Results 2,581-2,600 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Senator Boyhan has proposed an amendment that suggests that it be a requirement for Dáil Éireann to refer a carbon budget to a joint committee to consider. My problem with that is that I do not feel it is appropriate for our legislation to legislate requirements on to one of the Houses of the Oireachtas. It is also a highly unusual thing to do. How the Oireachtas conducts its...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I am a little confused. I think amendment Nos. 101 to 103, inclusive, to which Senator Higgins was referring, are not grouped with amendments Nos. 96 to 98.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The membership of the Climate Change Advisory Council, CCAC, has changed greatly since the 2015 Act and there have already been appointments in that regard. Section 9 of the Act provides that the CCAC membership will have expertise in at least one of a number of areas of expertise relevant to the work of the CCAC. That list now includes climate science, transport, energy and agriculture...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The committees do not have a vote and their work will be taken forward by the council.

Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (1 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I was expecting other speakers.

Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (1 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I ask the Ceann Comhairle to bear with me for a minute.

Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (1 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." We are here today to discuss the legislation that will give effect to some of the decisions announced on 1 June as part of the Government's economic plan, which sets out a new phase of supports for this next stage of recovery as businesses reopen. In the past few weeks, it has been possible to ease restrictions as more and more citizens,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (1 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I refer to the reply to Question 31323 of 15 June 2021. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (30 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Question refers to a premises located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention. I appreciate people's frustration when they are living so close to a fibre network...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (29 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The question refers to a premises located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention. I appreciate people's frustration when they are living so close to a fibre...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (29 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, launched last September, sets out a clear roadmap for the introduction of a Deposit and Return Scheme (DRS) for plastic bottles and aluminium cans in the third quarter of 2022. This process began with the launch of a public consultation on the design of a DRS for Ireland in October 2020. A second consultation seeking views on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (29 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 80 together. While waste management planning, including with regard to infrastructure provision such as civic amenity sites, is the responsibility of local authorities under Part II of the Waste Management Act, 1996 (as amended), the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, which was launched by Minister Ryan in September 2020, contains a commitment...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (29 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The premises referred to in the question is located in the BLUE area on the National Broadband Plan (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 NBP  as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (29 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: In May 2020, ComReg issued a decision whereby eir was no longer required to publish a printed telephone directory.Eir had previously been designated by ComReg to do so under the Universal Service Regulations, 2011 (Electronic Communications). The designation required eir to provide printed directories on demand rather than mass printing and production. This obligation ceased on 31...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Funding (29 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 92 together. The Climate Action Fund was established on a statutory basis in 2020 to provide support for projects, initiatives and research that contribute to the achievement of Ireland’s climate and energy targets, and for projects and initiatives in regions of the State, and within sectors of the economy, impacted by the transition to a...

Seanad: Public Service Pay Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Leas-Chathaoirleach and the Senators have come all of this way so I believe I should say a quick few words. I thank all Members, both in the Dáil and in the Seanad, for helping this Bill to progress and to pass today. I particularly thank the Opposition for taking a co-operative approach. This Bill does not affect the conduct of industrial relations, nor does it place any...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Network (24 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. He will know the area better than I do. I take his point that there is a serious bottleneck and that Tipperary town needs a bypass. A bypass can, of course, be transformative. I know the Minister, Deputy Ryan, is keen to provide towns with that relief so that they do not have trucks and cars trundling through them and can instead become more vibrant. The Deputy is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Network (24 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I welcome this question. I understand the significance and I acknowledge the importance of these routes to the Deputy's county and to the public he represents. These routes are under consideration and have not been finalised, and this is the right time to raise these concerns. Once funding arrangements have been put in place through the Department of Transport under the Roads Act...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Environmental Policy (24 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I welcome the Deputy raising this matter. I agree with his assertion that it is possible to achieve both goals of maintaining a sustainable agrifood sector and achieving very ambitious carbon reductions. The programme for Government contains a commitment to an annual average 7% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to 2030, representing a 51% reduction over the decade. To meet these...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Environmental Policy (24 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I assure the Deputy that engagement is absolutely key and necessary, and that we cannot achieve what we are trying to do here without the engagement from the farmers. The farmers are the environmental experts. They have been watching climate change happening before their eyes. They know better than anyone else what is happening. They have also seen their incomes under threat. It is so...