Results 4,361-4,380 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Adaptation Plans (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The UN Climate Action Summit, which took place on 23 September, was convened by the UN Secretary General to build momentum towards enhanced climate ambition by Parties to the Paris Agreement. This was preceded on Saturday, 21 September, by the Youth Climate Summit.Parties to the summit were invited to make new commitments under a number of different themes, include mitigation strategy;...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Data (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: There are currently 349 full time and 48 part time (work sharing) staff in My Department. All staff in my Department are paid above the minimum wage rate of pay.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 864 and 865 together. The Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households that meet the defined eligibility criteria and are vulnerable to energy poverty. The Scheme has been in existence since 2002 and has provided upgrades to over 140,000 homes, leaving the occupants better able to afford to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department provided funding of €1.2 million and €1.8 million to the Anti-Dumping Initiative in 2017 and 2018 respectively and a further allocation of €3 million has been made available this year to support over 280 projects across the country.Details of this year’s allocations and the projects funded by the Anti-Dumping Initiative in both 2017 and 2018 can be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Generation (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government's Climate Action Plan sets out the roadmap to increasing the overall share of renewable electricity generation to 70% of demand by 2030. This is a significant increase from the current level of 30%. The Climate Action Plan provides for the early and complete phase-out of the highest CO2 intensity fossil fuels in the electricity sector - coal by 2025 and peat by 2028 - leading...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 868 to 873, inclusive, 875 and 878 together. Every home, farm, school and business in Ireland will have access to high speed broadband – no matter where they are located – following the Government’s decision to approve the appointment of a preferred bidder to the National Broadband Plan. Under this plan, Ireland will become one of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: According to my Department’s high speed broadband map, available at , the premises referred to by the Deputy is one which is indicated as having been passed by eir as part of their rural deployment of high speed broadband. Therefore, that premises should be in a position to order a high speed broadband connection from a provider offering services on the network. Where a premises in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicle Grants (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Electric Vehicle Home Charger Grant scheme provides grants of up to €600 towards the cost of installing a home charger. These grants are available for buyers of both new and second-hand electric vehicles whether purchased in Ireland or imported. Purchasers of all types of electric vehicles (including battery electric vehicles and plug in hybrid electric vehicles) which currently...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: According to my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map, available at , the premises referred to by the Deputy is one which is indicated as having been passed by eir as part of their rural deployment of high speed broadband. Therefore, that premises should be in a position to order a high speed broadband connection from a provider offering services on the network. Where a premises in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Procurement Contracts Data (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: As a matter of course, my Department complies with the procurement framework. However, on occasion, contracts are awarded without a competitive tender. These contracts are approved in accordance with Circular 40/2002 (Public Procurement Guidelines), which recognises that in certain exceptional circumstances, the award of a contract without competitive procurement is justified. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Schemes Data (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: A range of Government funded grants are available to householders to suit their circumstances and scale of retrofit work they wish to undertake. Over the last year the measures available under these grants have been expanded to promote deeper measures and support the transition away from fossil fuel heating systems. Since the introduction of these grants nearly 400,000 homes across the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Schemes (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Deep Retrofit Pilot Scheme was launched in 2017 as a time bound pilot to investigate the challenges and opportunities of deep retrofit in Ireland. The scheme closed for applications on 19th July in line with the published Application Guidelines. The scheme is funded by my Department and operated by the SEAI. The Pilot provides 50% funding for energy upgrades to an A BER rating with...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: Every home, farm, school and business in Ireland will have access to high speed broadband – no matter where they are located – following the Government’s decision to approve the appointment of a preferred bidder to the National Broadband Plan. Under this plan, Ireland will become one of the first countries in the world to ensure that those in rural areas have the same...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Expenditure (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I do not propose to comment in detail in respect of a project in another jurisdiction. I understand, however, that the aim of Project Stratum is to improve broadband connectivity by extending Next Generation Access (NGA) broadband infrastructure to premises across Northern Ireland that cannot yet access such a service. I further understand that while a budget has been identified and a public...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The telecoms market is fully liberalised and regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), who is statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions. ComReg published a number of decisions in November 2018 governing the regulation of wholesale broadband access markets (ComReg docs 18/94, 18/95 and 18/96 – available on ComReg’s website). I understand...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 888 to 890, inclusive, together. My Department recently conducted a public consultation to close the ongoing mapping exercise, seeking submissions from operators who wish to have their existing high speed broadband networks, or who have developed plans to invest in high speed broadband networks over the next 7 years, to be included on the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (5 Nov 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) contract provides a mechanism for National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to apply for compensation for encroachment where other commercial operators have deployed a future proofed high speed broadband service in advance of NBI's own deployment in the intervention area. This subsidy is capped and can only be applied for where my Department determines a commercial...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The difficulty has been in devising a scheme that could be administered effectively and which would not breach data protection law. It has proved very difficult. We continue to work to find solutions. We have met various bodies but it has proved very difficult to come up with a scheme that could be administered.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that funding is being provided to support community-based initiatives like the one he has described. It is for local authorities to submit proposals to draw on that fund but given the description, I am sure it has a great chance of succeeding. I do not make individual decisions on the applications; they will be considered as normal.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: In the absence of the Minister for Finance, I will take that question. The legislation will form part of the Finance Bill. There is an issue as to whether we should make a commitment in respect of the long-term trajectory, but it is one for the Minister for Finance and the Dáil to decide.