Written Answers Nos. 161-165
161. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 96 of 20 June 2012, the grounds in which those applicants that appealed the insulation grant refusal were successful [53279/12]
View answerThe Better Energy Programme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Better Energy Homes scheme provides financial assistance to householders who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar thermal panels and accompanying Build Energy Ratings (BER) certificates.
In response to the Parliamentary Question referred to by the Deputy in June of this year, I indicated that the number of applications refused because the grant claim was not received within the six-month grant eligibility period was 1,051, or less than 1% of the total applications to the scheme at that time. Of those, approximately two-thirds of the applicants subsequently appealed, with half of them being successful.
All appeals are considered on a case by case basis, and are generally successful where the works are completed prior to grant expiry and the applicant can point to genuinely extenuating circumstances which would have precluded their meeting the scheme condition, such as unusual postal delays, illness or bereavement.
162. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the statement by the European Environment Commissioner, Janus Potocnik on hydraulic fracturing in regard to gaps in European legislation and the need for further proposals at European level, if he is willing to suspend any further progress on this process here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53292/12]
View answerI am aware of the recent comments made by Commissioner Potocnik, with respect to the statutory framework governing hydraulic fracturing, and I am committed to ensuring that the relevant information is available to allow for a detailed assessment of any application proposing this technology.
As the Deputy will be aware the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources requested the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct research and advise on the environmental implications of hydraulic fracturing as a means of extracting natural gas from underground reserves.
The EPA published preliminary research into the environmental aspects of shale gas extraction in the form of a small desk based study, which was carried out by the University of Aberdeen. While the study is a preliminary study it will inform the development of the terms of reference for a much more detailed research study to be commissioned by the EPA later this year. While the terms of reference for this more extensive research are currently being drawn up by a steering group including representatives from the EPA and my Department, the findings of relevant international studies on hydraulic fracturing, including studies commissioned by the European Commission, will also be considered by the EPA research.
The outcome of the further research to be commissioned by the EPA will assist in a robust scientific based assessment of any future application proposing the use of this technology. In the meantime, I can confirm, that until there has been time to consider the second stage of the EPA research, the use of hydraulic fracturing in exploration drilling will not be authorised.
163. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the total number of Government special advisers employed in his Department; the total cost of employing these advisers and the cost of employing these advisers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53308/12]
View answerThere are two Special Advisers employed in my Department. Both were appointed by the Government on my behalf.
The total cost of employing these Special Advisors for 2012 to date including, Basic Pay, Employers PRSI and expenses is €192,886.
164. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has received a detailed application from Providence Resources for approval to drill on the standard exploration licence 2/11 granted last year. [53348/12]
View answerMy Department has not as yet received an application from Providence Resources to drill an exploration well under Standard Exploration Licence 2/11.
165. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if officials from his Department have any responsibility with actions being taken regarding the extension of broadband; if he will provide an update on the areas for which they are responsible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47226/12]
View answer167. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the matters concerning broadband provision which are administered by his Department. [44236/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 167 together.
In terms of telecommunications policy, my Department’s primary role is to help facilitate sustained macro-economic growth and competitiveness by ensuring that Ireland is best placed to avail of the emerging opportunities provided by the information and knowledge society. The Department exercises this role by promoting investment in modern fit-for-purpose infrastructures and by providing a supportive legislative and regulatory environment within which competition can flourish and private sector investment can take place.
Where there is evidence of a failure by the market to provide the necessary investment to enable the market to develop and services to be deployed, my Department, with my approval, may design and implement schemes to address that market failure thereby ensuring that the necessary infrastructure and services are made available to all parts of the country and to all businesses and citizens, irrespective of location. State investment in the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) and the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) are examples of recent such interventions.
With basic broadband services now widely available across Ireland, the major challenge is to accelerate the roll out of high speed services.
The National Broadband Plan, which I launched in August last, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of at least 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses, well in advance of the EU’s target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible. This plan follows on from the publication of the report of the Next Generation Broadband Taskforce and a period of public consultation. Full details of these reports can be found on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Communications/Communications+Policy/Next+Generation+Broadband/
It is intended that the private sector will be the key driver of investment with potential State intervention only where the market is unlikely to invest.
The plan contains actions for: investment, demand stimulation, infrastructure barrier removal, spectrum policy, potential contribution of State entities, and policy and regulation.
This approach seeks to achieve a step-change in the level of services available throughout the country, by accelerating private sector investment through a range of actions by public stakeholders, and particularly with regard to rural areas where the State expects to co-invest with the private sector in areas where the commercial case for infrastructure investment does not exist.
During the preparation of the National Broadband Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70Mbps to 100Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. The areas to be provided with those services will be determined by the commercial market operators.
One of the first steps in delivering on the 30Mbps and 40Mbps commitments will be the completion of a formal national mapping exercise to determine the exact position in relation to commercial service providers’ existing and planned broadband services throughout the country. Preparatory work has commenced within my Department to expedite this mapping exercise.
The mapping exercise will identify the areas of the country where there is market failure in the provision of high speed broadband services. It will also identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband over the coming years. This process is expected to take at least a number of months to complete and will identify the precise areas of the country which will require State intervention to ensure that the Government’s commitment that a minimum of 30Mbps is available throughout the country is realised.
