Results 41-60 of 1,020,801 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Joe O'Reilly OR speaker:Niamh Smyth) in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I agree with everything the Deputy is saying but it is very important these questions are put not just to the Minister for the environment, Deputy Ryan. He is not alone in being responsible for dealing with all of these problems. That is why there are sectoral plans that are allocated to each of the relevant Ministers. For example, there is an agriculture, forestry and seafood plan for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (14 May 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I can assure the Minister of State I have done so.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

National Broadband Plan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 64. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which broadband provision throughout the country is progressing as intended; if efforts continue to bridge communication gaps that have become obvious; if he can see a means whereby the provision of broadband throughout all the regions can be maximised in early date; and if he will make a statement on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I know there have been similar questions to this on broadband. It is on the ongoing drive to provide a full scale level of high-speed broadband throughout the country. We have had tremendous success and there are areas where there have been huge improvements. Then there are other cliff-edge areas between those areas which have received no adequate service at all yet. When will we join...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Ireland's digital connectivity strategy, published by my Department, sets ambitious targets, which include providing a gigabit network to all households and businesses in Ireland by 2028 and access to 5G in all populated areas by 2030, which is high speed and future-proofed. National Broadband Ireland, NBI, is rolling out a broadband network through its contract with the Minister. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Bernard Durkan: We should recognise and acknowledge the fact the provision of broadband is a massive leap forward in communications in this country. It is hugely important to business and industry, education, hospitals, schools and science in general. It has been speeded up dramatically by the availability of a reliable and adequate high-speed broadband. However, there are chasms in the system still that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The nature of the plan is 100% coverage. The country has been divided into 227 areas. The contractor only gets paid when it connects 100% of premises within that area. In other words, it has to pass fibre past every farm, business and home to get its payment. This is not a scheme that leaves people out. It completes by the end of 2026 and at that point 100% of the premises in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I agree entirely. There may be other blackspots that have not appeared just yet, but the lack of appeals on their part should not inhibit us in any way from making the changes the Minister of State referred to in identifying blackspots that need urgent attention and to do it now, insofar as it can be done and thus eliminate many of the delays.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: There are crews working in every county in Ireland. The plan was devised in such a way that, rather than go from one county or province to the next, the whole county would be worked on at the same time. It is not a case that one county or community is being left out. Naturally, with a seven-year plan, there are people who will be passed in year 7 and they will not be as happy as the people...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Renewable Energy Generation

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Catherine Connolly: 62. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 177 of 16 April 2024, the status of the community-led projects that were successful in RESS 2; the number that remain in the process; if these projects are on track to energise by 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21571/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Catherine Connolly: My question relates to the renewable electricity support scheme. I have a particular interest in it because having community involvement is an essential part of the solution to being sustainable in Ireland. What is the status of the community-led projects under the renewable electricity support scheme 2? How many remain in the process, and when will they be energised? Will it be 2024,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Through the first two renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, auctions, my Department has provided pathways and supports for communities to participate in renewable energy projects through the application of a community projects category. Ten community projects were successful in the RESS 2 auction. Of these, eight signed implementation agreements to deliver under the RESS 2 terms and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I welcome the last part where the Minister of State said the new SRESS scheme will be announced in the next few weeks. A climate emergency was declared in 2019, as he well knows. The renewable electricity support scheme was introduced in 2018. It is now six years later, and we seem to be limping on and limping on. I am really trying to find out information about the first RESS scheme. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I start by acknowledging that community energy is really important. It creates a sense of ownership and belonging and the mechanisms that might work in the commercial sector have not worked in the community. The mechanism of auction has not proved appropriate in the community sector. It is because of this that a new scheme is being launched. There was extensive engagement with communities...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I do not share the same faith with the Minister of State, although I share the importance of community involvement. I will repeat that this has been going on from 2018 to 2024 and we are limping on and limping on. I have no handle on which communities have been successful. I want to share that with my own constituents in Galway. The private sector has a huge offshore plan in Sceirde that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Can the information be provided to the Deputy at an early stage?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I will ask the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to provide that information to the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: It is presumably not secret.