Results 141-160 of 1,183 for speaker:Ossian Smyth in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Litter Pollution (14 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021 was published on 15 June 2021. Under the Bill, my Department is proposing to consider the issue of existing Fixed Penalty Notices and to introduce new Fixed Penalty Notices related to waste enforcement activities. The issue of litter fines is being considered in the context of progressing the Circular Economy Bill. The Litter Pollution...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (14 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together. My Department published the General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021 on 15 June 2021. It is my intention to facilitate not only the use of CCTV, but also the use of a broad range of Audio Visual Recording equipment under the Bill in order to combat illegal dumping. A combination of legislation and guidance will help to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Grant Payments (14 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. In order to qualify for support, applicants must own and live in their home which was built and occupied before 2006 and must be in receipt of certain social welfare payments. Age and health status are not part of the eligibility criteria...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (14 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The provision of library services is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001 and therefore the upgrading of public broadband in public libraries would fall under their remit. I understand that the public libraries strategy ‘Our Public Libraries 2022’ commits to implement a programme of ICT...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2021)

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 over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools ensuring no premises is left...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2021)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2021)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (15 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The provision of telecommunication services, including mobile phone and broadband services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. Obligations in relation to mobile coverage are set out in licences granted by Comreg to the mobile operators and ComReg...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2021)

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 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools. There are 84,299...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I refer to the reply to Question [PQ no. 37381] of 13 July 2021. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: My Department has engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representative organisations such as Family Carer’s Ireland, Age Action, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association, Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland and public bodies such as the National Disability Authority, the HSE, the Department of Health and the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (27 Jul 2021)

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 understand that this housing estate is a relatively new build and that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Functions (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: As I outlined in my response to Question No. 147 of 15 July, the provision of telecommunication services, including mobile phone and broadband services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. While my Department does not collect data on mobile coverage,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: As I outlined in my reply to Question No. 149 of 15 July, build works involving some 2,100 premises in County Mayo are currently underway in the Deployment Area that covers Castlebar and surrounding townlands including Turlough, Ballyhean, Clooneen, Kilhale, Tawnylaheen and Burren. I understand that National Broadband Ireland anticipates that by early 2022, these build...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 71 together.It should be noted that a recovery levy could not be applied to landfill as this is a disposal activity and not a waste recovery option. In any event, a landfill levy of €75 per tonne is already in place. The information requested regarding recovery levy is not available as the potential yield would depend on a wide range of factors...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Estimated projections are shown in the table below. These are based on the actual leviable tonnes of waste to landfill from 2016 – 2019, from the published audited accounts available at  www.gov.ie/en/publication/f6b84-environment-fund-accounts/. The projected figures are approximate and do not take into account a wide range of variables such as varying degrees of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The necessary legislative basis for the introduction of an environmental levy on disposable coffee cups is will be provided via the Circular Economy Bill, 2021. The General Scheme of the Bill was published in May 2021, and the aim is to seek its  enactment as a priority before the end of this year. Precise details regarding scope and rate of the levy on disposable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The information requested is not available. The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020, outlines a range of measures that will be implemented over a five year period to address the environmental threat arising from plastic, particularly single use plastics. These include a ban on a range of single use plastic products which has been in place since 3rd July...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: In relation to the categories of bags currently subject to the plastic bag levy (PBL), based on the levy's performance in recent years until 31 December 2020, my Department's best estimate is that an increase in the rate from 22c to 25c would result in an initial additional levy yield in the region of €570,000 per annum. This estimate is calculated as follows: ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Local Authorities (27 Jul 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The grant schemes of direct relevance are the Anti-Dumping Initiative (ADI) and the Anti Litter-Anti Graffiti Scheme (ALAGS). The annual 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.  Details of funding for the years 2017 - 2020 are available at...