Written answers
Tuesday, 26 March 2019
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Departmental Bodies Data
Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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1036. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the working groups currently established in his Department; the focus of their work; the membership of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13561/19]
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table.
| Working Group (s) currently established | Focus of work | Membership/Composition |
|---|---|---|
| Working Group on Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting | TV Licence Collection | Chaired by Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, comprising representatives Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform; Finance, Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht; Housing, Planning and Local Government and the Revenue Commissioners |
| Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, working group on the implementation of the revised Audio-visual Media Services Directive | Implementation of the revised Audio-visual Media Services Directive | Officials from Broadcasting Authority of Ireland; Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment |
| National Radon Control Strategy Co-ordination Group | Recommendations to the Minister/Government on matters relating to radon. To implement actions agreed. To report annually on progress to date and future actions planned. | Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Departments of Housing, Planning, and Local Government and Education and Skills; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI); Health Service Executive (HSE); Health and Safety Authority (HSA); Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI); County and City Management Association (CCMA) |
| Bioeconomy Implementation Group | The National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy, published in March 2018, mandated the establishment of this high-level Implementation Group, jointly chaired by the Departments of Agriculture, Food and Marine and Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The principal task of the Group is to bring forward recommendations to develop the bioeconomy further and it will report back to Government shortly. | Joint Chair (Departments of Agriculture, Food and Marine and Communications, Climate Action and Environment ) and invited Members comprised of relevant Government Departments and State Agencies |
| National Adaptation Steering Committee | Climate Adaptation | Chair: Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment Members: Government Departments preparing sectoral adaptation plans under National Adaptation Framework (NAF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Met Éireann, Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs), Regional Assemblies, Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), Irish Water, Health Service Executive, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) Secretariat and others attend as required on an ad hoc basis |
| Inland Fisheries Policy Group | Consolidation and modernisation of fisheries legislation governing the inland fisheries sector from 1959 to date | Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and seconded official from Inland Fisheries Ireland |
| Sustainable Development Goals – Interdepartmental Working Group | Provide the mechanism for the whole-of-government approach to monitoring and reporting progress in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals | The Group is chaired by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Membership of the group includes a representative from each Government Department. |
| Rental Sector Advisory Group | The key objective is to consider the split incentive for energy efficiency renovation that exists in the rented sector in Ireland The group will draft a public consultation on the issue and following analysis of the submissions will then make recommendations to the Minister on proposals which could ameliorate the energy efficiency split incentive in Ireland. | Chair: Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment Representatives from Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government; the Residential Tenancies Board and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland |
| Long Term Renovation Strategy Working Group | To draft a 2020 long-term renovation strategy in accordance with the new Article 2a of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. | Chair: Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment Representatives from Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland |
| Warmth and Wellbeing Steering Group | To oversee the implementation of the pilot scheme and the associated research project. | Chair: Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment Representatives from Department of Health; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the Health Service Executive |
| Steering Group for the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy | To oversee the implementation of the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy | Chair: Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment Representatives from: Department of Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government; Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Office of Public Works; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the National Treasury Management Agency |
| Renewable Electricity Policy & Development Framework (REPDF) Steering Group and associated working groups | Renewable Energy Planning Framework | Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government; Local Government Management Agency; Environmental Protection Agency; Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; Eastern & Midland Regional Assembly. |
| Renewable Electricity Support Scheme Steering Group and Project team | Renewable Electricity Auction Design | Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Eirgrid; Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). |
| Grid Delivery and Renewable Targets Group | Renewable Electricity Targets 2020 | Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Eirgrid; Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU); ESB Networks |
| Offshore Renewable Energy Group Steering Group and 3 Working Groups | Offshore Renewable Energy | Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; The Commission for Regulation of Utilities; The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; Departments of Housing; Planning and Local Government; Business, Enterprise and Innovation; Transport, Tourism and Sport; Eirgrid; Enterprise Ireland; Environmental Protection Agency; Geological Survey of Ireland; IDA Ireland; Irish Maritime Development Office; National Parks and Wildlife Service; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; The Marine Institute |
| Energy Networks (Gas & Electricity) Working Group on Climate Change Adaptation Plans | Climate Change Adaptation | Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Eirgrid; ESB Networks; ESB Generation; Gas Networks Ireland; Commission for Regulation of Utilities; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; Electricity Association of Ireland; Irish Wind Energy Association |
| Offline Government services | To make recommendations on the provision of offline Government services | Department of Communications, Climate Action and representatives from Departments of Transport, Tourism & Sport; Agriculture, Food and Marine; Employment Affairs and Social Protection; Health; Education and Skills; Rural and Community Development; Housing, Planning and Local Government; Passport Office; Revenue Commissioners; Office of Government Chief Information Officer |
| Low Emission Vehicles Taskforce & Working Group | Group to coordinate and oversee work of working groups set up under the LEV Taskforce | Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment (Co-chair) Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport (Co-chair) Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Business, Enterprise and Innovation; Housing, Planning & Local Government; Public Expenditure & Reform; Finance; An Taoiseach; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI); Transport Infrastructure Ireland; National Transport Authority; The County and City Management Association (CCMA) |
| District Heating Working Group | Develop a set of proposals to assist in the development of a policy framework to encourage the development of district heating. | Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment (Chair) Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI); Commission for Regulation of Utilities; New Economy & Recovery Authority (NewERA) ; National Development Finance Agency; Codema (Dublin’s Energy Agency); Gas Networks Ireland; ESB; Dublin City Council; South Dublin City Council |
| Bioenergy Steering Group | Promote co-operation across the range of Government Departments, agencies and State bodies that critical enablers for the development of domestic bioenergy, | Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment (Chair) Departments of Agriculture, Food & the Marine; Housing, Planning & Local Government ; Business, Enterprise & Innovation; Transport, Tourism & Sport; Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht ; Rural & Community Development; An Taoiseach; Public Expenditure & Reform; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland ; Teagasc; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); NewERA |
| Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) Steering Group | To oversee the development and implementation of the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat | Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment (Chair); Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland ; NewERA |
| Smart Community Action Group | Investigate the feasibility of public and private sector organisations working together to combine existing assets and resources to maximise the reach and impact of schemes and programmes to support citizens. The Smart Community initiative has the potential, in combination with Local Authority Digital Strategies, to deliver enhanced demand stimulation for uptake of High Speed Broadband services in urban and rural communities. | Dept. of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment; Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation; Enterprise Ireland; Local Enterprise Office network |
| Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Working Group on State and Publicly owned Assets | The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Working Group on State and Publicly owned Assets, a sub-group of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, was established in 2018 as a direct response to Action 19 of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Implementation Review 2017 Report. The role of the Working Group is to explore the feasibility of developing a standardised policy for accessing and utilising State assets for the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure. | Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Co-chair); Department of Rural and Community Development (Co-chair); Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government; Office of Public Works (OPW); New Economy and Recovery Authority (NewERA); Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) |
| National Landfill Remediation Joint Steering Group | Landfill Remediation Programme monitoring | Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment; Eastern Regional Midlands Waste Region; Connacht Ulster Waste Region; Southern Waste Region |
| Advisory Group to the Minister on the National Dialogue on Climate Action | National Dialogue on Climate Action | Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; ECO-UNESCO; County and City Management Association ; Irish Business and Employers Confederation ; Irish Congress of Trade Unions; Trocaire ; Environmental Pillar; National Economic & Social Council; Four individual representatives; Irish Farmers' Association |
| National Delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) | Development of national position for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations | Department of Communications Climate Action and Environment Departments of Agriculture Food and Marine; Foreign Affairs and Trade; Public Expenditure and Reform; Transport, Tourism and Sport; Finance; Office of the Attorney General; Department of the Taoiseach; Environmental Protection Agency; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland |
| Wetlands Working Group | Working Group is tasked with progressing the accounting of Ireland’s managed wetlands so that such data may be incorporated into Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions inventories. It will incorporate analysis from ongoing work by the EPA on the delivery of the CORINE dataset under the Copernicus Programme, as well as the ongoing cross-agency national working group to advance a programme for national land cover and habitat mapping (NLCHM). | Department of Communications Climate Action and Environment; Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; National Parks and Wildlife Service; Teagasc; Environmental Protection Agency |
| Technical Research and Modelling Group (TRAM) | Technical working group to inform climate and energy policy development | Department of Communications Climate Action and Environment Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine; Teagasc; Department of Transport Tourism and Sport; Department of Housing Planning and Local Government; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; Environmental Protection Agency; National Treasury Management Agency; Department of the Taoiseach; Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; Department of Finance; Department of Business Enterprise and Innovation; Envecon; University College Dublin; University College Cork; Economic and Social Research Institute |
| Quarterly Threat Sharing Group Meetings | Threat Sharing | A range of Public Sector entities and Critical Infrastructure Operators |
| High Level Steering Group for the next National Cyber Security Strategy | National Cyber Security Strategy | Senior Officials from stakeholder Government Departments and Agencies |
| Turlough Advisory Committee. | Monitoring groundwater flooding areas in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon | Officials from Department of Communications, climate Action & Environment Comprises members such as Office of Public Works, Irish Water, Environmental Protection Agency, Galway County Council and Roscommon County Council. |
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