Results 1,121-1,140 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am advised by NBI that, as of 2 December, over 112,200 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 25 counties, with over 101,700 premises passed across 25 counties and available for immediate connection. Construction is underway across 26 counties demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. To date, the level of connections is increasing on a daily basis...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) state led intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract, signed in November 2019 and which came into effect in January 2020, to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the intervention area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) state led intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the intervention area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools. High-speed broadband...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (15 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) state led intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the intervention area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools. High-speed...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Inland Fisheries (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputies. I welcome the opportunity to once again set out the factual position on these matters. I can advise that a number of protected disclosures, mostly anonymous, have been made on IFI to the Department and to IFI itself. These disclosures are being examined in line with the protected disclosure policy of the Department and the equivalent policy of IFI, as appropriate. It...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Inland Fisheries (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I acknowledge the strength of feeling from all three Deputies, that they are from different constituencies and that they mean what they say. I should be clear that the process is by no means over. There are a number of Garda investigations ongoing and the latest protected disclosures on IFI, which were mostly anonymously made, are still being examined. The Department has to follow due...

Nationalisation of Energy System: Motion [Private Members] (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government is keenly aware of the growing pressures that families and businesses are under, and Budget 2023 announced a package of support measures amounting to €2.5 billion, including a lump-sum payment for recipients of the Fuel Allowance and a...

Nationalisation of Energy System: Motion [Private Members] (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am glad to hear them. It is certainly better than what we heard yesterday, which I felt was an entirely negative attack on one man over housing policy. Today at least we have some proposals to discuss. Deputy Boyd Barrett stated that nationalisation is an absolute must. That is the core of what this motion is about. We have a lot of involvement from the public sector in the energy...

Nationalisation of Energy System: Motion [Private Members] (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: We have a lot of electricity generation, distribution, transmission and the future of renewable generation being built by State-owned entities. At the same time there are also some private entities involved. Bord na Móna is going to try to build a wind farm off the coast of Dún Laoghaire and Wicklow. I hope it succeeds. I will be working through the process and seeing what is...

Nationalisation of Energy System: Motion [Private Members] (14 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Government is aware of the growing pressures on families and businesses. The most immediate factor affecting electricity prices in Ireland has of course been the invasion of Ukraine. In response to rising electricity and gas prices in the EU, the European Commission has put in place a number of measures available to member states to mitigate the impact of the energy price rises on...

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Higgins for her considered amendment. I know she is trying to do the right thing, that her heart is in the right place, and that she put a lot of work into this. I am not opposing this amendment. I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senators. I agree that the earlier the criteria are introduced, the more likely they are to happen and the more cost-effective they will be. That applies to ecodesign as well. We need to think about it right at the start. It is not the icing on the cake at the end; something that we add on that then does not fit because it has been designed for something else. That applies to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 185 together.A public consultation on the draft regulations to introduce a levy on single use disposable cups was recently carried out by my Department. A Regulatory Impact Analysis accompanying the consultation cited independent nationally representative surveys which report a high rate of public approval for a single use disposal cup levy. The RIA...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I refer to the reply to Question No 113 of 20th September 2022. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: A national Deposit Return Scheme was launched on the 28th November this year and will become operational to the public from February 2024.Deposit Return Schemes encourage people to return empty drinks containers for recycling. They work by charging anyone who buys a drink a small deposit for the plastic bottle or can that it comes in. They get this money back when they...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) state led intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract, signed in November 2019 and which came into effect in January 2020, to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the intervention area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Agriculture Industry (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Under the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009, the burning of household, garden, commercial or industrial waste is not permitted. An exemption under the legislation, which has allowed farmers, as a last resort following strict application of the waste hierarchy, to dispose of waste generated by agricultural practices by burning has been extended on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (13 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together.Strategic Connection Points (SCPs) are a key element of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. My Department has now prioritised primary schools with no high speed broadband and continues to work with the Department of Education in this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (6 Dec 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.I am advised by National...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (30 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 18 November 2022, over 107,400 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 25 counties, with over 95,700 premises passed across 25 counties and available for immediate connection. Construction is underway across 26 counties demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. To date, the level of...