Results 6,141-6,160 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (31 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: Providing adequate charging infrastructure is critical to ensure the continued growth in the uptake of electric vehicles. There are currently 668 standard public charge points as a part of the ESB eCars Network and a limited number provided by local authorities and retail outlets. There are also 77 fast chargers, mainly on national routes. Under the first call for applications from the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (31 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Warmth and Wellbeing Scheme was established in 2016 as a joint energy, social and health policy initiative with the Department of Health and cross Government support from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. The Scheme was designed to objectively measure and validate the health and wellbeing impacts of improving the living conditions of vulnerable people living in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (31 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 to 209, inclusive, together. The information requested by the Deputy is available on my Department’s website at the following links: In 2018, 216 anti-dumping initiative applications were submitted, 201 of which were approved by the regional steering committees who select the projects using the criteria developed by the Waste Enforcement...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme Administration (30 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date over 135,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme, leaving the occupants better able to afford to heat their...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Data (30 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the only major State infrastructure procurement underway in my Department and it is managed by a dedicated team. Within my Department, there are 29 persons working on the NBP, the majority of them on a full-time basis. This includes a number of contractors and secondees based in my Department. This internal NBP Team is supported by expert consultants...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (30 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I note that the Deputy is making reference to the deployment of infrastructure by eir. This is part of that company’s ongoing rural fibre roll out to some 300,000 premises. eir’s rural investment in high speed broadband is an entirely commercial undertaking, and not part of the planned State Intervention network. Although the deployment is monitored under the terms of a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Carbon Budget (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The regulation of greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland is currently determined through two different mechanisms. Emissions from power generation and large industrial installations are regulated by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), which imposes an overall emissions target at EU level rather than Member State level. Emissions from other sectors of the economy, including agriculture,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme Eligibility (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date over 135,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme, leaving the occupants better able to afford to heat their...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services Provision (29 Jan 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 appoint...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (29 Jan 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 via 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 2.3 million Irish premises had access to high...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the BLUE 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 BLUE areas are where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. Where a citizen living in a Blue area is unable to obtain a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Heat Incentive (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) has been developed to financially support the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System. Under Project Ireland 2040, the National Development Plan published earlier this year sets out an allocation of €300...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Administration (29 Jan 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 appoint...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (29 Jan 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: Legislative Process (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: There has been no legislation or heads of bills sent to EU institutions by my Department prior to publication in the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (29 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 474 and 475 together. The total cost of illegal dumping is not collated by my Department as it includes local authority enforcement, disposal and legal costs and also involves costs for other State agencies such as An Garda Síochána. Illegal dumping is first and foremost a matter of individual responsibility and compliance with the law. While...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The proposal which has emerged has a list of subcontractors. That list closely mirrors the list of subcontractors which would have been included by any other bidder. They are experienced subcontractors. The whole pre-qualification process required the evaluation committee to go through the experience, competence and record of work of the various players in the contract. All these elements...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The governance and reporting structures in respect of the expenditure of the licence fee by RTÉ are set out in the 2009 Broadcasting Act. It places an extensive range of reporting requirements on RTÉ in relation to its activities and expenditure. As well as oversight by my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, RTÉ is subject to regulation by the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The position is that RTÉ is independent in many of these operations. They are not day-to-day matters with which the Minister deals. Notwithstanding this, RTÉ states the latest figures demonstrate a reduction of 32% compared to fees earned in 2008. I understand the director general has indicated an intention to see further reductions in the fees paid to top performers, but that is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (24 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: First, I recognise what the Deputy is saying in that there is concern and public comment on the very high wages paid to individual broadcasters. It is something RTÉ has also recognised. It has indicated its record in bringing down salary levels and its intention to see it occur further. I will certainly raise the concerns of the Deputy when I meet RTÉ. There is a balance to be...