Written Answers Nos. 828-838
828. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the protocols in place since March 2011 to set standards in replies to parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23496/15]
View answer829. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that parliamentary questions are adequately replied to within his Department; the steps he has taken since March 2011 to ensure parliamentary questions are fully responded to within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23512/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 828 and 829 together.
Parliamentary Questions submitted to my department are dealt with in full compliance with the relevant Standing Orders.
831. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the number of appointments to State boards; the number of vacancies in State boards; the number of vacancies in State boards publically advertised; and the number of appointments to State boards drawn directly from the public advertisement process in the period March 2011 to 2015 to date. [23581/15]
View answerThere have been 161 appointments made to State Boards under the aegis of my Department in the period March 2011 to date and 27 of these (17%) were from amongst those individuals who submitted Expressions of Interest. It should be noted that some 40% of the appointments made to Boards under the aegis of my Department are either ex-officio appointments, reappointments, the appointment of worker directors chosen by election, or appointments made on foot of nominations made by an Oireachtas Committee. There are currently 17 vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of my Department. Of these vacancies, 7 relate to the Digital Hub Development Agency and in light of the merger of that agency with Dublin City Council, I do not propose to make further appointments at this time. The remaining vacancies will be filled in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions and the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards which were approved by Government last November.
The following table sets out the position in relation to the appointments and current vacancies on those State Boards under the aegis of my Department.
|
Board |
No. of Board positions |
Number of appointments (March 2011 to date) |
Number of current vacancies |
|
An Post |
15 |
14 |
Nil |
|
RTE |
12 |
12 |
Nil |
|
Broadcasting Authority of Ireland |
9 |
10 |
Nil |
|
Bord na Móna |
12 |
14 |
Nil |
|
Ervia |
9 |
12 |
1 |
|
Eirgrid |
10 |
9 |
1 |
|
ESB |
12 |
10 |
2 |
|
Irish National Petroleum Corporation (INPC) |
3 |
11 |
Nil |
|
National Oil Reserves Agency |
6 |
6 |
1 |
|
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) |
12 |
24 |
1[1] |
|
TG4 |
12 |
8 |
3 |
|
DHDA |
14 |
13 |
7 |
|
Ordnance Survey of Ireland |
10 |
11 |
Nil |
|
Mining Board |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Inland Fisheries Ireland |
9 |
5 |
Nil |
[1] A nomination has been made by the Minister in relation to the vacancy on the Board of SEAI although this is subject to confirmation pending the nominee’s appearance before the Joint Oireachtas Committee.
832. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form for each year from 2009 to 2014 and for 2015 to date, the total number of freedom of information requests received by his Department; the total refused, granted or part-granted; the number of successful appeals, part-successful appeals and refusals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23604/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables.
|
Number of FOI Requests |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
1 |
Received |
52 |
55 |
54 |
70 |
39 |
74 |
62 |
|
2 |
Refused |
9 |
11 |
4 |
22 |
9 |
20 |
18 |
|
3 |
Granted |
22 |
17 |
9 |
16 |
2 |
8 |
12 |
|
4 |
Part-Granted |
12 |
22 |
21 |
23 |
13 |
26 |
18 |
|
Number of Internal Reviews |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
1 |
Received |
6 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
4 |
|
2 |
Affirmed Original Decision |
6 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
|
3 |
Varied Original Decision |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
4 |
Withdrawn |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Number of FOI Requests to the Office of the information Commissioner |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
1 |
Appealed |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
*1 |
*1 |
3 |
|
2 |
**Successful Appeals |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3 |
**Part Successful Appeals |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
4 |
**Refused |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
*Withdrawn
**Outcomes of Appeals reflect the cases accepted in that year
833. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form the number, name and date of Bills initiated in his Department that have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas. [23635/15]
View answer834. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form the number, name and date of Bills initiated in his Department since September 2013. [23661/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 833 and 834 together.
There have been two Bills initiated by my Department since September 2013, the details of which are set out in the following table.
|
Title of Bill |
Date Bill Published |
Status |
|
ESB (Electronic Communications Network) Bill 2013 |
19/12/2013 |
The Bill was enacted on 18 March 2014 as the ESB (Electronic Communications Network) Act 2014 - Number 5 of 2014. |
|
Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015 |
15/05/2015 |
The Bill was initiated in the Dail on 26 May 2015 and completed second stage in the Dail on 11 June 2015. |
The ESB (Electronic Communications Network) Act 2014 was not subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas, which was introduced with effect from November, 2013. Due to the timeframe for completion of the postcodes project, it was decided not to subject the Communications Regulation (Postal Services)(Amendment) Bill 2015, which in any event comprises of only 3 short sections, to pre-legislative scrutiny.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications received a presentation on the Minerals Development Bill from my Department on 1 April 2015 but the Committee decided not to proceed further with the pre-legislative scrutiny process. Publication of the Bill was recently approved by Government,
There are a number of other Bills currently in preparation in the Department. These Bills will, in accordance with Dáil Standing Order 123A, where feasible, be submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications for consideration for the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure.
835. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form the total amount spent in each year from 2011 to 2014 and in 2015 to date on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments; if his Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits in kind; if these processes have been revised, in view of the Revenue Commissioners concerns over practises in other State bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23677/15]
View answerThe total amount paid out in respect of staff subsistence and staff taxi payments for each of the years from 2011 to date is set out in the following table. My Department has not been subject to a tax compliance audit for these payments. Payments made to staff in respect of travel and subsistence are in accordance with the relevant Department of Public Expenditure and Reform rules and guidelines.
|
2011 € |
2012 € |
2013 € |
2014 € |
Jan -12th June 2015 € |
Total |
|
|
Subsistence |
196,797 |
213,817 |
183,289 |
203,755 |
106,431 |
904,089 |
|
Taxis |
24,349 |
25,744 |
29,309 |
30,313 |
7,646 |
117,361 |
|
Total |
221,146 |
239,561 |
212,598 |
234,068 |
114,077 |
1,021,450 |
836. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form by year all external consultant reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report; and publication date. [23693/15]
View answerMy Department administers a very diverse, complex and technical brief across critical and strategic sectors of the Irish economy. While it has a total complement of around 250 full time equivalent staff of whom a number are technical personnel, the technical, commercial, legal complexity and evolving nature of sectors with which the Department deals requires access to external professional expertise to assist in discharging its functions. In procuring these specialised services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and that these services contribute to project delivery and informed, robust and evidence based policy making. 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.
Details of the external reports commissioned by my Department are set out in the following table.
|
Consultancy Name |
Purpose of Consultancy |
Cost |
Date of commission |
Date or expected date of publication |
|
Environ UK Limited |
Corrib gasfield project – monitoring compliance with the Conditions of the Department’s Letter of Consent dated 25 February 2011 |
€806,289* (to date) |
June 2011 |
On-going |
|
Dr Michael Johnson |
Silvermines Vegetation Study |
€5,848 |
August 2011 |
This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase |
|
Camp Dresser McKee CDM |
Sampling of Gortmore and Silvermines Vegetation |
€13,890 |
July 2011 |
This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase |
|
Purvin & Gertz |
Strategic Case for Oil Refining requirements |
€193,997 |
August 2011 |
July 2013 |
|
PA Consulting Group |
National Digital Research Centre |
€29,040 |
July 2011 |
This report was not published. The report is commercially sensitive as it is a Strategic Review of the NDRC to inform decisions about the future of the NDRC after the Concession Agreement expires in 2013. |
|
OHH Energy Ltd |
Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line |
€41,120 |
July 2011 |
January 2012 |
|
Elimark |
Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line |
€38,786 |
July 2011 |
January 2012 |
|
2B Energy |
Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line |
€32,284 |
July 2011 |
January2012 |
|
SLR Consulting |
Core Library Holdings Review |
€39,688 |
Sept 2011 – Dec 2011 |
January 2012 |
|
Jenny Deakin |
Preparation for the Graigue Group Water Scheme Report |
€1,750 |
April 2011 – Sept 2011 |
Sept 2011 |
|
Indecon Economic Consultants |
Economic/Socio-Economic Analysis of options for rollout of next generation broadband |
€28,167 |
May 2012 |
This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive and may impact on Government procurement in Broadband provision. |
|
Analysys Mason |
Analysis of options for potential State intervention in the rollout of next generation broadband |
€30,522 |
May 2012 |
This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive and may impact on Government procurement in Broadband provision. |
|
Thornton’s Chartered Surveyors |
Provision of land valuation and negotiation services |
€3,690 |
July 2012 |
This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase. |
|
Indecon International Economic Consultants |
Assessment of Economic Contribution of Mineral Exploration and Mining in Ireland |
€53,690 |
October 2012 |
Published September 2013. |
|
Indecon (Ireland) |
Provision of a Macro-Economic Research Exercise under the National Digital Strategy to Determine the Value of Internet/Digital to the Irish Economy |
€72,474 |
November 2012 |
Published July 2013 |
|
CDM Smith Ireland Limited |
Environmental Monitoring at former mining areas of Silvermines, Co. Tipperary and Avoca, Co. Wicklow |
€369,141 |
December 2012 |
On completion of scheduled reports |
|
AMEC Earth & Environmental (UK) Ltd |
Expert Services to Monitor Mining Activities and Compliance with terms of State Mining Leases/Licences. |
€89,244 |
December 2012 |
This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive |
|
Pricewaterhouse Coopers Ltd |
Scheduled review of INFOMAR Project |
€59,505 |
Dec 2012 – May 2013 |
Published September 2013 |
|
BEC consultants |
Assistance with statutory assessment of Environmental Statements and Natura Impact Statements accompanying applications for (1) a 2D regional seismic survey and (2) an offshore exploration well (Dunquin) (2 reports received) |
€11,211 |
February 2013 |
Reports published on the Department’s website |
|
Det Norske Veritas |
Expert technical advice to the Department in connection with offshore drilling |
€52,088 |
March 2013 |
Not published. Commercially sensitive |
|
Neary Marketing & Communications |
Review of Irish Geoscience Sector |
€10,000 |
March 2013 – June 2013 |
This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive. |
|
BEC consultants |
Assistance with statutory assessment of Environmental Statements and Natura Impact Statements accompanying applications for geophysical surveys including 2D/3D offshore Seismic Surveys and exploration drilling applications (six reports completed in 2013) |
€18,266 (€3,044 fee payable for each report received) |
April 2013 |
Reports published on the Department’s website |
|
Norcontel (Ireland) Ltd |
Market analysis of backhaul infrastructure in Mayo and Galway |
€10,500 |
May 2013 |
Published June 2013 |
|
Selgovia Limited |
Offshore exploration well technical assessment |
€4,429 |
July 2013 |
Not published. Commercially sensitive |
|
Environ UK Ltd |
Establishment of an Administrative Framework for the Conduct of an Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment |
€23,247 |
November 2013 |
Not published. Commercially sensitive |
|
Environ UK Ltd |
Establishment of an Administrative Framework for the Acquisition of Baseline Information on Marine Species |
€21,973 |
November 2013 |
Not published. Commercially sensitive |
|
AECOM Ltd. |
Economics and Financial Consultancy |
€52, 988 |
November 2013 |
This Report will not be published as it remains confidential. |
|
Indecon (Ireland) |
Economic Analysis of the Advertising Market in Ireland |
€71,438 |
December 2013 |
Report published on the Department’s website |
|
BEC consultants |
Assistance with statutory assessment of Environmental Statements and Natura Impact Statements accompanying applications for geophysical surveys including 2D/3D offshore Seismic Surveys and exploration drilling applications (five reports completed to date in 2014). |
€55,165 (€3,653 fee payable for each report received) |
February 2014 |
Reports published on the Department’s website |
|
Wood Mackenzie |
Review of Ireland’s Oil and Gas Fiscal System |
€212,873 |
12/3/2014 |
Published June 2014 |
|
Neary Marketing & Communications |
Review of Geoscience Ireland Business Cluster |
€5,000 |
March 2014 – July 2014 |
This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive. |
|
PA Consulting |
Post Project Evaluation of the Tellus Border project |
€24,750 |
March 2014-July 2014 |
Published July 2014 |
|
Perspective Associates Ltd |
The provision of independent expert advice relating to the identification of an appropriate framework for determining whether a compilation of programme material offered by a contractor under s. 71 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 has the ‘character of a public service’. |
€5,000 |
18/07/2014 |
Report published on the Department’s website |
|
Environ UK Ltd |
Assistance with the Production of the Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment (IOSEA) 5 |
€198,111 (to date) |
October 2014 |
Ongoing |
|
KN Network Services |
To provide a due diligence assessment on the current status of the Galway-Mayo telecoms duct. |
€62,500 |
2014 |
The report will not be published, it will be used to assist with the appointment of a Management Services Entity for the duct. |
|
Gemserv |
To provide an interim privacy impact assessment on the implementation of the National Postcode System |
€59,340 |
August 2014 |
Interim report and the process is ongoing |
|
Ricardo - AEA |
REFIT 3 Review |
€4,500 (excl VAT) |
2014 |
This document remains part of the deliberative process and contains commercially sensitive information. |
|
Doyle Kent Planning Partnership Ltd. |
Assistance with the screening of the National Broadband Intervention Strategy for Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment. |
€4,500 (excl VAT) (€5,535 incl VAT) |
25/08/2014 |
This report will be published on completion of the consideration of the SEA/AA assessments. |
837. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding a ban on hydraulic fracturing (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23713/15]
View answerAs I have outlined to House on numerous occasions no decision will be made on any proposal for the use of hydraulic fracturing in exploration drilling as part of an unconventional gas exploration programme, until there has been time to consider the outcome of the research programme directed at examining the potential environmental and human health impacts of hydraulic fracturing commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency. This research project began in August 2014 and is scheduled to be completed in July 2016. An update on the project can be accessed at the link http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/research/ugeepublicconsultation/UGEE%20JRP_Progress%20Report_forWEB_220415.pdf.
838. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is aware of the concern of the north-west regional executive committee of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation regarding access for business to high-speed broadband that despite substantial investment by the private sector, some 53% of premises in that region do not have access to high-speed broadband, which is a barrier to job creation, social inclusion and to balanced regional growth, and which goes against businesses' ability to compete online where an estimated €5.9 billion is spent annually online by consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23719/15]
View answerThe Government recognises that access to high quality, high speed broadband is important for businesses and households throughout Ireland and is critically aware of the issues raised by IBEC in the North West and elsewhere in Ireland. The 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 and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next 18 months. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.
Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas that will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016.
The AMBER areas show the target areas for the State intervention. All premises within the AMBER areas will be included in the State's intervention.
The map allows all members of the public, be they business or residential, to see whether their premises/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 is anticipated that speeds of at least 30Mbps 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.
Eircom recently announced an investment that may address a further 300,000 premises with fibre-to-the-premises technology. My Department will be rigorously examining the assurances from Eircom in relation to these new plans, which is a requirement for all operators, and will review how this impacts the proposed intervention area.
More generally, I can confirm that next generation broadband services have been rolled out to over 36,545 premises to date in the North West region comprising Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim with a further 42,240 premises expected to be served over the next 18 months. The remaining 83,935 premises in the North West Region are the target for the proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan.
Intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy for the AMBER area. Following a public consultation process on the draft Intervention Strategy this summer, I hope to move to formal procurement phase towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders.
I expect the physical build of the network to begin in late 2016, and it will take 3-5 years to fully complete – depending on the details of the bid or bids selected.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government and aims to conclusively address current broadband connectivity issues in Ireland.
It is envisaged that access to high speed broadband coupled with the measures being introduced under the National Digital Strategy will maximise growth potential in rural areas by encouraging businesses to make better use of the internet so that they can reach wider markets, grow their business and create jobs.
