Results 1,481-1,500 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator. Amendments Nos. 21 to 26, inclusive, provide for additional, more specific purposes for which the circular economy fund may be used. I do not think these amendments are necessary and I believe the section as drafted is appropriate for the purposes for which it is intended. I believe that all the items specified in the amendments are addressed in the legislation. I...

Seanad: Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Likely that.

Seanad: Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I will not be accepting these amendments. Amendment No. 11 relates to activities that are inherently international and require international solutions, and I do not believe it is appropriate to provide for mandatory targets in this section in the Bill. In respect of amendment No. 12, the text in the Bill in regard to public procurement is sufficient. With regard to adding requirements for...

Seanad: Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I would not usually come back in. The first thing to say is that the regulation of aviation and shipping is very important from the point of view of equity. People will not want to comply with climate action requirements if they think that shipping and aviation are getting a free ride. Traditionally and for a long time the fuels used for aviation and shipping have been virtually free of...

Seanad: Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senators for their contributions. I agree with the objective of amendment No. 64 and, in general terms, the way in which it attempts to address the problem of new consumer goods being disposed of by either merchants or Internet vendors. Reference was made to the French law, which is given careful consideration. It is important when writing legislation to look at other jurisdictions...

Seanad: Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I do not accept amendments Nos. 60 to 62, inclusive. On amendment No. 62, the development of a national food waste prevention roadmap is included as a commitment in Ireland’s waste action plan for a circular economy and the Government’s 2021 climate action plan. While the national food waste prevention roadmap will include information on food losses, the principal focus of the...

Seanad: Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The big problem we are trying to address in this part of the Bill is the problem of illegal dumping and littering and the fact it has become nearly impossible in recent years for local authorities to prosecute people for carrying out those crimes. We all suffer as a result. As we move around the countryside or walk on the streets, we see litter, sofas dumped in fields and so on. It has...

Seanad: Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Government’s overall policy on mineral exploration and mining is under review at the moment and is currently the subject of an ongoing process of engagement with stakeholders and this will all be examined in detail. The policy statement on mineral exploration and mining is being finalised. That follows a public consultation. This policy statement proposes that the legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (7 Jul 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 24 June 2022,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (6 Jul 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 appreciate people's frustration when they are living so close to a fibre network...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defence Forces (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The Minister for Defence welcomed the publication of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in February of this year. The establishment of a commission on the Defence Forces was set out in the programme for Government and was a key priority for the Minister, Deputy Coveney. The members of the commission were drawn from a wide range...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defence Forces (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The first question is whether the Minister for Defence will come back on this before the summer recess. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, has said he will shortly revert to the Government and I cannot go beyond that. That is his guarantee. He has said he will respond to the report but he will also bring an action plan to the Government. That deals with the Senator's other question. The...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: International Students (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am here on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy Helen McEntee, and her Department. I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. The Minister is aware that this is an issue on which he is engaged. She, too, is keen to see a resolution to the matter as soon as possible. By way of background, the Senator will be aware that many immigration permissions include the condition...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: International Students (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: On the question of quantification, I believe 30,000 international students would be affected by this, so that is the number being looked at. There is a concern in the Department of Health that this could lead to calls from other groups for similar arrangements on the basis of fairness and, therefore, it would go beyond students and other people on international visas would request the same...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tax Code (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator. Addressing vacancy and dereliction, and maximising the use of the existing housing stock, is a priority objective of the Government. Housing For All outlines a suite of measures aimed at addressing vacancy in a co-ordinated and robust manner, and specifically includes an action for the Department of Finance to collect data on vacancy with a view to introducing a vacant...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tax Code (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator. The report will be published as soon as possible. She has a point that there are still a significant number of vacant properties in Dublin and that the Department is doing the groundwork for introducing a vacant property tax. With regard to dereliction, I am advised that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage continues to liaise with local authorities...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Areas of Conservation (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Dolan for raising this matter. I will answer on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, to whom the NPWS reports. Special areas of conservation, SACs, are prime wildlife conservation areas in the country that are considered to be important on a European level as well as an Irish level. The legal basis on which SACs are selected and designated is the EU habitats...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Areas of Conservation (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Geological Survey Ireland has stated that the problem at Lough Funshinagh is caused by rainfall and poor drainage, and that the recent problems were caused by increases in rainfall. I understand that there are strong feelings locally and I am aware the Senator attended a meeting with other representatives to which a large number of people turned out. I know as a politician that this is...

Seanad: European Directive on Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation: Motion (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, I thank the Cathaoirleach for facilitating this motion. Senators will be aware the prior approval of the Oireachtas is required, under Article 29.4.7° of the Constitution, if Ireland wishes to take part in an EU measure whose legal base falls under Part 3, Title V of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, TFEU. The...

Seanad: European Directive on Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation: Motion (5 Jul 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senators. I listened carefully to their comments. I thank them very much considering what we are doing. We are trying to prevent people abusing the law to intimidate or bully individuals who engage in public participation. If we have a public consultation or a forum open to the public they should not be threatened with defamation actions, the power of expensive lawyers or...