Results 2,821-2,840 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (25 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Individual local authorities deal with cases of illegal disposal of waste in their areas and it is matter for them to take the appropriate enforcement actions. In this case, Dublin City Council (DCC) is responsible for enforcement of the Waste Management Act. The National Waste Enforcement Steering Committee (NWESC) has also provided assistance in bringing together different relevant NWESC...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (25 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70, 71 and 72 together. I propose to take Questions Nos 70 to 72, inclusive, and 140 together: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) which is located within my Department, acts as a central contact point in the event of a government or nation-wide cyber security incident affecting the State, including the provision of advisory notices to its core...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (25 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: An inter-Departmental Committee chaired by my Department oversees the implementation of the National Cyber Security Strategy 2019 - 2024. The Committee meets quarterly to review progress. Good progress is being made in delivering the 20 measures identified in the five-year strategy, with 6 measures completed by Q1 of this year. The majority of the other 14 measures are multi-year actions. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Regulatory Bodies (25 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: ComReg currently has a suite of enforcement and sanction powers available to it in regulating the telecommunications sector. Transposition of the European Electronic Communications Code, a new European regulatory framework will, inter alia,further ensure effective consumer protection and includes enforcement measures which should in turn further enhance competition and innovation. Against...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (25 May 2021)

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.From an initial check by my Department the indications are that this premises should have access to high speed broadband from commercial service providers with download speeds of up to 70 Mbps. The BLUE area represents...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Data (25 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: My Department implements a security-by-design and defence-in-depth approach to IT security. The Government’s services are still actively involved in managing and remediating the recent cyberattack on the HSE. Our technical staff continue to operate and monitor all relevant systems to the highest levels, and are closely engaged with experts in the OGCIO and the NCSC to ensure that we...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (25 May 2021)

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 the over 546,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools. The deployment plan...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (25 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Providing telecommunication services is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. As set out in the Programme for Government, ensuring access to high-quality internet connections for people across Ireland is essential to the development of all parts of our...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (25 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The costs of the required remediation works at Whitestown, and the timeframe for completion, are not yet known and are a matter for the Local Authority in the first instance. The issue raised is the subject of proceedings before the High Court and as such it would not be appropriate for me to make any further statement on the matter at this point.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (20 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy outlines the measures Ireland is taking under the Single Use Plastics Directive (EU 2019/904) and beyond to substantially reduce the amount of single use plastic items we use and to sustainably manage the waste arising from those we do. The Directive will be transposed by the deadline of 3rd July 2021 and from that date single use plastic...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (20 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: My Department implements a security-by-design and defence-in-depth approach to cyber security. The Government’s services are still actively involved in managing and remediating the recent cyberattack on the HSE. Our technical staff continue to operate and monitor all relevant systems to the highest levels, and are closely engaged with experts in the OGCIO and the NCSC to ensure that we...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Proposed Legislation (20 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The introduction of a Waste Management (Circular Economy) Bill is a commitment under the "Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy", published in September 2020. My Department is currently finalising the draft Heads of the Bill, after which I intend to seek Government approval to publish the General Scheme. On the issue of CCTV, it is the view of the Data Protection Commission (DPC) that,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Waste Management (19 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am answering this matter because the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, recently delegated authority over waste policy and the circular economy to me. I appreciate that the Deputy has had a long series of engagements on this issue and that it is not yet resolved. The waste management market in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Waste Management (19 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Deputy is correct that there is a Government decision from 2017. I am restating that. It is a problem that needs to be solved. My Department has been examining this issue in detail for some time and has engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representative organisations and the HSE, in an effort to see how best to support persons with long-term incontinence with respect to...

Recent Cyberattack and its Impact on the Health System: Statements (18 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I acknowledge that the Defence Forces are involved in this incident. Many members of the Defence Forces are involved in rebuilding these systems. I want to see the Defence Forces' role in military intelligence and cyber security strengthened. I would like to see whatever is necessary done to attract candidates to carry out those roles.

Recent Cyberattack and its Impact on the Health System: Statements (18 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: A risk analysis is carried out of all the major critical infrastructure bodies, especially the HSE because it is so large and vulnerable. At this stage, I will not publish the vulnerabilities of specific organisations, the measures that they were asked to do or whether they were carried out. That is because we have a live incident.

Recent Cyberattack and its Impact on the Health System: Statements (18 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: We will have a lot of time to investigate what actually happened.

Recent Cyberattack and its Impact on the Health System: Statements (18 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: We have had level 5 pandemic restrictions since the start of the year and are in the middle of a human virus crisis, and have now been hit with a computer virus crisis. It is important that this is done right. It will be difficult to publish it. Deputy Berry asked if we can publish this.

Recent Cyberattack and its Impact on the Health System: Statements (18 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Deputy will understand that I cannot publish the vulnerabilities of the critical infrastructure bodies in the country and say to the world that these are the places where these critical organisations are at the weakest, where they can easily attack.

Recent Cyberattack and its Impact on the Health System: Statements (18 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Deputy said at the start that she had no idea about this area. I think she has proven that.