Results 4,061-4,080 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bord na Móna (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I have recognised that much wider context as well. I have appointed a just transition commissioner in the person of Mr. Kieran Mulvey and I have given him a very wide brief in terms of the proposals announced in the budget around developing retrofitting opportunities, repurposing the public service obligation, PSO, to allow work occur on the bogs to do a high level of restoration of bogs so...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bord na Móna (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The just transition commission is not replicating the industrial relations service of the Workplace Relations Commission. In terms of what I am doing, for which I have obtained funding, I am putting in place a fund that can allow alternative developments to occur, including training for workers. I am also making sure that we repurpose the PSO so that we can continue to employ workers on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for the question. The focus of the climate action plan is on the sectors generating the major greenhouse gas emissions. These are agriculture, power generation, the energy use of buildings, transport, industrial processes and resource-use by all sectors. The plan has identified the policies that can deliver change at least cost and offering most opportunity. More...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electric Vehicles (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I will get the list for the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electric Vehicles (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I will find out.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electric Vehicles (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I agree. The planning system already provides certain conditionality. New buildings with ten parking positions must have a charger. From 2025, every building that has 20 parking places will need to have a charger. The Deputy has proposed that we make a change in respect of service stations. I think many of them are planning the installation of these facilities. I suppose this has been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The national broadband plan is the Government's plan to roll out high-speed broadband to the 1.1 million people who live and work in almost 540,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms and 695 schools, where commercial operators will not commit to deliver the service. The contract to deliver this service was signed on 19 November. Work will begin immediately. A...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I agree that the future potential of this technology is way beyond the benefit-to-cost ratios we use. It was estimated that there would be a 4% rate of participation in remote working, but we heard this morning that the rate is already 10% and is growing rapidly. I think that will be really valuable for people. It will allow companies to move to more regional locations because they will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I will have to get the Deputy a separate briefing on this matter. I presume it is tied up with the licence issued by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to the relevant local station. I do not know what is the process for amending a licence. I will revert to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bord na Móna (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that I have met representatives of the Bord na Móna workers on a number of occasions in recent months. I met the workers most recently on 11 November last, when myself and a number of my Cabinet colleagues visited the Lough Boora Discovery Park and Lough Ree power station. I also met Mr. Tom Donnellan, who is the CEO of Bord na Móna, and Mr. Pat O'Doherty, who...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government is committed to leading the way in reducing all single-use plastics and is working at national and European level to tackle the problem. In this regard, the Government has agreed that Departments and bodies will no longer purchase single-use plastic cups, cutlery and straws. We have also strongly supported new EU legislation on single-use plastics, which will ban straws,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I agree with the Deputy and that was one of the reasons we included other requirements of public bodies, in addition to banning single-use plastics. I refer to the inclusion of a report by the end of this year on resource use in areas such as water waste and energy. It is important that public bodies start to think about how they can reduce the extent to which their staff, clients or...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electric Vehicles (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Under the first call for applications from the climate action fund, funding of €10 million is being provided to the ESB to develop a nationwide, state-of-the-art electric vehicle charging network. The ESB is matching that with €10 million in funding. The project includes the installation of 140 fast chargers and consists of 90 150 kW chargers, each capable of charging two...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electric Vehicles (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The information I have is that there are 22 standard charge points and four fast chargers, including non-ESB units, in Meath now. Regarding the roll-out of the project, I announced the funding and the roll-out is now proposed, with that provisional map. Of the 90 fast chargers, 45 will be put in place in 2020 and we currently have 98 50 kW chargers. That number will increase to 52 in 2020....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Natural Gas Imports (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am undertaking an evaluation of the role that gas should have, in particular LNG. In the interim, I have signalled very clearly that the Government will not support such a project in any way. However, being able to stop a private sector project going through the planning process is not a power available to the Government, nor is the power to block its importation. I understand that is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Natural Gas Imports (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Smith is very flaithiúlacht when she throws out accusations that I am useless. The truth is that I was the first Minister to put in place a climate action plan which will see us move from a figure of 30% of renewables and is putting State money into building interconnectors, facilitating additional wind farms and solar capacity to make our power clean, helping homeowners to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Island Communities (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Connolly for raising the issue. The interdepartmental committee on island development is the first cross-Government policy developed for the islands in 23 years and will set a roadmap for the long-term sustainability and development of our offshore communities. Our coastal islands are an integral part of our cultural heritage. Island communities need to continue to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Island Communities (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I can only respond in respect of my remit. I outlined two significant contributions my Department has made, including rolling out high-speed broadband to every home on the islands. In the interim we are installing broadband connection points which will be hubs located on specific islands. We are also proposing to increase the number of sustainable energy communities from 300 to 1,500....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Island Communities (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I will ask my Department to furnish a report to the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. I understand there is a consultation process which I am sure will shed light on the expectations from each Department. The Deputy seems to be belittling the fact that Tory Island, Inishbofin and so on will have broadband connection points before the end of next year. They will be furnished...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Quality (28 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is wrong to suggest there are no subsidies to encourage people to move away from fossil fuels. There are substantial subsidies for the move to electric vehicles, insulation, the upgrading of homes, the fitting of heat pumps and other measures that would substantially reduce reliance on fossil fuel. The subsidies are in place and have been substantially expanded in the budget. ...