Results 5,821-5,840 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Ireland's draft National Energy and Climate Plan, submitted to the European Commission in December 2018, indicates that Ireland will not meet its emissions reduction targets for 2021 to 2030 on the basis of policies and measures currently in place or planned. The Deputy is aware that I am currently preparing an All-of-Government Plan on Climate Action which will set out how Ireland will...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Infrastructure (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Successive governments have underlined the commitment to move from a fossil fuel-based electricity system to a low-carbon power system. Almost two thirds of renewable energy used in Ireland comes from renewable electricity. It is widely recognised that Ireland needs to make a step change in its climate ambitions and I have secured Government approval to develop an all of Government plan...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Since my appointment as Minister I have secured Government approval to prepare an All of Government Plan which will set out the actions which must be taken to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change. This involves working with colleagues across Government to develop new initiatives in electricity, transport, heat, and agriculture, as well as a range of other sectors. The new...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Adaptation Plans (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Ireland’s first statutory National Adaptation Framework, published in January 2018, sets out the context to ensure local authorities, regions and key sectors can assess the main risks and vulnerabilities of climate change, implement climate resilience actions and ensure climate adaptation considerations are mainstreamed into policy making. Under the National Adaptation Framework,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 82 together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. In...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland has access to high speed broadband. Since December 2015, the number of premises with access to high-speed broadband in Donegal has increased by 16,964, a 16% increase. In total, the number of premises in Donegal with access to high speed broadband is now 65,212, which equates to 64% all premises...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention. In April 2017 my Department published an updated version of the High Speed Broadband Map. This is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The map shows the areas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Projects (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: The three peat-fired electricity generating stations in Ireland, one owned by Bord na Móna and two by ESB, were awarded support for biomass combustion under the REFIT3 Scheme for up to 30% of the installed capacity up to 2030. Bord na Móna commenced co-firing at its Edenderry Plant with biomass in 2008, and it is expected that ESB will commence co-firing at its 2 peat fired plants...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: The report the Deputy refers to echoes the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5⁰C, published in October 2018, on the urgency of ambitious action to tackle the challenges of climate change. Addressing climate change, whether through decarbonisation of our economy, or preparing to adapt to the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am currently preparing an All of Government Climate Plan which will set out the actions which must be taken to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change. I am working with colleagues across Government to develop new initiatives across electricity, transport, heat, and agriculture, as well as a range of other sectors. The All of Government Plan will have a strong focus on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Legislative Process (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: An interdepartmental group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, has been established to examine the risks to our electoral security, identify mitigating factors and to identify gaps and potential proposals to address these gaps. The Group published its first report in June 2018, which found that, while risks to the electoral process in Ireland are relatively low, the spread of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: In April 2017 my Department published an updated version of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map. This is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The Map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the NBP. The Map is colour coded and searchable by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 88 together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention to those areas where commercial investment is unlikely. These are mostly rural areas. The NBP has been a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Providing adequate charging infrastructure is critical to ensure continued growth in electric vehicles. Home charging is the most cost-effective way to charge an electric vehicle and is the primary method of charging for the majority of electric vehicles both internationally and in Ireland. A Government grant of up to €600 is available, via the SEAI, to the purchasers of new and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 94 together. The high level design of the new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) was approved by Government in July 2018. The RESS has been designed to deliver Ireland’s renewable electricity contribution towards an EU-wide renewable energy target of 32% out to 2030, within a competitive auction-based, cost effective framework. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: I welcome recent announcements of further commercial investment in high speed broadband infrastructure by telecommunications operators. While I have not had direct engagement with either company, officials from my Department have met with representatives of these operators and have received high level presentations from both with regard to their commercial deployment plans. To date, neither...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: The North South Interconnector is critical to improving the efficient operation of the Single Electricity Market and increasing security of electricity supply across the island of Ireland. A resilient and well connected energy infrastructure is vital for Ireland’s economic wellbeing and the ability to respond to the future needs of energy consumers. In December 2016 An Bord...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Projects (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Data centres are a key dimension of electricity demand growth in Ireland. While data centres have until recently accounted for less than 2% of Ireland’s total electricity demand, EirGrid in their Generation Capacity Statement 2018-2027 project that demand from data centres could account for 31% of all demand by 2027. Data centres consume very large amounts of energy and have a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Nuclear Waste (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Senior officials from my Department, and from the Environmental Protection Agency, meet twice yearly with their counterparts from the United Kingdom (UK) through the UK-Ireland Contact Group on Radiological Matters. The matter of the storage and disposal of radioactive waste, and in particular the Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) project, whereby this material is stored in an underground...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Protection (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department has no role in the monitoring and enforcement of data protection legislation. Responsibility for these functions lies with the Data Protection Commission, which is independent in the performance of its functions.