Results 4,621-4,640 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: I join with Deputy Healy in recognising the debt that we owe to all those who work in the Defence Forces. Their work, particularly abroad, has made us all proud and contributed to Ireland’s international reputation. This must be acknowledged. The Government has recognised that there are particular problems in the Defence Forces. This is why there was a comprehensive examination...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government is acutely aware of the needs in the Defence Forces. That is why the general pay round made provision for a 7% increase with particular emphasis on increases for the lower-paid. Above and beyond that, the Public Service Pay Commission examination was established, recognising the particular difficulties in the Defence Forces. While I will not repeat them, significant changes...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: I know the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission legislation very well and it has very strong powers to investigate practices that would be either unfair or, to go further, anti-competitive. It has the experience, well beyond that of either the Deputy or I, to identify those practices. No doubt the Deputy is drawing its attention to dual pricing as one of the many features of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: -----I assure him that, undoubtedly, his concern will be undoubtedly among those that will be examined by the commission.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am glad the Deputy raised these issues as it gives me an opportunity to set out the Government's commitment in this area. The Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, as the Deputy will know, has set reducing child poverty as her top issue within her Department. The evidence is there that very significant progress is being made. In 2013, the number of children living in consistent poverty was...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: I agree with the Deputy. It is important to acknowledge that progress is being made. A Deputy having listened to the Deputy's initial question would have thought no progress was being made. However, very significant progress is being made in reducing child poverty but it must be recognised there are continuing problems, particularly among single parents and the low-paid at work. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy must bear in mind that pilot retention was specifically highlighted by the pay commission as an area that needed to be addressed and that has been done. A pilot retention scheme was recently accepted by the RACO. We are in a position to improve the ability of the Defence Forces to retain staff, particularly in the crucial area to which the Deputy refers. Improvements are also...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: Those improvements include service, patrol duty and security duty allowances, as the Deputy will be aware. We must respond to pressures in this way. We have developed a pay policy that allows that flexibility of response where there is clear evidence of need. The pay commission has done important work and we are acting on it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which was also raised by Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin during Question Time earlier. It is undoubtedly the case that the Government has been particularly active in this area. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, has implemented a wide range of measures to seek to control this issue. Most recently, the Government brought in the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue because we all depend on the ambulance service. Many of us have cause to be very appreciative of the commitment and service those working in it provide. I can give the Deputy an absolute assurance that we are committed to the air ambulance service. Not only that, new ambulance bases were recently opened in Mulranny and Tuam. We are also...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Data (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 158 together. The following table sets out the amount of gas the Corrib gas field has produced each month in 2019 and also sets out what percentage Corrib contributes to Ireland’s total gas supply. 2019 Year to Date Jan Feb March April May June July August Corrib (GWh) 2421 2112 2329 2195 2261 2144 2182 2142 Corrib (as % of Ireland's Gas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (26 Sep 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: Waste Disposal (26 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 to 162, inclusive, together. Statistics and information on shipments of waste to and from Ireland is maintained by the National Transfrontier Shipments Office (NTFSO) as the National Competent Authority for the export, import and transit of waste shipments under the Waste Management (Shipments of Waste) Regulations, 2007. The latest registers compiled by...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: We will be ending the exploration for oil, but we will continue to allow exploration for gas. It would be relevant for Ireland if we could supplement the Corrib gas field from which there is a significant supply to meet our gas needs.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am conscious that there have been exceedances of air quality limits. My Department is sitting down with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the local authorities to identify measures we could take in the short term to tackle the issue. As the Deputy knows, the climate action plan has at its heart the dramatic reduction of our dependence on fossil fuels, which causes much of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: In that context, we are pursuing a strategy to switch to electric vehicles in substantial numbers, to switch to cycling and public transport and to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels across the system. We are conscious that this is an issue of huge public importance and we are putting strategies in place to deliver on it. That is at the heart of on what we will be working in the coming...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: There have been strong calls in recent days to listen to the science and take climate action on the basis of scientific solutions put forward as ways of resolving these issues.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: That is precisely what the Taoiseach has done. He and I wrote to the Climate Change Advisory Council to receive the best scientific advice. It has advised clearly that there is a case for ceasing the exploration for oil but continuing the exploration for gas. The reason is that as we transition from a figure of 30% to 70% for renewable energy and eliminate major polluting fossil fuels such...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (25 Sep 2019)

Richard Bruton: Shannon LNG is an EU Project of Common Interest (PCI) on the current list of PCIs. This project was supported by Ireland in obtaining this designation as it would enhance our gas security by increasing import route diversity. Projects of Common interest are key infrastructure projects with one of their main objectives being to safeguard the EU’s energy security by diversifying...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (25 Sep 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. I have...