Results 4,481-4,500 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (16 Oct 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 which I attended along with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Ireland’s national statement to the Climate Action...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Hydraulic Fracturing (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of concerns in relation to some oil and gas exploration and production technologies, such as hydraulic fracturing, including unintentional methane gas leaks and venting or flaring of gas. In this regard, I instructed my officials to enquire from the EU Commission at the PCI selection process High Level Decision Making Body meeting in Brussels on 4 October whether the implications...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Fund (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Climate Action Fund is one of four funds established under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 as part of Project Ireland 2040. The fund supports initiatives that contribute to the achievement of Ireland's climate and energy targets in a cost effective manner. It also offers the potential for innovative interventions which, in the absence of support from the Fund, would not otherwise...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Capital Expenditure Programme Implementation (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: Capital expenditure by my Department comprises in the main grant funding for the sustainable energy programmes administered by the SEAI, energy research, geoscience mapping projects, operational funding for the Department and Agencies under its remit and grant funding to Local Authorities under the landfill remediation scheme. There are no infrastructure projects in development or due for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Adaptation Plans (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government’s Climate Action Plan sets an ambitious target of 500,000 energy efficiency retrofits by 2030. Achievement of this target will be supported by the the range of measures identified in the Plan as well as the Project Ireland 2040 allocation of €3.7 billion. While this is clearly a substantial level of Government financial support, Exchequer investment alone will not...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department has introduced a range of measures to target illegal dumping and strengthen waste enforcement generally. These include: - The provision of an annual waste enforcement grant of €7.4 million to support the recruitment and retention of 150 local authority waste enforcement personnel across the country; - The establishment of Waste Enforcement Regional Lead...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The recently published Climate Action Plan 2019 sets out for the first time how Ireland will reach its 2030 targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and put Ireland on the right trajectory towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In relation to the electricity generation sector, the Plan sets a target to achieve a 70% share of renewable electricity by 2030 and includes a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Sustainable Development Goals (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I would be more than happy to see a disability advocacy group take up a role as an SDG Champion. An important principle of the Sustainable Development Goals is that no one in society should be left behind or excluded, and the SDG Champions Programme should, therefore, be as representative as possible. I launched an open call for expressions of interest to take part in Ireland's first SDG...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government Decision of 7 May 2019 means that it is intended to award the State Intervention contract to the final Bidder. This award is subject to contract close. The finalisation of financial closure and legal requirements are progressing towards contract award before the end of year. The Bidder has indicated that the rollout of the NBP network will take an estimated 7 years to complete....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: As I previously advised the House, I have initiated the process of commissioning a comprehensive independent energy security review in the context of the transition to a carbon neutral economy. The review, which will be completed during 2020, will examinethe fuel mix necessary, including the role of gas in electricity generation, interconnection and battery storage as back-up for renewables,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Protection Agency Reports (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am very conscious of the importance of air quality to human health, particularly respiratory health. This is particularly relevant in larger conurbations. The report in question indicated that areas around certain heavily trafficked roads in the Dublin area may have higher levels of air pollution than previously indicated. These higher levels are due primarily to traffic and some locations...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202, 212 and 214 together. Providing telecommunications services, including mobile phone services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. I do not have statutory authority to require commercial companies to rollout...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (16 Oct 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. Since the Government decision in May to appoint NBI as the Preferred Bidder for the National Broadband Plan contract, work has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Climate Action Plan, which was published in June, sets out a range of actions to support the delivery of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. These actions include expanding the Electric Vehicle Home Charger Grant to include locations with shared parking such as apartments. Budget 2020 provided €36 million in funding to my Department to support the uptake of electric...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Data (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: There are two members of staff in the Department assigned from the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service - one Senior Economist, who works alongside all of the Departments policy areas in an advisory capacity and one Economist/ Policy Analyst, working in the Climate Policy area. The Department has also established an Evaluation Network, led by our Senior Economist, that has drawn...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Postal Codes (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: Eircodes are assigned to new property addresses using a valid postal address and verified geo-locations. An Post collects information on new and existing buildings, as well as changes to existing addresses and Ordnance Survey Ireland provides the geo-locations for these buildings. An Post GeoDirectory issue a new release of the GeoDirectory database file on a quarterly basis to Capita...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together. To address the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland, I published the Climate Action Plan on 17 June. The Plan sets out, for the first time, how Ireland can reach its 2030 targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under the 2009 Effort Sharing Decision 406/2009/EC (ESD), which put in place binding annual...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Generation (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 215 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (16 Oct 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. Since the Government decision in May to appoint NBI as the Preferred Bidder for the National Broadband Plan contract, work has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Generation (16 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Generation Capacity Statement published annually by EirGrid provides a forecast of expected electricity demand and the level of generation capacity that will be required on the island over the next ten years, using a range of scenarios. Under a median demand forecast, EirGrid currently anticipates Ireland’s total electricity requirement peak will be 5.48 GW in 2019, compared to...