Results 5,401-5,420 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Illegal Dumping (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy indicated, his question is somewhat different from the generic question submitted. I cannot comment on an issue where there is, from what the Deputy has said, an apparent dispute between the EPA and Meath County Council. The Deputy is aware that Meath County Council is, in the first instance, responsible for enforcement. However, the EPA has significant powers and it oversees...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Illegal Dumping (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: It is important to draw distinctions. Local authorities are the regulators of illegal activity and they have a role to ensure regulatory compliance. However, being regulators does not make them liable for the damage being done by private bodies. It would be impossible to carry out regulation if, as the Deputy suggests, local authorities were to become in some way financially responsible...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Illegal Dumping (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: In addition, the Deputy has made allegations that I cannot substantiate one way or the other that local authorities themselves are involved in illegal activities. In this respect, I go back to the points I made. The EPA has a supervising regulatory role in respect of local authorities and if there are instances of this nature, the EPA has enforcement powers. These powers include not only...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Post Office Network (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: Interestingly, I recently visited Mountmellick and found it to be a thriving community with great enterprising initiative being undertaken. It is using the fund of €1 billion the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, has made available. It has competed for the fund, developed projects and is a shop window of good examples of how towns are taking their revival...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Post Office Network (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. I know it is of concern locally and I understand that. Deputy Stanley and, in particular, Deputy Fleming, having been chairman of the Oireachtas committee on State-sponsored bodies for many years - I enjoyed my time working under him there - will know that these State bodies have been set up under law in such a way that Ministers are not...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I assure Deputy Michael Moynihan that the Government is taking this issue very seriously. The Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, has been taking responsibility for this. He has led an initiative that has, from memory, 33 actions, including legislation actions, to bring about change in this area. There has also been an improvement in the operation of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh (Atógáil) - Questions on Promised Legislation (Resumed) (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of this problem and I will arrange for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to respond directly to Deputy Neville.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh (Atógáil) - Questions on Promised Legislation (Resumed) (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, is looking at the system of drawing up the electoral register to see if improvements can be made. There is a desire in the long term to see an electoral commission established and more systematic oversight put in place. In the short term, however, the Minister of State will be reviewing this issue and I will ask him to include the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: Since the privatisation of Telecom Éireann, we have depended on the private sector to deliver high-speed broadband. This has been fine for 75% of the population but for 1.1 million people the private sector will not deliver. The Department engaged in an evaluation as to what the best way was to ensure we could provide that service. Very clearly, the best approach was for the State to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: -----without starting afresh, abandoning this tender and starting a new procurement process.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am informed that the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is co-funding a research project with the EPA entitled "Eco-driving: Trends & Potential Impacts for Irish Heavy Duty Vehicles" on which Trinity College is the lead investigator. The objectives of the project are to evaluate the impacts of eco-driving programmes in the Irish HDV fleet focusing on identifying the best...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Schemes (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The delivery of 14 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) filling stations, as part of the Causeway Project co-funded by the EU Connecting Europe Facility, is an operational matter for Gas Networks Ireland. I have been provided with an update on the current status of these stations by Gas Networks Ireland which is set out in the table below. Location Status Station 1 Dublin Port In operation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Litter Pollution (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 provide the statutory framework to combat the litter challenge. With regard to posters, the primary purpose of the Acts is to reduce litter by prescribing periods for which public meeting and election posters may be displayed. Under the Acts, the primary management and enforcement response to littering, including oversight of the removal of posters and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: Since 2012, greenhouse gas emissions associated with flights operating in the European Economic Area (EEA), including domestic flights as well as those to and from third countries, are covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Airlines are required to monitor, report and verify their emissions, and to surrender allowances against those emissions. Airlines receive tradeable allowances...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Administration (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together. NBI Infrastructure Limited t/a National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is subject to Irish Corporation Tax and will not be a section 110 company. The NBP Contract provides that the Minister may appoint a Director to the board of the company. A minimum of one other Director will be appointed by the Shareholders of NBI following an open and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Administration (15 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan contract for the State intervention will be signed with National Broadband Ireland (NBI), a designated activity company resident in Ireland. NBI will be supported by a number of internationally experienced subcontractors, including KN Group, the Kelly Group, enet and Actavo among others. NBI is finalising negotiations on contracts with approximately 40...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: European Council Meetings (14 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: Coal mining was not discussed at EU Council meetings at which either I or Minister of State Canney were in attendance. Officials from my Department attended the 4th Working Group of the EU Commission's “Platform for Coal and Carbon Intensive Regions in Transition” in April this year. The main objectives of the Platform are to enable multi-stakeholder dialogue on policy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Legislation (14 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The sale of smoky coal is regulated under the Air Pollution Act (Marketing, Sale, Distribution and Burning of Specified Fuels Regulations 2012 (S.I. 326 of 2012), as amended. An unofficial consolidation of the Regulations is available on my Department's website at . In smaller towns and villages in rural areas, outside the Low Smoke Zones, a person or body may not market, sell or distribute...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (14 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 404 together. The premises reference by the Deputy are both in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map, which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie.The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP. This intervention is the subject of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Reports (14 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 393 to 397, inclusive, and 413 together. In February 2015, following a tender process, my Department appointed KPMG to provide financial, procurement, commercial and specialist advisory services in relation to the NBP across a number of workstreams. The 2015 and 2018 reports referenced by the Deputy in his questions form part of the overall advice and...