Written Answers Nos. 26-33
26. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on closed containment systems considering the concerns within the angling sector of certain fish farming methods in view of the revenue generated by this sector and its importance for tourism. [3882/15]
View answerPolicy on the development of aquaculture is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The consistent position of Ministers and Ministers of State in my Department and Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the State Agency with responsibility for the inland fisheries resource, has been to support aquaculture development which is environmentally sustainable and which meets the obligations of domestic, EU and international legislation, particularly the EU Habitats Directive and other environmental requirements.
The most comprehensive study of the recreational angling sector ever undertaken showed it supported 10,000 jobs in peripheral and rural communities and identified the value of the sector at €750m annually to the economy. Based on these findings, IFI are currently preparing a comprehensive development plan for the sector.
I am advised that analysis of land based salmon farming demonstrates advantages of closed containment system land-based salmon aquaculture. From the perspective of IFI’s statutory responsibilities for the conservation and protection of wild salmonids (salmon and trout), the use of these systems would mean that segregation of farmed fish from wild species is assured and long –standing issues concerned with interaction are less likely to arise.
Other advantages identified include controls on water quality and temperature, and that bio-security, diseases, parasites and the delivery of daily husbandry are much easier to manage in closed systems. The elimination of threats of escapes of farmed fish into the wild environment is also cited.
As I indicated at the outset, policy on the development of aquaculture is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The State’s seafood development body, an Bord Iascaigh Mhara, may be in a position to advise on other aspects of developments and trials of closed containment aquaculture systems in Ireland and internationally
27. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to introduce a broadcasting charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3673/15]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to examining the role and collection of the TV licence fee in light of existing and projected convergence of technologies and to transforming the TV licence into a household based Public Service Broadcasting Charge to be applied to all eligible households and applicable businesses, regardless of the device used to access content or services
I am currently considering the Charge in the context of funding of public service broadcasting, arising from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland's five year review of broadcasting, including a new system of determining the adequacy of funding for public service broadcasters and a revision of the current governance arrangements for advertising minutage.
In conjunction with this, I am considering possible amendments in relation to certain administrative and operational issues identified in the period since the Act came into effect.
Until I have given full consideration to these matters, and brought proposals in that regard to Cabinet for decision, there will be no change to the current arrangements.
28. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to roll out fibre broadband to all homes in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3949/15]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.
The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades. Approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland are expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next two years. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.
On 24 November last, a public consultation on a national high speed coverage map 2016 was launched. This consultation will close on the 12th February next. The map can be accessed at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas on the map marked Blue will all have access to high speed broadband services of at least 30 Mbps from the commercial sector by end of 2016. The areas marked Amber will require the intervention of the State.
The map allows all members of the public, be they business or residential, to see whether their premises or home will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016 or whether they will be included in the Government's proposed intervention. It also provides detailed information on over 50,000 townlands throughout the entire country.
It is anticipated that speeds of at least 30 Mbps will be also delivered through the Government's intervention and the network will be designed to cater for future increased demand from consumers and business.
In tandem with the mapping consultation, intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy. The strategy will address a range of issues in relation to the intervention including the optimum procurement model, ownership model for the infrastructure, intervention cost and likely market impact.
My Department has engaged external advisors to provide legal, economic, technical and financial advice on the various aspects of the Plan over the next two years. The next steps in this process will see a further public consultation on a detailed intervention strategy in mid-2015. The Intervention Strategy will be notified to the European Commission for State Aid clearance.
Following the public consultation, towards the end of this year a detailed procurement process will be undertaken in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders. The Department will design a tender in a way that maximises efficiencies and keeps the cost of the network build as low as possible. I am keen to see the implementation begin as quickly as possible and completed at the earliest opportunity. I anticipate that the first homes and businesses will be connected in 2016 and connections will continue thereafter, with the intention of having the final homes and businesses connected within a 5 year period.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
29. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the precautions in place to prevent industrial wind turbines collapsing. [3931/15]
View answerThis is not a matter in which I, as Minister, have a statutory role or function.
I am advised that wind turbines come within the scope of the EU Machinery Directive. The European Communities (Machinery) Regulations, 2008 transposed the EU Machinery Directive which is a "New Approach" Directive into Irish law. The New Approach legislative technique was approved by the Council of Ministers on 7 May 1985 in its Resolution on a new approach to technical harmonisation and standards. The overall objective of the EU Machinery Directive is the harmonisation of the essential health and safety requirements across the European Union. The aim is to promote the free movement of machinery across the single market while guaranteeing a high level of health and safety protection to workers and citizens.
Under the New Approach, each EU Member State must appoint one or more Notified Bodies to supervise the inspection, testing and certification of products that require CE Marking (Conformité Européene, i.e. European Conformity). The National Standards Authority of Ireland is the notified body in Ireland.
CE marking is mandatory for products covered by the scope of the New Approach Directives. The Directives establish whether the conformity assessment may be performed by the manufacturer itself or if assessment by a notified body is required. CE marking requires that the product is assessed before being placed on the market and thus satisfies the legislative requirements (e.g. a harmonised level of safety). It means that the manufacturer or a notified conformity assessment body has verified that the product, in this case a wind turbine, complies with all relevant essential requirements including health and safety requirements of the applicable directives.
In addition, the Health and Safety Authority is the agency with responsibility for workplace safety under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. It should be noted, however, that a ‘place of work’ as described in that Act would only cover wind turbines during their construction or during any maintenance that might need to be undertaken thereafter. Specific concerns regarding non-compliant wind turbines, placed on the Irish market, can be directed to the Health and Safety Authority, which is the competent authority for the regulations.
30. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when approval will be received from the EU for its national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3770/15]
View answerAny State investment into a competitive market such as telecommunications must comply with EU State Aid rules, mainly aimed at ensuring that such investment only takes place in cases where it is clear that commercial investment will not take place. Public funds should, therefore, be complementary to commercial investment and not a substitute for it.
The current State Aid Guidelines governing investments in broadband markets contain detailed compliance obligations on all public bodies considering a market intervention. In designing the detailed intervention strategy for the National broadband Plan and subsequent procurement strategy and Request For Tender, my Department is cognisant of the need to fully comply will all of these requirements.
Based on current planning, my Department expects to submit a formal Notification to the European Commission later this year. It is intended to launch the formal procurement process for the proposed intervention towards the end of the year, and to ensure that State Aid clearance is obtained so that connection of the first homes and businesses will commence in 2016.
31. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of the proposed plans to build an interconnector between Ireland and France; the discussions held with energy companies to produce energy for the French market. [3930/15]
View answerEirGrid has a statutory obligation to explore and develop opportunities for interconnection with other transmission systems. The benefits of electricity and gas interconnection with other countries are numerous. Interconnectors enhance security of supply, increase competitiveness, and improve integration of renewable electricity generation resources.
In the context of achieving a fully functioning and connected internal energy market, measures are expected to be taken at EU and member state levels to increase electricity interconnections between EU member states by 2020. These measures will be pursued through the implementation of EU "Projects of Common Interest" (PCIs).
In June 2013, EirGrid and its French counterpart, RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Électricité) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to commission studies on the feasibility of building a submarine electricity interconnector between Ireland and France. Pre-feasibility studies to investigate a possible interconnector took place between 2011 and 2013. The forthcoming studies will involve desktop exercises and marine surveys to collect data to inform a decision on the feasibility and possible benefits of such an interconnector. If, on completion of the studies, the project is deemed viable, both partners would then decide on progression to the planning and development stages. No decision has yet been made on whether or not to proceed with this proposal and one is not expected until 2016 at the earliest. The project is on the current list of PCIs adopted by the European Commission.
32. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide details on measures his Department is taking to prevent the practice of fracking in this country, particularly in view of its well documented health and environmental impacts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3917/15]
View answerAs has been outlined on a number of occasions, no decision will be made on any proposal for the use of hydraulic fracturing, as part of an unconventional gas exploration or extraction project, until there has been time to consider the outcome of a major research programme, directed at examining the potential environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing, which was commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The key questions that this research programme, which is to be carried out over a minimum period of two years, needs to answer are:
- Can unconventional gas exploration and extraction projects and operations be carried out in the island of Ireland whilst also protecting the environment and human health?; and
- What is ‘best environmental practice’ in relation to such projects and operations?
To this end this scientific research programme is based on the consideration of existing baseline data with respect to groundwater, air and seismicity and the potential implications and mitigations that are required to be considered in order to understand the possible environmental impacts of using this technology and whether or not it can be undertaken in an environmentally protective manner in accordance with the requirements of environmental law.
I can once again confirm that no decision will be made on any proposal for the use of hydraulic fracturing, as part of any unconventional gas exploration and extraction programme, until there has been time to consider the outcome of this EPA research.
33. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which an increase in rent support will be provided for in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4186/15]
View answerA designated officer is currently examining the rent supplement claim in respect of the person concerned. Documentation has been requested and an examination of her circumstances will be completed on receipt of this documentation.
