Results 6,481-6,500 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Other Questions: Energy Policy (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: Not costs, regulatory issues can be a bigger issue. In fairness, the team within the Department is looking at the broad aspect of this, not just the political focus which is on tariffs. In my conversations with my British counterpart, I have made these specific points to them. It is not just the issue of tariffs, that is relatively minor. It is getting access to the energy that is of...

Other Questions: Electric Vehicles (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 10 together. There are now approximately 5,400 electric vehicles on our roads.  As the electric car market matures, it is vital that the charging infrastructure develops alongside it and I recognise that a range of charging options is necessary to provide the convenience and reliability that electric vehicle drivers require....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Recycling Policy (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I agree with everything Deputy Ryan said. As he knows, I fully support the principles behind the Bill he introduced. He might give me a copy of the response he received from the Ceann Comhairle which would help to facilitate the debate. As the Deputy knows, we discussed the issue in the committee in private session, disappointingly, at the last meeting. It would be extremely helpful to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Recycling Policy (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I am not afraid to push industry. I introduced the ban on flat rate bin charges last year. I am rolling out brown bins across the country, which the industry does not like. Many issues Deputy Ryan touched on are issues we are actively engaged with at the moment. As the Deputy knows, plastic does not go into incineration; the vast majority goes into other facilities across the country....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The national broadband plan aims to ensure high-speed broadband access to every premises in Ireland, regardless of location. In April 2016 approximately 38,500 premises in County Tipperary had access to high-speed broadband. As of March 2018 that has gone up to 40,500 premises in County Tipperary with access to high-speed broadband, with a further 13,000 to be served under Eir’s...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: There is no one more frustrated with what is going on across this country at the moment in regard to mobile phone and broadband coverage than myself. I was the one who got this written into the programme for Government specifically in regard to mobile and wireless broadband. I know the situation at first hand. As Minister for Communications, Environment and Climate Action, I find it...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: There is a significant problem. Deputy Eugene Murphy and I travel from Roscommon through places like Ballymurrray, Knockcroghery, Kiltoom and Kilbeggan, and we drop calls on the way to Dublin. It is frustrating and that is why we are putting in the ducting-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: That is why we are putting in the ducting on the motorways, where 100 km of ducting has been put in by Transport Infrastructure Ireland over the last 12 months. It is currently working with the telecoms companies on the siting of antennae along those motorways and on the national primary network. However, for me and for the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, that is not good enough. We want...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Recycling Policy (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: Ireland has supported the adoption of a set of ambitious measures to make EU waste legislation fit for the future as part of the EU's wider circular economy policy. The new recycling and land-filling targets set a credible and ambitious path for better waste management in Europe. They include a new recycling rate of 55% for plastic packaging waste by 2035 which will help drive real progress...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Mitigation Plan Implementation (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: We have Luas cross city, the BusConnects programme and the public sector energy efficiency scheme, which means that the public sector can now hold on to the energy savings we make. We are replacing public lighting throughout the country. We are rolling out compressed natural gas, CNG, filling stations throughout the country. We have established local authority climate action offices.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Mitigation Plan Implementation (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: We have implemented the Kigali protocol and funding for that. We are rolling out brown bins throughout the country-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Mitigation Plan Implementation (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: -----and we are addressing the issue of food waste. All of this has happened in the past two years since I was appointed Minister.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Incentives (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I am a constituent.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Incentives (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: It will be in breach by 2020 in regard to emissions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Incentives (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The 2015 energy White Paper presents a long-term strategic vision that is intended to guide the direction of Irish energy policy from now until 2030. It identifies the long-term strategic importance of diversifying Ireland's energy generation portfolio and largely decarbonising the energy sector by 2050. My Department is developing a proposed new renewable electricity support scheme, RESS,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Incentives (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I accept the frustration Deputy Kelleher is expressing. When I went into this new Department that had been formed, the clean air strategy, the wind regulations, the renewable heat incentive scheme, the renewable electricity support scheme, both in terms of microgeneration and broadening the renewable mix, the national broadband plan, NBP, the flat rate bin charges, the mitigation plan and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Incentives (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: We expect to get approval in the coming weeks from the European Commission for the support scheme for renewable heat. That will stimulate the biomass sector. Prior to that we established Bord na Móna BioEnergy because there is no point having demand unless we have a supply chain. That was established this time last year and that supply chain is now in place. We will also support...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Mitigation Plan Implementation (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: Meeting Ireland's EU targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and 2030 will be extremely challenging. The latest projections for greenhouse gas emissions, published by the EPA this morning, indicate that emissions from those sectors of the economy covered by Ireland's 2020 targets could be between 0% and 1% below 2005 levels by 2020 in the context of a target that they should be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Mitigation Plan Implementation (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: The figures are deeply disappointing. It is clear from the EPA's report that we face an enormous challenge to meet our 2030 targets. Energy policies already announced should mean a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030. There will be increases of 7% in the area of housing, 17% in transport and 6% in agriculture. We have to look specifically at each of these areas now. In the transport...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Mitigation Plan Implementation (31 May 2018)

Denis Naughten: I reject that comment. A total of €1 out of every €5 spent under the national development plan will be spent on climate related projects. The national planning framework specifically targets brownfield sites. We have a 65% loading of wind energy on the grid, the highest anywhere on the globe. The Moneypoint plant will be decommissioned by 2025. Ireland will be one of the...