Results 1,841-1,860 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Senator mentioned she had spoken to the Department of Finance. I clarified that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has responsibility and that the OPW is the section of that Department which deals with this. Second, a company can be restored for up to 20 years after dissolution. That is the reason the State is reluctant to carry out any development or works on bits of land...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Road Tolls (22 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Minister for Transport has the responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for TII in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Road Tolls (22 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator. I appreciate his point that if the toll is set too high, it could lead to traffic entering city centres. Unfortunately, I was not at the Cabinet meeting today to know whether a decision was taken or whether there was a discussion on this, but I will update the Senator on the matter later today. The Government has identified transport as an area to target for...

Communications Regulation Bill 2022: Instruction to Committee (24 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I move: That, pursuant to Standing Order 233, Standing Order 187 is modified to provide that it be an instruction to the Committee to which the Communications Regulation Bill 2022 may be recommitted in respect of certain amendments that: the Committee has the power to make amendments to the Bill which are outside the existing subject matter of the Bill, in relation to: i. the Digital...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (22 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together. 183 and 184 together. Since September 2021, all plastic packaging, including soft plastics, may now be placed in the mixed dry recycling bin.Full details on what packaging materials may be recycled are available at the MyWaste.ie website.  -All packaging being placed on the market must be reusable or recyclable by 2030....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (22 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The premises referred to in the Question is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High-Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high-speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (29 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am advised by NBI that, as of 18 November 2022, over 107,400 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 25 counties, with over 95,700 premises passed across 25 counties and available for immediate connection. Construction is underway across 26 counties demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. To date, the level of connections...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (30 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 18 November 2022, over 107,400 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 25 counties, with over 95,700 premises passed across 25 counties and available for immediate connection. Construction is underway across 26 counties demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. To date, the level of...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I have a proposal for three Supplementary Estimates in respect of Votes 12, 14 and 17. The first is a net Supplementary Estimate of €79 million in respect of Vote 12, superannuation and retired allowances, the second is a Supplementary Estimate of €220,000 in respect of Vote 14, State Laboratory, and the third is a Supplementary Estimate of €479,000 in respect of Vote...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: On the State Laboratory, the Supplementary Estimate is simply to provide more money for electricity and gas costs because the State Laboratory has increased energy costs as a result of its laboratory equipment use. The Deputy asked me whether there is sufficient money in the budget to meet the staff costs and staff resources. There is so we have no expectation that we need more money to...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I believe my Department wrote to the committee previously about report No. 42 and my officials are happy to update the information by writing to the committee again. The Supplementary Estimate is required because there is a variable period of time over which one can choose to retire. The result is one can choose to retire up to the age of 70 or 60, or even before that. Therefore, it is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (6 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.I am advised by National...

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Higgins for her considered amendment. I know she is trying to do the right thing, that her heart is in the right place, and that she put a lot of work into this. I am not opposing this amendment. I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senators. I agree that the earlier the criteria are introduced, the more likely they are to happen and the more cost-effective they will be. That applies to ecodesign as well. We need to think about it right at the start. It is not the icing on the cake at the end; something that we add on that then does not fit because it has been designed for something else. That applies to...

Nationalisation of Energy System: Motion [Private Members] (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government is keenly aware of the growing pressures that families and businesses are under, and Budget 2023 announced a package of support measures amounting to €2.5 billion, including a lump-sum payment for recipients of the Fuel Allowance and a...

Nationalisation of Energy System: Motion [Private Members] (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am glad to hear them. It is certainly better than what we heard yesterday, which I felt was an entirely negative attack on one man over housing policy. Today at least we have some proposals to discuss. Deputy Boyd Barrett stated that nationalisation is an absolute must. That is the core of what this motion is about. We have a lot of involvement from the public sector in the energy...

Nationalisation of Energy System: Motion [Private Members] (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: We have a lot of electricity generation, distribution, transmission and the future of renewable generation being built by State-owned entities. At the same time there are also some private entities involved. Bord na Móna is going to try to build a wind farm off the coast of Dún Laoghaire and Wicklow. I hope it succeeds. I will be working through the process and seeing what is...

Nationalisation of Energy System: Motion [Private Members] (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Government is aware of the growing pressures on families and businesses. The most immediate factor affecting electricity prices in Ireland has of course been the invasion of Ukraine. In response to rising electricity and gas prices in the EU, the European Commission has put in place a number of measures available to member states to mitigate the impact of the energy price rises on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 185 together.A public consultation on the draft regulations to introduce a levy on single use disposable cups was recently carried out by my Department. A Regulatory Impact Analysis accompanying the consultation cited independent nationally representative surveys which report a high rate of public approval for a single use disposal cup levy. The RIA...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I refer to the reply to Question No 113 of 20th September 2022. The position is unchanged.