Written Answers Nos. 241-251
241. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of funding expended by Irish Water to date and a breakdown of this; the amount of funding committed into the future by contract and a breakdown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42684/14]
View answerAs part of the conditions attaching to the funding being provided to Irish Water from the Local Government Fund in 2014 my Department receives overall cost reports on operational and capital expenditure. The most recent Operating and Capital Expenditure Report shows that some €502m was incurred by Irish Water in operational expenditure and some €373m was incurred on capital expenditure from January 2014 to end August 2014. The projections of expenditure from September to the end of December 2014 are €315m for operational expenditure and €235m for capital expenditure. Costs incurred by Irish Water are examined by the Commission for Energy Regulation as an integral element of the independent economic regulation of Irish Water.
242. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost of extending the free water allowance for children to dependent 18 and 19 year olds living with their parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42699/14]
View answerThe CER issued a determination on the water charges plan submitted to it by Irish Water. Full details are available on the CER website at www.cer.ie/document-detail/CER-Water-Charges-Plan-Consultation/979.
In making its determination on the water charges plan, the CER had to take account of the decisions made by the Government on the funding model for Irish Water and a direction made under Section 42 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act in July 2014. This policy direction addressed a number of matters relating to domestic water charges including the provision of a free allowance to cover the normal usage of water services by every child in their primary residence based on the same qualifying conditions as for child benefit.
Consideration is currently being given to measures to bring the necessary certainty and clarity to the charging structure to ensure that water charges are modest and affordable.
243. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an annual breakdown of the fees paid to recruitment and employment agencies by his Department and those under his aegis. [42720/14]
View answerMy Department has not engaged recruitment or employment agencies in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. The information requested is not collected in respect of Agencies under the aegis of my Department.
244. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of reports from external consultants commissioned by his Department in the years 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the costs incurred by his Department to commission these reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42591/14]
View answerMy Department administers a very diverse, complex and extremely technical brief. It has a total complement of around 250 full time equivalent staff of whom a limited number are technical personnel. This reality necessarily requires my Department to procure specialist external professionals to assist in discharging its functions. In procuring these specialised services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and that these professional services contribute to project delivery and informed, robust and evidence based policy making. In total there have been 25 external reports commissioned by my Department, eight in 2012, ten in 2013 and seven to date in 2014. The bulk of the studies are technical and specialist in nature and were necessary to address specific issues as they arose and enable the Department to discharge its policy and project responsibilities in the areas concerned. The total cost of these reports is €867,999.
245. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 570 of 7 October 2014, the position regarding the provision and enabling of a fibre cable in an area (details supplied) in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42606/14]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan the Government aims to ensure that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses in Ireland, through a combination of commercial investment and a State-led intervention. Since the publication of the Plan, the commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5bn in network upgrades and at least 1.6m of the 2.3m addresses in Ireland are expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next number of years.
Under EU State Aid Guidelines Member States cannot intervene where commercial investors have plans to roll out services. A comprehensive mapping exercise is underway in my Department, to identify those areas that require a State intervention. An initial examination has already identified a significant number of areas throughout the country that will require State intervention. It includes 46 areas in Co Roscommon including Taghmcconnell.
As part of the mapping process, a stakeholder consultation was launched in June. 32 submissions have been received and non-commercially sensitive versions of these responses were published by my Department last month.
I expect to publish the map shortly. Those accessing this map will be able to identify their own house or premises and see whether it is in the proposed intervention footprint. Where a house or premises is not in the proposed intervention area it means it either currently, or will in the near future, have access to commercial high speed broadband services. The map will be subject to change as new information becomes available or commercial investments are announced in the future.
A further public consultation on a detailed intervention strategy will be launched in mid-2015. My Department is also working closely with the European Commission with a view to obtaining State Aid clearance for the programme.
A detailed procurement process will be undertaken in order to select a potential preferred bidder or bidders towards the end of 2015.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland. Our goal is to ensure that quality broadband services are available to all citizens regardless of where they are located.
246. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the powers Inland Fisheries Ireland have to enter private farm lands to access rivers and streams; if there are listed rivers and streams to which those powers apply and the legislation from which this power derives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42615/14]
View answerI am advised that section 296(1) of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, as amended by Section 11 and Schedule 4 of the Fisheries Act 1980, provides powers to authorised officers of Inland Fisheries Ireland to enter onto any land for the purpose of protection of fisheries. This provision applies universally to fisheries for the purpose of protection and therefore is not limited to a prescribed list of fisheries or rivers. I am also advised that Section 296(2) of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, prohibits the entry to any enclosed garden or any dwelling house or the curtilage thereof without a warrant, except where the ordinary road or passage to any weir, dam or dyke is through such garden or curtilage.
247. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if responsibility for quality, coverage and reliability of the mobile telephone service rests with his Department, the regulator, or the service providers; if responsibility for any deficiencies requires a response from any of the aforementioned; the action proposed to tackle the number of unserviced or poorly serviced black spots throughout the country; if the authorities' approval or the initiative of his Department is required to address such issues; if ongoing assessment leading to infrastructural investment is taking place in respect of the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42633/14]
View answerIn order to provide mobile services, mobile operators must secure a licence from ComReg to get access to the required radio spectrum. These licences include terms and conditions on quality of service and coverage. ComReg monitors compliance with all such licence requirements. Compliance with quality and coverage conditions is carried out by means of bi-annual drive tests and I understand that the current tests are designed to cover all primary and secondary national routes, with measurements being performed on all Mobile Networks. In cases of non-compliance, ComReg has powers to enforce licence conditions, as appropriate, in accordance with the Authorisation Regulations (European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Authorisation) Regulations 2011. ComReg is independent in carrying out its statutory functions and I have no statutory role in this matter.
The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5bn in upgrading and modernising networks which support the provision of fixed and mobile high speed broadband services. Part of this significant investment is facilitating the rollout of 3G and 4G mobile services nationwide and this will further improve the coverage and quality of mobile voice and data services throughout the country.
In terms of addressing blackspots in mobile coverage, while investment in communications infrastructure and services is primarily a matter for the private sector, Government recognises that it has a role in ensuring that barriers to investment are removed where possible. The National Broadband Plan commits to a range of actions that will facilitate the more efficient investment in the rollout of communications infrastructure, including addressing planning and road opening challenges.
Since publication of the Plan in 2012, a working group has been established to address infrastructure issues which were identified by industry as creating barriers to deployment of services. The group is chaired by the Department of Transport and includes representatives from my Department, the Local Government Management Agency, the National Roads Authority (NRA) and Local Authorities. The Group is currently reviewing issues relating to the location of telecommunications infrastructure on public roads, particularly motorways, with a view to reducing blackspots and enhancing services. Consultation between the NRA and industry is ongoing on a range of issues relating to the citing of telecommunications infrastructure.
Local Authorities also have an important role in assisting the rollout of supporting infrastructure. My Department has worked closely with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government to raise awareness of the role of the planning process in facilitating the delivery of telecommunications infrastructure and services.
My Department is also reviewing national spectrum policy, in line with another commitment in the National Broadband Plan and my officials are currently considering the outcome of a recent public consultation on spectrum policy. Current spectrum policy needs to be revisited as a matter of course and in light of the rapid technological changes and the increased demands on this limited and valuable resource. An important element of this review is to ensure that our legal and regulatory environment supports continued investment in mobile telecommunication infrastructure, which is dependent on access to radio spectrum. It is expected that this review will be completed in the first quarter of next year.
248. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to a recent announcement by Electric Ireland that it will no longer buy green electricity from residential properties generating electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42662/14]
View answerWhile this is a matter in which I, as Minister, have no statutory function, I am aware that Electric Ireland has been offering a micro generation feed in tariff since February 2009. No other electricity supplier has chosen to provide such a tariff, to either domestic or commercial customers, though they have been invited to do so by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the CER, which is an independent statutory body. I am aware of the need to give further policy consideration to the place of microgeneration in our energy mix. Analysis of the potential of microgeneration technologies such as small scale wind, solar and small scale hydro, has been carried out for my Department by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The SEAI's findings, along with responses to the recent consultation on the Green Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland, will inform future policy on the provision of any market support for microgeneration.
249. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he or his Department officials became aware of the pay progression mechanism included agreed between Ervia and trade unions last year for Irish Water; the date upon which this agreement was secured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42668/14]
View answerThe employment terms and conditions for Ervia employees, other than the Chief Executive, are an operational matter for the company and not a matter in which I, as Minister, have any role or function. The current pay model in place in Ervia was implemented as a result of the successful conclusion of a suite of cost improvement measures in Ervia, or BGE at that time, in early 2013. I understand that the pay model was adopted by Irish Water upon its establishment within the Ervia Group. Corporate governance and financial matters are discussed in the normal course of interaction between a commercial semi-state body and its parent department. Ervia, or BGE at that time, would have updated my officials on progress with regard to the cost improvement measures in the lead in to their conclusion.
250. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress to date in relation to the rural broadband strategy aimed at increasing access to high speed broadband to more than over 1,000 rural communities nationwide through fibre networks. [42679/14]
View answer251. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if work in rolling out the fibre networks in any of the areas identified has commenced since the announcement of the strategy last May. [42680/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together.
Through the National Broadband Plan (NBP), the Government aims to ensure that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses in Ireland, through a combination of commercial investment and a State-led intervention.
The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5bn in network upgrades and at least 1.6m of the 2.3m addresses in Ireland are expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next number of years. In the last week alone, two companies have announced projects to deliver direct fibre connectivity to approximately 500,000 homes and businesses in every county in Ireland. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.
The purpose of the National Broadband Plan is to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of where they are located, benefits from a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments, such as those I have already mentioned, and a State-led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.
Under EU State Aid Guidelines Member States cannot intervene where commercial investors have plans to roll out services. My Department is currently finalising a national map which will identify those areas that require a State intervention. An initial examination has already identified a significant number of areas that will require State intervention.
As part of the mapping process, a stakeholder consultation was launched in June. 32 submissions have been received and non-commercially sensitive versions of these responses were published by my Department last month.
I expect to publish the map shortly. Those accessing this map will be able to identify their own house or premises and see whether it is in the proposed intervention footprint. Where a house or premises is not in the proposed intervention area it means it either currently, or will in the near future, have access to commercial high speed broadband services. The map will be subject to change as new information becomes available or commercial investments are announced in the future.
A further public consultation on a detailed intervention strategy will be launched in mid-2015. My Department is also working closely with the European Commission with a view to obtaining State Aid clearance for the programme.
A detailed procurement process will be undertaken in order to select a potential preferred bidder or bidders towards the end of 2015.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
