Results 8,301-8,320 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 487 together. The provision of telecommunications services, including mobile phone and broadband services, is a matter for the service providers concerned which operate in a fully liberalised market regulated by the independent Regulator of the telecommunications sector, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). However, I am aware...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: The statutory responsibility on planning policy and legislation, including leading the review of the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, rests with the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, in consultation with me, announced last week that we had developed a preferred draft approach...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos 86, 89, 96 and 104 together. I am critically aware of the frustration currently being experienced across Ireland where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. Recognising this challenge, I specifically included in the Programme for Government a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Task...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Mitigation Plan (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: I refer to the reply to Question No. 58 on today's Order Paper.   The objective of Ireland’s first statutory National Mitigation Plan is to set out what Ireland is doing, and is planning to do, to further the national transition objective as set out in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015. The Plan will focus on measures and actions to progress...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: I refer to the reply to Question Number 72 of 6 December 2016, Number 43 of 7 February 2017 and Number 85 of 9 May 2017. By way of additional information, my Department wrote to the three bidders in the NBP procurement process on 20 June 2017 inviting them to submit their “Detailed Solutions” by 26 September 2017. This is a significant milestone as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Waste Disposal (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Environmental Protection Agency is the body responsible under statute for ensuring that the plant referred to in the Question is operating in accordance with the conditions of its industrial emissions licence. The Minister has no role in this matter and is precluded in legislation from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the Agency, in particular...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Incentives (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: The introduction of a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a commitment in the Programme for Government.  The aim of the RHI is to build on the progress already made in the renewable heating sector and to help reach Ireland’s 12% target by 2020. Provisional data indicates that 6.6% of heat demand was derived from renewable sources in 2016. My Department has undertaken...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Energy White Paper and the Programme for Government recognise the potential for biomass to play an important role in decarbonising our economy.  There are a wide range of Government departments, agencies and state bodies that are critical enablers for biomass development by virtue of their responsibility for areas such as energy, forestry, agriculture, waste, research funding and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Closures (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: As Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, I have responsibility for the postal sector, including the governance of An Post, to ensure the company is fully compliant with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and the governance functions included in the statutory framework underpinning An Post. Operational matters and the role of developing...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Cyber Security Policy (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 116 together. The National Cyber Strategy set out the priorities for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) for the period 2015-2017, as the protection of Government ICT Infrastructure while building capacity in other areas, including, particularly, the protection of critical national infrastructure. While the 2016 EU Network and Information...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Contracts (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: The contract for a new Emergency Call Answering Service Operator is subject to an on-going procurement process which is being conducted in accordance with relevant national public procurement policy and European Union Directive 2004/18/EC. However, I can say that my priority is to ensure that all calls to the Emergency Call Answering Service are answered quickly and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Waste Disposal Charges (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: The charges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation. I have been quite clear that I am not introducing mandatory per kilogramme pay by weight charging. My intention is to introduce an incentivised...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Media Mergers (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: Following approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, notification of the proposed transaction referenced in the question was received by me as Minister on 21 November 2016. I had 30 working days from the notification deadline of 24 November 2016 to conduct an initial, or Phase 1, assessment of the case on media plurality grounds. Prior to this notification and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to achieving this target through meeting 40% of electricity demand, 12% of heat and 10% of transport from renewable sources of energy.   My Department is currently developing a new Renewable Electricity Support...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: Capita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, was awarded a 10 year contract in December 2013 to develop, implement, maintain and promote the use of the National Postcode System "Eircode". Since the launch in July 2015, Eircode usage, as part of an address, continues to grow and is used widely among the public, businesses and public sector.  This, in part, can be seen...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Waste Disposal (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: I have been quite clear that I am not introducing mandatory per kilogramme pay by weight charging for Household Waste Collection. It my intention to introduce an incentivised pricing structure to encourage householders to reduce and segregate their waste in line with the waste hierarchy. The charges applied by a waste management company are a matter between those companies and their...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Climate Change Policy (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Irish Government strongly supports concerted international action to address the global challenge of climate change and, together with our EU colleagues, helped to bring about the entry into force of the Paris Agreement last November. Ireland has joined the international community in expressing our concern and disappointment at the decision by the United States to seek to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 459, 460 and 463 together. The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband and fibre optic backhaul cables are a matter, in the first instance, for the commercial players who operate in the Irish market. Neither I nor my Department have a statutory authority to direct telecommunications operators in this regard. The Government's...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Data (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: The staffing complement for my Department at the end of 2016 was 318 full-time equivalent employees.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Traveller Community (27 Jun 2017)

Denis Naughten: My Department does not have any specific schemes in place for support and services exclusive to the traveller or other communities. All support schemes available through my Department are open to all communities on an impartial basis. There are no plans to establish an advisory group.