Results 8,821-8,840 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Stocks (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: As each of Ireland’s 143 salmon rivers has its own unique stock of salmon, Inland Fisheries Ireland manages salmon stocks by individual river based on the river's conservation limit. The salmon conservation limit (CL) is the number of spawning salmon required to maintain a sustainable population and is used to indicate the number of salmon in a river system above which a harvestable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Ireland Funding (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: In the five year period 2010-2014 substantial Exchequer support, amounting to almost €130 million, has been provided for inland fisheries and almost €24 million has been provided for IFI in my Department's Vote this year. The establishment of IFI has facilitated an improved national perspective in the formulation of inland fisheries policy which is more streamlined, coherent...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Prospecting Licences (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: Section 6 of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960 details the type of authorisation that must be held by a person that is searching for petroleum. Where the holder of a Licensing Option has agreed a work programme that involves searching for petroleum, then a Petroleum Prospecting Licence must also be held. As stated in my reply to Question No. 517 of 15 May, the work...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Stocks (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: I am advised that the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is the several fishery owner (on behalf of the State) of the relevant fishery and that the fishery is leased by NPWS to the body referred to by the Deputy. I understand that development permission would have to be sought from the fishery owner (NPWS) in the first instance. Inland Fisheries Ireland operates the Salmon...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Stocks (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: The principal functions of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) are the protection, conservation development and promotion of the inland fisheries and sea angling resource. IFI continually adapts operational practices to maximise the return on state investment in delivering on these core functions. IFI delivers a wide ranging inland national fisheries protection strategy including operation of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mining Licences (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1566 and 1573 together. Details of all authorisations granted by the Department are published in the six monthly reports to the Oireachtas, which I am obliged to lay before the Houses under the Minerals Development Acts, 1940 to 1999 and the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960, respectively. The last such reports were in respect of the period...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Corrib Gas Field (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: Following completion of the construction of the Corrib gas pipeline, Shell E&P Ireland Limited, on behalf of the Corrib partners, submitted an application on 18 August last under Section 40 of the Gas Acts for consent to operate the pipeline. This consent is required by the developer before production of gas can commence. A public consultation process in relation to the application was...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Comharthaí Bóthair (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: Tá dualgas reachtúil ar gach comhlacht poiblí atá ainmnithe faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 feidhmiú de réir na Rialachán atá déanta ag an Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta faoi alt 9(1) den Acht.Faoi na Rialacháin agus faoi réir díolúintí áirithe atá sonraithe, tá dualgas ar...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Air Services Provision (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: My position from the outset has been to ensure a continued air service to the Aran Islands, with significant financial support from the Government, in line with EU rules in regard to Public Service Obligation (PSO) air services. On behalf of my Department, the Office of Government Procurement undertook a procurement process to enable my Department to agree a contract for the air service to...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Air Services Provision (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: My position from the outset has been to ensure a continued air service to the Aran Islands, with significant financial support from the Government, in line with EU rules in regard to Public Service Obligation (PSO) air services. On behalf of my Department, the Office of Government Procurement undertook a procurement process to enable my Department to agree a contract for the air service to...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Offshore Islands (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, having reviewed the situation with regard to the school bus service for Inishbofin pupils attending school on the mainland, my Department has agreed terms which allow a resumption of a twice weekly service which will transport pupils to Galway on Sunday and back to Cleggan on Friday. The service will remain in place up until the end of the present...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Údarás na Gaeltachta Funding (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: I have been informed by Údarás na Gaeltachta that it does not differentiate supports for “for-profit business” and “non-profit organisations”. Funding eligibility and amounts are dependent on the type of business proposed, geographical location, skills level required and the potential employment level of the project. All business proposals, which are...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Contracts Data (22 Sep 2015)

Joe McHugh: A sum of €5,948,736.66 was paid by my Department for transport services for the offshore islands during the period from September 2014 to August 2015.

Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2015)

Joe McHugh: Regulation of metering is principally an economic regulatory function under the existing regime for oversight of metering. Prior to their installation or modification, it is required that the detailed specifications of all metering stations are submitted for approval by my Department and are also subject to inspection. It is important to point this out. Metering of petroleum volumes also...

Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2015)

Joe McHugh: Yes.

Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2015)

Joe McHugh: There is a distinction in terms of responsibility. It is addressed elsewhere so I am not accepting this amendment but I wish to put on record that the ultimate responsibility is not borne by the State. As a Cork man, the Deputy will have experience in respect of what is happening and what is in place in Kinsale. The decommissioning of petroleum infrastructure at the end of field life is...

Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2015)

Joe McHugh: I again make the distinction between the fine and costs involved in environmental clean up. The maximum fine of €3 million is for infringement of contracts entered into in respect of permit and proper safety guidelines: the €3 million is a fine if those commitments are infringed upon. There is no cap if there is an accident, there is environmental damage and there are...

Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2015)

Joe McHugh: Amendment No. 7 speaks to the part of section 16 that confers on the CER a power to appoint a petroleum safety officer to investigate petroleum incidents notified to it or safety or environmental concerns that have been reported to the CER by individuals on a confidential basis. While it would be a matter for the CER to decide whether or not such reports should be released, it would not be...

Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2015)

Joe McHugh: The transposition of the offshore safety directive, which is the purpose of this Bill, is to ensure consistent regulation throughout Europe with respect to the potential for major petroleum incidents. It is important we learn from other countries. In the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, we have tried to source staff from countries with very rich experience of...

Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2015)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy again. He mentioned earlier that hydraulic fracking is outside the scope of this Bill. For that reason, I will not be accepting the amendment. The Deputy has constantly referred to the duration and scope of the study that is under way. It is important that the debate continue, and I am certainly open to any opportunity to continue it. The EPA has been tasked with...