Results 9,721-9,740 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: All of my Department's accommodation needs are provided for by the Office of Public Works and therefore no rents are paid directly to landlords by the Department.  The information regarding the agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each Agency. I will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Applications (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: While I cannot comment on an individual Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff (REFIT) application, I can confirm that it is normal practice that a REFIT applicant would liaise directly with officials in my Department to receive updates on the status of any application, and I have asked my officials to follow up with the REFIT applicant referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: International Agreements (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: On 12 December 2015, an ambitious new legally binding, global agreement on climate change was agreed in Paris.  The Paris Agreement puts in place the necessary framework for all countries to take ambitious action as well as providing for a transparency system to ensure that all countries can have confidence in each other’s efforts. The Agreement sets out a long-term goal to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony Use (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: In 2015, the European Council and Parliament adopted Regulation 2015/2120, which requires retail roaming surcharges to be abolished in the European Union from June 2017, subject to fair usage.  The concept of fair usage was introduced to prevent so-called “permanent roaming”, i.e. living in one EU Member State and permanently using a mobile phone and data service from...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1696 and 1697 together. My Department, when communicating with households via An Post includes the Eircodes on the Departments publications, application forms, headed paper, e-mail signatures, complementary slips and on the website. In all correspondence with the Department, staff request and use Eircodes. The Department continues to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Competition Authority Investigations (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: As Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment I have no role in overseeing or directing any function of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). The CCPC is an independent body under the aegis of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.   While I am aware that the proposed purchase of Celtic Media by Independent News & Media is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Services Provision (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: The mechanisms for disbursing repayments from the Department of Social Protection and the Revenue Commissioners are a matter for those organisations. A Final Report of the Post Office Network Business Development Group was published in January this year.  The Report clearly sets out the challenges that An Post and Postmasters face as they ensure that the network...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: On the 26 February 2016, 15 vacancies existed on State Boards under the aegis of my Department as follows: Body Number of vacancies Position TG4 1 Ex-officio member (Director General) Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) 8 Ministerial nominees ESB 1 Ministerial nominee National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) 1 Ministerial nominee Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) 1 (CEO...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Carbon Budget (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: For each year between 2013 and 2020, Ireland has a greenhouse gas (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 per cent below their value in 2005. This is jointly the most demanding 2020 reduction target allocated under the ESD and one shared only by Denmark...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Waste Disposal (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: The obligations on local authorities in relation to collecting household waste are set out in the Waste Management Act 1996, as amended and, in summary, provide that: - Each local authority shall collect, or arrange for the collection of, household waste within its functional area. - The obligation to collect or arrange for the collection of household waste shall not apply if: - an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Budget 2017 (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: My department is responsible for a diverse brief, covering Communications, Climate Action, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources.  The main priority areas for my Department are detailed in the Programme for Government and in the Department's current Statement of Strategy and in 2017 include : the National Broadband Plan, a State led investment designed to ensure that high...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: The requirement to have a TV licence and pay the accompanying fee is dependent on possession of a television set, as provided in section 140 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. In estimating the national evasion rate, my Department takes into account a range of factors including the overall number of occupied houses and liable businesses, the levels of vacant units and the estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Building Energy Rating Compliance (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: Independent research conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute has shown that people who rent their homes are more than twice as likely to live in a home that is an E, F or G on the Building Energy Rating (BER) scale than a homeowner.  This research has also found that households living in relatively energy inefficient properties spend €160-€419...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Forestry Sector (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: Under the Kyoto Protocol, countries must meet their emission reduction targets primarily through national measures. However, the Protocol also offers an additional means to meet targets by way of a number of market-based mechanisms, including the purchase of carbon credits. The rules relating to the use of carbon credits to assist with meeting emissions reduction targets differ under the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Communities Programme (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Communities Scheme on behalf of my Department. The scheme aims to support and encourage community based partnerships to improve the energy efficiency of homes, businesses and community facilities in a local area. To date the scheme has supported the upgrade of more than 12,000 homes and several hundred shared...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme Expenditure (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: The Better Energy Homes scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. The scheme provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme Expenditure (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates a number of energy efficiency schemes under the Better Energy Programme on behalf of my Department. The Better Energy Homes Scheme makes a range of grants available to home-owners who wish to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme offers free energy efficiency upgrades to those in energy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: The Renewable Electricity Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) schemes are the principal means of supporting renewable electricity generators for energy exported to the grid. The REFIT support schemes are underpinned by detailed economic analysis to ensure long-term certainty for investors and overall value for money for consumers.  The REFIT schemes assure a minimum price for each unit of electricity...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Policy (16 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: The Paris Agreement was the major outcome of the 21st Conference of Parties held by under United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 30 November to 12 December 2015. The Agreement was negotiated by representatives of 195 countries and aims to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts...

Government Appeal of European Commission Decision on State Aid to Apple: Motion (7 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this motion. No one was surprised by the Commission's announcement last week. Given the preceding announcements concerning Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, it was likely that a similar announcement was going to be made last week. Many of us were surprised by the scale of the figures involved, though. It is important to remember that,...