Results 6,061-6,080 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: General Scheme of the Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment (19 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputies and Senators for the opportunity to explain this issue. We are seeking a reserved power under the legislation, but we hope that we will not have to use it.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Recycling Policy (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy again for tabling this Topical Issue matter. I hope we will have evidence in the very near future on the merits of this scheme, if it is the right way to go, how we should design it and whether there are any strengths or weaknesses we need to take into account from what has happened in other countries. We will await the completion of that work but in the meantime I will...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Recycling Policy (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: I did not manage to catch the rhyming scheme or the scanning of that line. They are memorable lines. I have to congratulate the Deputy.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Recycling Policy (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: If I was Virgil or whoever it was I would be able to do so, but sadly it has been a long time since I was able to do that. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I recently commissioned a study to establish whether a deposit-and-return scheme would be a cost-effective measure in terms of achieving the goal on which we all agree, namely, reducing the levels of plastic pollution and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Food Wise 2025 Strategy (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: I refer to the reply to Question No. 209 of 7 February 2019. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 213 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage. My priority is to bring the procurement process to a fair and impartial conclusion as quickly as possible and I will bring a recommendation to Government in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (14 Feb 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: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department administers a very diverse, complex and technical brief across critical and strategic sectors of the Irish economy. While it has a total complement of around 396 full time equivalent staff of whom a number are technical personnel, the technical, commercial, legal complexity and evolving nature of sectors with which the Department deals requires access to external professional...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: The most recent EirGrid estimates state that the cost of the construction of the section of the project in Ireland will be €180m. According to SONI’s most recent cost estimates - the ten year development plan apparently referenced in the question - the construction of the Northern element of the project will be £109.3m (€125m). A significant cost element for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: The construction of the North South Interconnector, and all related procurement activities, is an operational matter for EirGrid and ESB Networks and one in which I have no function. Due to the very long lead times that can arise for a project like the North South Interconnector, EirGrid and its subsidiary counterpart in Northern Ireland, SONI, were given permission from the respective...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: My role as Minister is set out in the Public Service Management Act, 1997 which states that a Minister of the Government having charge of a Department shall, in accordance with the Ministers and Secretaries Acts, 1924 to 2017, be responsible for the performance of functions that are assigned to the Department pursuant to any of those Acts. My Department's management of the expenditure on the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Capital Expenditure Programme (14 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy regarding capital projects in excess of €10 million completed by my Department since 2011, is set out in the following Table. Name of Project Operational Period Initial Contract Value Final Cost Post Implementation Review (y/n) National Broadband Scheme (NBS) Contract was operational from December 2008 to August 2014 €79.8m...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: The position on those guidelines is that they are issued by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government. I understand the consultation was delayed because of new provisions relating to noise, which were required to be incorporated into them. I understand also that the Department will shortly enter into consultation on those onshore wind guidelines. In respect of offshore...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: No cap is being set by Government. The decision on a wind farm is decided by planning application issued under the guidelines the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government is revising. No cap is issued by Government in that regard.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services Provision (13 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: Providing telecommunications services, including mobile phone and broadband 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (13 Feb 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: Nuclear Waste (13 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 164, 165 and 175 together. I refer to the reply to questions 563, 578 and 585 on February 12th 2019. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Consultancy Contracts Data (13 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together. My Department administers a very diverse, complex and technical brief across critical and strategic sectors of the Irish economy. While it has a total complement of around 396 full time equivalent staff of whom a number are technical personnel, the technical, commercial, legal complexity and evolving nature of sectors with which the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Data (13 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: I refer to the reply to Question No. 169 of 6 February 2019. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Proposed Legislation (13 Feb 2019)

Richard Bruton: On 24 July 2018 Government approved the drafting of the National Broadband Plan Bill 2018. My Department is developing this legislation in consultation with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in the Attorney General’s Office.