Results 1,161-1,180 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: There were five options recommended by the assessment study. The first was removing underground restriction between the swallow hole and spring and ancillary works. The second was attenuation of some flows at Rossroe and Fin loughs. The third was diverting the Rossroe Lough sub-catchment flow towards the Ratty river catchment along with removing the underground restriction between the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am assured by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform that funding for this project has been secured. That is definitive. Second, I understand that these 103 families are now facing the risk of flooding but also the fear that they cannot ensure their properties. I understand this is a matter of urgency. The first tender process collapsed due to inflation problems, which I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputies. Behind every one of these flood relief schemes are tales of people who are of going through the anxiety, financial damage and mental trauma of having to deal with risk to their family home and their finances. I can confirm that the money has been secured. I stand beside the Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform to say that very clearly. Unfortunately, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I will take the Deputy's thoughts to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. The estimated cost of the project is in the region of €150,000, to give an idea of the size of it. I appreciate the impact this has on people in Dunmanway and in the west Cork and central Cork areas.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Glashaboy River flood relief scheme in the Glanmire-Sallybrook area of Cork is being progressed by Cork City Council. The Office of Public Works, in partnership with Cork City Council, is engaging proactively to progress the flood relief scheme for Glanmire. The Glashaboy flood relief scheme was confirmed in January 2021 by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: In the first instance, local flooding is a matter for each local authority to investigate and address. Where necessary, local authorities may put forward proposals to relevant central government Departments, including the Office of Public Works, for funding of appropriate measures depending on the infrastructure or assets under threat. As there is no application on hand in the OPW for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: As this is not a case where property is at risk, but where a road is concerned, it is therefore a matter for the Minister for Transport. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, has committed to speak to the Minister for Transport about the issue. The area is located in a special area of conservation, SAC, and that makes it harder to get the consents. As to the question of whether it would...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Deputy is correct about drawdown. Much of the funds are not drawn down. Roughly half the funds approved have actually been drawn down during the five-year period we were looking at. The budget itself is not entirely applied for. There is always much more money in the budget than is applied for by the local authorities. I would encourage the Deputy to ask his local authority to apply...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: On the approach to sea level rises all around the country and its effect on critical infrastructure, housing and so on, the Climate Action Plan will continue to address that. There will be specific actions relating to flooding. People will pay particular attention to that in the current environment. On whether the local authorities need extra capacity, I know the OPW will act in an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The purpose of the Office of Public Work's minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme is to provide funding to local authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised fluvial flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. The scheme was introduced by my office in 2009 and applies where a solution can be readily...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I will take those two schemes in Cavan to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan and raise them with him directly. Any local authority should apply for funding where needed. There is a very low refusal rate. I think only about 10% of schemes are refused. Also, as we discussed, there is a low rate of drawdown on the projects. Sometimes projects are approved but the funding is not drawn...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I commit that I will bring those two projects in Cavan to the Minister of State and ask him to look into them and contact the Deputy's office directly to liaise with him to make sure the schemes are met. I understand that flooding is devastating for anyone who has a home that is affected by it. It causes great distress to families and also great financial distress. Sometimes you cannot...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Office of Public Works (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Historically, over many decades, the Office of Public Works, OPW, has held a statutory remit for the care and conservation of Ireland’s heritage estate. In tandem with this statutory role, the OPW has a mandate to engage in the presentation to the public of heritage sites entrusted to its care. The increasing popularity of heritage sites with visitors, to a point where it is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Office of Public Works (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The OPW, along with the other agencies, has formed a steering group which has been investigating a number of sites for a potential visitor centre. It has been working with the local community and tourism representatives to determine where a site should be placed. Along with its partners, it has engaged international expertise and carried out a scoping report which has been presented to my...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Office of Public Works (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am speaking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. Cashel is one of the most important sites in the country and was visited by Queen Elizabeth II and others. The next step is to assess the identified site locations. They will be matched against defined criteria to be agreed by the project steering group. The group will have regard to the conceptual spatial...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (15 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. I have set out in tabular form in the following link the detail on the amount of funding approved for each local authority under the OPW minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022. As the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of the scheme is to provide funding to local authorities to undertake minor...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator for the opportunity to discuss this question on the role of direct air capture, DAC. Direct air capture of CO2 involves a system where air from the atmospheres flows over an absorbent material and selectively removes the CO2. The CO2 is then released in a concentrated stream for disposal or for reuse. The absorbent material is regenerated and the CO2-depleted air is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: There are three key responses to the mitigation of climate change. There is the switch to renewable energies, such as wind power and solar power, to replace fossil fuels. We then have energy efficiency, for example, retrofitting homes and, finally, measures that remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. Those things all have different prices per tonne that we line up, but we do...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (10 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Providing telecommunication services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg), as independent regulator. As Minister I have no role or statutory function in the matter raised in the Question. ComReg has responsibility to ensure that customers are not being overcharged. In the event...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (9 Nov 2022)

Ossian Smyth: On 1st July 2022, I granted approval to Deposit Return Scheme Ireland CLG (DRSI) as the approved body to operate a deposit return scheme (DRS) in Ireland. This approval was a vital foundational element for the project, giving DRSI the legal standing to establish a DRS and commence formal engagement with producers, retailers and other operators. Ireland's national DRS will be launched...