Written Answers Nos. 161-167
161. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will introduce guidelines in respect of recycled grey water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33558/15]
View answer162. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will introduce guidelines in respect of rainwater harvesting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33559/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together.
I refer to the reply to Question No. 280 of 12 November 2013 which sets out the arrangements currently in place to encourage water efficiency in the built environment through the deployment of sustainable water systems, including rainwater harvesting systems and grey water recycling systems.
By referencing such systems in the building code, as has been done, my Department enables such systems, where used, to be designed and constructed in a safe and responsible manner and in accordance with the best available national and international guidance.
163. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify comments made (details supplied) regarding advice provided to him by Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33580/15]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 612 of 16 December 2014, which sets out the position in this matter. The position remains unchanged. Irish Water has confirmed to my Department that it is satisfied that the selection and fitting of the boundary water meter boxes fully complies with international standards.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives and has contacted all Oireachtas members to provide details of an improved level of service which it is aiming to provide. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a new dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
164. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government following his welcome for the European Union negotiating position at the 21st conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in France, when the Government will formally ratify the Doha amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, which was due to be completed by the third quarter of 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33601/15]
View answerIreland completed its domestic acceptance procedures in respect of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol in November 2014, which included the passing of the appropriate resolution in Dáil Éireann.
It has been decided that the European Union, its Member States and Iceland should formally accept the Doha Amendment simultaneously, on a date yet to be fixed prior to the 21st Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Accordingly, Ireland stands ready to formally accept the Doha Amendment as and when this date is agreed.
165. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether post offices provide more than economic value, and also have major social and community values (details supplied). [33471/15]
View answerIt is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high quality postal service and maintain a nationwide network of customer focused post offices in the community.
A public consultation exercise was conducted from 16 June to 28 July this year on the Initial Report of the Post Office Network Business Development Group. A total of sixteen responses were received and a summary of these have been published on my Department's website.
It is clear from the responses that there is a strong public desire to maintain the nationwide network of post offices and see the role played by it in local communities enhanced. While An Post remains a trusted brand, the company will need to further diversify into areas such as financial services and maintain its position within communities by developing attractive products and services that the customers want and need.
The final report of the Group, which I expect to receive later in the Autumn, will further inform decisions on future development of the network.
166. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources given the considerable challenges facing the building industry, and the Government's commitment to incentivise renewable energy technologies, his plans to provide a grant for the installation of renewable energy heating technologies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33566/15]
View answerCurrent supports for renewable heat technologies include tariffs for combined heat and power under REFIT 3 and grants for the installation of solar heating under the Better Energy Homes scheme. In addition, Part L of the Building Regulations requires that, for new dwellings, a reasonable proportion of the energy consumption to meet the energy performance of a dwelling is provided by renewable energy sources.
Analysis underpinning the Draft Bioenergy Plan, published in October last year, indicates that an additional bioenergy focussed measure in the heat sector would represent the most cost effective means of meeting a number of different policy goals including addressing a potential shortfall in meeting our renewable heat target of 12% by 2020. Therefore, the draft Plan recommends the introduction of a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) in 2016 to incentivise larger heat users in the industrial and commercial non-emissions trading sector to adopt heating solutions that produce heat from renewable sources.
On 31 July last, I launched a consultation on the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive. While the initial phase of the consultation closed on 18 September 2015, there will be two further opportunities to contribute at key stages in the design of the scheme. Those consultations will be informative regarding the technologies that will assist in meeting our future renewable energy targets. The RHI scheme, once designed, will require State Aid approval from the European Commission and further Government approval. I emphasised the importance of the RHI during my contribution to the development of the Capital Plan which sets out Government's commitment to Exchequer investment of €27 billion for the period 2016-2021; initial funding for the introduction of the RHI scheme is provided in the Plan. It is proposed to have the RHI scheme in place in 2016.
167. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on issues highlighted in the campaign by the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union for increased resources for Inland Fisheries Ireland, including the issue of staff reductions in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33568/15]
View answerI refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 99 and 1550 of 22 September, 2015.
I can confirm that I met with a delegation from SIPTU on 23 September last at which their submission was discussed.
