Results 1,861-1,880 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

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

Ossian Smyth: A national Deposit Return Scheme was launched on the 28th November this year and will become operational to the public from February 2024.Deposit Return Schemes encourage people to return empty drinks containers for recycling. They work by charging anyone who buys a drink a small deposit for the plastic bottle or can that it comes in. They get this money back when they...

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

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) state led intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract, signed in November 2019 and which came into effect in January 2020, 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...

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

Ossian Smyth: Under the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009, the burning of household, garden, commercial or industrial waste is not permitted. An exemption under the legislation, which has allowed farmers, as a last resort following strict application of the waste hierarchy, to dispose of waste generated by agricultural practices by burning has been extended on...

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

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together.Strategic Connection Points (SCPs) are a key element of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. My Department has now prioritised primary schools with no high speed broadband and continues to work with the Department of Education in this...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Inland Fisheries (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputies. I welcome the opportunity to once again set out the factual position on these matters. I can advise that a number of protected disclosures, mostly anonymous, have been made on IFI to the Department and to IFI itself. These disclosures are being examined in line with the protected disclosure policy of the Department and the equivalent policy of IFI, as appropriate. It...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Inland Fisheries (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I acknowledge the strength of feeling from all three Deputies, that they are from different constituencies and that they mean what they say. I should be clear that the process is by no means over. There are a number of Garda investigations ongoing and the latest protected disclosures on IFI, which were mostly anonymously made, are still being examined. The Department has to follow due...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: This is the third year in a row in which I am presenting the Bill and I am pleased to do so in Seanad Éireann today. The Bill is a key component of the annual budgetary process that must be concluded by both Houses of the Oireachtas before the end of the year. While it is a technical item of legislation, it is one of fundamental importance. It serves two key purposes. First, it is...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Buttimer for his kind words on my precarious position. I believe what will happen if a new Taoiseach is appointed, and presumably he or she will be, is that I will cease to be a Minister of State at that point. I will start by addressing the points made by Senator Kyne. He mentioned the public spending code. There has to be a balance between the number of stages that it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: There are 81,507 premises located in County Cork that will be passed by National Broadband Ireland, NBI, with high-speed gigabit fibre broadband as part of the State intervention under the national broadband plan, NBP. NBI has advised that 15,711 premises in Cork are passed by the NBP high-speed fibre broadband network and are available for immediate connection. Some 11,196 premises were...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The first question is on how many schools have not been connected. I do not have this data to hand but the final schools to be connected across the entire country are to be completed by June 2023. The next question was on the number of homes that Eir will not connect, because they are in the intervention area, or is "not allowed to" connect as the Deputy said. Eir can connect a home...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: There is a financial disincentive to connect within a rural area for a commercial operator. It is because it has to compete with a State-subsidised provider. National Broadband Ireland has to provide 25 years of fibre broadband to people for the same price in a rural area as it would cost them in an urban area and we have State-aid approval from the EU to do that because of the market...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The architecture of the network design for the national broadband plan is specifically based on the design of the National Broadband Ireland network coming from the Open Eir exchanges or the metropolitan area networks managed by Eir. It is based on an engineering design that allows NBI to get to every premises as quickly and as efficiently as possible working within the confines of how fibre...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: In keeping with our Programme for Government commitment, the Government is introducing a deposit return scheme in Ireland in respect of plastic bottles and aluminium cans. The Scheme will help ensure that we meet our legal obligations under the Single Use Plastics Directive to collect 90% of plastic bottles for recycling by 2029 and incorporate recycled plastic to a minimum of 30% in all...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: There are 22,793 premises in County Longford and 45,599 in County Westmeath of which 8,957 in Longford and 11,983 in Westmeath are within the National Broadband Plan Intervention Area and will receive access to high speed broadband under the NBP. Government investment in County Longford through the NBP will be in the order of €34 million and for Westmeath €46 million. NBI...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Recognising the strategic importance of cyber security for Ireland's peace, security, resilience and prosperity, the Government has prioritised investment in Ireland’s cybersecurity most notably in its investment in the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The NCSC plays an important role in providing advice and guidance to public bodies and critical infrastructure, monitoring and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 2 December 2022, over 112,200 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 25 counties, with over 101,700 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Programme for Government (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The ambition of the Government with respect to digital connectivity is set out in the national digital strategy, Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework that was published earlier this year. The strategy is aimed at driving and enabling the digital transition across the Irish economy and society. This high-level framework in the strategy sets out a pathway to support...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 120 and 143 together. In keeping with our Programme for Government commitment, the Government is introducing a deposit return scheme in respect of plastic bottles and aluminium cans. The Scheme will help us meet our obligations under the Single Use Plastics Directive to collect 90% of plastic bottles by 2029 and incorporate recycled plastic to a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 166 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 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 NBI...