Results 15,541-15,560 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: That was until the end of June.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: Yes, for the first six months.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: Traditionally, during the second half of the year more enforcement takes place. I presume there are plans for that. It would be done through An Post which is the contractor for its enforcement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: There are two strands to that. First, there is the broadcasting (amendment) Bill which has undergone pre-legislative scrutiny here and is now with the parliamentary draftsman. We hope to get a draft of that very soon. The second strand, which was on foot of this committee's report recommendations, is that a working group has been established on foot of a Government decision in July of this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: We can ask them to look at that as well. There is no difficulty about that and the terms of reference would allow for that to happen. It is grand talking about a notional mechanism to collect it but we want to see, in practical terms, what the most effective way is to collect the maximum amount of TV licence. The working group will report back to me by the end of March 2019, and I will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: And RTÉ.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: Senator McDowell is right that €52 billion is there. It is part of what we are looking at, with regard to whether there is a far more effective way of collecting it, in terms of the broadcasting (amendment) Bill. We will bring forward primary legislation on this issue. The working group is specifically looking at how we could implement in practical terms some of these measures. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: In fairness, the Senator did make that point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: Once the representations are made to the inspector and not the local Deputy, I do not mind.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: I am happy to take questions if that speeds up the process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: I believe that the figure to the end of June was over 600 pure EVs. I will get the Deputy the exact number, as I do not know it off the top of my head. It comprises of a combination of supports, including a €5,000 VRT relief and a €5,000 purchase grant. On top of this, every purchaser of a new EV or second-hand EV registered since 1 January of this year will be entitled to a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: There are two cohorts of people. There are many people for whom an EV would be suitable. In terms of the roadshow, we are working with staff in car sales and showrooms encouraging people to test drive an EV. For many people who commute to Dublin or other major towns, and some rural and provincial towns, an electric vehicle would be suitable. For Deputy Dooley and I, an electric vehicle,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: I will deal with the deep retrofit first. The big challenge for me at the moment is not actually more money. It is to actively encourage people to carry out these upgrades now. The other challenge is to get contractors to do it because many of the contractors are not prepared to get into this sector. We are going to see a significant ramp-up in the next few years in the funding that is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: I have not seen the paper; it has not come to me yet. The Deputy is right about a deep retrofit. What we are trying to do now is move away from carrying out small works on homes to ramping up the warmer homes scheme. We have also launched a pilot deep retrofit scheme for people who are not fuel poor to look at the type and scale of work that needs to be done on individual houses so that we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: I have had engagement with the Minister for Education and Skills as recently as the past ten days. It is something we want to see and schools are a good example of that. Through the SEAI, the Government is carrying retrofits of schools and the intention is that every public building will be retrofitted over the next decade as part of the NDP. It makes far more sense that as new public...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2018: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (2 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: Absolutely.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (3 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: The processing of rigid plastics, including separation and segregation, continues to improve across the industry. More recently, major investment in advanced optical separators by significant processors has improved the separation of black rigid plastics enhancing the potential for ultimate recycling of this material. The processing industry is also actively collaborating with the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Heat Incentive (3 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat has been developed to financially support the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System.   The first phase of the scheme, an installation grant for heat pumps, opened for applications on 12 September...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (3 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: In recognition of the economic benefits that data centres can bring to Ireland, the Government published a national policy statement on the strategic importance of data centres as part of Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy in July 2018. The Policy Statement strengthens the Strategic Policy Framework around the development of data centres in Ireland while taking account of wider energy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (3 Oct 2018)

Denis Naughten: In July 2018, I announced details of a new pilot scheme to support micro generation, initially targeting solar PV, homeowners and self-consumption. The data gathered during the pilot scheme will inform potential future phases of support for micro-generation in Ireland that may be appropriate, as we align with the ambition and requirements of the recast...