Results 1,441-1,460 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Policy (15 Sep 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Absolutely, yes.

Measures to Assist with Household Bills: Motion [Private Members] (14 Sep 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I welcome the debate and I thank colleagues from all sides for their contributions. This is clearly the main item of interest and concern to Irish people, who are facing unprecedented wholesale gas prices, which directly impacts electricity and gas prices in our homes. We know that over the coming winter we will face higher energy costs, as continued price rises take effect. As I...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Usage (14 Sep 2022)

Ossian Smyth: EU Regulation No. 2022/1369 was adopted by the Council of the European Union on 5 August of this year with the aim of improving the co-ordination framework for national gas demand reduction measures in case of a severe disruption of gas supplies from Russia. As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war, there is a heightened risk of a complete cessation of supplies of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Usage (14 Sep 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Government has to lead by example on this and the public sector has been asked to turn down its thermostats to a maximum of 19°C and to turn off the power an hour or two before the end of the working day where that is feasible, reasonable and safe, which it would not be in a hospital, obviously. We have also asked that public sector buildings and bodies turn off display lighting at...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (14 Sep 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Question refers to a premises located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie  The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention. I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 2 September 2022, over...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (14 Sep 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (14 Jul 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 almost 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.I am advised by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (14 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) last year underwent a detailed external Capacity Review, leading to a Government Decision in July 2021 which committed to a roadmap of measures to grow its resources and capability. In addition, my Department is engaging with national stakeholders to develop a policy paper on legislation to define the future mandate, functions and powers of the NCSC....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (14 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Following engagement with telecommunication industry leaders late last year to address the ongoing problem of nuisance communications, an industry-led taskforce, facilitated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has been established to identify and recommend practical interventions that might be taken by operators in the short, medium and long-term to combat nuisance...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (14 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 220 together. I propose to answer 219 and 220 together. 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 almost 560,000 premises,...

Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: One of the other issues that affects price of plastic is the EU rules and the minimum amount of recycled plastic that has to be used. For example, if a company is making plastic bottles, it has to use a certain minimum percentage, and those percentages are going up. What that is doing is forcing up the price of recycled plastic to the point where recycled plastic, for example, the plastic...

Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: These amendments are all related and, in many cases, address technical drafting issues. They have the cumulative effect of providing the Minister with the power to impose a levy not just on single-use disposable cups, but also on certain reusable alternatives to those cups that are supplied to the consumer below a certain price point, which will be set out by the Minister in secondary...

Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: This is a minor drafting amendment relating to the drafting of a poverty impact assessment under section 7. The amendment ensures that the Minister can procure the services of an expert group or body to carry out the assessment if that is required, and it does not have to be carried out by the Minister’s Department.

Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputies. I have been in Monaghan on a number of occasions in the past year. I met Deputy Carthy's brother in Carrickmacross. I asked my Department to engage directly with Shabra Plastics some time ago. They have been engaging and that will continue. In general, our facilities infrastructure for recycling plastics in Ireland is not well developed. One of the consequences of...

Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: It has been very hard to tackle those problems for local authorities because they have been prevented from gathering evidence by legal constraints due to privacy concerns and the general data protection regulation, GDPR. They have found it difficult to get the evidence that is required in order to bring a case against the people who are carrying out that crime, which affects us all. We have...

Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am happy to go into that. If there is a situation whereby there is a virgin plastic tax in a nearby jurisdiction, that creates an incentive to export goods from Ireland to be processed in that jurisdiction. There is a mismatch in that regard. It makes it harder if that country is no longer a member of the EU and is not subject to the same rules. We must decide if we are going to impose...

Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I intend to amend the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 to allow the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to consider applications for integrated pollution control and industrial emissions licences that are subject to the provisions of section 181 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. I addressed this issue by introducing amendment No. 33 on Committee Stage in the Seanad....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Kyne for his question. Ireland has one of the best offshore renewable energy resources in the world with a sea area of 490,000 sq. km, which is approximately seven times the size of our landmass. Because of Ireland's location at the Atlantic edge of the EU, we have more offshore energy potential than most other countries in Europe. The Climate Action Plan 2021 includes a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: One of the main things is that our planning process at the moment is lengthy, as has been pointed out by the Senator. It needs to be compressed if we are going to meet our targets and if we are going to deal with the energy crisis that is happening across Europe. The EU has agreed under the REPowerEU proposals to compress the planning period down to a maximum of two years for major...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (13 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 80 together. 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 almost 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and...