Results 1,801-1,820 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (22 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The purpose of the Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme (CEIGS) is to provide support to projects which work in the Circular Economy space, with the aim of advancing the Circular Economy in Ireland and raising awareness of the need to transition to a Circular Economy The successful projects allocated funding under the 2021 funding round of the CEIGS are set out in the table below. All...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (22 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Anti-Dumping Initiative (ADI) was introduced  in 2017 to encourage a collaborative approach between local authorities, communities, and other State Agencies to tackling the problem of illegal dumping. Funding of over €12 million has been provided by my Department under the Initiative, which has supported the delivery of over 1,250 projects nationwide. Details of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (22 Feb 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 the over 554,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools. The NBP roll out is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (22 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The National Cyber Security Centre, which is located within my Department, was established in 2011 with a broad remit  across the cyber security of Government ICT and critical national infrastructure. The NCSC has three main roles: national incident response; information sharing; and Building Resilience. The NCSC supports Government Departments and other public bodies to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (22 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Receipts from the plastic bag levy for each year are published in the Environment Fund Annual Accounts. Full details of the Environment Fund accounts are available at the following link: Environment Fund Accounts. Final accounts for 2020 are not yet available. Environmental enforcement inspections in relation to the plastic bag levy are undertaken by local authorities. In addition to the role...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (22 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020, which is being delivered on a phased basis over the 5 year lifetime of the Plan, includes measures to improve household food waste management. Measures include: - Making the provision of an organic waste bin mandatory as part of a waste collection service for all households; - Through changes to waste...

Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Referral to Select Committee (17 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 181(1).

Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Minister has asked me to thank Members for an informed and thoughtful discussion. He is grateful for the broad support the Bill has received. While he expects there will be some areas where we will have to agree to disagree, he also thinks there are opportunities here for all of us to work together to make this Bill as good as it can be. Before I respond on his behalf to some of the...

National Retrofitting Scheme: Statements (17 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I welcome the statements made today by Members of the House. The changes announced by Government last week represent the most significant reform of the SEAI schemes since their establishment. However, these supports are just part of our overall national retrofit plan and I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some other aspects. As mentioned by the Minister for the Environment,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 Feb 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. The NBP will ensure that in all such cases a future proofed high speed broadband network...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Departmental Schemes (10 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy very much for raising this issue. As he will know, I care very much about it. I am particularly interested to make sure the retrofitting money is targeted towards those who need it most. I want to give the Deputy an update today on Government action on the better energy warmer homes scheme. The programme for Government and climate action plan set ambitious targets to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Departmental Schemes (10 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I am glad the Deputy welcomes this action. There are number of teams in operation and it is confusing but the SEAI can explain it. The local authorities are carrying out their own direct upgrades on their own tenants. They have €85 million for that this year which, as the Deputy said, is an enormous sum of money. Every local authority in Ireland has been allocated extra staff in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (10 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The target of 60,000 premises passed was not reached, Retail Service Providers are actively selling on the NBI Network with almost 34,500 homes passed and a total of 54,500 premises available for order and pre-order through local broadband service providers. Over 150,000 premises were constructed or under construction in 2021. NBI has advised that, as of 4 February 2022, over 298,000...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (10 Feb 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. I can confirm that neither I nor my officials who work on the National Broadband Plan have met and/or engaged with the company or its representatives (details supplied) in the...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (9 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputies for their overall support for this Bill and for the comments I have heard this evening. I will start by responding to some of those comments and questions. Several Deputies mentioned the recent CCPC investigation of price-signalling in the motor insurance sector. This Bill means that in future such behaviour will be punishable by huge administrative sanctions....

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (9 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Hear, Hear.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Policy (9 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Boylan for raising this important issue and for the timely opportunity to give an update on Government action to alleviate energy poverty. The national retrofit plan, which was published as part of Climate Action Plan 2021, sets out how the Government will deliver on our retrofit targets and includes a range of matters aimed at supporting those least able to afford to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Policy (9 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I believe the ESRI statistics are in addition to the CSO ones but I will get confirmation for the Senator on that. She has asked interesting questions about the calculation of the PSO levy, measuring the difference between those who have steady use and those who have peak use, and whether it is fair for commercial and residential customers. I cannot give the Senator a good answer orally so...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Administration (9 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I can hear in his voice his passion for education in Kinsale. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including child benefit and school enrolment data, to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Administration (9 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I take the Senator's point about the need for choice in order that it is not just about having one school, in addition to making sure that we have growth, not just for Kinsale town but the surrounding villages, and that the estimates for that growth are correct. The Senator will know that we have a big programme for sustainable transportation links to nearby communities so people do not have...