Written Answers Nos 444-461
444. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent of his discussions with the communications regulator in the matter of the upgrading of the mobile telephone service throughout the country with particular reference to the availability in all areas urban and rural; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38877/16]
View answerThe management of radio spectrum is a statutory function of the independent regulator of the telecommunications sector, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Licences issued by ComReg impose terms and conditions on mobile network operators – including minimum population coverage obligations. ComReg monitors compliance in this regard by means of biannual drive tests. However, given ComReg’s independence, I have no statutory function in the matter of auditing mobile coverage.
I am critically aware of the frustration currently being experienced across Ireland, where mobile networks are not always delivering the services people expect. Mobile operators have invested significantly in rolling out improved services, following ComReg's multi-band spectrum auction. At least one operator now has in excess of 90% 4G population coverage. The rate of demand for data services has however increased by 500% in the last four years and this presents a continuing challenge for mobile operators, regulators and policy makers both in Ireland and internationally.
Recognising this challenge, I specifically included in the Programme for Government, a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce. In July, I established the task force, together with Minister Humphreys, which aims to unlock barriers to investment in mobile and broadband services. The Terms of Reference of the task force state that it will identify and recommend practical actions that can be taken to improve mobile reception and broadband access. The task force and its various subgroups has already met approximately 20 times, with a number of helpful initiatives emerging in the areas of planning, local authority engagement, and consumer information and engagement.
The task force involves Government Departments and agencies, as well as engagement with ComReg and telecoms operators. I anticipate that we will bring a report later this month, on foot of its work. This report will set out specific timelines for the delivery of the recommendations and actions.
Under the Programme for Government, Minister Humphreys has also established two regional action groups to work with Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Offices, LEADER Groups and other relevant agencies in helping accelerate the roll-out of broadband and mobile services at local level.
In addition, I recently signed Regulations allowing ComReg to proceed with an early 2017 allocation of spectrum in the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band. This will provide an 86% increase in total spectrum available for mobile and fixed wireless services.
Furthermore, in my Department's estimates for 2017 I have secured an €8m provision for RTÉ to allow it to free up the 700MHz spectrum band. ComReg in turn will make plans to allocate this spectrum, to provide for significantly enhanced mobile coverage. The 700 MHz band is particularly suited to rural environments where the signal can travel long distances.
These initiatives should assist in enhancing the quality of mobile phone and data services across Ireland, and particularly in rural Ireland.
In parallel, the National Broadband Plan aims to deliver high speed services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland, through private investment and a State intervention in areas where commercial investment have not been fully demonstrated. The procurement process is underway and the three bidders in the process have indicated that they are proposing a predominantly fibre-to-the-home solution for rural Ireland. Intensive dialogue with bidders is ongoing, with a view to putting in place contract(s) that will deliver the NBP network and put Ireland to the forefront internationally in terms of connectivity.
447. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his expectations and proposals to encourage the use of electric cars as a means of carbon reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38880/16]
View answer450. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is satisfied with the roll-out of charge points for electric cars across the country and his plans for 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38874/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 450 together.
Since 2011, the Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme has been supporting and incentivising, through grants of up to €5,000, the deployment of Electric Vehicles (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. Budget 2017 extended the relief from VRT on EVs for a further 5 year period and on Hybrid vehicles for 2 years. The purchase of 1,702 new EVs has been supported since the Grant Scheme commenced. Of these, 615 have been grant aided to date this year which is an increase from 2015 when 555 were grant aided over the full year.
The roll-out of the charging infrastructure is an operational matter for the ESB and I do not have any function in this regard. I am aware, however, that the ESB, through its ecars programme, has been rolling out both publicly accessible charging infrastructure and domestic charge points for electric vehicles. I am advised that almost 900 public charge-points have now been installed nationally including 79 DC fast chargers, most of which have been installed mainly on the inter-urban roads. The location of these charge-points is available on the ‘ecars’ section of the ESB’s website at www.esb.ie. In addition, I understand that ESB ecars has installed over 1900 charge-points in domestic and commercial premises.
In accordance with the commitment in the Programme for Government, my Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport are establishing and will co-Chair a Low Emissions Vehicles Task Force involving relevant Government Departments and agencies. The first meeting is scheduled for later this month. A key task 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. In addition, the Task Force will look at actions to ensure sufficient and effective charging infrastructure exists as the EV fleet develops.
448. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress on the roll-out of fibre broadband on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38872/16]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed broadband 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 a combination of commercial investment by the telecommunications sector and a State intervention in those areas where commercial investment has not been fully demonstrated.
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 telecommunications 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 breakdown per townland of areas covered by both State Intervention and commercial providers are available on the Department’s website. For the Deputy’s convenience, I have included a County-by-County breakdown in the following table. This breakdown covers current and anticipated roll-out by commercial telecoms providers (BLUE) and premises in the proposed intervention area (AMBER). The commercial roll-out includes a mix of technologies including fibre-to-the-home, fibre-to-the-cabinet and cable:
|
|
Total Addresses |
Operator - Blue |
NBP - Amber |
|
Connacht |
319,309 |
149,151 |
170,158 |
|
Galway |
133,815 |
71,275 |
62,540 |
|
Leitrim |
22,316 |
8,990 |
13,326 |
|
Mayo |
84,167 |
33,336 |
50,831 |
|
Roscommon |
39,125 |
14,269 |
24,856 |
|
Sligo |
39,886 |
21,281 |
18,605 |
|
Leinster |
1,171,323 |
944,464 |
226,859 |
|
Carlow |
27,406 |
16,851 |
10,555 |
|
Dublin |
580,348 |
572,053 |
8,295 |
|
Kildare |
88,327 |
67,791 |
20,536 |
|
Kilkenny |
47,772 |
25,317 |
22,455 |
|
Laois |
38,761 |
22,560 |
16,201 |
|
Longford |
22,582 |
10,891 |
11,691 |
|
Louth |
60,144 |
45,015 |
15,129 |
|
Meath |
82,555 |
51,384 |
31,171 |
|
Offaly |
36,717 |
19,587 |
17,130 |
|
Westmeath |
44,377 |
26,563 |
17,814 |
|
Wexford |
79,510 |
40,202 |
39,308 |
|
Wicklow |
62,824 |
46,250 |
16,574 |
|
Munster |
669,147 |
404,427 |
264,720 |
|
Clare |
68,158 |
33,657 |
34,501 |
|
Cork |
267,754 |
181,782 |
85,972 |
|
Kerry |
90,004 |
38,824 |
51,180 |
|
Limerick |
97,661 |
63,698 |
33,963 |
|
Tipperary |
84,575 |
43,368 |
41,207 |
|
Waterford |
60,995 |
43,098 |
17,897 |
|
Ulster |
176,355 |
80,603 |
95,752 |
|
Cavan |
42,372 |
18,175 |
24,197 |
|
Donegal |
100,518 |
48,514 |
52,004 |
|
Monaghan |
33,465 |
13,914 |
19,551 |
|
Total |
2,336,134 |
1,578,645 |
757,489 |
My Department is now in the formal procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network throughout the State Intervention Area.
The procurement process for the State Intervention aims to identify an entity or entities to build, roll-out, operate and deliver high speed broadband of at least 30 Megabits per second upload and 6 Megabits per second download speeds to all premises within the intervention area. The procurement process also requires that the solution be future proofed, this is important if we are to find a solution which works for the 25 years of the contract.
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 meaning that much higher broadband speeds of up to 1000 Megabits per second may be achievable.
The Programme for Government also commits to measures to assist in the roll-out of the network once a contract is awarded. In this regard, Minister Humphreys is leading on the establishment of two regional action groups, working with Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Offices and other relevant agencies to help accelerate the broadband network build in rural Ireland, once a contract(s) has been awarded.
In a further positive initiative, last July, I established a Mobile Phone and Broadband task force with Minister Humphreys to address immediate issues in relation to the quality of mobile phone and broadband coverage. I expect the task force to report by end 2016.
I recently signed Regulations allowing ComReg to proceed with an early 2017 auction of the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band, to provide an 86% increase in total spectrum available for mobile and fixed wireless services. I have also secured €8m for RTE which will allow it to free up the 700MHz spectrum band, to provide enhanced mobile services.
In the meantime, my Department continues to liaise closely with industry and relevant other Departments and agencies to assist in the removal of barriers to assist in commercial deployment of telecommunications networks.
These initiatives should assist in significantly improving the quality of broadband and mobile phone services across Ireland, putting Ireland to the forefront internationally in terms of connectivity.
449. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the total budget for all environmentally friendly schemes his Department administers in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38873/16]
View answerI secured €29.4m in Exchequer funding in Budget 2017 for the environment and waste management areas of my Department, an increase of some €9m on the comparative 2016 allocation.
I am also responsible for making allocations from the Environment Fund, which generates revenue through the landfill and plastic bag levies that is ring-fenced for environmental purposes. In 2016, a total of €40.5 million was allocated from the Fund, and allocations for 2017 will be decided shortly, based on projected revenues for the year. Allocations from the Environment Fund in 2016 supported, inter alia, waste schemes, environmental research and development, the Local Agenda 21 Scheme, and Environmental NGOs. Details of expenditure from the Environment Fund is available in the published annual accounts of the Fund which are available at the following website address http://www.housing.gov.ie/search/sub-topic/environment-fund.
Expenditure on "environmentally friendly" schemes is not strictly confined to the environment or waste areas of my Department. For example, in 2017 an increased allocation of €100m will expand the Better Energy Scheme and will introduce new measures such as the Renewable Energy Scheme. Within this, a record €25m will be ring-fenced to support the Better Energy Communities Scheme.
452. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he requested the public broadcasting of advertisements on both TV and radio promoting the use of Eircode postcodes during emergency situations; if so, the reason the public advertisements do not carry any endorsement by his Department; and if he did not consider it more appropriate to use public funds to run a public awareness campaign advising persons to assure if their Eircode postcode is correct. [38883/16]
View answerEircode ran an advertising campaign on television and radio to raise public awareness of using Eircodes during emergency situations. Using Eircodes helps the National Ambulance Service (NAS) provide speedier access to care. The NAS integrated Eircodes into their Computer Aided Dispatch system (CAD) in February 2016. This means that callers to the ambulance service can give the patient’s Eircode, which is validated in the CAD system. The call taker can then locate the patient’s property and direct the nearest available ambulance to the correct location.
Ambulance emergency requests often come from isolated rural locations. NAS considers the Eircode information to be very important in the rapid identification of these rural addresses – in particular, responding to calls from any of the 35% non-unique addresses in the state which caused significant operational challenges in the past. On foot of the campaign, call takers in the National Ambulance Service noticed a big improvement in the elderly population knowing and keeping their Eircode close to the phone.
While there is no requirement to reference the Department in a public service announcement, my Department did approve the public awareness campaign.
As stated in the reply to Question No [38884/16] Eircode employ rigorous quality assurance and validation check processes on the assignment of all Eircodes to each postal address and its corresponding geo-location.
453. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if Eircode has carried out an assessment of the accuracy of the Eircodes assigned to households. [38884/16]
View answerEircode employ rigorous quality assurance and validation check processes on the assignment of Eircodes to each postal address and its corresponding geo-location. The postal addresses and the geo-locations are provided to Eircode from authoritative sources, namely An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland through their subsidiary company An Post GeoDirectory.
Eircode undertakes a detailed quality checking process of all new address data provided by An Post GeoDirectory. Once this process has been completed, Eircodes are then allocated to each postal address through rigorous rules based assignment with built-in quality checks that verify each Eircode is unique and is accurately assigned to the postal address as well as its geo-location.
454. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the public broadcaster covered the cost of the production and transmission of the Eircode postcode public service advertisement; and if so, if it was requested by him. [38886/16]
View answerThe decision to run the public broadcast is an operational matter for RTE and not one in which I have a function.
455. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the implementation of a new Coast Guard Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38795/16]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my response to PQ Ref: 34648/16 on 15 November 2016, in which I outlined the legislative provisions that underpin the activities of the Coast Guard (IRCG). I am satisfied that the current operations of the IRCG; search and rescue, pollution response, and voluntary activity generally, are well supported by the State and there is no requirement to put the Coast Guard on any additional statutory footing.
456. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of British soccer scouts operating here in recruiting underage footballers for British-based football clubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38289/16]
View answer457. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the protocols and criteria used in respect of recruiting underage footballers by British football clubs here; the protocols and criteria used to select persons of suitable character to operate as a football scout for a British based football club here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38290/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 456 and 457 together.
Neither I nor Sport Ireland have any role in relation to the practice of British soccer scouts recruiting underage players in Ireland. The Deputy may wish to enquire with the Football Association of Ireland as the National Governing Body for soccer in Ireland.
458. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the N5 road for the Castlebar to Westport section; the amount this will cost; the money that had been ring-fenced for the project; when it will commence; and the estimated date for completion. [38300/16]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and operation of individual road projects, including the N5 Castlebar to Westport project is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 in conjunction with the local authority concerned.
Noting the above, I have referred your question regarding the N5 to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
459. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the actions being taken by his Department to provide safety training for students for cycling at primary school level; the details of his Department's arrangements with Cycling Ireland to facilitate this; if a new course standard is being implemented on behalf of his Department; the funding available to schools for students to avail of cycling training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38318/16]
View answerThe development of a standardised road safety cycling training proficiency programme for children is one of the key actions identified in the Action Plan in the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020. In response, Cycle Right, a new national standard for cycle safety training, has been developed by my Department in association with the Road Safety Authority (RSA), Cycling Ireland and other relevant stakeholders and will be rolled-out early next year.
Cycle Right is a modular cycling road safety training course which is delivered over three stages, with participants gaining skills and knowledge on a phased basis to prepare for cycling in increasingly complex road scenarios. Prior to the development of Cycle Right there was no designated standard for the delivery of cycle training in Ireland resulting in a variance of course content, duration and quality of delivery from area to area. In general, no on-road training was provided
Funding for the new standard has been made available by my Department with some support from the RSA to meet the additional costs of providing the high level of training (including road based training) and teacher/pupil ratio that Cycle Right requires. This additional funding will be administered by Cycling Ireland. It is expected that all local authorities that have provided funding for cycle training in recent years will continue to do so at the same level and that those authorities that have not provided funding to date will see the launch of Cycle Right as an opportunity to support cycle training to school children in their area.
The cost of student participation in this new training will be covered by a combination of funding from my Department, the RSA, local authorities and a small parental contribution.
460. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a person (details supplied) with a current full clean driving licence from Nova Scotia, but also with a previous lapsed full clean licence from Newfoundland, will be able to avail of bilateral agreements with Canada that would allow them to renew their licence here without having to go through the licence application process as if the person was a learner driver, in view of their 20 plus years experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38344/16]
View answer461. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if bilateral agreements with Canada on the issue of driving licences that are in place in respect of Newfoundland, Manitoba and Ontario will be extended to cover Nova Scotia, British Columbia and the remaining parts of Canada; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38346/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 460 and 461 together.
The operation of the National Driver Licensing service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), and I cannot comment on individual cases.
I can however explain the legal position. Irish driver licensing law operates within a framework of EU law. On this basis, we have driver licence exchange relationships with all other EU member states. In the case of non-EU countries, we may reach bilateral agreements on mutual exchange of driving licences. These are not a straightforward matter, and it is not enough for it to be convenient or desirable to both sides. The relevant authorities on each side must make detailed comparisons of the two licensing regimes, so that each may be satisfied that the two regimes are compatible. On the Irish side, this task is undertaken by the RSA.
Driver licensing in Canada operates at provincial rather than national level. This means reaching agreements with each individual province. The RSA has been working on this for some time, and agreements are now in place with Ontario, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
In the circumstances described by the Deputy, as we do not have a licence exchange arrangement with Nova Scotia, the person would not be able to exchange their licence here. If they were to renew their Newfoundland & Labrador licence, however, it would be exchangeable in Ireland.
