Results 61-80 of 32,074 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Ireland's Climate Change Assessment Report: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: One thing surprised me when we had scientists before the committee talking about rewetting land and various things that would improve the biodiversity of land and its capacity to absorb carbon. They could not give us a relatively simple matrix that would allow us to say that if we paid farmers to do X, there would be a certain benefit on the other side of the equation from which the farmers...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Ireland's Climate Change Assessment Report: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: Could we not make an act of faith on it? The worst that can happen is that we will have overpaid a few farmers, while we would have got the benefit anyway. Can science not give us a rule of thumb to go and apply?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Ireland's Climate Change Assessment Report: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: We do so every day.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 56. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has considered the extent of unclaimed benefits across different Government programmes; if he would consider establishing a cross-government initiative to better promote take-up of these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15267/24]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Services Provision (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 89. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the initiatives he plans to promote better planning to promote a longer and more fruitful retirement, across all of government, harnessing technology, promoting optimal choices of accommodation and adapting existing services to the new requirements. [15266/24]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 113. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a scheme has been established whereby persons with medical conditions that result in the generation of high volumes of waste can get relief on their waste charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17332/24]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 117. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of energy upgrades undertaken in each of the past five years under the free (warmer homes) scheme; the distribution by the intensity of upgrade; and if he will indicate the extent of the waiting list for this scheme. [17478/24]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air Quality (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 132. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if wood products are permitted to be burned in urban areas; and if they are subject to particular conditions nationally or under local by-laws. [17883/24]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air Quality (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 133. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if air quality standards apply to emissions from household burning outside of the bans on certain products that are in place; and the procedures for monitoring air quality that may be associated with such uses. [17887/24]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Exemptions (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 196. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of claimants of a tax exemption on renting a room up to €14,000. [17479/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 358. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of councils that offer a contribution scheme under which persons in homes too big for their needs can sell or offer the home to the council and, in return for a contribution from the proceeds of a sale, secure a council tenancy in a secure complex; and the number of homes that have been processed under this scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 356. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will outline the number of grants issued by local authorities under each of the grants for older people, housing aid, mobility aid and adaptation grant in each of the past five years; and whether he has information on the extent of a waiting list for these schemes. [17477/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Tax Reliefs (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 399. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will indicate the number of claimants who are availing of the exemption from the means test of the renting of a room with revenue up to €14,000. [17480/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances (23 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 604. To ask the Minister for Health the most common technology aids provided under the medical appliances scheme offered by the HSE; the number sanctioned in each of the past three years; if an evaluation has been carried out on the effectiveness of such technologies to keep people independent in their own homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17498/24]

Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Motion (18 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: I welcome the debate. I welcome all the work that Deputy Brian Leddin and the committee put in, including Deputies Darren O'Rourke, Paul Murphy and others who have left the Chamber. It has been a very valuable debate with a lot of insight. Globally, we are using materials from nature each year that are double the capacity of nature to replenish. That is heading in the wrong direction and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: 183. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline the present status of the project to redevelop a school (details supplied), where many strains are being experienced in the existing facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17115/24]

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: I welcome the introduction of this legislation. It has indeed been a long time in gestation. I suspect it is probably a decade since this was first thought about, if not more.

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: There is a great need. I have not seen the most up-to-date figures but from recollection I believe that about 40% of people in the workforce do not have any pension cover. That applies to both men and women although it is probably more acute with women, so there is a huge gap. The legislation begins to address some of the anomalies concerning how we treat pensions provision. We have a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Offshore Wind Energy Strategy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (17 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: I welcome this framework. It is an important document, and it is important that we start to create a consistent approach. I would be interested to get a few benchmarks as to where we are at. We have had a number of approved offshore energy projects. What is Mr. Tobin's estimate of the likely Irish content in the supply chain in that first wave, and what is the Department's target for an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Offshore Wind Energy Strategy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (17 Apr 2024)

Richard Bruton: Is that true if we are going for a planned approach, which means moving away from the developer-led approach? We are saying a State asset will be created.