Results 6,241-6,260 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Brexit Issues (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I will get additional information for the Deputy. I am aware that work has been ongoing in increasing capacity in order to have the oil storage onshore. We have good contracts to ensure the stores are accessible wherever they are held. On the potential crash-out and the WTO rules becoming the rules, this is a market where there are very low tariffs and these are within the WTO rules....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: We had a considerable debate on this last night when all parties contributed. The Government recognises the importance of this issue. Indeed, it is a central plank in the programme for Government that we would seek to deliver high-speed broadband to every home in the country. That is an ambitious target. As a result of the initiatives we have taken, we have seen an increase in private...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The ordering of business in the Dáil is entirely a matter for it; it not one for which I am accountable. On the wider issue of Deputy Smith's Bill, it is not one I support. The reality is that in any transition to a carbon neutral environment Ireland will have a high dependence on gas. Until the discovery of the Corrib gasfield, we were 90% to 95% dependent on imported gas to support...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Medical Waste Disposal (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Questions Nos. 507 and 517 of 22 January 2019. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Internet Safety (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department has no governance or oversight function in relation to this matter. Consumer protection is a matter for the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Television Licence Fee (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action & Environment examined the longer term issue of the future funding of public service media and published their report at the end of November 2017.Following consideration of the recommendations made in that report, Government approval was received in July 2018 to establish a Working Group on the Future Funding of Public...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Adaptation Plans (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: In addition to contributing to decarbonisation of the heat, transport and electricity sectors, anaerobic digestion also has the potential to reduce emissions for the agriculture and waste sectors and reduce transport emissions by offsetting the use of fossil fuels. The REFIT3 support scheme, which is funded by the public service obligation paid by electricity consumers, has supported...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I have recently received a mandate from Government to begin the preparation of a new All of Government Plan to bring about a step change in our climate ambition over the next decade, and beyond. My vision is that this new Plan will set out the actions which must be taken to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change. It will have a strong focus on implementation, including actions...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Brexit Staff (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Government’s contingency planning for Brexit was initiated well in advance of the UK referendum in June 2016. As Minister for Communications, Climate Action, & Environment, I continue to oversee intensification of preparedness and contingency planning for the wide portfolio under my remit. Last month the Government published a Contingency Action Plan, setting out its...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Postal Services (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: An Post is a commercial State body with its own Board. Decisions relating to the commercial aspects of the business, including pricing strategies, are an operational matter for An Post.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (23 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The 2015 Energy White Paper Ireland's Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future sets out a road-map for Ireland to reduce its Greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95% by 2050. The strategy is clear that non-renewable energy sources will make a significant – though progressively smaller – contribution to our energy mix over the course of the energy transition. The National Mitigation...

National Broadband Plan: Motion [Private Members] (22 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy for raising this matter. This is an important debate on a hugely important project and the Deputy recognises that. It is worth recalling that the programme for Government sets out that one of the biggest challenges facing rural Ireland is to bridge the digital divide with urban areas and remedy the situation for at least the next 25 years. This is the...

National Broadband Plan: Motion [Private Members] (22 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: He was there to ensure the integrity of the process and he approached it in the right way. He looked at four tests. These were whether the Minister was privy to sensitive information, whether he took any decisions in the process that benefitted Granahan McCourt, whether he was in position to influence changes in the tender documents and, in particular, the evaluation of the submissions. In...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (22 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The majority of the existing publicly accessible electric vehicle infrastructure was rolled out by the ESB through its eCars programme. This network includes 77 fast chargers, mainly on national routes. A map showing the charge points, including the status and availability of the charge points, is available on the ESB's website at www.esb.ie/ecars. In addition, under the first call for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Medical Waste Disposal (22 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 507 and 517 together. My Department is continuing the work of developing a mechanism to provide a support for vulnerable persons with a condition such as lifelong or long-term medical incontinence to help meet the average annual cost of disposing of their domestic waste. I am informed that this process has taken longer than envisaged, due to a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (22 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) manages salmon stocks on an individual river basis as each of Ireland’s 147 salmon rivers (including river sections and estuaries) has its own genetically unique stock of salmon. IFI is supported in its management role by scientific advice from Ireland’s independent Standing Scientific Committee (SSC), comprising scientists from a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (22 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to in the Question 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.The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Television Licence Fee (22 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Working Group on the Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting is currently deliberating a number of options for the reform of the TV Licence Fee and its collection. It is due to report to me by the end of March. I am aware that the ruling referred to has confirmed that there are no state aid implications for the broadcasting contribution introduced by Germany in 2013 to replace...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicle Grants (22 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: There is a range of supports for the purchase of electric vehicles. These supports include a purchase grant of up to €5,000 for new electric vehicles and Vehicle Registration Tax relief of up to €5,000 for battery electric vehicles and up to €2,500 for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. In addition, further grants of up to €7,000 are available to support the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Adaptation Plans (22 Jan 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 512 and 513 together. I have secured government approval to develop an All of Government Plan which will set out the actions which must be taken in every Government Department and Body in order first to ensure we: deliver our 2030 targets; prepare for deep decarbonisation by 2050; and to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change. There will be...