Results 4,181-4,200 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The contract awarded to National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is for the sale of wholesale broadband services only in the designated areas. As the network is built consumers will be notified that they can order from their broadband service provider of choice, such as eir, Sky, Vodafone, or a local broadband provider. The price that NBI can charge for connecting each home or business and the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Incentives (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat has been developed to financially support the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System. The first phase of the scheme, an installation grant for heat pumps, opened for applications in September 2018. Following EU...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The full National Broadband contract, redacted for commercial sensitivity, will be published in due course on my Department's website.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 397 together. I refer the Deputies to the replies to Questions No.58 of 16 October. The position is unchanged. The government does not publish advice which has been received from the Attorney General.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) contract, which was signed on 19 November, sets out the communication and demand stimulation requirements that must be undertaken as part of the contract. These include the development and implementation of communications campaigns and initiatives to maximise awareness and demand on the network. NBI is obliged to execute these communications plans before,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: There is a generous range of supports available to incentivise the purchase of electric vehicles. In order to qualify for the electric vehicle purchase grant, the electric vehicle must be classified as M1 (passenger vehicle) or N1 (light commercial vehicle). Electric mini diggers are not eligible for this grant and my Department has no plans to extend the grant to include them. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I have overall responsibility for national policy in the energy sector. This includes policy in relation to energy security, which is fully aligned with EU law and EU policy objectives. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has statutory functions relating to energy security, for both gas and electricity, and is independent in the exercise of its functions. These include functions...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: 5G is the next generation of mobile communications and has the potential to deliver hugely enhanced connectivity. The potential health impacts of exposure to non-ionising radiation are addressed in a substantial volume of internationally recognised scientific research and evidence. This includes the guidelines set down by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Chairman for accommodating this meeting. I know the committee has had a long day. This is essentially a token Supplementary Estimate to create a new subhead, F12 just transition, under which the €6 million allocated in the budget for the just transition fund will be paid. The early establishment of the subhead will facilitate expenditure from the just transition fund to...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The way in which we approached developing a climate action plan was very much a conscious one. When I took on this post, I was very conscious that high ambition had been set in the past and it had not delivered, so we needed a different foundation. That foundation was provided initially by the Citizens' Assembly and then by the work of the Oireachtas, in which I know the Chairman was...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: First, the Deputy should not have the impression that there was no anticipation. For example, on the regional enterprise strategy, in my previous role I set up the concept of having regional enterprise plans and, at the heart of that, was the just transition. That was in place long before this particular problem. The regional skills forums are also established and they recognise this is a...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The cost is approximately €20,000 per home. This is not solely about grant aid to local authorities to retrofit social housing. It is expected that approximately 1,000 houses will be retrofitted but this is only the spine of what we are doing. In conjunction with this, we are doubling the warmer homes budget to ensure that not only social housing but a mix of housing is upgraded,...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: That is a fair point.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: All of the €31 million is new money. There is no roll-over. The €20 million is allocated through the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, as opposed to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The Deputy will be aware that another element of the just transition is the doubling of the warmer homes allocation for poorer families. That...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The just transition commissioner will liaise directly with me. We will seek to work with communities. I have already met a number of communities on projects they believe are ready and relevant. We need to sift through those projects.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department will administer the fund in the same manner as it administers the allocation under the climate action fund. In regard to applications and selection criteria, Mr. Kieran Mulvey will have a particular role in that regard. Payments will issue on foot of a valuation of the projects brought forward.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: This is an additional resource.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Yes, it is. It is not the only area in which the SEAI is expanding in that we are also expanding the warmer homes scheme. It is a challenge to design a new programme. I recognise that and I have asked the Secretary General of my Department to chair the group that is seeking to design a model that will scale up delivery. We have been working on the basis of largely individual applications...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, which is a long-established body, worked for years with all of the social partners involved. It has an established track record and an established administration. It also has experience in dealing in innovative ways and providing guidance to not only Government but all of the partners on how to be innovative and respond to change. I saw the...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government made a decision to allocate additional resources to fund the national broadband plan. The previous €116 billion programme is now €119 billion but none of this will impact on any of the other funds.