Results 8,741-8,760 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (22 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: The operation of the post office network is a day to day operational matter for the Board and management of An Post and not one in which I, as Minister, have a statutory function. On foot of the reconfiguration of Government Departments last year, responsibility for the post office network transferred to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (22 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Government's 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. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is being achieved through a combination of commercial...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (22 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: 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 telecommunications sector and a State intervention in those areas where...

Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: There is a commitment in the programme for Government to better engagement with communities on energy projects. Deputy Eugene Murphy and I discussed one of those projects in my constituency. I cannot reopen every decision that has been made by every Minister prior to me, but what I can do is ensure that we learn from the mistakes of the past in terms of some of the projects. That is the...

Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: I will engage through the public representatives. I gave no further commitment at the time for follow-on meetings. As to whether I will engage with public representatives in the House, of course I will.

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: The Deputy is right about there being a balance but I recall how, soon after I was appointed Minister, he and his colleagues lectured me on the impact of the PSO on domestic bills.

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: I must get the balance right in that regard. Solar will be a part of that mix. Deputy Dooley is right, in that one of our main problems to date has been how we have effectively put all of our eggs in one basket, that being, onshore wind. There needs to be a broader suite of supports - solar, hydro, biomass and offshore wind. One of my first decisions as Minister and one of my first...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: It is, so we must move quickly. According to the projections available to me, however, we will meet our 2020 electricity targets. The main challenge for us will be heat. For this reason, priority within my Department has been given to the renewable heat incentive scheme, which we want to get operational as soon as possible. Once it is, our focus will move to the electricity sector. We...

Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 53 and 64 together. The North-South interconnector is important for improving the efficient operation of the single electricity market, SEM, and increasing security of electricity supply across the island of Ireland. Currently, there is only a single high-capacity electricity interconnector between the transmission systems in Ireland and Northern...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (21 Mar 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 energy sources. The Government has a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: The new support scheme should be far broader than schemes up to now. Up to now the focus has been on onshore wind. There is an opportunity now to expand and look at both domestic and large scale solar, hydro, biomass, offshore wind energy and micro-generation. Micro-generation has to be part of that mix. I cannot give the Deputy a commitment on any specific project. There are a number of...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: Has there been engagement with the Commission on state aid? Yes, of course, there has been. Our Department will be in regular contact across a number of areas. Is it likely it will get approval from the European Commission? Yes, it is our intention to design a scheme that will get the approval from the Commission. It is important to remember that under the renewable electricity support...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: 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 2030. Analysis is ongoing of the types of technologies to be included such as biomass, offshore and onshore wind, waste, and combined heat and power. This analysis also includes an assessment of the...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: First, Deputy Murphy made the point that there is no good method for dealing with communities and he is correct that this was the case. That is why before Christmas I got the industry to sign up to a new code of practice. I acknowledge some of the people near Sliabh Bawn have dismissed that but it is funny that other communities in County Roscommon that have used the code have said that it...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: I acknowledge, and have acknowledged, that there is a difficulty. That is why I put the code of practice in place and that is why the wind industry has written to every Member to tell them there is a new mechanism in place to deal with issues such as those being experienced by the Deputy. Noise is an issue and the new guidelines will reflect that. The Deputy asked me to meet the people...

Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: Sometimes we are much too hard on ourselves. Ireland is leading the way in some areas. The beef data and genomics scheme is probably the most innovative step taken in agriculture anywhere in the world. I have been surprised by the number of ministers from abroad who have asked me about this scheme. The initiative taken by the Environmental Protection Agency on smart farming is putting...

Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: To respond to Deputy Pringle's question, while I am very open to constructive suggestions, I am not open to the suggestion that we close down the three peat fired power stations tomorrow and have all the seasonal workers who are driving tractors become electricians and retrofit houses in Dublin. This is the type of solution that is being put forward. What we need are practical solutions and...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: The programme for Government recognises the importance of community participation in renewable energy projects in both the national and local interest. This builds on the 2015 energy White Paper commitment to widen the opportunity for community and citizen participation in renewable energy projects. While the specific proposal detailed by the Deputy is a commercial matter for Coillte, I...

Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: Deputy Pringle stated that the plan does not take into account the human aspect and cost. One of the big problems is that we have not had an across-the-board economic analysis of the impact of climate change and its cost to the environment and society. The really frustrating aspect is that I, as Minister, was starting with a blank sheet. When the 20% targets were agreed, the then...

Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: Will the mitigation plan be sufficient to meet our 2030 targets? No, not as it stands at present. First, this is a draft document and we are looking for feedback and submissions from the public on it. Second, this is a living, breathing document that will alter with the forthcoming budget and the review of the capital plan. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has directed that...