Results 5,521-5,540 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Craoltóirí Seirbhíse Poiblí (9 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: De réir Alt 98 den Acht Craolacháin 2009, is craoltóir neamhspleách náisiúnta seirbhíse poiblí é RTÉ agus, ar an ábhar sin, níl aon ról agamsa mar Aire ina chuid oibríochtaí ó lá go lá. Foilsíonn RTÉ Ráitis Bhliantúla ar Ghealltanais Feidhmíochta le spriocanna a bhaineann le...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: EU Directives (9 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The EU Directive 2016/2102 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies requires public bodies to ensure their websites and applications are accessible to users and in particular to persons with disabilities by making them perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. Public body websites and applications that comply with the European harmonised...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (9 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 152 together. The roll-out of 5G in Ireland is a matter for private mobile network operators, operating on a commercial basis. The regulation of these service providers, to the extent permitted by law, is a statutory function of the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg in accordance with the Communications Regulation Act 2002. This role...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: Unfortunately, I am not briefed on physiotherapy services in Galway. I will have to ask the Minister for Health to get back to Deputy Connolly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: It is not anticipated that people will have to pay more. There is flexibility in the contract that up to 2% can be provided not by fibre to the home but by wireless. There is within the contract a provision, the same as would apply in a telecommunications standard line, that if the connection is more than a certain figure, a cost could fall on the individual premises, but it is not...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: If that number of questions were permitted, I have to take the time to answer them or I am not doing my job.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: They have been permitted to be asked so I am trying to answer them. If the company cannot complete this - the asset - we will only have paid for whatever has been rolled out at that point. Those lines that have been rolled out at that point will revert to the State. We will have possession of the lines that have been rolled out. I can assure Deputy Doherty that no capital project will be...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: There was no breach of the public expenditure code. The public expenditure code requires that before a procurement process occurs, an estimate is provided. In this case, as the Deputy knows, the procurement process was to identify the best technology and approach in an area in which we did not have a proven knowledge. This procurement process identified what the approach was by having an...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The two bids that came forward were comparable in scale. Those bids of course were substantially greater than the estimate that was put in. That estimate was not on a foundation of a clear projection.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: When that higher projected cost occurred, there was, as the public spending code provides, a complete revaluation to see if there were alternatives that could deliver this.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with the public expenditure code, those alternatives were evaluated.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government has a very clear commitment to build a new mortuary there. That is contained in our capital programme. I will have to ask the Minister to provide the Deputy with a timescale in respect of that. In terms of taking immediate action, I understand that new refrigeration facilities are being provided and will be in place this week. The Minister has signalled that there will be a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I fully acknowledge that the announcement that these services could be withdrawn within 12 months was a major shock for anyone who depends on those services. As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, met representatives of Rehab yesterday, I believe. As a result of that meeting, Rehab will not issue that notice on suspending...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I will not comment on the decision to sell Telecom Éireann, but when it was sold obviously we were depending on the private sector to deliver. It has been very successful in delivering for 75% of the population. People in urban and suburban areas will get access to fibre broadband.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: This would not happen in the areas where the other 23% of the population live. We set up a procurement model. One of the companies that entered that procurement process was the ESB in partnership with SIRO. For its own reasons, it decided not to proceed with that. We were strongly advised that the best and most cost-effective way to build this network was to build it off the core...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that this is not a problem confined to rural areas. The same problems are affecting valuable community schemes across all of our constituencies which are running into difficulties. There are other employment opportunities for people. It is hard to get supervisors to support these schemes.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: It is harder to get participants and they need these valuable programmes to be continued. The Government has recognised the need to adapt this scheme for the circumstances we now face. That is the purpose of the interdepartmental committee that the Minister has established. I have every confidence that we can work out something that will deliver a better balance for communities and for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I may not be able to answer all of the questions the Deputy has asked. It is my understanding that the Low Pay Commission, which is an independent body, has been asked to look at this issue. It produced a report on the matter of tips and gratuities. It met representatives of the adjudication and inspection divisions of the Workplace Relations Commission last year. The WRC has stated that,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: To take up the Deputy's point, there is no doubt that if the Minister can secure a sectoral agreement it will have the force of law. Under law, if such an agreement can be put together it will be enforceable. That would be the ideal outcome. The Minister is working to secure such an agreement. She has also indicated that she is writing to companies, including that which the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. If I am not mistaken, these schemes were introduced by Ruairí Quinn during the early part of my time in this House. Their value and importance has been immense. There is no doubt that they have been primarily seen as labour market interventions to activate and keep people close to the labour market at times of high unemployment. The Minister...