Results 821-840 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vehicle Testing (19 Apr 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Sherlock for putting her case very clearly. I have been asked by the Minister for Transport to respond on his behalf. The operation of all roadworthiness testing in the State, including commercial vehicle roadworthiness, CVR, testing, is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority. The minimum requirements for CVR testing are set in EU Directive No. 2014/45....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vehicle Testing (19 Apr 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Acting Chairperson and Senator Sherlock. These guidelines have been flagged since 2004. They became mandatory in 2013. It is not as though they are being rushed in. There will be a further three years' grace, namely, from 2024 to 2027. Senator Sherlock asked for a technical explanation beyond whatever has been provided to her so far. I am happy to go back to the Department...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (19 Apr 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Lombard. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, and in line with the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (19 Apr 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I admire the Senator's tenacity in following up on this matter. He is right to do so. Of all State agencies involved in infrastructure provision, TII has been at the forefront. It is probably because TII has delivered so many road projects over many years that it has developed very strong in-house expertise. Of all agencies, TII's numbers or predictions for its projects and plans are the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Litter Pollution (18 Apr 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Under the Litter Pollution Act, 1997, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution lies with local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority to determine the most appropriate public awareness, enforcement, and clean-up actions in relation to litter taking account of local circumstances and priorities. My Department provides financial...

Seanad: Inland Fisheries Ireland: Statements (29 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I heard the strength of feeling on this issue from all Senators. Senator Boyhan raised uninsured vehicles and other issues. These were dealt with by the board and reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General by the then chairperson, Mr. Fintan Gorman. The Minister has reported members to the board of IFI and asked the Public Appointments Service to appoint additional board members. I...

Seanad: Inland Fisheries Ireland: Statements (29 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I completely agree. The Minister has asked IFI to refocus the organisation to protect habitats. The recent controversies have slowed the progress of this change in focus. The Minister is also very disappointed that this change of direction has not yet happened. He has spoken of how IFI needs to be a primary guardian of our waterways to improve habitats for fish and, thereafter, a...

Annual Emission Allocation Units Purchase Agreement: Motion (28 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I have listened carefully to the Deputies' contributions. We should bear in mind that the 2013 to 2030 effort-sharing decision, that is, the EU's plan to reduce its emissions by 20% during the last decade, succeeded and achieved what it set out to do. Emissions were reduced by 20%. That was a collective decision by all EU member states. Each member state, including Ireland, was given an...

Annual Emission Allocation Units Purchase Agreement: Motion (28 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I move: That Dáil Eireann approves the terms of the Annual Emission Allocation Units Purchase Agreement for target compliance purposes under Decision No. 406/2009/EC, signed on 14 February 2023, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Eireann on 13 March 2023. Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for the opportunity to speak on this important matter. As a member of the EU, Ireland has...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Waste Management (23 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The handling of waste within Ireland and all other member states is subject to the provisions of the waste framework directive. The directive defines what is waste and requires that waste be managed in a manner that does not endanger human health or the environment; that does not pose a risk to water, air, soil, plants or animals; that does not cause a nuisance through noise or odours; and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Waste Management (23 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: As the Senator said, there is a difference between salvage and scavenging. There are different circumstances. When a building is being knocked down, it has fireplaces, doors and windows which could be reused. That type of salvage is different from people climbing on top of a landfill, for example. Clearly a different level of risk is involved between mixed-up collected waste and something...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Air Quality (22 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Overall, we have approximately 1,410 premature deaths from poor air quality or air pollution. It is a terrible problem. It is estimated by the European Environment Agency that 100 of those premature deaths are related to transport emissions rather than solid fuel. However, they are localised. As the Deputy mentioned, many of them are localised in his constituency. The Deputy asked for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Air Quality (22 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is close to my heart. Clean air is fundamental to our well-being and quality of life and is essential for the health of the environment on which we depend. People have no choice about the air they breathe. We have an important role in developing policies that deliver clean air, hence the high priority given to improving Ireland's air quality...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Postal Services (21 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: As Minister of State in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, 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...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Acting Chair and Senators for the opportunity to present the Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023, which I am grateful to introduce to Seanad Éireann. Although many Senators will be familiar with the exceptional energy security challenges that face us, as the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senators for their contributions. I will go through them, beginning with that of Senator Pauline O'Reilly. She and Senator Dooley both pointed out that the long-term solution here is more renewables. However, when there is a short-term problem, you do what needs to be done to keep the lights on. Senator Dooley spoke about what went wrong with the 2019 procurement. Regretting the...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator. I have heard from EirGrid and the CRU, which are answerable to the environment committee the Senator sits on, that large energy users and data centres will be the first to have their power turned off in the event of an electricity shortage. That is right and it is why they are being required under the new guidelines to provide 100% backup of their systems. As the...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: We are discussing an amendment but we have had a general discussion. I thank Senator McDowell for speaking so-----

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I do not want to misquote Senator McDowell, but I think he said what we do in Ireland is not important for the planet. I think this was what was said.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Is it unfair to paraphrase the Senator that way?