Written Answers Nos. 180-198
180. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which Ireland’s trade with Europe and the UK has been affected by Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61069/21]
View answerExport growth in Ireland in recent years has been very strong and the value of goods exports rose to its highest level in 2020. Our exporters and enterprise agencies have been working hard to counter the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit and companies in Ireland are performing strongly in international markets.
The Central Statistics Office compiles statistical data on Goods Exports and Imports. The latest figures available relate to exports and imports for the period January-September 2021 and can be found at www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/gei/goodsexportsandimportsseptember2021/
My Department continues to monitor the performance of the import and export sectors as the outlook for exports to the UK, Eurozone and rest of the world is being impacted by both Brexit and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The long-term response to Brexit is for companies across all sectors to become more competitive, more innovative and to diversify their export footprint into more international markets.
181. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the countries with which Ireland remains in competition in respect of foreign direct investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61070/21]
View answerInvestors’ confidence in Ireland remains strong as evidenced by the flow of investment projects over recent months and years. In 2020, Ireland increased its market share of FDI into Europe in the face of global declines in FDI. In July 2021, IDA Ireland reported significant investment growth in the first half of 2021, noting that FDI employment creation plans were nearing 2019 levels. IDA Ireland gained 142 investments in the first half of 2021, with an associated employment potential of over 12,530 jobs. 62 were new name investments and 48% of investments went to regional locations.
IDA Ireland recognises that there is global competition from many overseas locations within Europe and further afield in attracting mobile foreign direct investment. In this respect, the Agency is constantly monitoring competitor locations and the value propositions they offer potential mobile investment. Published reports from subject matter experts including EY and FDI Markets, a division of the Financial Times, indicate the top performing countries in Europe for FDI attraction. Ireland features prominently in these rankings, typically alongside far larger countries including the UK, Germany, Spain, France, and Poland.
Competition for FDI is intense, with virtually every country in the world seeking new FDI investments. Every single job created in Ireland by an overseas company has been hard won, against competition from a growing range of sophisticated locations. Ireland’s success in attracting a large share of substantive, job creating FDI reflects the country’s strength as a location in which businesses can succeed and grow.
Our strengths – including our pro-enterprise policy environment, highly-educated English-speaking workforce and our membership of the European Union – remain attractive to international investors and IDA Ireland will continue to work closely with international clients, from a range of sectors, to attract job-rich investment from overseas firms.
Retaining and strengthening Ireland’s reputation as a first-class destination for foreign direct investment remains fundamentally important to our economic model. I am confident that multinationals will continue to locate or expand further in Ireland in the years ahead.
182. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which job opportunities in the services and manufacturing sectors remain bright for County Kildare and the country at large over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61071/21]
View answerWhile the past two years has taught us that the future is unpredictable, this Government is working at both national and regional level to ensure that enterprises are well positioned to benefit from opportunities that will arise over the next five years.
I recently visited the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in Kildare, and I was encouraged by the variety of industry within the county, that spans many sectors including manufacturing, food and beverage production, Agri-tech and ICT. These businesses are buoyed by the combined efforts of Enterprise Ireland, the LEO, IDA and the Local Authorities and partnership projects such as the MERITs Hub. LEO Kildare have conceived and driven this project from the start and predict it will create 120 tech jobs over next three years. I am also pleased to note that the Start Your Own Business Programme run by LEO Kildare, has over 450 participants so far this year, which gives hope for the future growth within Kildare.
The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future, in recognising the central role that will be played by Ireland’s small and medium enterprises in determining the strength of the recovery for the economy and for jobs, from the shock of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, committed to the establishment of the SME Taskforce, and to the delivery by the Taskforce of the SME and Entrepreneurship Growth Plan, to map out an ambitious long-term strategic blueprint for Irish SMEs and entrepreneurs.
The SME and Entrepreneurship Growth Plan was published in January of this year and provides Government with a set of recommendations, directly from the business community, of long-term strategic importance for SMEs and entrepreneurs. These recommendations include measures to help SMEs and entrepreneurs to start up, scale up and access foreign markets, as well as recommendations aimed at helping SMEs to become more productive and ready for the transition to a digital, green economy.
Minister Robert Troy and I chair an Implementation Group, which was established to examine and take forward the Growth Plan recommendations. Through this avenue, we have identified key priority areas, that we feel have the most potential to make a positive impact on the SME sector over the coming year.
These priority areas relate to the following: access to finance; digital transformation; increasing first time exporters; enhanced assistance for high-potential businesses; clustering and networks; SME management skills; reducing the regulatory burden on SMEs; delivery of a single portal for business information and supports; and ensuring comprehensive enterprise supports coverage.
To further encourage SME Growth and new Job Opportunities nationwide, my Department is overseeing the development of nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024, including for the Mid-East region, which are expected to be completed shortly. These are bottom-up plans, developed by regional stakeholders including the Local Authorities, the enterprise agencies, LEOs, regional skills forum and education and training institutes in each region.
183. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the countries from which he sees the greatest competition for Ireland over the next five years in respect of the manufacturing and services sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61072/21]
View answerAs a small, open economy, Ireland is highly integrated into many global supply chains, with Irish firms competing on a world stage. The fact we are such an open economy means it is important that the Irish economy is competitive when compared to all economies not just a small number.
Ensuring that the economy remains competitive when compared to peers will help ensure continued and sustainable economic growth over the next five years.
In 2020, the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council published Ireland’s Competitiveness Scorecard 2020, which gathered together a wide range of economic indicators on Ireland’s competitiveness position compared to other economies. The report found that, at the start of 2020, the Irish economy was continuing to perform well. It was within the top 20% of the countries in the major international competitiveness rankings.
This was also reflected in other international indices with the 2019 World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report ranking Ireland as the 24th most competitive economy globally and the IMD’s World Competitiveness Yearbook ranked Ireland 13th out of 64 economies in 2021.
In September, the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) published Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2021, which identified four broad medium- and long-term strategic challenges aimed at enhancing Ireland’s competitiveness and productivity performance and made 20 targeted and actionable recommendations to Government in order to secure an improvement in the standard of living for all of society.
The Government has officially responded to all 20 of the recommendations that were set out by the NCPC, indicating the range of actions and reforms currently or soon to be in train in response to the recommendations. These actions will support Ireland’s competitive position in the coming five years.
184. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of jobs created or lost in the services sector in the course of each of the past six years to date; the steps taken or in hand to ensure continued investment and job creation in the sector in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61073/21]
View answerOfficial data on economy-wide employment is taken from the Central Statistic Office's (CSO) Labour Force Survey, which is updated quarterly. The CSO does not publish data on the gross job gains or losses in each sector but only the total number employed. Based on the data published in the CSO's Labour Force Survey, my officials tell me that employment in the services sector grew from 1,579,000 jobs in 2015 to 1,906,000 jobs in 2021. There was positive net change in employment for each year between 2015 and 2021 with the exception of year 2020 due to the pandemic. Table 1 sets out the data for employment in services sector over the past six years.
Table 1: Employment (Q3 each year) & Net Change in Employment, Services Sector, 2015 -2021, (000s)
|
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
|
Services employment |
1,579 |
1,628 |
1,667 |
1,725 |
1,775 |
1,715 |
1,906 |
|
Services Net Change in Employment |
35 |
49 |
39 |
58 |
50 |
- 59 |
191 |
Source: CSO Labour Force Survey, Q3 2021
A more detailed breakdown of employment and net change in employment within the sub-sectors of services are provided in the tables attached.
These figures include those on the PUP and EWSS as employed. This is due to the ILO standard measure of employment, unemployment and inactivity. The number on the PUP in the services sector was 32,451 as at 28th November 2021 and the number on EWSS in November 2021 was 275,100.
The Government published its Economic Recovery Plan in June, which set a target to exceed pre-crisis employment levels by having 2.5 million people in work by 2024 and in more productive and resilient jobs. As well as committing to a package of supports and investments to assist enterprise recovery, the Plan outlines a medium-term policy framework to rebuild sustainable enterprises, encourage job creation and sustainable and balanced post pandemic growth across all sectors of the economy.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Government has been committed to helping the sectors and workers most impacted. We will continue to create the right environment for a jobs-led recovery and further employment growth by helping business become more resilient and agile and supporting people to transition to new jobs in growing sectors of the economy.
Our Economic Recovery Plan a two-pronged approach to rebuilding a sustainable enterprise; a focus on domestic SMEs, whilst leveraging and reinforcing the enormous strength and resilience of the Foreign Direct Investment sector in Ireland. We will also accelerate the provision of training, reskilling and upskilling opportunities will be pursued through Pathways to Work 2021-2025. As the labour market recovers and as we approach our employment target of 2.5 million, an increasing focus will also be placed on improving labour market participation levels.
185. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he can encourage the return of Irish emigrants currently based abroad with a view to meeting the workplace requirements in terms of extra staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61074/21]
View answerI refer the deputy to my responses to this question on 2nd November 2021 and 15th September 2021, which are reproduced below.
In the Government's Diaspora Strategy, which was launched in late 2020, a number of actions have been set out to strengthen our connections with diaspora communities and to harness the contribution from the diaspora to support economic recovery. The Department of Foreign Affairs leads on the implementation of this strategy.
The strategy recognises how returning emigrants bring with them skills and knowledge gained abroad that can help develop both the national and local economies. To support this, the Government also recognises the need to minimise the challenges faced by individuals and families returning to Ireland.
The strategy commits to a number of actions to support the return of members of the diaspora. These include monitoring barriers to return and adopting measures to remove them where possible; the negotiation of reciprocal agreements with countries that are home to significant Irish diaspora communities, such as double taxation and social security agreements; improvement of the provision of information on returning to Ireland and providing information for Irish citizens living overseas, including the dissemination of information on skills needs; and the expansion of mutual recognition and the portability of academic or professional qualifications earned overseas.
The deputy may wish to seek an update from the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the implementation of these actions.
186. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a premises (details supplied) will receive high-speed broadband under the national broadband scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60902/21]
View answerThe Question refers to a premises located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available at 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 but cannot get a connection to that network, particularly given the heightened importance of connectivity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The NBP will ensure that in all such cases a future proofed high speed broadband network will be built to serve these premises and work to deliver on this is underway.
I am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 26 November 2021 over 282,000 premises across all counties have been surveyed or have surveys underway with over 140,000 premises under construction. NBI has also advised that the premises are connected in Cavan, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Monaghan, and over 33,000 are premises available to order and pre-order across 13 counties. In Dublin surveying is complete in the Lusk Deployment area and main works are ongoing in the Skerries Deployment Area. The premises referred to in the Question is located in the Enniskerry Deployment Area where, I am advised by NBI, surveying has been completed.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Dublin through the NBI website which provides a facility for any premises within the Intervention Area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie. Individuals who register with this facility will receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own premises as works commence. NBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries. NBI has recently published details of its full deployment schedule on its website which enables all premises within the Intervention Area to have an anticipated service activation date range. Given the scale and complexity of delivery of the new high speed broadband network under the NBP, I am advised that any dates provided by NBI on its website are based on the best available information at the time and may be subject to change.
In addition to the challenges to the delivery of the NBP due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NBI has faced a range of other challenges due to the sheer scale and complexity of rolling out fibre to the home in a rural environment. These include significant tree trimming to ensure cable can be placed on overhead poles, remediation of ducting that has been in place for many decades, the co-ordination of hundreds of contracting crews and addressing the many issues arising week on week which could not have been foreseen until the build crews commenced work on the ground. My Department has worked closely with NBI to put in place a remedial plan under the Contract. This plan addresses delays experienced by NBI, primarily arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and re-baselines milestones for 2021. Work is underway to re-baseline milestones for 2022 and beyond. This has resulted in some changes to timeframes for connection for end users.
Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. As of 26 November 2021, 301 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and the high speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development for publicly accessible sites and the Department of Education for school BCPs. BCPs are installed at Stars of Erin GAA / Dublin Mountain Community Centre (approx. 2.6km from the premises referred to), Tyrrelstown Community Centre, Fingal Ravens GAA Club, Man O War GAA Club, Glenasmole Community Centre, Applewood Community Centre, Luttrellstown Community Centre and Newbridge House and Farm. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high speed broadband, within the Intervention Area, for connection over the term of the NBP. In this regard, an acceleration of this aspect of the National Broadband Plan was announced in December which will see some 679 primary schools connected to high speed broadband by 2022, well ahead of the original target delivery timeframe of 2026. Further details are available on the NBI website at nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.
187. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the amount expended by his Department in each of the past five years to date in 2021 on electricity costs in tabular form; and if he will provide an additional schedule that sets out all energy costs associated with their ICT hardware, that is, servers and so on in tabular form. [60936/21]
View answerThe amount spent by my Department on electricity costs in the period requested by the Deputy is outlined in the table below. It is not possible to disaggregate the costs attributable to ICT hardware.
|
Year |
Electricity |
|
2016 |
€228,772 |
|
2017 |
€201,226 |
|
2018 |
€182,122 |
|
2019 |
€193,346 |
|
2020 |
€171,725 |
|
2021 to date |
€148,254 |
188. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the projects allocated funding under the circular economy innovation grant scheme; and the way the scaling up of such projects is monitored or facilitated. [61037/21]
View answerThe 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 funding awarded is governed by grant agreements between my Department and the relevant applicants. These grant agreements set out the deliverables for each project.
10 projects were initially selected for funding under the 2021 round. Subsequently one project, ‘Reuse Revolution for 3rd Level Institutions’, was withdrawn by the applicant as the project was no longer proceeding. The relevant grant agreement was terminated by mutual consent, with the Department having incurred no expenditure in relation to the project
|
Name of Applicant Organisation |
Project Name |
|
AM Acoustic Materials |
Certifying AM Ecoboard |
|
Cork Environmental Forum - Cork Urban Soil Project |
The Cork Urban Soil Project |
|
Community Reuse Network Ireland (CRNI) |
ReMark Readiness |
|
Everlend Ltd. |
Reuse Revolution for 3rd Level Institutions* |
|
Grow it Yourself - GIY Ireland |
Wasted - food waste reduction in commercial food settings |
|
Irish Green Building Council |
Construction Materials Exchange (CMEx) |
|
Novelplast Teoranta |
Ocean Revive |
|
PACE Organisation |
The Composting Collective - |
|
Thriftify Technologies Ltd |
Thriftify |
|
Marine Applications Ltd T/A Verifact |
Net 360 |
189. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the working groups his Department has with industry; the members of the groups; and the way the members of each group were selected. [61105/21]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table:
|
Working Group |
Members of the Group |
How Members were selected |
|
Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme Working Group |
Energy companies who are obligated under the Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme: www.seai.ie/business-and-public-sector/business-grants-and-supports/energy-efficiency-obligation-scheme/obligated-parties/ |
Companies who are subject to SI 131 of 2014 as amended by SI 634 of 2016. |
|
Climate Toolkit 4 Business Steering Group |
Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) and Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE) co-Chairs, D/Taoiseach, EI, IDA, LEOs, SEAI, EPA, Irish Water, Skillnet, Ibec and Chambers Ireland |
The Department identified and invited relevant stakeholders to achieve a cross representation of businesses. |
|
National Bioeconomy Forum |
BiOrbic, Monaghan Mushrooms, Natural Capital Ireland, ABP Foodgroup, Hexafly, Gas Networks Ireland, Irish Local Development Network,Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, ICOS, Biomarine Ingredients, Kerry Group, NutriBio, Irish Water,Irish Bioeconomy Foundation, Nutramara, Circular Bioeconomy South West Cluster, CRÉ, Southern Regional Assembly, Beotanics, Irish Distillers, College Group, Tipperary Co. Council, Green Generation), Irish Bioenergy Association, Renewable Gas Forum Ireland |
The Department identified and invited relevant stakeholders. |
|
Angling Consultative Council of Ireland (ACCI) |
Angling Council of Ireland (ACI) European Federation of Sea Anglers (EFSA) Irish Angling Development Alliance (IADA) Irish Charter Skippers Association (ICSA) Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs (IFPAC) Irish Pike Society (IPS) Irish Federation of Sea Anglers (IFSA) Salmon and Sea Trout Recreational Anglers of Ireland (SSTRAI) Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (FISSTA) |
Each participating angling representative organisation was invited by the Minister to nominate one representative to be a member of ACCI. |
|
Waste Advisory Group |
DECC, Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA), Retail Action Group, WEEE Ireland, European Recycling Platform (ERP) Ireland, Composting & Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland (Crè), Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), Association of Irish Local Government (AILG), REPAK, Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM), Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG), The Rediscovery Centre, Construction Industry Federation (CIF), Cement Manufacturers Ireland, Irish Hotels Federation, Retail Grocery Dairy and Allied Trades Association (RGDATA), Irish Farmers Association (IFA), Eastern Midland Regional Waste Management Planning Office, Community Resource Network Ireland (CRNI), Confederation of European Waste to Energy Plants Ireland (CEWEP), National Waste Collection Permit Office (NWCPO), Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), ELV Environmental Services (ELVES), Engineers Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Restaurants Association of Ireland, Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC), Soil Recovery Association (SRA), Price Monitoring Group (PMG), The Producer Register Limited (PRL), Irish Environmental Network (IEN), The National Disability Authority (NDA), National Youth Council of Ireland, City & County Management Association (CCMA), Irish Manufacturing Research, Irish Food Packaging Alliance, Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation Ireland (ALUPRO) |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders including representatives from the waste industry, regulators, environmental NGOs, the voluntary sector and trade and representative bodies. The Group was established to advise and provide input on the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020. The Group has remained in place to advise on implementation of the Plan. A number of other stakeholders subsequently contacted Department expressing a wish to join and have since joined the Group. |
|
Industry Contact Group (ICG) to the National Waste Enforcement Steering Committee |
Irish Waste Management Assoc (IWMA) – CHAIR, REPAK, ELV Envtal Services (ELVES) CLG, Natl TransFrontier Shipments Office, Greyhound Recycling, DECC, EPA, National Waste Collection Permit Office, Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities, European Recycling Platform (ERP) Ireland, WEEE Ireland, WEEE Register Society, Repak ELT (Tyres), IFFPG (Farm Plastics), Cré |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders. A number of other stakeholders contacted Department expressing a wish to join and subsequently joined the Group. |
|
Waste Advisory Group - Sub-group on the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Ireland |
DECC, Beaupark/Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA), Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association, VOICE, DG RG Data, Retail and Grocers Trade Association, Southern Waste Region, Irish Beverage Council / IBEC, Retail Ireland (Large Retailers and Multiples), Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEARA), Northern Ireland, Drinks Ireland |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders in the delivery of DRS, which comprised of beverage producers, large and small retailers, Waste Collectors and eNGOs. |
|
Food Waste Recycling Working Group |
DECC, Cré (Composting & Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland), Regional Waste Management Planning Offices, EPA, Irish Waste Management Association, Clean Ireland, Barna Recycling |
The Department established this working group to progress actions to improve food waste segregation and awareness in Ireland. Members were identified as being key organisations involved in food waste management and food waste awareness related activities, and a number of the members were involved in a previous food waste recycling pilot project. |
|
Construction Waste Resource Group |
DECC, DHLGH, Regional Waste Management Planning Offices, Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities, Irish Waste Management Association, Irish Water, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Office of Public Works, Indaver, Oxigen, EPA, Integrated Material Solutions (IMS), Bord na Mona Recycling, Chartered Institute of Waste Management, Beauparc, Saint Gobain, Sisk, Roadstone, Cairn Homes, Irish Asphalt Producers Association, Construction Industry Federation, ARUP, TENEO, National Waste Collection Permit Office, Irish Concrete Federation, Cement Manufacturers Ireland, Gannon Eco, Soil Recovery Association, Barnmore Construction, Irish Rail, ENVA, REPAK, BAM, Engineers Ireland, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, CEWEP Ireland, County & City Managers Association, Byrne Looby, Verde Environmental Group, Golder Associates, Fehily Timoney, Priority Construction, Local Government Management Association |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders in waste and construction & demolition sectors, including trade and representative bodies. A number of other stakeholders contacted the Department expressing a wish to join and subsequently joined the Group. |
|
Waste Capacity Working Group |
DECC, Regional Waste Management Planning Offices, Local Government Management Agency, Irish Waste Management Association, Greyhound Recycling, Beauparc, Ballynagran Landfill, Cré, Bord na Mona Recycling, Enrich, Cement Manufacturers Ireland, Indaver, Covanta, CEWEP Ireland, IMS, Glanway, Thorntons Recycling, Mulleadys |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders in the waste industry, including trade and representative bodies. A number of other stakeholders contacted the Department expressing a wish to join and subsequently joined the Group. |
|
Bio-Waste Levy Exemption Working Group |
DECC, EPA, Cré, Ballynagran Landfill, Beauparc, Envirogrind, Bord na Mona Recycling, Glanway, O’Toole Composting, Energia, Enrich, Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities, Irish Waste Management Association, Local Government Management Agency, Local Authority Sector |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders in bio-stabilised fines & composting industries, including trade and representative bodies. |
|
National End of Waste Working Group |
DECC, Regional Waste Management Planning Authorities, Local Government Management Agency, Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities, Irish Water, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, IMS, Beauparc, Irish Rail, Irish Asphalt Producers Association, Irish Concrete Federation, Construction Industry Federation, CEWEP Ireland, Roadstone, Gannon Eco, Cré, ARUP, Engineers Ireland, Irish Waste Management Association |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders in waste and construction & demolition sectors, including trade and representative bodies. A number of other stakeholders contacted the Department expressing a wish to join and subsequently joined the Group. |
|
End of Life Vehicle (ELV) Working Group |
DECC, EPA, Dept of Transport, Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities, National Waste Collection Permit Office, ELV Environmental Services, Society of the Irish Motor Industry, Irish Waste Management Association, Irish Motor Vehicle Recyclers Association |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders in the ELV sector. A number of other stakeholders contacted Department expressing a wish to join and subsequently joined the Group. |
|
Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Battery Monitoring Group |
DECC, EPA, Producer Register Ltd, County and City Management Association, Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities, National TransFrontier Shipment Office, European Recycling Platform Ireland, WEEE Ireland, Irish Waste Management Association, White Goods Association, Dell, BSH Group, CEDA, Retail Excellence Ireland, CRNI, Recycle IT, Green IT |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders in the WEEE sector. A number of other stakeholders contacted Department expressing a wish to join and subsequently joined the Group. |
|
Batteries Regulation Working Group |
DECC, EPA, Dept of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Dept of Transport, Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities, Producer Register Ltd, European Recycling Platform Ireland, WEEE Ireland, ELV Environmental Services, SIMI, IWMA, Zero Waste Alliance |
The Department invited nominations from relevant identified stakeholders in the sector- with a focus on the Regulation currently being prepared by the European Commission. |
190. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport the detail of the list of applications being considered by his Department relative to new roads infrastructure in County Kilkenny; the stage each one is at in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60889/21]
View answerAs indicated to the Deputy previously, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
The extent of the cutbacks in grant funding during the post 2008 recession meant that grant funding for road improvement schemes had to be curtailed because expenditure on protection/renewal was falling well short of what was required to adequately maintain the regional and local road network.
Funding is not yet at the level needed for the adequate protection and renewal of regional and local roads and so for this reason, the primary focus for capital investment continues to be the protection and renewal of the network with some limited investment in road improvement projects.
Any road improvement projects proposed by local authorities for consideration for funding are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis. All projects put forward by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the Public Spending Code (PSC) and my Department's Capital Appraisal Framework (CAF).
There has been some engagement between Kilkenny County Council and my Department in relation to a proposed Kilkenny Northern Ring Road Extension. The Department has advised the Council of the Public Spending Code project appraisal requirements for any proposed transport scheme in March this year, including the need for the preparation of a Strategic Assessment Report.
There has not been any further contact from the Council regarding this proposed scheme.
Regarding national roads, as Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation, management and upgrading of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the requirements of the Public Spending Code and necessary statutory approvals. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you regarding national roads.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question, in respect of any applications for national road projects, to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
191. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the amount expended by his Department in each of the past five years to date in 2021 on electricity costs in tabular form; and if he will provide an additional schedule that sets out all energy costs associated with their ICT hardware, that is, servers and so on in tabular form. [60947/21]
View answerExpenditure by the Department of Transport on electricity, is set out below in tabular form for the years 2017 to date. I have provided a breakdown of the expenditure across all Department locations.
It is not possible to provide a schedule setting out energy costs associated with ICT hardware as this level of detail is not available from the electricity service providers; ICT hardware costs are included in the overall electricity expenditure figures provided below.
In addition to the sites mentioned below, my Department also avails of ICT hosting services provided by the Revenue Commissioners and my Department does not have access to the breakdown of the electricity costs associated with this service.
|
Electricity |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
Total |
|
Leeson Lane |
€96,783.37 |
€125,699.54 |
€125,809.30 |
€105,917.89 |
€84,033.25 |
€538,243.35 |
|
Clare street |
€45,059.53 |
€21,428.20 |
€7,541.45 |
€6,858.46 |
€4,096.34 |
€84,983.98 |
|
Ballyshannon unit 1 IRCG |
€485.36 |
€1,104.64 |
€1,175.05 |
€924.57 |
€1,186.15 |
€4,875.77 |
|
Ballyshannon unit 2 IRCG |
€312.11 |
€777.90 |
€685.65 |
€652.95 |
€664.00 |
€3,092.61 |
|
Valencia |
€19,251.91 |
€18,855.97 |
€10,699.12 |
€19,025.71 |
€24,289.52 |
€92,122.23 |
|
Malin Head IRCG |
€39,386.67 |
€19,597.85 |
€25,154.72 |
€19,989.18 |
€34,895.50 |
€139,023.92 |
|
Loughrea |
€3,069.71 |
€4,068.35 |
€3,872.49 |
€26,100.69 |
€9,227.74 |
€46,338.98 |
|
Ballycoolin IRCG |
€11,943.34 |
€10,818.10 |
€3,696.93 |
€7,042.92 |
€2,890.28 |
€36,391.57 |
|
IRCG rocket house stations |
€183,076.16 |
€136,561.84 |
€164,048.19 |
€209,798.96 |
€151,805.02 |
€845,290.17 |
|
Shannon |
€82,529.97 |
€74,648.09 |
€82,795.12 |
€86,578.08 |
€68,162.98 |
€394,714.24 |
|
Totals |
€481,898.13 |
€413,560.48 |
€425,478.02 |
€482,889.41 |
€381,250.78 |
€2,185,076.82 |
192. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Transport if his Ministerial approval has been given for the increase of 2.5% to Dublin Port pensioners; if another Department needs to approve the payment; if it will be ensured the increase is delivered for the pensioners in time for Christmas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60949/21]
View answerI wish to confirm to the Deputy that Dublin Port Company, in line with the provision of Dublin Port Superannuation Scheme 1996, has sought my consent and that of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to a 2.5% increase in pensions in payment and in deferment under the scheme.
That request for consent is being examined in my Department, with the assistance of NewERA. On completion of that review, I will consider the matter in consultation with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. It is not my intention to delay this process, but the Bodies concerned will need more time to complete their work.
193. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive an appointment to renew a driver licence at the NDLS centre in Ennis, County Clare given that this person has been calling the NDLS contact number for months with no reply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60954/21]
View answerThe issuing of driving licences is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and as Minister, I have no power to intervene in individual cases.
I have therefore referred this question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days
194. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the yearly weight of US military cargo through Irish airspace in stone and kilograms in each of the years 2010 to 2020, in tabular form. [60961/21]
View answer195. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the number of US military troops that have travelled through Shannon Airport in each of the years 2010 to 2020, in tabular form. [60962/21]
View answer196. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the number of exemptions which were issued for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft to US military at Shannon Airport in each of the years 2010 and 2020, in tabular form. [60963/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 194 to 196, inclusive, together.
Exemptions permitting the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft are granted pursuant to Article 5 of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders, 1973 and 1989. These exemptions are applied for by, and granted to, civil air transport operators only. From 2010 to 2020 the numbers of exemptions granted are detailed in the table below.
It is important to note that flights through Irish airspace by state aircraft, including military aircraft, from other countries are a matter for the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In addition, my Department has no statutory function regarding the transit of foreign military personnel through Irish sovereign territory or Irish airports.
197. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport the amount his Department spent on Covid-19-related advertising in the period from 1 January 2020 to 30 November 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60987/21]
View answerThis Department has not incurred any expenditure on Covid-19-related advertising in the period in question.
198. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if his Department or its agencies are examining or support the research into the use of hydrogen as a fuel to meet transport needs. [61036/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan 2021 signal the relevance of hydrogen from renewable sources, known as ‘green hydrogen', for its future potential to support decarbonisation in energy production, home heating, industry and in transport. For example, from a post-2025 transport perspective, it is envisaged that green hydrogen may contribute to the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors such as HGVs, shipping and, potentially, the manufacture of synthetic sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs).
My Department continues to provide policy support for industry-led initiatives focusing on hydrogen for future transport use. This includes the Hydrogen Mobility Ireland (HMI) multi-stakeholder group and the Galway Green Hydrogen Hub (G2H2) group.
The evaluation of the Hydrogen bus trial by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in collaboration with Bus Éireann, involving three new hydrogen-fuel-cell-electric double-deck buses on commuter services in the Greater Dublin Area, will also help to inform the future potential of this new technology within our public bus transport system.
The Renewable Fuels for Transport Policy Statement was published on the 25th November sets out the future trajectory of increase in renewable fuels use in land transport, including incentives for future supply for use in transport of fuels such as biomethane and green hydrogen. My Department also intends, in early 2022, to carry out an assessment concerning the future availability of renewable fuels, which will inform implementation of this Policy beyond 2025
The alternatively fuelled heavy-duty vehicles grant will continue in 2022, aimed at supporting take-up of technologies such as CNG, biogas and hydrogen to decarbonise the heavy-duty freight sector. In addition, the accelerated capital allowance scheme for natural gas propelled vehicles and related equipment, include hydrogen vehicles and equipment, and the reduced excise rate on natural gas, will continue into 2022.
As yet the transport market demand for hydrogen infrastructure for transport fuelling remains to be established, whether for national land transport modes or for international shipping and aviation. This is being kept under review by my Department with regard to informing future national and international policy development concerning renewable fuel and fuelling infrastructure for transport.
In furthering consideration of these matters, officials of my Department are working with cross-Government colleagues, agencies and stakeholders concerning preparation and next steps for Ireland's future approach in relation to the potential use of green hydrogen in transport. As part of this, my Department is in discussion with the Department of the Taoiseach concerning relevant research in early 2022 under the Shared Island Fund.
