Results 6,281-6,300 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: Since my appointment I have received questions on the future of the post office network. Everyone here is aware of the issues. Deputy Eugene Murphy made the point that one in 80 young people in the school in Strokestown had used the post office service. That is the problem and that is what we need to change. We need to get young people to use various innovative services.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: Absolutely, community banking is part of the solution. I smiled at what Deputy O'Keeffe said about post offices because I remember in his father’s time, there was a post office in Leinster House. In relation to the RfP, it is open to Sparkasse or any other international banking organisation to bid and tender for a contract when it is available. In response to Deputy Canney, I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: I cannot give an opinion regarding a public procurement contract. It is not part of my remit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: In fairness, Deputy Nolan did raise that specific issue. The financial situation in An Post changed dramatically at the time and that is why I came forward with emergency legislation in the Dáil to increase the price of a stamp. I outlined to both Houses at that stage the precarious situation the company was in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: The date of closure is decided by the postmaster or postmistress, not the company. The review can take place anytime between now and 31 January. The postmaster in Athleague set a date of 31 October and has come back to the company now and extended it to 31 January. Members must take into account that each individual postmaster has to make a personal decision. There may be specific reasons...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: Once a postmaster decided to take the package-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: That is not true and I have already said this at a public meeting. I have provided written confirmation that no contract was withdrawn.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: This was a voluntary decision by the postmasters. More than half of the postmasters who received the letter decided not to retire. If a post office was commercially viable why did the postmaster decides to take the lump sum?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: There is an appeals mechanism, which I outlined to the Deputy on the Wednesday before last and which is clear. A second mechanism is now being put in place that if a retailer looks to avail of services, and if An Post decides - for one reason or another - not to provide them, that will also be reviewed. It is independent of the company.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: I have answered the first two questions. There is one post office with 12 transactions and the average is 120. The Department has not issued any contracts. It does not provide services. The only service the Department provides is the TV licence. We said earlier that the Government has decided to look at an offline avenue for Government services and that decision was taken by the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Denis Naughten: No, the decision was taken to look at an offline avenue. That is to go for procurement and it is a matter of who succeeds in that.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Civil Service Staff Data (12 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: The recruitment of staff into my Department is administered centrally by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) via advertised competitions for all grades. My Department, as part of its workforce plan, offers mobility and promotional opportunities for staff through its internal competitions programme. The selection processes for all competitions run by PAS and by my Department are in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (12 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 599 and 612 together. There are a number of legal issues ongoing in Ireland and Northern Ireland in relation to the North South Interconnector project. My Department was involved in a High Court appeal against the planning decision in 2017. The planning decision was upheld in the High Court and subsequently in the Court of Appeal. This is now...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Communities Programme (12 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Better Energy Communities Scheme is funded by my Department and operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). €23m has been allocated to the Scheme in 2018. To date, 37 communities have been approved funding for energy upgrades to more than 1,200 homes and 400 communities and commercial facilities. These communities will have warmer and healthier buildings lower...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (12 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: In September 2017 enet/SSE announced a project to bring high speed broadband to 115,000 homes and businesses across  the West and North West of Ireland. As the Deputy is aware, Eir withdrew from the National Broadband Plan procurement process in January 2018 leaving enet/SSE the remaining bidder in the process and as such the company is now engaged with my...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Capital Expenditure Programme (12 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 603 together. The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Protection Agency Licences (12 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established as an independent body in order to monitor the quality of the environment and to ensure overall compliance with environmental protection legislation. The legislation passed by the Oireachtas to establish the EPA provides that the Agency is entirely independent of the Minister in the exercise of its functions. The EPA is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Postal Codes (12 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: To answer the Deputy directly no, I am not satisfied with the time delays associated with the allocation of a new eircode and I am frustrated with the situation as I know it is deeply affecting people across the country.  I have asked my officials to work more closely with An Post, Ordinance Survey Ireland, An Post GeoDirectory and Capita to improve and expedite the process of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (12 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: I am informed by the EPA that high carbon soils are considered to be organic soils under agricultural production. In this regard, there are two categories of emissions from arterial drainage of organic soils under agricultural production from which emissions are reported in the national greenhouse gas emissions inventory prepared by the EPA. The first is the Land Use, Land Use...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Radon Control Strategy (12 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: While the Radiological Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002 provides a legislative structure for radon remediation no scheme was ever commenced under its provisions.  Over the last year my Department considered, in some detail,  the practicalities of implementing a scheme under the 2002 legislation but concluded that this was...