Written Answers Nos. 259-271
259. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has applied for permission to engage outside public relations companies for the purposes of disseminating Government policy; the cost of each contract entered into; the name of the contractors; the duration of the contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31671/16]
View answerMy Department does not employ External Public Relations firms. Public Relations advice is provided by my Department’s Press Office.
260. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which it is expected that the latest broadband development programme can deliver the much-required service in all areas throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31409/16]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority. This is being achieved through private investment by commercial telecommunications companies and through a State intervention in areas where commercial investment is not forthcoming.
The procurement process aims to identify an entity or entities to build, roll out, operate and deliver high speed broadband of at least 30 Mbps download and 6 Mbps upload speeds to all premises within the intervention area. Last week, I announced that the three bidders in the procurement process have indicated that they are proposing a predominantly fibre-to-the-home solution for rural Ireland under the National Broadband Plan intervention. Householders and businesses may potentially get speeds not just of 30Mbps but up to 1Gbps with businesses potentially availing of symmetrical upload and download speeds. This is a solution that will endure for 25 years and beyond and put Ireland to the forefront internationally in terms of connectivity.
The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie shows the extent of the State Intervention area:
- The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have previously indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- The areas marked AMBER on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the target areas for the State Intervention which are the subject of the current procurement process.
The map provides information on a county by county basis with a breakdown of coverage across the townlands in every county. Individuals can check whether their premises is in a BLUE or an AMBER area by scrolling through the map online or entering their Eircode. The Department also has a dedicated mailbox and anyone with a query in relation to the Map should email the Department, quoting their Eircode, to broadband@dcenr.gov.ie.
The Department is now in a formal procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network to the over 750,000 premises in Ireland, covering 100,000km of road network and 96% of the land area of Ireland.
Since bidders were invited to participate in dialogue with the Department, there have been approximately 150 hours of meetings, with considerably more interaction to follow over the coming months. The timing of each stage of the procurement continues to be dependent on a range of factors including the complexities that may be encountered by the procurement team, and bidders, during the procurement process. Bidders need adequate time to prepare detailed proposals and their final formal bids and get the relevant shareholder and funding approvals at key stages of the process. It is also important to ensure that risks in this multi-million euro procurement are carefully managed.
I can assure the Deputy that the procurement process is being intensively managed, to ensure an outcome that delivers a future-proofed network that serves homes and businesses across Ireland, for at least 25 years, and deals conclusively with connectivity issues in rural Ireland.
261. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 264 of 13 July 2016 and No. 240 of 6 October 2016, if 750,000 or 920,000 premises are to be covered by the national broadband plan; when all such premises will be connected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31201/16]
View answerThe High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie shows the extent of the State Intervention area:
- The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have previously indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services. High speed services that are rolled out in BLUE areas are done so on a commercial basis by telecommunications operators.
- The areas marked AMBER on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the target areas for the State Intervention which are the subject of the current procurement process.
The Department is now in a formal procurement process which formally commenced in December 2015 to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network to the Intervention Area. The Intervention Area covers over 750,000 premises in Ireland, spans 100,000km of road network and 96% of the land area of Ireland. Since bidders were invited to participate in dialogue with the Department, there have been approximately 150 hours of meetings, with considerable more interaction to follow over the coming months.
On 5 July, I announced that my Department has identified that up to 170,000 premises which are currently marked BLUE on the High Speed Broadband Map are unlikely to get access to High Speed services. Further detailed analysis is being conducted by my Department to identify these premises. This mapping work will conclude in the coming weeks and I will then make a decision as to whether the identified premises need to be included in the AMBER area, as part of the procurement. I will keep the Deputy informed of developments.
262. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the latest progress in meeting the overall renewable targets by 2020 under the renewable energy directive 2009/28/EC, including the progress on meeting the targets for the contribution of renewables and biofuels to gross electricity consumption, transport energy and heat since this Government came to office, in tabular form. [31202/16]
View answer263. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if Ireland is on target to meet binding European Union 2020 renewable energy targets; the fines that will be realised if not achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31203/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 262 and 263 together.
The EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy demand from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to achieving this target through meeting 40% of electricity demand, 12% of heat and 10% of transport from renewable energy sources, with the latter target also being legally binding.
The Government has a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of renewable energy and while good progress towards the target has been made to date, meeting the 16% target remains challenging. The Renewable Energy Feed-in-Tariff schemes support the development of a range of renewable electricity technologies including hydro, biomass combustion, biomass combined heat and power, landfill gas and onshore wind. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has estimated that at end 2015 (latest date for which figures are available) 25.3% of electricity was generated by renewable sources (see the following table).
|
Sector |
Expected Renewable Energy Share (RES) in 2020 |
Renewable Energy Share achieved at end 2015 |
|
Electricity (RES-E) |
40% |
25.3% |
|
Heat (RES-H) |
12% |
6.5% |
|
Transport (RES-T) |
10% |
5.7% |
|
Overall |
16% |
9.1% |
The clear focus is on implementing the range of actions set out in the White Paper and Programme for Government that are aimed at meeting our energy and climate change targets. The Deputy will note that for 2017, I have secured over €100 million in Exchequer support for energy measures, which will permit continuation and expansion of support for energy efficiency schemes, and also support innovative trials and pilots to determine how we can encourage more households and enterprises to engage in deep energy efficiency measures. I will also be bringing forward a new Renewable Electricity Support scheme in 2017 and a Renewable Heat Incentive which will be designed to ensure that it is complementary to both energy efficiency and renewable heat objectives.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), has estimated that the cost to Ireland of not meeting our overall renewable energy targets may be in the range of €100 million to €150 million for each percentage point Ireland falls short of the overall 16% renewable energy target.
264. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the latest update on meeting EU 2020 CO2 emission reduction targets; the penalties that will be faced if this target is not attained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31204/16]
View answerFor each year between 2013 and 2020, Ireland has a greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target under the 2009 Effort Sharing Decision (ESD) No. 406/2009/EC. For the year 2020 itself, the target set for Ireland is that emissions should be 20% below their value in 2005. This is jointly the most demanding 2020 reduction target allocated under the ESD and one shared only by Denmark and Luxembourg. The 2013 target is based on the average of emissions for the years 2008-2010. The target for each of the years 2014 through 2019 is on a straight-line trajectory between the targets for 2013 and 2020, and surpluses in one year can be used to cover deficits in any subsequent year. The average incidence of these targets is a 12% reduction relative to 2005.
In March 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published projected emissions for 2020 which indicate that Ireland’s emissions at that stage could be in the range of 6-11% below 2005 levels. On a cumulative basis over the period 2013-2020, Ireland is projected to have a deficit of between 3 and 12 Megatonnes Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (MtCO2e).
The extent of this challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with our EU and international commitments, is well understood by the Government, as reflected in the National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development, published in April 2014, and now underpinned by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 which was enacted in December 2015. The National Policy Position provides a high-level policy direction for the adoption and implementation by Government of plans to enable the State to move to a low-carbon economy by 2050. Statutory authority for the plans is set out in the Act.
In accordance with Section 4 of the Act, and in line with responsibilities assigned to me as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, I intend to make a draft National Mitigation Plan available for public consultation by the end of the year followed by submission of a final plan to Government for approval by June 2017. Work is well underway on the development of the National Mitigation Plan, the primary objective of which will be to track implementation of measures already underway and identify additional measures in the longer term to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and progress the overall national low carbon transition agenda to 2050. The first iteration of the National Mitigation Plan will place particular focus on putting the necessary measures in place to address the challenge to 2020 but also in terms of planning ahead to ensure that appropriate policies and measures will be in place beyond that.
The ultimate objective of successive National Mitigation Plans is to incrementally achieve the long-term vision of low carbon transition, set out in the National Policy Position, by 2050. In that context, the National Mitigation Plan will have regard to Ireland’s obligations under the current 2009 Effort Sharing Decision, the Paris Agreement and any likely future EU and international obligations that may arise, including new national targets to be agreed under the 2030 climate and energy package.
Notwithstanding the efforts outlined above to address the challenge to comply with the 2020 targets, in the event that a gap to target still exists in 2020, retirement of Annual Emissions Allocations and units from the Kyoto Protocol Flexible Mechanisms carried forward from 2008-2012 can be offset against the deficit. In the event that this would not fully address any potential deficit, further carbon units could be purchased. It is not possible to accurately quantify the cost to purchase notional carbon units at this stage as the cost is dependent on both the quantum and price of carbon units to be purchased at the time.
265. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the latest update on meeting EU 2020 energy efficiency targets; the penalties that will be faced if this target is not attained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31205/16]
View answerIreland is committed to a national target of improving our energy efficiency by 20% by 2020. This means we have to make energy savings of just under 32,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) by 2020. At the end of 2015, energy savings of 17,300 GWh had been reported, bringing us over the half way point. While this national target is not legally binding, the EU Energy Efficiency Directive does require Ireland to make energy savings of 1.5% of annual energy use each year between now and 2020. This is being done through a combination of measures including the Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme, the Better Energy Programme and regulatory measures such as building standards.
The White Paper on energy policy, Ireland's Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future 2015-2030, sets out a vision for transforming Ireland's fossil fuel based energy sector into a clean low carbon system by 2050. The Programme for Government also sets out important objectives that build on this vision. For 2017, I have secured over €100 million in Exchequer support for energy measures, which will permit continuation and expansion of support under the existing grants and community focused efficiency schemes, and importantly, will enable piloting of a range of innovative trials and pilots to determine how we can encourage more households and enterprises to engage in deep energy efficiency measures. A critical focus will be on identifying behavioural change mechanisms to support and motivate action to energise greater investment in energy efficiency. I also intend to bring forward in 2017 a Renewable Heat Incentive which will be designed to ensure that it is complementary to both energy efficiency and renewable heat objectives. There is a clear strategic perspective to advance energy efficiency as demonstrated by the significantly increased Government support to the sector in Budget 2017.
266. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide give the latest information available in meeting electronic vehicle targets for 2020 in view of climate change policy; the number of such vehicles that would have to be purchased between now and 2020 to attain these targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31206/16]
View answerThe 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all Member States a binding target that at least 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland aims to meet this target mainly through the increased use of sustainable biofuels, with electric vehicles also making a small contribution. Provisional data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland indicates that 5.7% of the energy in transport was from renewable sources as at end 2015.
Ireland's third National Energy Efficiency Action Plan to 2020, published in 2014, estimated that approximately 50,000 electric vehicles (EVs) could form part of the transport fleet in 2020. Though the rate of growth has been slower than expected, we have seen increasing numbers of EVs registered in Ireland in 2015 and 2016. However, apart from general macroeconomic considerations, technology advancement, affordability and consumer choice are the most important levers in triggering consumers to move from petrol and diesel to electric vehicles. Notwithstanding substantial exchequer support of €10,000 to each electric vehicle, the reality of a halving of the price of oil and the pace of technology improvement has very significantly impacted electric vehicle market penetration.
Since 2011, the Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme has been supporting and incentivising, through grants of up to €5,000, the deployment of EVs in Ireland. These grants are in addition to tax incentives such as the Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) reliefs of up to €5,000, which apply to EVs and Accelerated Capital Allowances (ACA), which allows companies to offset the cost of investment in qualifying technologies including EVs. The purchase of 1,662 new EVs has been supported since the Grant Scheme commenced. Of these, 572 have been grant aided to date this year which is an increase from 2015 when 555 were grant aided over the full year. The Grant Scheme will remain in place for 2017. In addition, it was announced in Budget 2017 last week that the VRT reliefs would continue until 2021 for Battery Electric Vehicles and until 2018 for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles.
My Department and the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport are in the final stage of discussions to establish a Low Emissions Vehicles Task force within a matter of weeks, one of whose tasks will be to examine as a matter of priority what further actions are necessary to further stimulate EV sales and other low emission vehicles to 2020 and beyond.
267. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the way electricity generation CO2 emissions rose in 2015 per the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's publication Renewable Electricity in Ireland 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31208/16]
View answerThe White Paper on Energy Policy sets out a vision of a low carbon energy system in Ireland, where greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector will be reduced by between 80% and 95%, compared to 1990 levels, by 2050, and where alternative and renewable energy will play a dominant role in Ireland’s future energy mix. In addition, the Programme for Government sets out a range of priority climate actions and interventions, a number of which have a direct bearing on the energy efficiency and the renewable energy sector. In combination, these will help to increase and diversify Ireland’s renewable energy mix across the electricity, heating and transport sectors.
SEAI analysis shows that since 1990 the share of high carbon content fuels in electricity generation, such as coal and oil, has been reducing with a corresponding rise in the relatively lower carbon natural gas and zero carbon renewables. Imported electricity is considered zero carbon in terms of reporting national greenhouse gas emissions under international and EU reporting obligations. Over the period 1990 to 2014 the carbon intensity of Ireland’s electricity dropped by 49% from 896 g CO2/kWh in 1990 to a new low of 456 g CO2/kWh in 2014. However, the long term trend can and does vary in individual years because of supply and market effects, such as dislocation in fuel supply or generation capacity and for 2015, CO2/kWh increased by 2.5% to 467.5 g CO2/kWh.
The SEAI analysis attributes the 2015 increase in carbon intensity of electricity to the following additional factors:
- 45% increase in oil used in generation (albeit at a 1.9% share of fuel inputs);
- decrease in net imports of electricity;
- 3.7% reduction in natural gas generation (42% share of inputs); and
- 10.2% reduction in other renewable (biomass and landfill gas) inputs to electricity generation (2.6% share of inputs).
Countering the above were:
- 13.8% increase in hydro generation (1.5% share of inputs);
- 27.9% increase wind generation (12.6% share of inputs).
The report referred to by the Deputy can be downloaded at http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Statistics_Publications/Renewable_Energy_in_Ireland/Renewable-Electricity-in-Ireland-2015.pdf.
268. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on his intention to sign regulations to allow ComReg to proceed with an auction of the 3.6 GHz spectrum band in early 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31211/16]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have signed Regulations which will allow ComReg to proceed with an auction of the 3.6 GHz spectrum band in early 2017. This auction will provide an 86% increase in spectrum available for mobile and fixed wireless broadband services. ComReg is independent in the exercise of its functions and I will have no role in the auction itself.
I have also secured €8m in Budget 2017, for the re-purposing of the 700 MHz spectrum band, which will allow ComReg, in due course to auction this, and other spectrum bands.
These initiatives, together with the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce aim to enhance the quality of mobile and fixed wireless networks and services across Ireland. Other planning, consumer and technical measures are being considered by the Taskforce, which has met 11 times, since I established it in July with my colleague, Minister Heather Humphreys. I expect that the Taskforce will finalise its report in December.
269. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide any preliminary update on research directed at examining the potential environmental and human health impacts of hydraulic fracturing, commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency; the position of the Government on hydraulic fracturing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31212/16]
View answerIn coming to a view whether unconventional gas exploration and extraction could be permitted in Ireland, it was considered necessary in the first instance to establish if this technology could be carried out in a manner that would not negatively impact on the environment and human health. Having consulted publicly on the terms of reference for a research programme, the issues identified on foot of this process have been included in the scope of the research programme being administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with oversight from a broad based Steering Committee that includes my Department.
At the beginning of this year, the Steering Committee took the view that it was an appropriate time to reflect on the overall timeline for the delivery of the research programme. The original timeline envisaged that the entire programme, including work carried out under a supplementary tender, would conclude by late 2016. However, the Committee considered that, were the supplementary tender process to be commenced, the overall research programme would now report in 2018 at the earliest.
As the request for tenders through which the CDM Smith led consortium was appointed did not envisage an interim report, a revised scope of work was agreed by the Committee with the consortium to combine all of the work to date into a meaningful synthesis report. It is anticipated that this report will be completed and published by year-end.
Throughout this process, no application to engage in unconventional gas exploration has been received in my Department, nor would any such application, if submitted, be considered until the process has concluded and there has been time to consider its findings.
270. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the potential inclusion of fossil fuel divestment amongst the recommendation to the autumn review of the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund's strategy; the steps he is taking to ensure the terms of the Paris agreement are met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31231/16]
View answerThe issue of fossil fuel divestment in Ireland's upcoming review of the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, the ISIF, was recently discussed by my colleague, Minister Noonan T.D. in response to Parliamentary Questions from Deputies Pringle and Daly.
As Minister Noonan outlined, the ISIF is committed to reviewing its investment strategy after 18 months of operation. This review, which will be completed in Q4 2016, addresses the issues of decarbonisation and Ireland's long term transition towards a low carbon economy. ISIF shareholdings with fossil fuel exposure include certain investments inherited from its predecessor the National Pension Reserve Fund (NPRF).
These particular shareholdings are in companies based outside Ireland and, as such, are held in ISIF's global portfolio. This portfolio has been restructured and is being sold over time to fund Irish investment commitments as they arise, in keeping with ISIF's mandate to invest, on a commercial basis to support economic activity and employment, in Ireland.
ISIF's total equity holdings in the Energy sector are valued at €11 million (0.14% of ISIF's assets under management). ISIF has also invested in circa. €97 million of short term fixed income investments in energy corporations, representing just over 1% of ISIF's assets.
As part of its on-going commitment to operate to high international standards ISIF has recently published its Sustainability and Responsible Investment Policy which is available online at:
http://www.isif.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/SustainabilityandResponsibleInvestingPolicyJuly2016.pdf.
The Sustainable and Responsible Investment Policy emphasises climate change as part of the investment decision making process. Many major funds internationally have made significant divestments from fossil fuels such as coal, while other such funds have adopted an approach of engagement with energy companies to establish their strategy and positioning for the transition to a low carbon economy. ISIF continually reviews its carbon exposure and the investment case for companies that may not be aligned with the long term transition to a low-carbon economy.
The issues of decarbonisation and the long term transition towards a low carbon economy are central to the Paris Agreement to the UNFCCC, which was agreed by over 195 countries and Parties at COP21 in 2015 and will enter into force on 4 November 2016. The Dáil debate to progress Ireland’s ratification of the Paris Agreement is scheduled for 27 October.
The Paris Agreement aims to tackle 95% of global emissions through 188 Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). Ireland will contribute to the Paris Agreement via the INDC tabled by the EU which commits to 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. The specific details of the contribution to be made by each Member State to this overall ambition remain to be finalised, and Ireland is currently examining proposals made by the European Commission in this regard. The Paris Agreement also provides that developed country Parties shall provide financial resources to assist developing country Parties with respect to both mitigation and adaptation in continuation of their existing obligations under the Convention. To date, Ireland’s contributions of climate finance to developing countries has been Exchequer funded primarily through climate oriented spending via the Official Development Assistance Vote and separate contributions to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) which will initiate later this year.
271. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the EirGrid grid west project in view of the fact that residents living on the proposed route of the 400 kW power line have been four years awaiting decisions on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31327/16]
View answerThe following statement was issued by EirGrid in relation to the status of Grid West in June 2016 and is available on their website:
"Since late 2015, all project activity was paused while awaiting a decision from An Bord Pleanála regarding planning approval for the development of the Oweninny wind farm near Bellacorick, Co. Mayo. Recently, An Bord Pleanála granted planning consent for the development of this wind farm. We will now assess this decision and the impact this may have on the future development of the electricity grid in the West. Once our assessment has been completed we will share the outcomes and consult with stakeholders and communities as necessary."
EirGrid have confirmed to my Department that this statement remains valid and the assessment is on-going.
