Written Answers Nos. 363-370
363. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when a better energy home insulation grant will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20253/13]
View answerThe Better Energy Programme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Better Energy: Homes scheme provides support to homeowners towards the installation of attic and wall insulation, and heating system upgrades including solar thermal with the works being undertaken by privately appointed contractors.
The grant in question is on hold pending resolution of reworks. The house was inspected on 6 February 2013 and a number of deficiencies were identified. Notification of the requirement to complete reworks was sent to both the homeowner and the contractor on 7 February. A second reminder was sent to the contractor on 19 March 2013. These reworks have not been completed to date, and the grant will not be paid until the reworks are resolved.
Queries in relation to individual applications are an operational matter for the SEAI and a dedicated hotline can be reached at 1800 250 204. In addition, the SEAI has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members, which can be sent to oireachtas@seai.ie and will be dealt with promptly.
364. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of wood pellets in the marketplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20329/13]
View answerThe provision of wood pellets in the Irish market is a matter for the producers and importers of the product. I am aware that there are some local market issues which have resulted in a shortage of wood pellets in the Irish market. However, I understand that wood pellets are an internationally traded commodity and there is no shortage of this product worldwide. I believe, therefore, that this situation will rectify itself shortly.
366. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the action he will take against websites that promote harmful and unhealthy behaviour, such as promoting anorexia and bulimia and other eating disorders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20352/13]
View answerAs Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources, I have policy responsibility for providing a supportive legislative and regulatory environment to facilitate the development of high quality communications infrastructure and services. However, I do not have sole responsibility for addressing how that infrastructure is used. Responsibility of certain potentially harmful content that rests with a number of Departments and Agencies including with the Department of Justice and Equality and the executive agency of that department, the Office For Internet Safety.
It is clear that there are no simple answers to the challenges posed by the positioning of certain potentially harmful content on internet websites, not least because of the international basis of services and because any possible policy response falls across a range of Departments.
In recognition of this complexity my Department maintains open and regular contact with all Departments and State agencies. My Department also monitors international developments with a view to ensuring domestic policy within its remit reflects best practices and that the regulatory framework is amended as necessary.
You will be aware that the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications recently held a number of hearings on the use of the internet and its potential effect on people. I look forward to receiving the report of the committee in due course.
367. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress that has been made on the completion of a fuel poverty strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18962/13]
View answerThe Affordable Energy Strategy was developed by the Inter-Departmental/Agency Group on Affordable Energy (IDGAE) and published in November 2011 as part of the Department’s commitment in the Programme for Government to help mitigate energy poverty. The Strategy is key to protecting the most vulnerable in our society who may be at risk of energy poverty and provides a framework for building upon the many measures already in place.
There are forty-eight actions identified in the strategy that are being implemented over the lifetime of the report (3 years), including five priority measures: a commitment to review the National Fuel Scheme in the context of examining the feasibility of aligning income supports with the energy efficiency and income of the home, the phased introduction of minimal thermal efficiency standards for rental accommodation, ensuring greater access to energy efficiency measures, the introduction of an area based approach and reforming the eligibility criteria for energy efficiency schemes.
368. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will investigate websites (details supplied) which are promoting eating disorders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20386/13]
View answerAs Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources, I have policy responsibility for providing a supportive legislative and regulatory environment to facilitate the development of high quality communications infrastructure and services. However, I do not have sole responsibility for addressing how that infrastructure is used. Responsibility of certain potentially harmful content that rests with a number of Departments and Agencies including with the Department of Justice and Equality and the executive agency of that department, the Office For Internet Safety.
It is clear that there are no simple answers to the challenges posed by the positioning of certain potentially harmful content on internet websites, not least because of the international basis of services and because any possible policy response falls across a range of Departments.
In recognition of this complexity my Department maintains open and regular contact with all Departments and State agencies. My Department also monitors international developments with a view to ensuring domestic policy within its remit reflects best practices and that the regulatory framework is amended as necessary.
You will be aware that the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications recently held a number of hearings on the use of the internet and its potential effect on people. I look forward to receiving the report of the committee in due course.
369. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the development of broadband services here in terms of availability and speed is equal to that in other EU jurisdictions with particular reference to those countries deemed to be our competitors; the extent to which this country’s competence in this regard has improved in line with other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20402/13]
View answer371. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which high-quality, high-speed broadband is readily accessible throughout the entire country on a par with the highest quality of such services available in other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20404/13]
View answer372. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which the full requirement in terms of high-speed, high-quality broadband is available to hospitals, schools, local authorities and third level educational institutions throughout the country, with particular reference to the need to compete with the best in Europe and worldwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20405/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 369, 371 and 372 together.
International comparison tables of broadband speeds and services should be interpreted with some caution. International comparisons do not take account of high speed services at speeds up to and exceeding 1 gigabit per second which are contracted by heavy users of such service for use using leased lines or comparable links. Furthermore, International comparison tables are based on marketed services which do not take account of actual accessibility to those speeds within any state nor do they take account of the actual customer experience which may differ from state to state.
In Ireland high capacity broadband links over leased lines, which are capable of meeting the needs of heavy users including hospitals, schools, local authorities and third level educational institutions, are widely available. However, as mentioned above, these services are not included in international comparisons. In the case of post primary schools the Government has announced plans to equip all post primary schools with 100Mbps broadband. This programme is continuing and all schools will be connected by the start of the 2014 academic year
In the case of marketed broadband services, data reports published by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), reveal that the number of broadband subscribers has more than doubled in Ireland to over 1.6 million between 2007 and 2012. Similarly, in the case of speeds, the number of residential customers contracted in a range between 2–10 megabits per second (Mbps) increased from 41% of all subscribers in 2007 to 71% in 2012. The number of subscribers accessing speeds exceeding 10 Mbps increased from 0.2% to 24% in the same period. 95% of customers are therefore contracted at speeds of 2 Mbps or more compared to an EU average availability at 2 Mbps or more over fixed lines of 92%.
In the case of comparing the fastest marketed speeds, the most recently published OECD data ranks Ireland 16th fastest of more than 30 countries surveyed for fastest advertised retail broadband speed.
Subject to the cautions expressed above about interpreting international comparison tables, it can be concluded that there has been significant growth in the take up of marketed retail broadband services and contracted speeds in Ireland in recent years and, in addition, high bandwidth is widely available in Ireland over leased lines. The take up of basic broadband in Ireland at speeds of 2 Mbps or more compares favourably with similar accessibility as an EU average. The availability of high speed services is also increasing rapidly with UPC now offering speeds of 150Mbps to almost 700,000 homes and Eircom preparing to launch new next generation fixed line services. Mobile operators are also preparing to launch high speed 4G services following ComReg’s successful conclusion of the multi band spectrum auction. The Government has committed to ensuring that broadband speeds of at least 30Mbps are available in all parts of Ireland. This will require intervention by the State in areas where there is no case for investment by the commercial market. My Department is in the process of appointing consultants to assist in developing the necessary mapping, EU State Aids and procurement process for this intervention.
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) therefore anticipates that all parts of Ireland will have access to 30Mbps broadband well ahead of the EU target date of 2020.
370. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he has identified areas throughout the country known to be particularly problematic in respect of access to high-speed broadband; if he has examined a means where these issues can be addressed effectively in the short and medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20403/13]
View answerThe Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published 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.
During the preparation of Ireland’s National Broadband Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70Mbps to 100Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway in both fixed line and wireless high speed broadband services, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
The Government is also committed in the Plan to investing in areas where high speed services are not commercially viable and will not be provided by the market. In an important milestone towards delivery of this commitment in the Plan, my Department will over the coming days appoint experts to assist it in the design, planning and procurement of the State-led investment.
A formal national mapping exercise will be undertaken to identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband over the coming years so as to inform the level of Government interaction that may be required and the areas that need to be targeted for a State-led investment. Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations including stakeholder engagement will be ongoing throughout 2013 with a view to the launch of a procurement process in 2014.
Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, we are committed to increasing the availability of next generation speeds significantly, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in a digitally enabled society.
Questions Nos. 371 and 372 answered with Question No. 369.
