Written Answers Nos. 17-28
17. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the plans in place to increase the level of Irish language/bilingual broadcasting here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53335/12]
View answerThe Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is the independent Regulator responsible for the oversight of the broadcasting sector in this country. The Contract Awards Committee makes arrangements to invite, consider and recommend to the Authority proposals for the provision of broadcasting services additional to the existing broadcasting services provided in the State.
Section 25 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides that the Authority and its statutory committees, in performing their functions shall endeavour to ensure that the number and categories of broadcasting services made available in the State best serve the needs of the Irish people bearing in mind their languages and traditions and their cultural diversity. Section 24 of the Act states that the Authority and its statutory committees shall be independent in the performance of their functions and therefore, I, as Minister have no role in the area of examining the adequacy of the current levels of Irish language broadcasting in this country nor do I have a role in commissioning increased levels of Irish language broadcasting. These matters fall solely within the remit of the Authority.
The Deputy will doubtless be aware that a dedicated independent public service Irish language channel, TG4, is already provided for in this State and has been established since 1996. Section 118(1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 outlines the objects of TG4 and Section 118(3) provides that TG4 shall ensure that its programme schedules are primarily in the Irish language.
Furthermore, Section 120 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides that RTÉ shall provide to TG4 programme material in the Irish language that will be the equivalent of one hour of daily programming throughout the calendar year. Section 98 of the Act provides that RTÉ and TG4 shall be independent in the pursuance of their objects. There are no proposals at present to alter the statutory requirements on RTÉ or TG4 in this regard.
I should also point out to the Deputy that both TG4 and RTÉ are reviewed on an annual basis by the Authority to the extent that they are meeting and fulfilling their commitments in respect of their public service objects including their commitments in respect of the Irish language. The most recent annual review has found no inadequacy in the levels of Irish language broadcasting on RTÉ or TG4.
18. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way he proposes to combat inappropriate media advertising aimed at children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53256/12]
View answerThe Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is an independent statutory body which has responsibility under Section 26 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 for the preparation of broadcasting codes or rules.
Section 42 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 obliges the BAI to prepare and monitor compliance with certain broadcasting codes, including the Children’s Commercial Communications Code, as well as reviewing these codes.
In line with this legislative obligation, the BAI published the Children’s Commercial Communications Code in May 2011. The objectives of the Children’s Code are as follows:
To offer protection for children from inappropriate and/or harmful commercial communications;
To acknowledge the special susceptibilities of children and ensure that commercial communications do not exploit these susceptibilities;
To ensure that commercial communications are fair and present the product or service promoted in a way that is easily interpreted by children and does not raise unrealistic expectations of the capabilities or characteristics of the product or service being promoted, and;
To provide unambiguous guidelines to broadcasters, advertisers, parents, guardians and children on the standards they can expect from commercial communications on Irish broadcasting services.
With regard to advertising to young people in particular, the BAI is also represented on the Alcohol Marketing Communications Monitoring Body, established by, and reporting to, the Department of Health with the aim of ensuring industry compliance with voluntary codes of practice, agreed by that Department and representatives of the advertising, drinks and media communications industries.
I am satisfied that the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009 permit the BAI to provide adequate protection to children from inappropriate media advertising and I have no plans, therefore, to amend the current regime.
20. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his proposals for expanding wind energy exports; his targets regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53263/12]
View answerIn 2011, Ireland had 17.6% renewable electricity, 3.6% biofuels and 5% renewable heating, which amounted in total to 6.5% of all energy consumed being from renewable sources.
Our intention, in order to meet our 2020 binding targets, is to increase renewable energy to 40% in the electricity sector, 10% in the transport sector and 12% in the heating sector, which together amounts to 16% overall, in line with our legally binding target under the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
Separate to meeting our challenging national target, the potential for export of renewable electricity was outlined in the Strategy for Renewable Energy 2012-2020, which I published earlier in the year. The mechanisms by which renewable energy can be traded with another country are provided for under the Renewable Energy Directive in Articles 6-12 on cooperation mechanisms.
Countries can agree statistical transfer, which involves the purchase of renewable credits by the importing country in order to meet their target or they can agree joint projects, which involves identifying specific projects for the purpose of renewable trading and agreeing how the projects will be financed and how the renewable value will be counted towards each country’s renewable target under the Directive.
The use of these cooperation mechanisms under the Directive requires formal agreement between two or more Governments.
I have had a number of bilateral discussions with my UK counterpart in this regard and we are actively exploring the possibility of trade in renewable energy between the two jurisdictions, with a view to reaching a Memorandum of Understanding by end year.
There is no specific target for the volume of 'exported' renewable electricity. Following on from the agreement between the two Governments, this would depend on the ability of project developers to progress successfully through the planning systems and build out their proposed projects. There are a number of potential developers of large scale projects, some of whom have already entered the public domain.
22. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of estimates of over a billion barrels of oil in the Barryroe Oilfield, his plans to maximise the benefit to the State of such resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53271/12]
View answerIt is a core policy objective of my Department to maximise the benefits to the State from exploration for, and production of, our indigenous petroleum resources, while at the same time ensuring that activities are conducted safely and with due regard to their impact on the environment and other land/sea users.
In relation to the Barryroe oil discovery, results of tests carried out earlier this year on the Barryroe appraisal well are encouraging, however further appraisal work will be required to determine if the discovery could be declared commercial and lead to a petroleum production project. In the event that Barryroe were to be declared commercial and advance to the production stage then under the 2007 fiscal terms a tax rate of up to 40% would apply. Additional benefits would flow from the economic activity generated by a new development project.
The fiscal terms, which were last revised in 2007, seek to strike a balance between maximising the financial return to the State and the need to set the terms at a level that will encourage mobile international exploration investment to the Irish offshore. While there have been some positive indicators in terms of a modest upswing in the number of exploration companies active in the Irish offshore over the past decade, the last discovery to be declared commercial was the Corrib gas field which was discovered in 1996. Without a substantial increase in the level of drilling activity in the Irish offshore, from the current level of about one well per year, the true potential of our natural resources will not to be proven.
23. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his proposals for the future of biofuels here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53250/12]
View answer30. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the consequences for Ireland of EU Commission proposals that aim to cap crop based bio-fuel production to a maximum of 5% of total transport fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53268/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 30 together.
The Biofuel Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 as the primary means to meet the target of at least 10% renewable energy in transport by 2020, which was mandated by the Renewable Energy Directive. It is estimated that 8.4% of the energy in transport in Ireland will be achieved by deployment of biofuels. The Biofuel Obligation currently requires that the amount of biofuels brought to the market is not less than 4% by volume of the relevant disposal of petroleum road transport fuels. This obligation will increase over time with first increase happening from 2013.
Recently, the European Commission circulated a proposal to amend sections of the Renewable Energy Directive. This proposal will be discussed during the Irish presidency of the EU next year. One of the amendments proposed is that no more than 5% of the energy in the transport sector should come from biofuels produced from certain crops. My Department is currently examining the proposal and its implications for meeting the target of 10% renewable energy by 2020.
In order to maintain progress towards achieving targets, I intend to increase the Biofuel Obligation from January next year. This increase will not be affected by the proposed amendment on crop based biofuels as the overall energy content of the obligation will not breach the proposed 5% cap. The rate of the obligation will remain the same until the end of 2014. Decisions on further increases after 2014 will be taken after any amendments to the Renewable Energy Directive have been finalised.
24. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the annual additional cost incurred with a no wind energy situation and the alternatives considered to achieve the same level of environmental protection using other technologies both renewable and energy conservation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53338/12]
View answer50. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount of natural gas saved as a result of Ireland's wind energy programme; the public authority that completed this verification; if he will provide details of the recognised international procedures used in the verification process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53336/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 50 together.
The additional cost incurred with no wind generation is an estimated figure of approximately €300 million in avoided national gas imports from the use of all renewable energies in the generation of electricity in 2011 which was published recently by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). They calculate that wind generation alone would account for an estimated €240 million of the €300 million in avoided gas imports.
The calculation is based on a methodology set out in SEAI's Renewable Energy in Ireland – 2011 report, where the avoided primary energy from the various renewable energies are estimated based on the technologies they would be replacing. For wind it is assumed that they are replacing marginal gas generation. This results in a more conservative estimate of avoided primary energy and emissions than taking say the average system generation as used in the International Energy Agency’s Partial Substitution Methodology. The estimated avoided primary energy is then used to arrive at an estimated avoided gas import cost figure using the price of natural gas for electricity generation (IEA Energy Prices & Taxes).
The above figures relate only to avoided energy import costs. There is currently sufficient conventional capacity on the grid to cope with a ‘no wind’ situation so there wouldn’t be any additional investment costs.
The methodology set out in Renewable Energy in Ireland draws on approaches that were developed for use in baseline studies in credit-based emission trading systems and the IEA partial substitution method.
For reference see: Kartha S., Lazarus M. and Bosi M, 2004. Baseline recommendations for greenhouse gas mitigation projects in the electric power sector. Energy Policy 32, 545-566.
25. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has received any information regarding the amount of oil that lies off the County Kerry coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53332/12]
View answer39. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he knows of any proposed site at which oil would be drilled for off the County Kerry coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53333/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 39 together.
Petroleum exploration authorisations are currently held by a number of companies in respect of areas in the Porcupine Basin off the Kerry coast. Drilling operations have not been carried under any of these authorisations to date, though I understand that plans are in progress for the commencement next year of drilling operations on the Dunquin prospect situated approximately 150km off the Kerry coast.
Until a comprehensive drilling programme has been carried out, the oil or gas potential of the area will remain unproven.
26. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to maintain a strong postal service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53266/12]
View answer45. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the future of An Post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53242/12]
View answer49. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps being taken to support the maintenance of the Post Office network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53120/12]
View answer144. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to secure the future of an Post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53549/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 45, 49 and 144 together.
As the Deputies will appreciate An Post is a Commercial State body with its own Board and Management. Therefore operational matters are a matter for the Board and management of An Post. These are areas in which I have no statutory function.
Nonetheless, it is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable State company, providing high quality services on a nationwide basis through a network of economically viable post offices.
I firmly believe An Post has many strengths. It is a trusted brand and it also has the largest retail presence in the Country. I have impressed on the Company the need to further exploit its unique position in this regard and have been supportive of its attempts to diversify its income streams and to win a wider range of commercial contracts offering higher margins.
However, the reality is that the core mail business has suffered a major fall and this has impacted seriously on the Company’s revenue flow. In response, the Company is proactively seeking to keep costs down and diversify its business. Control of costs must, in particular, be rigorously pursued by the Company in light of the continuing drain on revenue arising from the core mails business. It is incumbent that it remains in a financially sustainable position.
As regards diversification, An Post announced that following the decision of AIB to close a number of branches, an extended range of AIB services will be available through Post Offices in the locality of the closures. This is beneficial not only to An Post as a commercial body but also to the local communities.
Furthermore, in May this year I welcomed the arrangement between An Post One Direct and Aviva which saw 23 Aviva insurance branches become One Direct Outlets. This not only secured some of the jobs that were at risk due to Aviva's restructuring but it broadened An Post's portfolio of financial services offering to customers.
In the context of the public sector reform and service delivery agenda, I continue to engage with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and other Ministers in relation to consideration, as appropriate, of the post office network for transactional elements of the business of Government Departments and Agencies. I have stressed to my Government colleagues that the network is ideally configured for over the counter transactions.
27. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his proposal for a pay as you save scheme to replace the better energy homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53267/12]
View answerThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Homes under the Better Energy Programme. The scheme is a demand-led programme and the Government has committed €76.146 million in Exchequer funding to the programme in 2012.
The Better Energy Homes scheme provides financial assistance for improving energy performance of older homes, built any time before 2006. The scheme enables homeowners to save money, while improving comfort and reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. 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 Building Energy Rating (BER).
The Programme for Government includes a commitment to roll out a Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS) retrofit scheme after 2013, to replace the Exchequer funding currently being provided to the Better Energy Programme. The PAYS concept is an innovative financing mechanism that will allow consumers to finance energy efficient upgrades. The PAYS scheme proposes that the current suite of Exchequer funded grants for energy efficiency measures, excluding the low-income housing retrofit programme, will be replaced by a comprehensive national energy efficiency scheme open to households and commercial operators. This should allow consumers to avail of energy efficiency measures using the money that they would have spent on their energy bill.
I am pleased to report that the Department, with the assistance of the SEAI, has commenced a project team, staffed with a wide range of industry experience, to deliver a project design to Government in 2013. The project team will be engaging widely with stakeholders as part of this development work.
28. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the recently published Report of the Editorial Review of The Frontline Presidential Debate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53255/12]
View answerRTÉ is an independent national public service broadcaster whose remit and obligations are set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009, and, as such, I, as Minister, have no role in its day-to-day operations.
As the Deputy will be aware, RTÉ established an editorial review of The Frontline 2012 Presidential Election Debate on 12th March 2012, following the decision of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to uphold a number of complaints against the programme.
On foot of both the Section 53 Review on the Prime Time Investigates – A Mission to Prey programme and the BAI investigation into the use of the tweet on the Frontline Debate on 24th October 2011, RTÉ has introduced a series of structural and procedural reforms. This includes a complete restructuring of RTÉ Television and Current affairs, including recruiting an external candidate to fill the post of Managing Director of RTÉ News and Current affairs and the revision of RTÉ Journalism Guidelines, including guidelines around the use of social media. An Editorial Standards Board has also been founded, and a renewed emphasis placed on staff development.
The report on The Frontline Presidential Debate also makes a series of recommendations around how such debates are structured in the future, including issues like audience selection, format, questions, editorial supervision and training.
RTÉ has accepted these recommendations in full and have implemented many of them on recent debates on the Children’s Referendum and the Referendum on the Fiscal Treaty.
I regret last Friday’s untrue assertions by Deputy Moynihan alleging that I intervened to instruct RTÉ not to publish the working paper drawn up in the course of its editorial review. To the contrary, I acknowledged that RTÉ had committed to publishing the working paper, subject to addressing confidentiality commitments given by the broadcaster to participants in the programme.
