Results 4,561-4,580 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2019: Second Stage (Resumed) (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: That is the reality. I joke when I refer to "mere politicians". That process also provides an important counterbalance between the Fourth Estate and ourselves. That is recognised as important. Deputy Dooley also suggested the need to widen the base of funding. The working group considered the option of moving completely to a form of licensing that is independent of the device used. That...

Development of a Liquefied Natural Gas Facility in Ireland: Statements (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I have just stated, if the Deputy was listening, exactly the position. There is no point in my repeating it.

Development of a Liquefied Natural Gas Facility in Ireland: Statements (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputies for participating in this debate. This is a very important issue in that we now need to embark on an accelerated programme of removing fossil fuel from our energy mix. Unfortunately, we are starting from a position, as Deputy Lawless said, where we are north of 90% dependent on fossil fuels. This journey is going to require us to use natural gas. That is the reason behind...

Development of a Liquefied Natural Gas Facility in Ireland: Statements (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: That would have to be decided at European level. As I indicated to the House, I will be undertaking a review of energy security and sustainability. It is only in the context of such a study and where I am satisfied that such a project fits in with that, that I would support an application for funding. All the advice I have received from experts is that having access to LNG is an important...

Development of a Liquefied Natural Gas Facility in Ireland: Statements (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: -----they put through their energy mix. The position I am adopting is reasonable against the background of all the advice I received in terms of the security of supply, International Energy Agency, IEA,-----

Development of a Liquefied Natural Gas Facility in Ireland: Statements (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: -----EirGrid and Gas Networks Ireland, GNI. I am indicating to the House that I am conscious of the concerns and I will be undertaking a proper study of those issues and it will be against that background that I will judge any consideration of funding of such a project.

Development of a Liquefied Natural Gas Facility in Ireland: Statements (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this issue. The climate action plan the Government has published sets out an ambition to have 70% of energy on our grid from renewable sources by 2030. The current figure is 30%. In practical terms that will require us to build five times the volume of renewable energy capacity we now have. In terms of operating the grid, it means that the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Expenditure (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The goal of the National Broadband Plan intervention is to engage a company to build, operate and maintain a high speed broadband network in order to provide access to high speed broadband services to every home, farm, school and business in Ireland – no matter where they are located. Since the Government’s decision on 7 May 2019 to approve the appointment of a preferred...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Heat Incentive (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I understand this question relates to the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat which has been developed to financially support the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System.The first phase of the scheme, an installation grant for heat pumps, opened for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air Quality (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I refer the reply to Question No 462 of 1 October. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bord na Móna (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: Government has committed to delivering a whole of Government approach, and to working with local stakeholders, to ensure that a just transition is provided to those impacted by Ireland’s move away from carbon-intensive sources of fuel, such as peat. There will be several strands to Government’s response. These include the diversification of Bord na Móna; an accelerated...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: 5G is the next generation of mobile communications and has the potential to deliver hugely enhanced connectivity. Ireland welcomes the benefits that the enhanced connectivity and technology will bring. It is expected that 5G will be commercialised over the next few years. Rollout in Ireland is primarily a matter for private mobile network operators, operating on a commercial basis. As...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Efficiency (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department supports businesses through a range of supports and grants administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). As the scope for reductions in energy or related carbon emissions from the technologies the Deputy mentions is limited, and as the focus for grant supports needs to be on technologies with the potential to deliver the most effective impact (i.e....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Smart Meter Upgrade is a meter replacement programme which will result in the upgrade of over 2 million meters to modern, smart-ready technology. These new generation electricity meters are being rolled out across Europe and internationally and when the programme completes in Ireland in 2024 all domestic and business premises will have a new modern meter installed. The upgrade to smart...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Prices (3 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: Electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland are commercial, liberalised and competitive and operate within national and European regulatory regimes. Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is solely a matter for the independent regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), which was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (3 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. Under this plan, Ireland will become one of the first countries in the world to ensure that those in rural areas have the same...

Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2019: Order for Second Stage (2 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2019: Second Stage (2 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am very pleased to introduce this Bill because it is timely that we have a serious debate around broadcasting. There are major changes in the broadcasting arena and none of us need to be told the pace of that change. It is having an impact on the way in which people receive their media. There has been a significant move away from...

UN Climate Action Summit: Statements (2 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I could not possibly do justice to the many contributions that have been made. It is encouraging that Members are significantly on board for the sort of transformation we need. As Deputy Eamon Ryan said, an existential threat of this scale gives us an opportunity to challenge our civilisation to step up to show its greatest creativity and its greatest capacity for collaboration. This is a...

UN Climate Action Summit: Statements (2 Oct 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am glad to have the opportunity to discuss what transacted at the UN assembly on climate action. It was a useful meeting. A significant innovation by the UN was to have a whole day devoted to young people presenting both their concerns about and solutions to the climate challenge. It provided a useful environment. As one can imagine, there were significant demands for a big step-up in...