Results 6,601-6,620 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (28 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland - regardless of how remote or rural - has access to high speed broadband. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment across Ireland; and a State intervention in those areas, mostly rural areas, where commercial companies are unlikely to invest. The procurement process...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Contracts Data (28 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The cleaning of my Department's offices are performed by a private cleaning company procured under the provisions of an Office of Government Procurement framework agreement. The terms and conditions of the employees of these companies do not come within my remit. My Department has no plans to insource the cleaning of my Department's offices.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Medical Waste Disposal (28 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is continuing the work of developing a mechanism to provide a €75 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 issues, including data protection...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (28 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: In respect of the confiscation of vehicles used for illegal dumping, there is scope under current waste legislation to seize vehicles involved in the carrying out of suspected unlawful waste activity and in the event of a successful prosecution to have such vehicles or equipment disposed of as the competent authority sees fit.Under Section 14 of the Waste Management Act, an authorised person...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (28 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 234 together. Enforcement actions against illegal waste activity are a matter for the Local Authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE) within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  While this Department does not compile statistics in relation to complaints made, information is available through the Local...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (28 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: As I outlined in the Dáil on 27 November in response to the Micro Generation Support Scheme Bill, I am supportive in principle of providing a route to market for citizens and communities to generate their own renewable energy and receive a fair and efficient price for doing so. This very much aligns with energy policy as set out in the Energy White Paper 2015,...

Microgeneration Support Scheme Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies who participated in the debate. I particularly thank Deputy Stanley for bringing this Bill forward. As the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, said, the Government will not oppose the Bill. Indeed, we need a legal framework for microgeneration and we must promote its expansion. It is undoubtedly an important opportunity for people to participate in reducing their...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: This has been a very complex and ambitious programme. We are seeking to provide high-speed broadband to every premises in the country bar none. It will be 100% coverage and that involves over 500,000 premises. This has not been done by many other countries and it is an ambitious programme. I agree that the process has been complex. There was a competitive dialogue whereby anyone could...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: Until a decision is taken, there cannot be a schedule of investment. It is impossible to set out a schedule of investment until one decides whether one is going with the tender.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am happy to facilitate the Business Committee in whatever way it decides to order the business. I assure the House of that.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Disposal Charges (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 485 and 489 together. My Department is continuing the work of developing a mechanism to provide a €75 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the 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 and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.  The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department published the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) in 2014 which set out policy for the sustainable development of our abundant offshore renewable energy resources. An interim review of the OREDP was published in May and is available on my Department’s website . The Offshore Renewable Energy Steering Group, which oversees the implementation of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: In April 2017 my Department published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the National Broadband Plan. The Map is colour coded and searchable by address/Eircode: - The AMBER...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy are in the AMBER area on the 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 and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.  The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Single Use Plastics proposal, published this year, is an EU-wide action plan to tackle single use plastic items commonly found as litter in the marine environment. This includes a proposed 90% collection target for plastic bottles and nationally we need to consider how this could be attained. A Deposit and Return Scheme has been identified as one option for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Negotiations (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 492 to 494, inclusive, together. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will hold its 24th Conference of the Parties (COP 24) in Katowice, Poland, from 2 to 14 December 2018. Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement at COP 21 in 2015, the focus of global negotiations has turned to the design of the rule-book which will enable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to in the Question is located in the AMBER area on the 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 and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process. The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: A review of "A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland" will be initiated in 2019. The review, in tandem with other initiatives, such as the European circular economy waste and plastics legislation framework and reports from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Price Monitoring Group, will inform the development of a future national waste...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (27 Nov 2018)

Richard Bruton: A contract was awarded to appoint an independent process auditor to the National Broadband Plan procurement process in May 2016 following an open procurement process.  The fees paid to date in respect of these services are set out in the table below: Year Payments Made (including VAT) Services 2017 €1,968 Process auditor services 2018 (to date) €7,872 Process auditor...