Results 4,441-4,460 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: Up to 30 September, any company had an opportunity to apply to extend the area and to commit to delivering high-speed broadband that would be future-proofed. Approximately 30 companies have made submissions which are now being evaluated. As I said to Deputy Dooley earlier, they have to be evaluated against the bar that was set in the broadband plan, which is 30 Mbps. They have to be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electricity Generation (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important question. I have met the chief executives of both companies since the decision of An Bord Pleanála. I am in regular contact with them and their boards with regard to West Offaly power station. I have met public representatives, worker directors of Bord na Móna, the midlands regional transition team and the regional skills forum....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Warmer Homes Scheme (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I think the aggregation model will be the best way. It will be piloted in the midlands next year. The committee is working across Government as we speak. It is a priority for us to design that scheme. The advantages are those that the Deputy recognises himself. If we designate an area, we can identify all the homes in that area that we seek to reach, and we can deliver both the advice...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Warmer Homes Scheme (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for the question. A just transition and protecting the most vulnerable are at the heart of the climate action plan, and measures announced as part of budget 2020 will support those most affected. The better energy warmer homes scheme provides free energy efficiency upgrades to the homes of those living in or at risk of energy poverty. The scheme is administered by the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Warmer Homes Scheme (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for those questions. The most practical way in which we will be assisting the SEAI is by doubling the budget of last year. It is also worth pointing out that there are about 35 community-based organisations that actively promote the scheme. They are embedded in their communities and have very good reach. The Deputy rightly points to the sorts of people who might not be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The position, as outlined to Deputy Cullinane earlier, is worth repeating. RTÉ is funded by a combination of licence fee income and commercial revenue. The only element of Exchequer funding is that which comes from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, which provided an additional €8.6 million this year and €1.5 million last year. The Department has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Dooley will understand that the budget, which was only announced last week, was drawn up against the background of a hard Brexit. The consequence was that there was very little discretion for the Government in setting aside new moneys. It meant there was no across-the-board increase in social welfare rates. The only source of funding for RTÉ from the Exchequer comes via a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Dooley will be aware that no provision was made for social welfare increases in last week's budget. No tax concessions were made and, insofar as possible, little or no new tax revenue was raised. A sum of €1.2 billion has been set aside to deal with the consequences of a hard Brexit. That was the framework for the budget and it remains the case. A week on, and despite the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Climate Change Policy (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: As I outlined in the last paragraph of my initial reply, we expect that existing State agencies, such as the education and training board, ETB, the local higher education institutions, local offices of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the ESB will engage actively with the workers. I refer to the redeployment options being offered. I am, however, open to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Climate Change Policy (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: Work on the draft terms of reference for the just transition commissioner is ongoing. It involves not just my Department but also the Taoiseach's Department, which is co-ordinating much of this work. I will communicate with Deputy Dooley as soon as we have decided the approach to be taken.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: As already stated, the approach to funding RTÉ is set out in law. Funding for the station comes from licence fee income. The only direct Exchequer payment is from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, which pays a sum in lieu of licence fees for those who receive free television licences. In the context of the challenges it faces, RTÉ is developing a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: While there are, as the Deputy stated, provisions within the legislation which direct that money be streamed from the licence fee income of 7% towards Sound & Vision and while RTÉ meets certain obligations in respect of independent broadcasting, its primary relationship is with the BAI, which is its regulator, not with the Minister of the day. The BAI evaluates RTÉ's...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Climate Change Policy (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Dooley for his question. Ireland's necessary transition away from carbon-intensive sources of energy, towards more sustainable, renewable energy sources, will have a significant impact on the workers in these carbon-intensive sectors, their families and communities. This Administration has committed to delivering a whole-of-Government approach and to working with local...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is aware that the Government appointed National Broadband Ireland as the preferred bidder for the national broadband plan in May. This followed a tender process designed to ensure that every home and business will have access to future-proofed high-speed broadband that will cater specifically to an estimated 1.1 million people, representing almost 25% of the population of rural...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I will not comment on a hypothetical situation of the sort the Deputy outlined. As stated, any submission by any company - and I will not name companies - will be thoroughly evaluated. Companies will be evaluated against the criteria set out, including the need to hit the 30 Mb threshold, that they themselves are future-proofed and that they can guarantee to deliver to all those within the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: It was quite justified to provide the extra five weeks requested by companies to have their submissions evaluated. From a state aid perspective, it is clear that we must be satisfied that any intervention area excludes localities that will be provided for commercially and without the granting of state aid. Giving that extra time was justified. I will not follow the Deputy down the route of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: RTÉ is dual funded through a proportion of television licence fee receipts and the commercial revenue it generates. An Post pays my Department all TV licence revenues collected from direct sales of TV licences. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection also makes a contribution to my Department in respect of free TV licences issued under the household benefits...

Seanad: Children's Digital Protection Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I would like to say a few words at the start of the debate. While I welcome the Bill and appreciate a great deal of work has gone into it and there are considerable amendments to it before the House, I want to outline to the House the position the Government has taken in recent months. As Members will be aware, I recognised earlier this year that the time for self-regulation was past and...

Seanad: Children's Digital Protection Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: Am I supposed to make a comment on any of these?

Seanad: Children's Digital Protection Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: With regard to section 3(4), I am advised that a Minister making regulations in that manner would not pass muster with the Attorney General.