Results 5,841-5,860 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

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

Richard Bruton: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 541 and 542 of 12 March 2019. The position is unchanged. Greenhouse gas emissions and removals associated with land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), as reported in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency, include activities associated with afforestation and forestry...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 233 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. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. In 2012, less than...

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

Richard Bruton: The National Inland Fisheries Forum is established by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) under the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 to provide a mechanism for a wide range of stakeholders to input into the sector generally. A review of the original Forum, following 3 years of operation, identified that the low attendance from among the 60 members at meetings led to sub-optimal delivery on the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (27 Mar 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 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 an ongoing procurement process. The procurement process to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Under section 124 of the Broadcasting Act, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is required to carry out a review of the public funding of RTE and TG4 every five years which is brought to Government, and published along with a Government response. The Working Group on the Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting was set up by Government decision in July 2018 to examine options for...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 235, 236, 242 and 243 together. As the Deputy will be aware, 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 in electricity, transport, heat, and agriculture, as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Providing telecommunications services, including mobile phone services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. I do not have statutory authority to require commercial companies to rollout services and make specific investments in particular locations....

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. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. In 2012, less than 700,000, or 30% of all 2.4 million Irish premises had access to high...

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

Richard Bruton: The most recent Energy in Ireland report was published in December 2018 by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Details of the proportions of electricity generated from oil, gas, coal, wind, solar or other renewable sources are available in Table 8 “Growth rates, quantities and shares of electricity generated by fuel”on page 29 of the report. The EU Renewable Energy...

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: Electricity Generation (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 248 together. The most recent Energy in Ireland report which covered the period up to end 2017 was published in December 2018 by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Renewables, including wind (25%) generated around 30% of Ireland's electricity in 2017, with the other main sources being gas at 51%, coal 12% and peat 7%. EirGrid as...

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

Richard Bruton: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) work closely with my Department and present a comprehensive overview of energy supply and demand in Ireland to inform Government policy. As part of their work, the SEAI publishes an annual “Energy in Ireland” Report which presents national energy statistics on energy production and consumption over a set period. The latest...

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

Richard Bruton: This Government is committed to leading the way in reducing single use plastics and is working both at a national and European level to tackle the problem. The government has: - Agreed that Government Departments and bodies will not purchase single-use plastic cups, cutlery and straws - Strongly supported new EU legislation on Single Use Plastics (SUP), which will ban straws, cotton...

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

Richard Bruton: European, national and regional waste management policy is predicated on the waste hierarchy as set out in Article 4 of the 2008 Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), whereby the prevention, preparing for reuse, recycling and other recovery of waste are preferred options to the disposal or landfilling of waste. Statistics compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency show that we have...

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

Richard Bruton: Decarbonising our electricity supply is a crucial part of reducing our overall emissions. We are stepping up our ambition on renewable energy - by 2030, I have committed to 70% of our electricity being generated from renewable sources. The renewable energy sector has undergone a considerable transformation over the last 10 years, with the share of renewable electricity generation more...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Transmission Network (27 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: In July 2018, my Department published a National Policy Statement on Electricity Interconnection. This sets out the official policy position on electricity interconnection and outlines the many drivers and benefits of interconnection. The East-West Interconnector connects Ireland and Great Britain and has a transfer capacity of 500MW. It has been in operation since 2012 and allows the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: An Post is a commercial State company. It is responsible for its day-to-day decisions and is undertaking a major reorganisation of its services. In that context, it wants to improve the services it provides in Thurles and intends to expand those services in a new premises. I do not have a role in that decision. If Deputies are anxious to call the chairman or chief executive before an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Semi-State Bodies Remuneration (26 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1018, 1019 and 1021 together. This is an operational matter for the Board and management of ESB, and not one in which I, as Minister, have a statutory function.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (26 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: The majority of the existing network of publicly accessible charge points were rolled out by the ESB through its eCars programme. This network includes over 650 standard public charge points and 78 fast chargers, mainly on national routes to facilitate longer journeys. A map showing the charge points, including their status and availability, is available on the ESB's website at...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Television Licence Fee Collection (26 Mar 2019)

Richard Bruton: Under the Broadcasting Act, 2009, An Post is the designated agent for the collection of the Television Licence fee. In line with the Act, An Post is charged with the issuing of these licences and also with the enforcement of the current licence fee regime. An Post makes every effort to bring evaders into the licensed pool. An Post concentrates its initial efforts on getting people to buy...