Written Answers Nos. 117-121
117. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to link a town (details supplied) in County Galway to the natural gas line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11019/14]
View answerThe Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is the statutory independent body charged with the assessment and licensing of prospective operators seeking to develop and operate a gas distribution system within the State. In 2006, the CER approved a new network connections policy which enabled assessment of the feasibility of connecting certain towns to the gas network. In order for any town to be connected to the gas network, certain economic criteria need to be met as a prerequisite. The policy allows for the appraisal of a town either on its own or as part of a regional group of towns.
The policy framework provides that, over a certain period, the costs of connecting a town or group of towns to the network are recouped through the actual economic consumption of gas and the associated tariffs. Uneconomic projects would increase costs for all energy consumers. Under the CER's policy framework, Bord Gáis Networks, and more recently Gaslink, carried out a comprehensive assessment of towns not already connected to the national gas network. A New Towns Analysis Phase 1 report was published in 2006. The study included a review of the feasibility of connecting towns to the natural gas network in Galway/Mayo and the CER made the decision to allow Gaslink to extend the network to eleven of these towns, including Athenry. Prior to the roll out of each town, a detailed analysis of the loads within the town and the revenues associated with them is carried out. There is also a requirement to secure a certain level of customers prior to the development commencing. The gas network has been extended to seven of these towns and work is progressing on the development of the network to Tuam. Work is ongoing to secure economic loads in the three remaining towns, i.e. Athenry, Knock and Ballyhaunis, prior to the commencement of construction. To date, the projected loads are insufficient to justify commencement of construction.
118. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a breakdown of his Department's expenditure in translating and printing Irish language publications, documents, advertisements, notices and bilingual signage in each of the past three years. [11045/14]
View answerExpenditure from the administrative subheads of my Department’s Vote relating to the provision of services through Irish in each of the past three years is detailed in the table below:
|
Year |
Amount (€) |
|
2011 |
5,514.33 |
|
2012 |
12,400.75 |
|
2013 |
23,189.19 |
These amounts relate to translation services only and relate to, inter alia, the translation of legislation, directives and nationally important reports such as the National Digital Strategy and the Consultation and Value for Money Reports on the Public Service Broadcasting Charge. In addition, there would have been an element of additional expenditure related to Irish language requirements across a range of programme expenditure areas in my Department. This information is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
119. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the action that can be taken to rectify bad television reception in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11175/14]
View answerIn accordance with the Broadcasting Act 2009, RTÉ, through its subsidiary company 2RN, is responsible for the roll-out, coverage and operation of the SAORVIEW digital terrestrial television (DTT) network and I, as Minister, have no function in this matter. Specifically, the Act requires RTÉ to provide digital coverage to the same extent as provided over the previous analogue network, i.e. 98% population coverage, and I am advised by RTÉ that this level of coverage is being provided by the SAORVIEW TV network. For the remaining 2% of the population, RTÉ launched SAORSAT in March 2012. The development and provision of SAORSAT, which is a “free to air” satellite system providing access to the RTÉ channels and TG4, was undertaken by RTÉ on its own initiative and, as in the case of the SAORVIEW DTT network, is not a matter in which I have a function. Ireland is not the only country to have introduced a national TV network on both a terrestrial and satellite platform. Many countries, including the UK, have developed their digital networks on both the traditional terrestrial platform and also over satellite. The reason for this is simple. It is technically and financially impossible to provide 100% coverage using a terrestrial TV platform. However, through SAORVIEW and SAORSAT, Ireland now has 100% “free to air” coverage of the RTÉ channels and TG4 for the first time in the history of the State. That said, I have noted the specific details of the case raised by the Deputy in this Question and have had them brought to the attention of RTÉ’s network company, 2RN.
121. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when a sewage treatment facility (details supplied) in County Galway will be upgraded and available for use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11007/14]
View answerThe Kinvara Sewerage Scheme was included as a scheme to commence in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010–13. The Scheme was for the provision of a new wastewater treatment plant and the upgrade and extension of the collection network in the town at an estimated overall cost of €4.8 million. My Department approved Galway County Council’s revised design proposals for the Kinvara Sewerage Scheme in January 2012. This approval allowed the Council to progress the scheme to construction without further recourse to my Department other than to obtain confirmation that the necessary capital funding was in place before signing a c ontract with the successful tenderer. However, no request for approval of such funding for this scheme was received by my Department from Galway County Council. From 1 January 2014 Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. Irish Water is currently preparing its Capital Investment Plan for 2014–16 and this will provide for the transition of projects which were included in my Department’s 2010–13 Water Services Investment Programme. The further progression of all water services capital projects is now a matter for Irish Water.
122. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount water will cost and according to what measure under the newly established Irish Water; the rate of VAT that will be charged for water bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11017/14]
View answerThe Programme for Government sets out a commitment for the introduction of water charges based on usage above a free allowance. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services. The Act also provides that the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) will be responsible for the independent economic regulation of Irish Water. The CER will be responsible for protecting the interests of customers and the charges levied by Irish Water will be subject to the approval of their water charges plan by the CER. Local authorities have been instructed to continue with all of their current charging regimes on behalf of Irish Water, pending the consideration by the Commission for Energy Regulation of a water charges plan to be developed by Irish Water. The current VAT exemption for supplies of water by local authorities will also apply to supplies of water by Irish Water.
123. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the funding for Volunteer Ireland and the Fingal volunteer centre for 2014; and if he will give an assurance that there will be no reduction in the budget. [11020/14]
View answerThe Government continues to advance a range of measures that support volunteering and active citizenship and my Department funds a network of twenty one Volunteer Centres, including Fingal Volunteer Centre. The centres act as ‘brokers’ between potential volunteers and organisations seeking volunteers. The centres are linked by a common database and a common best practice approach. They also work with organisations to develop their volunteer management capacity and facilitate Garda vetting for smaller organisations. My Department also provides funding to Volunteer Ireland, the national volunteer development agency. The focus of Volunteer Ireland is to create an enabling environment for volunteering, to develop an ethos of volunteerism across all sectors of society and to be an independent and legitimate voice for volunteering. While there are encouraging signs of improvement in the economic outlook, difficult decisions continue to be necessary, allocations in most expenditure programmes remain constrained for 2014 and, like other Departments, my Department’s budget has been reduced for 2014. My primary concern has been to make every effort to ensure that the daily front-line services, including Volunteer Ireland and volunteer centres, provided with funding from my Department, are protected to the greatest extent possible. In this regard I have kept the reductions, (approximately 5%) to both Volunteer Ireland and Volunteer Centres to a minimum and they have been notified recently of their funding allocations for 2014.
