Results 4,341-4,360 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Budget package includes a new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €412.83 (exclusive of VAT) will be credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €137.61 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - December 2023, January/February 2024 and March/April 2024. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.007 billion....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air and Water Pollution (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: My Department has worked with the Local Government Management Agency to develop the business case for an enhanced enforcement structure to support the provision of improved co-ordination, expertise, and advice to underpin consistent implementation of all air quality legislation across the country. I have made funding of up to €3m available to support this regional enforcement group and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Around 1.9 billion drinks containers are consumed in Ireland each year. Drinks containers are typically consumed on the go and are often thrown away in mixed waste or littered rather than being recycled. A national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is being introduced to encourage more people to recycle bottles and cans and to ensure we meet our ambitious EU targets for the recycling of those...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Artificial Intelligence (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: My Department continues to take advice from the National Cyber Security Centre in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.), and are following recommendations provided in June 2023. All applications used within the Department are required to be in line with Departmental policies and procedures. No licenses or subscriptions to AI tools have been purchased.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: In December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, anddigital connectivity will be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Observations show that Ireland’s climate is changing in terms of increases in average temperature, changes in precipitation patterns, and weather extremes. Climate change is expected to have diverse and wide-ranging impacts on Ireland’s environment, society, and economic development, including on the built environment, managed and natural ecosystems, water resources,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Sector Pensions (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Eircom Main Superannuation Scheme (as amended) was established by Statute for the purpose of providing for the pension liabilities of staff transferred from the former Department of Posts and Telegraphs to Telecom Éireann on its establishment on 1st January 1984, the Vesting day. The pre-vesting and post vesting liabilities of the scheme members were paid entirely out of the Main...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Research Funding (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: There is a strong commitment by Government to nurturing, attracting and retaining talent to drive research and innovation in Ireland, as set out in Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy, Impact 2030. The Government recognises that attracting and retaining early career researchers is essential to building Ireland’s knowledge economy and enabling Ireland to respond to key...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Staff (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I wish to inform the Deputy that Special Advisers are responsible to the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) in relation to filing of Section 19 Statements of Interests. Where a Statement of Interest is furnished, it is to be laid before the Oireachtas. There is no obligation on a special advisor to furnish a nil statement where no interests exist. Accountable issues in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Generation (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: On the 15 February last year, I signed the Regulations that create an obligation on suppliers to offer the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff to new and existing micro-and small-scale generators so that they will receive payment for excess renewable electricity they export to the grid, reflective of the market value. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a decision...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: In December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, anddigital connectivity will be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 173 together. The Solar PV grant scheme under the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The scheme came into operation in February 2022 and built on the success of the previous pilot version of the grant scheme. In 2022, the SEAI received 16,819 applications to the Domestic Solar PV...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fisheries Protection (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 163 together. In line with normal practice, the management regime for salmon (and seatrout over 40cms) for 2024 will have regard for the annual management advice of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) supported by the latest scientific advice and assessments of each salmon river from the independent Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS). IFI have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Advertising (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: My Department uses advertising to promote a range of services, supports and initiatives for people and communities across Ireland. As the media landscape has evolved over the past number of years, advertising expenditure has grown to address the diverse needs of different audiences, including costs associated with achieving national reach for important public messages. For example, my...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The use of CCTV to monitor anti-social behaviour is outside the remit of my Department and I am therefore not in a position to comment on any local authority measures to manage this issue. The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) is continuing to work on the finalisation of draft Codes of Practice and Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), which are fundamental to the future...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: There are no plans by Government to introduce age restrictions on the sale of mobile phone devices. I assume the Deputy is raising the question in the context of accessing content on mobile phones. The Deputy may wish to be aware, that one of the key findings from 'The Growing Up In Ireland' report of July 2023, a joint project of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: In December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, anddigital connectivity will be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The roll-out of infrastructure for mobile telecommunications services in Ireland is primarily a matter for private mobile network operators, operating on a commercial basis in a liberalised market, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg is statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions in accordance with section 11 of the Communications Regulation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Commercial salmon fishing licences are public licences which must be taken out annually under the provisions of the Fisheries Acts. Such licences are entirely permissive in nature, confer no rights on the licensee, are not the property of the holder nor can they be held on a permanent basis. In that context the issue of compensation does not arise. In addition, given the nature of the public...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (7 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: My Department has no plans to purchase any fishery. Under Section 60 of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is empowered to acquire fisheries in accordance with that Section, subject to the necessary Ministerial authorisations. IFI has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that queries regarding operational matters can be...