Results 901-920 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: I warmly welcome the Minister's commitment. This really needs to move on. The success of BusConnects and so on all hangs in the balance of getting a hub like this working properly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: One question I would like to ask is in terms of the first climate budget. How is the Department on track in terms of being able to deliver the first climate budget? How much of the Department's allocation is used up and is what the Minister has outlined on track to deliver?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: Based on his expectation from the measures he outlined, which are interesting, can the Minister track the impact in 2024, 2025 and 2026? Will the Minister exhaust his budget early and, therefore, have to have additional measures or how are we stacked up?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: I do not want to repeat anything. The whole issue in farming seems to be getting the take-up in sufficient numbers, for both the new techniques and taking up forestry and all these elements. There are some programmes, like the forestry one, that look very impressive but yet are not achieving the take-up we would hope for. Is there any sense in looking at geographic areas and specific...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: Let us say there was a Meath strategy. Two of us at least know a little about the county. Could that mobilise more commercial players, farmers, local authorities and the wildlife service if we set some targets for Meath to see if we could deliver them together?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: I share the Minister's positive approach. It is good that we are on track to deliver our effort-sharing commitment to the 42% reduction, taking into account a lower level of offsets. That is a significant milestone. It is short of what we set out in our legislation but it is a significant step forward and there are very positive trends there. There is huge potential for Ireland to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: In the context of guidelines for offshore wind, they seem to be waiting forever-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: I have two brief questions. Would the Minister be agreeable to bringing the circular economy and biodiversity strategy under the same monitoring umbrella as the climate action plan? I see a lot of mutual gain in having that level of integration. Both struggle for the lack of biting with the president's teeth, or whatever you like to call that more central monitoring and observation. In the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: In a sense it is the idea of looking at your supply chain. You are looking at the supply chain of a business with an air transport element, a buildings element and its sourcing and processing. It is the same; you are not talking about different things, you are talking about resource use-----

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: 63. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the regulations for e-bikes and scooters will be completed; how it is intended to monitor the 25 km/h speed limit, which is to be the threshold for tax and insurance, where the capacity of many of the items in use seem to be able to exceed such thresholds. [52811/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: 102. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline the new approach to the promotion of the transfer of patronage of schools which her Department has adopted; and if she will outline the key milestones that it is intended to reach in the next three years. [52817/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: 335. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the progress in developing more multi-denominational choice at primary level; her further views on the new approach being developed by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47386/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: 143. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she plans to take new initiatives to promote the understanding of biodiversity in education programmes, both within and outside the curriculum. [52818/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Artificial Intelligence (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: 172. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what international compacts are in development to regulate the impact of artificial Intelligence on economic, social and political life within and beyond the EU; and how Ireland intends to participate in emerging new arrangements. [50243/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Membership (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: 200. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether prospective new member states of the EU have made significant progress to date in reaching the milestones for membership; what changes in the operation of the EU are under consideration to accommodate wider membership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50242/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: 381. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether substitute teachers filling positions as English language teachers can be paid the substitute’s daily rate; if she will make arrangements in order that these subs can be entered into the online system for payment; and her views on the shortfall of pay to substitutes at a school (details supplied). [53171/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: I will try to get back anyhow.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Minister for his presentation. I start with the business cost issue. I welcome the proposal to provide rate relief for 95% of businesses. We will be delighted to see the detail when it comes. However, as he rightly pointed out, the backdrop to this is the 12.5% increase in the minimum wage, 1.5% in auto enrolment coming up the tracks and five days' sick pay. I suppose...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: I worry about the loan schemes that they have a limited life. We need certainty and steadiness about the loan schemes that will be available five years hence. We need to know that it will still be a growth fund, not something that dies within 18 months and something new comes along. That does not create the sort of certainty people need for funding decisions.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2023)

Richard Bruton: My concern is that the general measures here should be succeeded by something very targeted at the pressure points, such as low-margin, high-employment businesses. That should at least be looked at.