Results 9,301-9,320 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Collection (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: I recognise the important part that public service broadcasters play in our democratic society. The provision of stable and adequate funding is essential to ensuring the continued delivery of their role in this regard. I am very much aware, however, of the challenges that face the existing TV Licence system, including the current unacceptable levels of evasion.  While the rate has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 59 together. For each year between 2013 and 2020, Ireland has a Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) emissions reduction target under the 2009 Effort Sharing Decision (ESD) No. 406/2009/EC. For the year 2020 itself, the target set for Ireland is that emissions should be 20% below their value in 2005. This is jointly the most demanding 2020 reduction...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electric Vehicles (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all Member States a binding target that at least 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland aims to meet this target mainly through the increased use of sustainable biofuels, with electric vehicles (EVs) also making a small contribution. In 2015, 5.7% of the energy in transport was from...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Sector (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54, 55 and 66 together. RTÉ is an independent national public service broadcaster whose remit and obligations are set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009. Section 114 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 states the principal objects and associated powers of RTÉ and Section 98 provides that it shall be independent in the pursuance of these objects, subject...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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 NBP as a matter of priority.  This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment by the telecommunications sector and through a State intervention in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: I am critically aware of the frustration currently being experienced across Ireland, where mobile phone and broadband networks are not always delivering the services people expect.  Telecoms operators have however rolled out high speed broadband services to approximately 1.4m premises in Ireland over the last number of years, and mobile operators have  invested significantly in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Priorities (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: In the context of environmental protection and climate action, the Programme for Partnership Government sets out a coordinated approach to shape the long-term future of Irish environmental policy, including how we will achieve our transition to a low carbon climate resilient future. Recognising the roles of climate change plans, both mitigation and adaptation, and their interaction with the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Media Pluralism (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....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony Services (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The management of radio spectrum is a statutory function of the independent regulator of the telecommunications sector, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).  Licences issued by ComReg impose terms and conditions on mobile network operators, including minimum population coverage obligations. ComReg monitors compliance in this regard by means of biannual drive...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Climate Change Negotiations (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The global response to the challenges of climate change is driven by the Paris Agreement, which entered into force last month. The Agreement has an overall goal of restricting global temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with an ambition to limit it to a 1.5°C increase above pre-industrial levels. It aims to tackle 95% of global emissions...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: I refer to the reply to Question No. 34 on today’s Order Paper.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The current EU and national regulatory framework for telecommunications allows for the application of a Universal Service Obligation in respect of fixed voice services. This framework has, in my view served consumers well over several decades and ensured that householders can get an affordable fixed voice service, regardless of where they are located. Currently there are no...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Climate Change Policy (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The EU and wider international position on carbon neutrality is not well developed and lacks clarity of definition at this stage. As part of the process of defining carbon neutrality from an Irish agriculture and land use perspective, a number of scenarios are being considered and the definition ultimately approved will have to be robust on scientific, technical and environmental...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (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. While Biomass will have a role to play in this regard,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Landfill Sites (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: For the purposes of waste management planning, Ireland is divided into three regions: Connacht-Ulster; Eastern-Midlands and the Southern Region.  Waste management plans for the three regions include an inventory of sites identified as previous disposal or recovery sites.  Historic landfills are regarded as the landfills that were in operation in the period 1977 to 1997 and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: In September, the European Commission published an ambitious proposal for the regulation of the European telecoms sector, which aims to incentivise and encourage increased investment in high speed broadband networks in particular. I have invited the Irish telecoms industry to provide their views on the proposed new framework, and taken that opportunity to also consult with industry on the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (6 Dec 2016)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The 2015 Annual Report and Accounts for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland have been received by my Department and have been noted by Government. They were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 10 November 2016. A second version which corrected a minor error in the Report was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 23 November 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Data (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP), which was published in August 2012 by the then Minister, outlined Government’s commitment to deliver high speed broadband availability across the country and reflects Government and European objectives to deliver high speed broadband services to all citizens. Specifically it committed to a State intervention in those areas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (6 Dec 2016)

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...