Results 9,761-9,780 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (21 Jul 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 a Partnership Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority.  This is being achieved through private investment by commercial telecommunications companies and through a State intervention in areas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme (21 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to facilitate the development of solar energy projects. The White Paper on Energy policy published in December 2015 also includes a commitment to introduce a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme designed to encourage the development of Ireland's abundant, diverse and indigenous renewable energy resources, including...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Living Wage (21 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: My Department currently has 15 staff members who earn less than €11.50 gross per hour. The cost to my Department of introducing a minimum wage of €11.50 would be in the region of €53,000 per annum. The salaries paid to employees of the bodies under the aegis of my Department are generally matters for those bodies.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Living Wage (21 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: My Department has not had any discussions with suppliers or service contractors about the impact of a Living Wage. The Living Wage is voluntary concept and has no legislative basis and therefore cannot be imposed on suppliers or contractors. Companies tendering to supply goods or services to my Department through the etenders.ie website are obliged to provide a statement confirming that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme Administration (21 Jul 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. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Trading Online Voucher Scheme (21 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: The Trading Online Voucher Scheme was launched nationally on 1 July 2014, following a successful pilot in the Dublin City area. The scheme is a key action under the business strand of the Government’s National Digital Strategy, and is specifically designed to support small and micro enterprises to trade online. The scheme is administered in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Freedom of Information Data (21 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Number of FOI’s received in 2016 Number of FOI’s fully refused in 2016 Number of FOI’s partially refused 82 31* 18** *Figure includes 3 cases brought forward from 2015 and which were answered in 2016 **Figure includes 6 cases brought forward from 2015 and which were answered in 2016

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Travel (21 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Minister No. of kms and cost Subsistence Tolls Former Minister Alex White 4,729kms €2,793 €448 €132Notes: 1. The subsistence payments refer to the period 11 March to the 6th May 2016. 2. The data regarding kilometres travelled/claimed and tolls are not recorded in the format requested...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (21 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following table. Name Grade Gross Salary per annum Ross Elwood Special Adviser €79,401 (1st Point of Scale) Suzie Coogan Special Adviser €79,401 (1st Point of Scale) The appointments of all of the above staff were conducted in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines and no...

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: I thank everyone in the House for their assistance in facilitating the passage of this legislation and every single member of the committee for their assistance in drafting amendments. This was rushed and I thank them for their patience. I thank my officials who spent long hours during the night drafting amendments and engaging with the committee. It is my intention to use the same model...

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: I do not propose to accept this amendment. I assume the Deputy is referring to the biofuels obligation scheme rather than the biofuel levy that is payable to obligated parties. As indicated on Committee Stage, I appreciate the Deputy's concerns about the need to review the possible impacts of the biofuels obligation scheme on indigenous producers and also in respect of the growth in the use...

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: I do not have any difficulty with what the Deputy is saying. The appropriate way to do that is to bring representatives from NORA before the committee and ask whether it can extrapolate from the report's findings and whether it requires further information if that is available. I agree with the Deputy and think there is huge merit in what she is saying. I fully support the issues she has...

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: I move amendment No. 4:In page 28, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following:"(a) in subsection (3) by substituting the following paragraph for paragraph (c):"(c) environmental matters, including climate change and environmental sustainability, in the person’s capacity as a representative of the commercial or not-for-profit sector or otherwise, as the case may be;",". This...

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: I agree with the point made by Deputy Ryan. The difficulty I have with Deputy Bríd Smith's amendment is that I do not believe we should pigeonhole appointments to specific State boards. We need flexibility. As Deputy Ryan said, why should we be limited to one specific appointment? In other words, should the Minister tick the box and appoint only one particular person even if there...

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: In response to Deputy Ryan, I do not think it should hold us back. I do not see that as a block on it. My point, however, is that we need to ensure that whatever we put down in primary legislation is carefully drafted. There is this consultation and CER will come back to us shortly concerning its view. It may very well propose that we need primary legislation in this area. I am quite...

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: That is a separate group of amendments.

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: Deputy Smith is jumping ahead of herself. We will get through the other amendments in a few minutes.

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: You are okay. It is proposed to take amendments Nos. 2 and 3 together. During Committee Stage, both Deputies Ryan and Smith expressed their views and their promotion of demand-side participation, flexibility and community participation in energy markets in order to provide mechanisms for consumers to participate actively in the market through production, sale and possible storage of...

Energy Bill 2016: Order for Report Stage (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Energy Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: I thank Deputy Brassil for tabling the amendment, which I do not propose to accept. The amendment was comprehensively discussed on Committee Stage. On the conclusion of the discussions, Deputy Lawless, on behalf of Fianna Fáil, stated that he was satisfied with the position as outlined and, in particular, he welcomed the proposal that the committee would review the operations of the...