Results 4,221-4,240 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Waste Management (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising his concerns about this. My Department seeks to promote wide stakeholder participation in policy development and is always open to improving those consultations and to suggestions from the Deputy or others. The Bill to which the Deputy refers was first published in mid-2017, which was before my time in this office. It provided for prohibiting the sale or free...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Waste Management (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The point of consultation is to get both sides of the argument and bring them to bear. It is not to hear only one side of the argument. There is an obligation on us to make massive changes in the way we manage resources, but we must also take their cost implications into account. The Deputy was keen to have a deposit and return scheme established, but there was evidence which the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I assure the House that at every step in this process, we have been meticulous in ensuring that the public interest is protected. It was natural, at the signing of such an important contract, that we would have senior officials present who were involved in the development of the initiative.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: On my recommendation, the Government approved the go-ahead for the project yesterday. This is a significant project for rural Ireland.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: A significant decision was made by the Government yesterday to sign a contract which will help to ensure that people in rural Ireland have access to high-speed broadband on the same basis as do people in urban communities. Signing the contract was an important event. In every interaction with those who are tendering for such a project, a Minister will, of course, be accompanied by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Aviation Industry (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 to 246, inclusive, together. The European Commission publishes an annual list of aircraft operators attributed to each EU Member State. The list for 2019 can be found here: The European Commission also publishes a “Verified Emissions” report each year which details the aircraft operators registered in each Member State that fall and do not...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Mr. Kieran Mulvey has been appointed as Ireland's first Just Transition Commissioner. The Commissioner will help ensure a co-ordinated and effective approach to a Just Transition for communities and workers affected by the imminent ending of peat harvesting for power generation in the Midlands region. The Terms of Reference for the Just Transition Commissioner set out that the secretariat...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Providing adequate charging infrastructure is critical to ensure the continued growth in the uptake of electric vehicles. Businesses can already avail of accelerated capital allowances for the purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure on their premises. This enables businesses to invest in energy efficient equipment, including electric charging infrastructure,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Expenditure (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. Following a competitive procurement process my Department awarded a contract to Vodafone in 2011 to supply mobile voice and data services and associated products. The contract is currently operated on a rolling month by month basis. It is intended to run a mini competition...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Service Obligation Levy (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The support scheme for use of biomass in electricity generation, REFIT3, runs until 2030. Both of the ESB-owned Midlands electricity generation stations, West Offaly Power and Lough Ree Power, and the Bord na Móna-owned plant at Edenderry were allocated support for fuelling the plants with up to 30% biomass. Bord na Móna currently co-fires its plant with 30% biomass. Due to the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Data (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The following sets out the number of staff currently serving in my Department by grade and gender: Grade Male Female Secretary General 1 0 Assistant Secretary 4 1 Principal Officer 27 15 Assistant Principal 67 46 Administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Advisers Data (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following tables: Minister Denis Naughten Name Commencement Cessation Suzie Coogan 27/06/2016 12/10/2018 Ross Elwood 13/06/2016 31/03/2018 Jean Andrews 23/05/2018 12/10/2018 Minister Richard Bruton ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Data (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department received one complaint pursuant to the Dignity at Work Policy in 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers a number of schemes on behalf of my Department which are aimed at supporting householders to retrofit their homes. Approximately €100 million has been allocated to these schemes in 2019. An overview of what is available is set out below. The Better Energy Homes Scheme provides grants covering up to 30% of the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Recruitment (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following table. Grade Estimated Gross Annual Salary Cost (1st Point of PPC Scale ) No. of Grade Total Gross Cost Petroleum Exploration Specialists €78,790.00 3 €236,370 My Department does not currently have Petroleum Exploration Specialists...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Data (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: There have been no employees dismissed or suspended by my Department from 2016 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Expenditure (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Expenditure by my Department on public relations, promotion and advertising on the National Development Plan as part of Project Ireland 2040, is detailed by category in the table below: Expenditure from February 2018 to date Amount (incl. VAT) Creative Design and Production Fees €13,583 Video Production and Design ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together. The National Broadband Plan is the government’s plan to rollout high speed broadband to the 1.1 million people living and working in the nearly 540,000 premises including 100,000 businesses and farms, and over 600 schools, where commercial operators will not commit to deliver the service. The Deputy's Questions relate to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Expenditure (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department purchases bottled water in two ways - from the in-house caterers, when requested, for meetings and under an Office of Government Procurement contract for a single bottle fed water dispenser, which is in the lobby in my Department's head quarters on Adelaide Road, Dublin.The total cost for the period 1st January to 30th October 2019 was €918. My Department does not...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Freedom of Information Data (20 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Freedom of Information (FOI) publication scheme for my Department was first published in 2016 and was revised and updated in July of this year. This is in line with the requirement of the FOI Act 2014, which requires each body to review and update its publication scheme 3 years after publication and not later than every third year thereafter. Separately, as part of the move to the...