Results 3,261-3,280 of 6,615 for speaker:Seán Kyne

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Telecommunications Services Provision (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: A black spot pilot project has been undertaken by the Department in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Change and Environment, mobile telephony operators and several local authorities. This is a significant step in identifying problem areas and any infrastructure which could potentially be used to improve mobile coverage. New technologies are being explored such as,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Charities Regulation (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: 7 o’clock I thank the Deputy for his comments. Clearly, issues regarding public confidence have arisen in some charities in recent times, as the Deputy rightly stated, but charities do a lot of very important work on behalf of this country. It is only right and proper to ensure they are all acting above board in performing their duties. This is why the legislation was...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Charities Regulation (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: I concur that there has been public concern over the rates of pay for some CEOs in the charity sector. It has caused disquiet over recent years. The regulator regulates in respect of a number of areas. I will confirm its responsibility in regard to rates of pay for the Deputy. The charities have boards of governors and terms and conditions, and they publish their accounts. I know from...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Charities Regulation (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: The Charities Regulator, the Charities Regulatory Authority, was established on 16 October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. Responsibility for the oversight of the regulator transferred to my Department on its establishment in July 2017 and to me in the delegation of functions in September. The general function of the regulator is to regulate charitable...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Western Development Commission (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: I thank the three Deputies for their questions. I congratulate Deputy McLoughlin on all the good news for the Sligo area. As he knows, I have been a strong advocate of the prioritisation and categorisation of Sligo as a driving force for the north west in draft plans which have been published. Clearly, it is lacking and it is important that Sligo is designated as a growth centre. Other...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Western Development Commission (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: I have no firm commitment at this stage but, as I said, I have been in consultation with the Ministers to whom the Deputy referred and the Taoiseach. The former Minister of State, Deputy Canney, has also been in contact with the Taoiseach and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, and will be again in the coming weeks. It is important there is support for this across the House. Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Western Development Commission (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: I understand it is closer to €20 million.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: I agree. The possible threat posed by and impact of Brexit across all sectors are well known and have been well documented. One could argue that at this stage the Irish Government is better prepared for Brexit than the United Kingdom Government. Even in advance of the referendum result in 2016, work was being done within government. The Joint Committee on European Affairs, of which I am a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: There has been a lot of progress, particularly at the last Council meeting before Christmas. The negotiations advanced to stage 2, yet reflected the very important position the Irish Government had taken on the Border issue. It was hugely important to the country and our role in trying to promote and support the retention of all of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, within the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Western Development Commission (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 55 together. The Western Development Commission, WDC, was established on a statutory basis in 1999 as part of a response to the severe population decline in the western region at the time. The remit of the commission is to promote the economic and social development of the western region, covering counties Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: My colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, has the primary responsibility for leading on Brexit negotiations. My Department is contributing to discussions and providing policy advice relevant to its remit, as and when required. The comprehensive document Ireland and the negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the European Union: The Government’s...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charities Regulation (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: Responsibility for the Charities Regulatory Authority was assigned to the Minister for Rural and Community Development in July 2017 and was delegated to me, as Minister of State, in September last. I met with both the Chairperson and the CEO of the Charities Regulatory Authority on the assumption of this responsibility. In addition, I am advised that there have...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: The Programme for Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development both contain a commitment to progress the concept of an Atlantic Economic Corridor.  The concept was proposed in February 2016 by a group involving a number of Chambers of Commerce in the Western region and the American Chambers of Commerce of Ireland. The overarching objective of the Atlantic...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries Stocks (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has in place a standard operating procedure for stock management operations, including pike management, where such management activities are deemed necessary. The standard operating procedure outlines methods, equipment, health and safety requirements among other issues.  The procedure would be followed in the event of any IFI stock management operation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries Stocks (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is the statutory authority for the legislation governing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) including aquatic species.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fisheries Protection (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1275 and 1276 together. I recognise fully the difficulty faced by eel fishermen.  However, there is no property right attaching to public eel licences and, consequently, the issue of compensation does not arise.  Notwithstanding this, criteria for a potential support measure for former licenced eel fishermen are being examined. Ireland’s Eel...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Exploration Licences Applications (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1315 and 1324 together. A total of 28 Licensing Options were awarded following on the outcome of the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round. The term of these Licensing Options ends between 28 February 2018 and 30 June 2019. In addition the period of Licensing Option 16/15 in the North Celtic Basin ends on 30 April 2018. The position in respect of these...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Offshore Exploration (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1316, 1329 and 1330 together. There have been no commercial discoveries of oil to date in the Irish offshore. Any estimation of the cost of extracting oil from a particular location in the Irish offshore would depend on consideration of a wide range of variables including the size of the discovery, the nature of the oil...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Offshore Exploration (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: The Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006 provides for the making directly to An Bord Pleanála rather than to local authorities of applications for planning permission in respect of certain proposed developments of strategic importance to the State. This encompasses certain elements of a petroleum development as set out hereunder. Where a person...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Offshore Exploration (16 Jan 2018)

Seán Kyne: To date one hundred and sixty exploration and appraisal wells have been drilled in the Irish Offshore and have resulted in four commercial gas discoveries (Kinsale Head, Ballycotton, Seven Heads, in the Kinsale area, and Corrib gas fields) but no commercial oil discoveries. Proven reserves for these gas fields total approximately three trillion cubic...