Results 9,261-9,280 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: I can imagine where the Deputy is coming from. The commercial companies are rolling out fibre broadband in rural areas across the country. It can be done.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The three consortia involved in the national broadband plan are saying that for the vast majority of homes they will provide fibre to the door. The European Commission is talking about 1,000 Mbps going to homes across the country. We cannot do that with wireless technology at the moment. Wireless can meet our short-term need and that is why I am supporting wireless. I have met with all...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Generation (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The energy White Paper presents a long-term strategic vision that is intended to guide the direction of Irish energy policy from now until 2030. At its heart is a commitment to transform Ireland into a low-carbon society and economy by 2050 and reduce the country’s fossil fuel dependency. The programme for partnership Government also commits to reducing our import dependency while...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: They have already taken decisions. There were originally six consortia and now there are three. They are completely at arm's length from the Department and we are sensitive to the issues. We are conscious of the potential for legal challenge and we are particularly sensitive to the issue based on the experience of previous procurement processes. I do not think I have, as of yet,...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: I take the Deputy's point and accept the genuine concerns he has on the issue. Since I became Minister I have been threatened twice, if not three times, with legal action in regard to the national broadband plan so I will be extremely careful about what I put on the public record. I am happy to facilitate the meeting for the Deputy as there is absolutely nothing to hide. I am completely...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The national broadband plan aims to deliver high-speed services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The programme for Government commits to the delivery of the national broadband plan as a matter of priority.  This is being achieved through private investment by commercial telecommunications companies, at a rate of some €1.4 million per...

Other Questions: Media Pluralism (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: I assume the Deputy is referring to the recent media merger which involved the purchase of a number of a number of radio stations. Having received my Department's assessment, I determined on 22 September this merger was not contrary to the public interest in maintaining the plurality of media in the State. Details of the media merger regime, including the associated statutory guidelines,...

Other Questions: Media Pluralism (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: I thank Deputy Barry. There have been a number of reports on media plurality. The one hitting the headlines at present is that by Lynn Boylan, MEP. I was asked earlier by Deputy Stanley whether I had read it and I have. It raises issues on the media mergers process, but I must stress the report itself did not form part of the assessment process with regard to merger cases which have been...

Other Questions: Media Pluralism (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: Retrospection is an issue flagged in the report published by Lynn Boylan, MEP. The report in itself recognises it is an extremely difficult area with regard to property rights, market effects, procedural fairness and freedom of expression considerations. This was the caveat put on retrospection. During the passage of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act in 2014 the introduction of...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The national broadband plan represents a significant capital investment project for the State and aims to deliver high speed services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The Programme for Partnership Government commits to the delivery of the national broadband plan as a matter of priority. The Government’s intervention strategy is...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The programme for Government contains a commitment to further decrease Ireland's dependence on imported fossil fuels through the use of indigenous renewable energy resources. This commitment builds on the 2015 energy White Paper which recognised the long-term strategic importance of diversifying Ireland's energy generation portfolio. With this in mind, my Department is...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The immediate priority for me is the renewable heat incentive scheme because it can help us to reach our 2020 targets. It is expected that we will pretty much meet our renewable electricity targets for 2020 based on what is already in the pipeline. The Deputy and his colleagues have been very critical of me in the past because of the cost of the public service obligation, PSO, levy. In...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: It is my intention to bring forward the scheme as quickly as I can, but my immediate priority is the renewable heat incentive scheme. We have not been sitting on our laurels. We have been engaged with the Commission on solar costs and it has indicated that import levies on solar panels are likely to be lifted. One of the first things I did as Minister was to sign the North Sea agreement...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: There is huge connectivity in energy supply on both islands. About 50% of all the oil we consume and all of the natural gas last year came from the UK. We have the single electricity market. My priority and that of my Department is to ensure the continuation of trade in secure supplies of energy with the UK. In that context at yesterday's European Transport, Telecommunications and Energy...

Other Questions: Climate Change Negotiations (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held its 21st Conference of the Parties, COP 21, in Paris from 30 November to 12 December 2015. Ireland was represented in Paris by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and other relevant Ministers and Ministers of State also...

Other Questions: Climate Change Negotiations (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: We will present our transition statement to the House on Thursday and to the Seanad tomorrow. I hope to publish the draft mitigation plan within the next couple of weeks, following Cabinet approval. That will set out a draft of the actions to be taken by the Department. I look forward to Deputy Paul Murphy's input to that. He is right: this is the single biggest challenge we all have....

Other Questions: Climate Change Negotiations (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The issue of the incoming US President, Donald Trump, was on everybody's lips in Marrakesh. I discussed it with American representatives - I discussed it with the head of the US EPA, who is effectively the Minister and the high representative from the United States. The Secretary of State, John Kerry, was also there, but I did not get the opportunity to speak to him. I spoke to...

Priority Questions: Media Mergers (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 gives the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the responsibility for assessing proposed media mergers and empowers the Minister to prevent any merger that is deemed likely to be contrary to the public interest in maintaining the plurality of media in the State. There is no retrospective element to this legislation....

Priority Questions: Media Mergers (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: From the notification deadline on 24 November in respect of the proposed merger referenced by the Deputy, I have 30 working days to conduct a phase one assessment of the case. I will only make my assessment on media plurality guidelines. What I will consider in that context is set out on my Department's website. I have not received the report from my officials yet. When I do receive that...

Priority Questions: Media Mergers (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: In respect of what I will and will not consider, I will consider everything that is appropriate for me to consider as set out in the 2014 Act and as set out on the Department's website. I am not sure about the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland timeline because I have had a number of applications that I have had to consider up to now, none of which have been referred to the authority, but I...