Results 17,181-17,200 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: In responding, Dr. O'Connor might pick up on the initial comment by Senator Garvey that she worked remotely for 14 years and the issue of loneliness. There are many advantages to these digital hubs. Deputy Ó Cathasaigh asked if they would go out of fashion. If a person is working at home alone, it is lonely. There is an attractiveness and advantage in having access to a digital hub...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: Could the information that was given to the broadband officers be circulated to the committee?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I will make a comment on Senator Wall's remarks. If someone can get coverage outside, it shows the problem is not the mobile phone coverage, but, as Dr. O'Connor said, one of insulation or the thickness of the house. Returning to Senator Garvey's comment on 5G, that is an even bigger problem inside because that frequency does not go through the insulation or thick walls so as the technology...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: Or with a bed either, I am sure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: It might have helped if the Government before last did not sell off some of the State mobile infrastructure that was owned by Coillte.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I think so, definitely, and ComReg also.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I hope there is one of those specific pilots close to home now, or put on the list anyway.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: From a capacity point of view it should not be a problem, but from an audio and interference perspective there are headsets and microphones to deal with that. One could not deal with such capacity using just speakers on a laptop, and the person would need to have a headset and a microphone. I presume that would be a protocol issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: If it is a parliamentary party meeting one would just be better off inviting a journalist in so that he or she could record it accurately. I have some questions for Dr. O'Connor. I will bring him back to the mobile phone and broadband task force. I was very surprised to see this particular task force put into abeyance at the start of the year. As Dr. O'Connor is aware, many of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I have a suggestion for something it can put at the top of its agenda. During the recent lockdown, one of our networks went down every second day. Either a fixed broadband or mobile network went down every second day over the last six weeks. That should be at the top of the agenda and I cannot believe that the task force has not been re-established. Dr. O'Connor can take that back to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I appreciate that. When I was a Minister, I brought all Deputies and Senators to a room here in Leinster House and explained this issue to them. However, it has not been reported back that way. Both Departments have been putting this out into the public domain, as have I, but it is not getting traction. My point is that a proactive approach must be taken urgently before these homes are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I thank Dr. O'Connor for his time. I also thank Mr. O'Brien, on whom we did not exert a huge amount of pressure. A number of important issues have been raised. The committee needs to hear from ComReg, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and National Broadband Ireland in regard to some of the issues that members raised. We will revisit this issue and we will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: Ireland’s 70-year history of generating electricity from peat will come to an end in just 15 days. As Minister responsible for energy, I was instrumental in bringing about a transition from peat but, under my plan, there was to be an orderly winding down of peat harvesting up to 2026. In the next 15 days, however, two of the biggest peat-fired power plants in the world will stop...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Tánaiste for his response. The reality is that €38 is being wasted in lost operational capacity for every single family in this country, who will be paying for it through their electricity bills. There are also the demolition costs of the two power plants and the replacement electricity reinforcement costs. All of those costs will be footed by families throughout...

Finance Bill 2020: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I will be brief. I wish to raise two points with the Minister. The first is dance groups around the country. We were lucky during the recent lockdown that children were at least able to train outdoors for sport, but a lot of young people do not get involved in sport and, for them, dance is a very important physical activity, especially from a mental health as well as a physical health...

Finance Bill 2020: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I hope we get an opportunity later to speak on the substantive amendments that would make a difference in the midlands. I will not go over the carbon tax because we discussed it at length on Committee Stage. I have a specific question for the Minister. The bands used here are related to the bands for vehicle registration tax, VRT. There are 11 bands in place for VRT at present and with...

Finance Bill 2020: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: I welcome this initiative and thank the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon. It is timely and welcome. It hope it will have a positive impact on many farms across the country. I ask the Minister of State if he will do two things for me regarding the work he has done for the Minister for Finance. Will he chat with the Ministers for Finance and Health about some of the 1,500...

Finance Bill 2020: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: Our amendments Nos. 73 and 75 relate specifically to the application of carbon tax to agricultural diesel. We had a very detailed discussion on Committee Stage regarding the broad thrust of carbon taxes. However, in the case of the agricultural sector, there is no alternative available because farmers in Ireland do not have electric tractors. The whole objective behind carbon taxes is to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (3 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: 133. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps he is taking to take children out of the direct provision system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40439/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff (3 Dec 2020)

Denis Naughten: 335. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to reopen the rolling recruitment campaign for staff nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40849/20]