Results 5,041-5,060 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Disposal Charges (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 576 to 578, inclusive, together. Since mid-2017, a range of charging options have been operated, which encourage householders to reduce and separate their waste, and provides flexibility to waste collectors to develop various service-price offerings that suit different household circumstances. Mandatory per kilogramme pay by weight charging was not...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Disposal (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: Issues concerning the enforcement of waste legislation are statutory matters for local authorities or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as appropriate, who both have significant powers under waste regulations to secure compliance by waste operators. The role of my Department is to provide a comprehensive legislative and waste policy framework through which the enforcement authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme Expenditure (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: The government recently approved and published the Climate Action Plan which sets out how we will meet our 2030 emissions targets and put us on the right trajectory to reach net zero emissions by 2050. This includes highly ambitious targets across the public and enterprise sectors as well as the built environment. The Climate Action Plan sets out the actions which we will need to take in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date over 135,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme, leaving the occupants better able to afford to heat their...

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

Richard Bruton: As part of the Climate Action Plan, the government will continue to support the development of the blue bio-economy through such projects as the Clean Oceans Initiative, and support the realisation of the value-add from processed marine biological resources. There is also a specific action in the Plan relating to the work of the National Bioeconomy Implementation Group. It is also important...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Programme is funded by my Department and operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Programme consists of three main schemes: Homes, Warmer Homes; and Communities. These schemes are supplemented by two pilot schemes exploring the multiple benefits of energy efficiency and the challenges of moving to deeper retrofit: the Warmth and Wellbeing Scheme;...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Alternative Energy Projects (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government's Climate Action Plan, published on 17 June, sets out over 180 actions to address the issue of climate disruption. These actions include setting a target level of energy to be supplied by biomethane grid injection in 2030 and holding a public consultation later this year in on the potential to support biomethane use in the transport sector through the Biofuels Obligation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map, which is available on my Department's website at . The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP. This intervention is the subject of the procurement process to engage a company to build, operate and maintain the NBP...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Freedom of Information Data (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following Table: No. of FOI Requests Received in 2018 No. Granted No. Part-granted No. Refused No. Transferred No. Withdrawn No. Handled Outside of FOI Process 362 74 139 101 6 41 1

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

Richard Bruton: The Government's Climate Action Plan, published on 17 June, sets out the expected emissions abatement contribution from existing commitments under Project Ireland 2040 and the expected contribution of Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) measures to meeting Ireland's EU Effort Sharing Regulation targets for 2021-2030 in the non-ETS sectors of the economy. The Plan includes the...

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

Richard Bruton: Action 8 in the Climate Action Plan commits the Government to implementing a carbon tax rate of at least €80 per tonne by 2030 and to carrying out a full assessment of a trajectory of increases over successive annual Budgets. The Plan also commits to examining the potential impacts of this commitment on low-income and rural households, and those experiencing fuel poverty, as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Meetings (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 596, 597 and 603 together. Correspondence was received from the legal representatives of Lissan Fuels on two occasions, namely a letter to former Minister Naughten dated 15 May 2018, and an email to Minister Naughten on 28 May 2018. There have been no meetings between Lissan Fuels and the Minister or officials of the Department. When the Deputy refers to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air and Water Pollution (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department received a submission from the Department of Health, and two submissions from the Health Service Executive (HSE), to the public consultation held in 2017 on the proposed National Clean Air Strategy. Officials from both Departments take part in the Air Quality Health Information Working Group, chaired by the Environmental Protection Agency, which meets twice a year. In...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bituminous Fuel Ban (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 599 and 606 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 237 of 19 June 2019. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illicit Trade in Fuel and Tobacco Products (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: Local Authorities are primarily responsible for the enforcement of legislation relating to solid fuel within their functional area. The powers that Local Authorities have in this area are quite extensive. For example:- Local Authority staff may undertake inspections of premises and vehicles being used for the sale and distribution of solid fuel as well as collect samples- A Local...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bituminous Fuel Ban (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 601 and 602 together. My Department has had a number of engagements with the European Commission about aspects of Ireland's air quality policy, including the proposed national extension of the smoky coal ban. A Clean Air Dialogue was held between Ireland and the Commission in March 2017, to promote actions to improve air quality and contribute to Ireland's...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bituminous Fuel Ban (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 604 and 611 together. The ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal, or ‘the smoky coal ban’ as it is commonly known, was first introduced in Dublin in 1990, and subsequently extended to our major cities. Following a public consultation process, it was further extended in 2012, and now applies in 26 urban areas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (25 Jun 2019)

Richard Bruton: Through the 2012 Schools 100Mbps Project all 780+ post primary schools across Ireland were provided with access to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) high speed broadband. The aim of this project, which was achieved, was to ensure that all second level students can enhance their learning experience through digital. The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every home, school and business in...

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

Richard Bruton: The National Mitigation Plan was prepared within the framework of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 and was the subject of a statutory consultation, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), and Appropriate Assessment (AA). The National Mitigation Plan remains in place as the statutory plan under the 2015 Act. The Climate Action Plan gives further effect to, rather...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 609 and 610 together. The Deep Retrofit Pilot Scheme was set up to investigate the challenges and opportunities associated with providing deeper retrofits to the residential sector. The Scheme is providing vital, on the ground, evidence of how to overcome the technical and economic challenge of deep retrofit, especially the practical advice and support a...