Results 3,241-3,260 of 4,339 for speaker:Seán Canney

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Innovation Programme (2 Apr 2019)

Seán Canney: The Digital Innovation Programme was launched in the second half of 2018. All Local Authorities were invited by my Department to apply for funding under two calls for proposals last year. This resulted in 36 valid applications progressing to evaluation stage, and 21 projects being approved for funding. In addition, a number of Local Authorities submitted applications that were not deemed...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Scheme to Support National Organisations (2 Apr 2019)

Seán Canney: The Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector (SSNO) is a key element of my Department's support for the role of the sector in contributing to the development of strong and vibrant civil society and in improving outcomes for those most disadvantaged. The scheme provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of national organisations in the sector,...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Further Revised) (2 Apr 2019)

Seán Canney: The aim of programme D is to manage Ireland's mineral, hydrocarbon and other geological resources in a sustainable and productive manner. Funding under this programme allows my Department to provide reliable geoscience support for environmental protection and the sustainable development of Ireland's natural resources and to address the health and safety implications of certain historical...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Further Revised) (2 Apr 2019)

Seán Canney: The proposed allocation of an additional €1.398 million is made up of €665,000 for pay and pensions to bridge the gap between actual pay costs in Inland Fisheries Ireland and the amount Exchequer has allocated, €355,000 to pay for increases to staff and pensioners under the public service stability agreement 2018 to 2020, €85,000 for additional staff for the Loughs...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exploration Licences Approvals (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: First, the children who marched last week were marching in support of the recommendations and proposals of the Citizens' Assembly and not just in respect of the Bill to which Deputy Smith referred.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exploration Licences Approvals (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: My last point is that meeting our goals will require a revolution in how we live and work. That is going to cost money. Deputy Smith should not pretend that there is a set of easy choices which the Government can adopt that will have no impact on how people live.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exploration Licences Approvals (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: If Deputies are serious about tackling climate disruption, then they should put forward suggestions that will actually have an impact and reduce emissions.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exploration Licences Approvals (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: How does the Deputy propose to fund the decarbonisation of our energy system? Will she outline a plan to increase the use of renewals in heat? When she spoke of free public transport, how is that going to be funded?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exploration Licences Applications (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: The application has been made and is going through due process at the moment. I reiterate that if we are to transition to a low-carbon economy, it is expected that we will require significantly reduced fossil fuels for some time to come. Until we get there, we will still need to have fossil fuels for our families, farmers and businesses. We envisage that exploration will continue to have a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exploration Licences Applications (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: I agree that the future should be carbon free. The Citizens' Assembly did not recommend banning oil and gas exploration. There has been no change. The Joint Committee on Climate Action is considering the options for reducing emissions. I repeat that the Bill about which the Deputy has spoken would not reduce our emissions. Instead, it would make us more dependent on imported natural gas....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exploration Licences Approvals (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: Much of what I have to say in response to this question involves repeating what I said in response to Question No. 57. The challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is well understood by the Government. We are fully committed to moving away from the use of fossil fuels in electricity, heat and transport. We are making progress. In 2017, 30% of our electricity came from renewable...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exploration Licences Approvals (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: I remind the House of the actions the Government is taking in respect of climate change. It is important to say at the very start that I do not disagree with the Deputy's assertion that we need to change. It is a question of how we change and how we transition. That is the key to this issue. The Minister is working on the preparation of an all-of-Government climate action plan, which will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Exploration Licences Applications (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: An application from Cnooc Petroleum Europe Limited, which was previously known as Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd., to drill in the Porcupine Basin was submitted on 14 November 2018. The application was posted on the Department's website for public consultation and no decision has been made. Exxon Mobil has a 50% non-operating interest in the licence. An application is considered against a range of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Post Office Network (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: In September 2017 the Labour Court issued a recommendation on a 2% pay increase from July 2017 in An Post. The payment was conditional on the achievement of necessary cost savings. As I said, one of the requirements was the closure of a mail centre. There are four mail centres. There is one each in Athlone, Cork, Dublin and Portlaoise. No decision has been made on which centre will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Post Office Network (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: I re-emphasise that this is an operational issue. What the Deputy has said about the increase in the parcel business is good news. With our strategic plan, An Post has turned itself into a company that is moving forward and developing new business. It has been and will be strategic in its approach and the decisions it will make on the mail centre. It will do so in its best interests to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Post Office Network (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to deliver a postal delivery service and a viable post office network. It is also designated as the sole universal service provider under the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011 which requires it to, among other matters, fulfil the universal service obligation of a five-day-per-week delivery service. Operational...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Exploration Licences (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: On 14 November 2018, my Department received an application from CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited (formerly known as Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited) to drill an exploratory well within Frontier Exploration Licence 3/18 in the Porcupine Basin. The Licence is operated by CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited and ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Ireland (Offshore South) Limited has a 50% non-operating...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: River Basin Management Plans (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: Ameliorative works to Fermoy weir are entirely the responsibility of Cork County Council as owners of the infrastructure. My Department and its agency Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) have no function in the issue of ameliorative works to Council owned property and have not been engaged in discussion with the Council in this regard. For clarity I can confirm that my Department and IFI have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Salmon Hardship Scheme (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: I refer to reply to Question No. 246 of 6 March 2019. The position is unchanged.

Gnó Comhaltaí Príobháideacha - Private Members' Business - Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Motion (26 Mar 2019)

Seán Canney: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. We have heard a range of views on the clear need for action on climate change. Much of it chimes with the recent messages from our young students and their demands for action from us. Regardless of one's position on this Bill, we are moving in the right direction by spending more of our time discussing these matters. As the Minister of...