SEAI is responsible for setting the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Contracts Data (4 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: My Department has engaged the services of an Irish market research company to conduct research on two occasions during the period in question, the details of which are set out in the following table. iReach Insights 2017 €6,027 Survey of consumer attitudes to waste iReach Insights 2018 €7,318 Follow up survey of consumer attitudes to waste

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (5 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 303 and 304 together. There are currently charging posts at five locations in County Cavan. As each charging post consists of two charging points, this gives a total of ten charging points in the county. There are also charging posts at five locations consisting of a total of ten charging points in County Monaghan. In addition, there is a fast...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Training (5 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: My Department has procured E-Learning GDPR training for all staff working in the Department. It will cover the essential material in the legislation and will be tailored to the Department’s Data Protection policies. This training will be rolled out to all staff later this month. There have also been advanced training courses undertaken by staff such as the the Data...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Reports (5 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I am aware of the general recommendations on electromagnetic fields in the report of the Council of Europe's Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs adopted in 2011. A substantial volume of further research on these issues is being carried out internationally by regulatory bodies with responsibilities for monitoring the health effects of electromagnetic...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management Regulations (10 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: My role, as Minister, is to provide the legislative and policy framework under which both local authority and Environmental Protection Agency enforcement action is initiated. Enforcement action against illegal waste activity is a matter for the local authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement of the EPA as appropriate. Each local authority is responsible for the supervision and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bord na Móna (10 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: Bord na Móna operates as a diversified utility operating in multiple sectors, including power generation, bioenergy, resource recovery, horticulture and fuels. The dual imperatives to finish energy peat production and contribute to economy-wide decarbonisation have had a major impact on the company’s business model and have become the primary drivers of Bord na Móna’s...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (10 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location.  The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. Today, 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. By 2020, 9 out of 10 premises will have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Legislative Measures (10 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: In January this year the Department of Justice and Equality requested my Department to examine whether or not any legislation existed under my Department's responsibility which could be impacted by any change to Article 41.2 of the Constitution. Following that request my Department did not identify any laws which are dependent on or in place as a consequence of Article 41.2 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (10 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. Today, 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. By 2020, 9 out of 10 premises will have access...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services Provision (10 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I recognise the frustration felt by Irish consumers where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. Accordingly, I specifically included in the Programme for Government a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce. The Taskforce worked with key stakeholders to produce a report in December 2016, available on my Department’s website,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Efficiency (10 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: Ireland has a national target to improve energy efficiency by 20% by 2020. The public sector has a critical leadership role to play, with a more ambitious 33% energy efficiency target in the same period. Very significant efficiency gains have already been made with a 20% improvement in energy efficiency achieved in the public sector by the end of 2016. This equates to €133m of...