Results 8,561-8,580 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: Ireland has some of the best offshore renewable resources in Europe, and the development of this abundant resource will be an increasingly important element of Ireland's future energy policies. The 2014 Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) sets out Government policy in relation to the sustainable development of this resource. The Plan identifies policy actions and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and price volatility, is essential to Irish consumers. The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Projects (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to facilitate the development of solar energy projects in Ireland. This builds on the commitment in this area in the 2015 Energy White Paper. My Department is currently developing a proposed new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) which will be designed to assist Ireland in meeting its renewable energy contributions out to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I understand the Deputy's Question refers to analysis of Ireland's proposed emission reduction targets for the period 2021-2030 under the draft Effort Sharing Regulation proposal published by the European Commission in July 2016. This proposal seeks to give effect to the European Union's commitment, under the Paris Agreement, to a reduction of at least 40% in EU-wide emissions by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) was published in August 2012.  Progress continues to be made in delivering on this Government’s commitment to ensure every household and business in Ireland has access to high speed broadband, regardless of where they are located. Through the NBP the Government has committed to intervening to ensure high speed broadband is available in parts...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Responsibilities (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Questions Nos. 1251 and 1252 of 2 May 2017.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Waste Disposal Charges (9 May 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 indicated quite clearly that any system under consideration to encourage householders to prevent and segregate waste will encompass more...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The 2014 Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) sets out the Government’s policy in the ocean energy area.  The plan identifies the sustainable economic opportunity for Ireland in the period to 2030 of realising the potential of our indigenous offshore wind, wave and tidal energy resources. In contrast to offshore wind, wave and tidal energy is still at...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telephone Call Charges (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The European Commission is currently collaborating with National Regulatory Authorities to provide detailed guidance on how Roam Like at Home (RLAH) can be introduced at retail level and is also working closely with consumer organisations across the EU (BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation). The Irish Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is the competent statutorily...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Nuclear Safety (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 580 and 581 together. The UK Ireland Contact Group on Radiological Matters met in Dublin on 27 April. The meeting was attended by officials from my Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the United Kingdom’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Office for Nuclear Regulation, and National...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bord na Móna (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 582 and 583 together. While Bord na Móna is a commercial State company operating under the Turf Development Acts 1946 to 1998, and while the matters raised by the Deputy are operational in nature and not ones in which I, as Minister, have any function, they are nonetheless matters of concern to me. In the first instance I have encouraged the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Illegal Dumping (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: My role, as Minister, is to provide the legislative and policy framework under which both local authority and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement action against illegal dumping is initiated. In accordance with section 59(1) of the Waste Management Act, 1996, each local authority is responsible for the supervision and the enforcement of the relevant provisions of the Act in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Administration (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 589, 590, 596 and 601 together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed broadband services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority.  This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment by the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 591, 592 and 595 together. A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable and sustainable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and price volatility, is essential to Irish consumers and businesses. The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony Services (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: The provision of telecommunications services, including mobile phone 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). I am, however, critically aware of the frustration currently being experienced across...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 597 and 598 together. I refer to the answers to Questions Nos. 45 and 58 on today's Order Paper. In accordance with the 2009 EU Effort Sharing Decision, Ireland has greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for each year between 2013 and 2020 covering the sectors of the economy outside of the EU Emissions Trading System. The Environmental Protection Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Waste Management (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: Our use of plastic has increased exponentially in recent decades. Plastics feature across a wide range of applications and products, such as packaging, construction, electrics and electronics, agriculture, medical and health. In Ireland, the latest statistics available show 55% of all plastic waste was sent to landfill in 2011. The last waste characterisation study showed that 12.4% of our...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Waste Management (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: Government waste management policy is predicated on the waste hierarchy, i.e., to prevent the generation of waste in the first instance and then to divert waste which cannot be prevented away from landfill through preparing for re-use, recycling and other recovery. There are numerous measures under the policy to give effect to minimising the amount of waste consigned to landfill. The...

Questions on Promised Legislation (4 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: When I was on the other side of the House, I asked on numerous occasions. We have made significant progress. The finalisation of the draft is being settled between the officials of both Departments involved and the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Coveney, and I have signed off on the principles relating to it. The delay was related to the expectation...

Questions on Promised Legislation (4 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: This is a very difficult time for the staff at both sites. My understanding is that the board has yet to make a decision. As soon as it has done so, it will be communicated with the staff in the first instance. The board is meeting as we sit here. This is an operational matter for the company and not something in respect of which I have a direct function. A transitional process will be...