Results 1,681-1,700 of 4,091 for speaker:Cormac Devlin

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: That is fair enough. The Minister mentioned a plan for maritime development and climate action, including the establishment of a marine and climate directorate. He said his Department is committing €1 million. It is envisaged it will be €3.5 million in a once-off fund for this year to support the setup of that function. Will the Minister elaborate more on that marine and...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: In the establishment of that directorate, if only €1 million is being committed to it this year, does that jeopardise the applications for offshore wind? Obviously, from what the Minister is saying, An Bord Pleanála does not possess the skills right now.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I thank the Minister.

Teachtaireacht ón Seanad - Message from Seanad (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Seanad Éireann has passed the Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022, without amendment.

Tailte Éireann Bill 2022: Message from Select Committee (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: The Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage has completed its consideration of the Tailte Éireann Bill 2022 and has made no amendments thereto.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Staying with the topic of Irish Water, is the Tánaiste aware of the earthy-smelling and poor-tasting water that is being supplied to homes and business in the south Dublin-north Wicklow area? I understand that complaints relate to supplies from the Vartry water supply plant, which serves customers in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dublin city and north Wicklow. Irish Water has assured...

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I welcome all of our witnesses. I will start with cybersecurity and the NCSC. Mr. Griffin said that the ambition was that 20 new staff would be recruited by the end of this year. Given that we are close to that point now, how successful has that been? What is the status of the recruitment programme?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: It is good that the Department is potentially ahead of where it wanted to be. Renovations were carried out on the interim facility being used for the centre. What was the extent of those renovations, what did they cost and why were they done on an interim facility when there was a plan to move to a new facility?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: That lease can be renewed again and the property used for another-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Does Mr. Griffin have an idea of the costs to date? How much has been spent on those interim works?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Is the newer building in Beggars Bush that the NCSC will move in to also owned by the OPW or is that leased?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Okay, that is fine. If Mr. Griffin could provide a note on that, it would be much appreciated. I will now turn to the NBP, which we have discussed previously at the committee. I understand the deployment plan is 12 months behind schedule. Delving into that further, fines of €135,000 were issued in respect of build delays. I gather from what Mr. Griffin said in his opening...

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Are they not revised targets?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Are we not behind on the revised targets?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: Just before Mr. Mulligan comes in I would like to ask another question because my time is limited. From 1 February to August of this year, sanctions totalling €134,800 were imposed but I understand there is a refundable option if other build milestones are achieved. I ask Mr. Mulligan to touch on this in his response.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: When does the refundable option kick in? How is it traded off against the milestones that are missed?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I thank Mr. Mulligan. With regard to blackspots, we focus a lot on rural Ireland but there are obviously blackspots in urban Ireland also. There are some glaring ones where there is fibre in the ground but houses cannot connect to it. I know the Department is aware of certain situations. I brought some to its attention. It is galling for people in an estate of 700 houses where it would...

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General - Chapter 9: Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (13 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I thank Mr. Ó hÓbáin. The Department needs a carrot and stick approach with certain operators. While they have plans, the public have been waiting years for them to be able to connect to cabinets or whatever other infrastructure is required. In urban areas there is an expectation, and rightly so. Not being able to connect when fibre is right outside the house is illogical.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Bus Services (12 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I thank the Minister of State for the update, the majority of which was contained in the response I received yesterday from the Department, which is welcome. A parallel I would draw is the issue of Go-Ahead experiencing higher than normal levels of Covid-related staff absences. We wish Covid on nobody but I do not understand how that company seems to have a worse number of cases of Covid...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Bus Services (12 Oct 2022)

Cormac Devlin: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, for taking this matter. I am disappointed that the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, was not able to make it. I have raised this issue previously, most recently with the Tánaiste in this Chamber in September and at committee meetings last year. Specifically on the Go-Ahead bus service, my office is inundated with...