Written Answers Nos. 1274-1294
1276. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the renewable heat incentive (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35077/17]
View answer1301. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has considered a support scheme to encourage the growth in renewable gas biogas plants with potential to feed into the gas grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35831/17]
View answer1322. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans for farming- and community-based renewable heat projects to be provided as part of a wider renewable heat incentive programme. [36704/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1276, 1301 and 1322 together.
The introduction of a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a commitment in the Energy White Paper and the Programme for Government. The aim of the RHI is to build on the progress already made in the renewable heating sector and to help reach Ireland’s 12% target by 2020. Provisional data indicates that 6.6% of heat demand was derived from renewable sources in 2016.
My Department has undertaken a detailed economic assessment on the design and cost of the RHI for the industrial/commercial sector in Ireland. This assessment included a broad range of renewable energy technologies, including the potential for Anaerobic Digestion, biogas which would be suitable in an agricultural business and biomethane injection into the gas grid. The primary focus of the RHI is on large commercial and industrial heat users in the non-Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to ensure the scheme is cost effective and ensures value for money for taxpayers.
The final public consultation process on the design and implementation of the new RHI closed in March 2017, and 119 submissions were reviewed by my Department. All submissions to the RHI public consultation are now published on my Department's website. The findings from this public consultation are being used to help inform final decisions in relation to the scheme. At this stage, the overall costs, technologies to be supported and design of a scheme are still under consideration and will require Government decision and State aid clearance from the European Commission.
1278. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if grant aid is available for a specific purpose (details supplied). [35099/17]
View answerThe 2016 Programme for Government and 2015 Energy White Paper recognise that Solar Photovoltaic (Solar PV) has the potential to provide a community dividend, thereby enhancing citizen participation in Ireland's energy future, and it is increasingly recognised that Solar PV has the potential to contribute to meeting Ireland’s renewable energy and climate change objectives.
At present, Solar PV, for electricity generation, is not supported under any of the existing renewable electricity support schemes operating in Ireland. However, my Department is currently developing a proposed new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) which will be designed to assist Ireland in meeting its renewable energy contribution to EU-wide targets out to 2030. The design of the new scheme is underway, and includes an extensive independent economic appraisal. This appraisal involves comparing the cost of supporting Solar PV (both rooftop and ground mounted), offshore wind, onshore wind and a range of other commercial renewable technologies, to ensure that the new scheme delivers value for money for energy users whilst also delivering on the energy pillars of sustainability and security of supply. The assessment also includes analysis of the optimum financial support mechanisms for renewable technologies, in line with the 2014 EU State Aid Guidelines.
My Department will publish shortly a final public consultation on the design principles of the new RESS. Following the outcome of this public consultation, and before any new scheme is introduced, it will need to secure Government approval and state aid clearance from the European Commission. Subject to this, it is expected that the new scheme will become operational in 2018.
My stated position is that while solar has a role to play in Ireland’s energy future, we cannot have a situation where a new support scheme leads to a disproportionate increase in people’s electricity bills through the Public Service Obligation levy. In designing the new RESS, the cost implications for people and businesses will, therefore, be a high priority and I will ensure that the new scheme is designed in a cost efficient manner.
Finally, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland currently provides grant aid for the use of solar thermal heating technology to both large industry and SMEs. Households can also avail of grant support for investment in renewable energy installations, including solar thermal, under the Better Energy Homes Scheme.
1279. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department will ensure that brown bins for organic waste will be made available to all householders in view of the fact the absence of a brown bin service here will lead to even greater increases in refuse charges under the pay-by-weight regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35148/17]
View answerThe European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-Waste) Regulations 2015 are designed to promote the segregation and recovery of household food waste.
The Regulations impose obligations on both householders and waste collectors. Under articles 4 and 5 of the Regulations, household waste collectors are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of, a separate collection service for food waste from households in communities greater than 500 persons. Householders are obliged to segregate their food waste and make it available for separate collections. Alternatively householders may compost the food waste at home or bring it themselves to authorised treatment facilities such as civic amenity facilities or anaerobic digestion sites.
A food waste collection service is now being provided in every county across all local authority areas. The provision of this service to more remote areas with fewer than 500 persons is being addressed by my Department taking into consideration technical and environmental practicalities, in conjunction with the regulatory authorities.
1280. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if all security and contract cleaning companies that have obtained contracts from his Department and agencies under the aegis of his Department under public procurement rules pay the legal employment regulation order, ERO, hourly rate to their security and contract cleaning employees; the steps he has taken to confirm full compliance with the ERO system; if he has cancelled contracts with companies that have been found to be in breach of the ERO system since 1 October 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35223/17]
View answerAll services contracts entered into are conditional on the service provider complying with all applicable laws, including employment legislation, in line with best procurement practice and direction from the Office of Government Procurement.
My Department has received confirmations from its providers of security and contract cleaning services that the legal Employment Regulation Order (ERO) hourly rate is, and has been, paid during the term of the related contracts. In the period since 1 October 2015, no contracts have been terminated for breaches of these regulations.
I will ask the relevant agencies under the aegis of my Department to respond directly to the Deputy on the matter.
1283. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason both the Kilberry and Kildangan areas of County Kildare have bad mobile phone coverage; and his plans to alleviate these ongoing issues. [35405/17]
View answer1288. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he is taking regarding poor mobile phone coverage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35472/17]
View answer1292. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will address a matter regarding phone coverage for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35696/17]
View answer1305. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress made on the provision of better mobile signals within County Donegal since the Government's recent strategy report on same; his further plans to encourage mobile phone operators to increase their service availability in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36123/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1283, 1288, 1292 and 1305 together.
The provision of telecommunications services, including mobile phone and broadband services, is a matter for the service providers concerned which operate in a fully liberalised market regulated by the independent Regulator of the telecommunications sector, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). I do not have a statutory authority to require commercial companies to rollout services to particular locations.
Any customer across Ireland who experiences service difficulties should raise the matter with the service provider in the first instance. If this fails to resolve matters, customers can and should refer a complaint to ComReg, which will investigate the service provider's compliance with its contractual obligations.
Notwithstanding the independence of ComReg, I recognise the frustration experienced across Ireland where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. In that regard, I specifically included in the Programme for Government a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Task force. In July 2016, I established the Task Force to identify immediate solutions to broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits and investigate how better services could be provided to consumers, prior to the full build and roll-out of the network planned under the National Broadband Plan State intervention. The December 2016 report of the Taskforce is available on my Department's website.
The Task Force worked with Departments, local authorities, ComReg, State agencies, the telecoms industry and other key stakeholders to produce the report which contains 40 actions to alleviate some of the telecommunications deficits across Ireland. An Implementation Group has been established to drive and monitor implementation of the actions, bringing together all key stakeholders responsible for delivery. On 20 July, I published the second quarterly progress report, which is available on my Department's website. It shows that the momentum built up in Q1 has continued, with further good progress made in Q2. I am also pleased at the sustained level of engagement between action owners and industry.
This work will also assist local authorities in preparing for the roll-out of the new NBP network once contracts are in place.
In addition, following regulations which I signed last year, ComReg’s recent announcement of the results of its auction for the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band will mean an 86% increase in spectrum capacity to meet the growing demand for mobile and wireless broadband services across rural and urban areas. The award of 15 year licences for the rights of use in this band will provide stability and create future investment certainty. Spectrum was also awarded in lots covering 9 urban and rural regions across Ireland.
Commercial investment by mobile operators has resulted in improved services, following ComReg's multi-band spectrum auction in 2012. At least one operator now has in excess of 90% 4G population coverage. However, as mobile services are a radio-based technology, services can be affected by topography, quality of handsets and the capacity of the network, as well as by proximity to mobile telephone antennas.
1284. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the lack of crayfish in the Stradbally river, a tributary of the Barrow river, and minnows in the Barrow; if these losses are due to the massive proliferation of dace; and his plans to help both minnows and crayfish in the river. [35407/17]
View answerI am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that crayfish is a species managed and protected under the remit of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and that my Department and IFI have no function in this regard.
I am also advised that the common minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) is found in Ireland but is not abundant.
IFI carried out a catchment wide fish stock survey in 2015 and recently published a report summarising the results of the survey, which showed that minnow were broadly distributed throughout the River Barrow. However, in the absence of baseline data for this species in the catchment, IFI are not in a position to consider changes in the population of minnows including that perceived to be caused by a proliferation of dace or other species.
1287. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the North-South interconnector project; if he will address the concerns of persons in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath regarding this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35471/17]
View answerOn 19 December 2016 An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for the North-South Interconnector project in Ireland. The decision concluded a lengthy planning process which included an Oral Hearing completed over eleven weeks from March to May last year. The planning decision is currently the subject of Judicial Review proceedings. The planning process for the section of the project in Northern Ireland is ongoing with an oral hearing concluding on 27 February 2017.
In light of the motions passed by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann earlier this year, I had proposals prepared for an updated independent study. In preparing the terms of reference for this study, my officials held meetings with representatives of the North East Pylon Pressure Campaign on 28 March and the Monaghan Anti-Pylon Committee on 3 April. I approved the Terms of Reference for the study and published them on my Department's website on Monday 8 May. Following the publication of the Terms of Reference, I met with a number of Oireachtas members from Cavan, Monaghan and Meath on Tuesday 16 May. This meeting provided me the opportunity to update the members on progress in relation to the proposed study and for the members to provide feedback. My officials have been engaging directly with consultants who have worked with the Department previously on this project and I expect the procurement of those consultants to be concluded in the coming weeks.
The impact on land and property values and the level of compensation paid in lieu of such impacts was also discussed at the meeting with Oireachtas members and at the meetings with the community groups. Whilst it would not be appropriate for me to intrude on settled processes for addressing these issues between developers and affected landowners, in light of the concerns that have been voiced, I am commissioning research on international comparative practice on the approach to and levels of compensation provided to land and property owners in proximity to high-voltage transmission lines.
1289. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he is taking to increase work for the post office network in order to assist it in remaining viable; his negotiations on this to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35473/17]
View answerAs Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, I have responsibility for the postal sector, including the governance of An Post, to ensure the company is fully compliant with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and the governance functions included in the statutory framework underpinning An Post.
Operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for An Post mails and retail businesses, including the post office network, are a matter for the board and the management of An Post and not one in which I, as Minister, have a statutory function. Consequently, measures to maintain, enhance and diversify the post office network are fundamentally a matter for An Post.
It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong, viable company, in a position to provide a high quality, nationwide postal service and that it maintains a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community. The Deputy will be aware that a fundamental review of An Post, including the post office network, which will identify the strategic changes and restructuring necessary to maintain the company on a sound financial footing, is ongoing.
Transforming the postal business will be difficult and will require tough decisions, but any new changes will be designed to make An Post fit for a future in which the organisation can be confident, robust and a winner in the digital world. Government policy is to offer Government services online. In time, it is likely that this will represent the default option in accessing services. For the foreseeable future, however, a segment of the population will not be comfortable or able to access services digitally. I believe that the post office network is the obvious choice for citizens as the offline gateway, with its nationwide network and existing strong relationship with offline citizens. The potential is there so it is imperative that it is harnessed.
On foot of a reconfiguration of Government Departments in July of last year, responsibility for the post office network transferred to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. When the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs published the final report of the post office hub working group in March of this year, it outlined that it is pursuing the possible opportunities for the network to provide services such as community banking and motor tax renewal. Arrangements are in hand to reassign responsibility for the post office network to my Department in light of my overall responsibility for An Post. The recommendations of the post office hub working group will continue to be finalised between both Departments.
While decisions in relation to restructuring of An Post and the operation of the post office network are operational matters for the Board and management of An Post, I am monitoring the position closely and hope that a pragmatic approach which will ensure the long term sustainability of An Post and the post office network can be agreed. I have had a number of meetings with the CEO and the Chairman and my officials also meet An Post on a regular basis. I have encouraged An Post to continue to work closely with all parties to find an agreed solution to the renewal of the network. Government will be briefed once a definitive strategy has been agreed but until such time it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on this process.
1290. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views as to whether the UK leaving the EU will have implications for mobile phone users along the Border when it comes to roaming charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35474/17]
View answerEU Roam Like at Home took effect by way of EU Regulation on 15 June 2017 and is now in force EU-wide. That includes in Northern Ireland as part of the UK. Therefore, until the UK leaves the European Union, this EU law has full effect in the UK, including Northern Ireland.
It is not yet possible to say what impact Brexit will have on cross-border roaming charges once the UK formally leaves the Union. That will be largely dependent on the future relationship between the EU and UK, which is a discussion that will follow the current negotiation phase of the Exit Deal.
The UK Government White Paper on Brexit sets out that the UK wishes to ensure that the UK telecoms companies can continue to trade as freely and competitively as possible with the EU.
My officials and I take every opportunity to discuss the potential impacts of Brexit with our EU and UK colleagues, including with the European Commission Article 50 Task Force.
1291. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount spent by his Department on taxi and-or limousine fares in the past two years to date by year and amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35484/17]
View answerI have set out details of expenditure on taxi fares by my Department in the period from 2015 to date. There was no expenditure on limousines.
|
Expenditure on Taxis |
€ |
|
2015 |
18,272 |
|
2016 |
25,873 |
|
2017 (to end June) |
8,663 |
|
Total |
52,808 |
1293. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Cumarsáide, Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide agus Comhshaoil an aontaíonn sé go bhfuil ról lárnach ag na meáin i slánú agus fás na Gaeilge agus, chuige sin, an mbeidh sé sásta bualadh le toscaireacht ó Raidió Rí-Rá chun plé a dhéanamh ar a bplean an tseirbhís dhigiteach atá acu a leathnú amach chun bheith ina seirbhís raidió Gaeilge, a bheidh dírithe ar dhaoine óga agus ar fáil ar FM go lánaimseartha ar bhonn uile-oileáin; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [35700/17]
View answer1294. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Cumarsáide, Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide agus Comhshaoil an aontaíonn sé le Comhchoiste an Oireachtais don Ghaeilge go bhfuil deis ann, i bhfianaise a bhfuil bainte amach ag TG4 ó bunaíodh é fiche bliain ó shin, céim shuntasach chun cinn a dhéanamh in úsáid na Gaeilge ag daoine óga trí sheirbhís raidió Gaeilge a bhunú, a bheidh dírithe ar dhaoine óga agus ar fáil ar FM go lánaimseartha ar bhonn uile-oileáin, agus an mbeidh sé sásta bualadh le lucht bainistíochta Raidió Rí-Rá chun é seo a phlé; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [35701/17]
View answerFreagróidh mé ceist 1293 agus ceist 1294 le chéile.
Forálann an tAcht Craolacháin 2009 don chreat reachtúil le haghaidh ceadúnú agus rialáil seirbhísí craolacháin agus ilphléacs in Éirinn. Leis an Acht sin bunaíodh Údarás Craolacháin na hÉireann (ÚCÉ) mar chomhlacht reachtúil neamhspleách chun ábhar a rialáil i ngach seirbhís chraolacháin Éireannach.
Tá ÚCÉ freagrach as seirbhísí craolacháin raidió neamhspleácha a cheadúnú in Éirinn agus leagtar amach i gCuid 6 den Acht Craolacháin 2009 an mheicníocht faoina dtabharfaidh ÚCÉ faoin bpróiseas ceadúnaithe le haghaidh seirbhísí raidió tráchtála, pobail, sealadacha agus institiúideacha. Níl aon fheidhm agamsa i gceadúnú seirbhísí craolta.
Tá ÚCÉ ag glacadh le haighneachtaí faoi láthair ó pháirtithe ar spéis leo seirbhísí craolacháin fuaime tráchtála breise a sholáthar. Cuid den taighde don athbhreithniú ar an Straitéis um Sheirbhísí Craolacháin atá ann faoi láthair a bheidh sna haighneachtaí seo. Tá tuilleadh sonraí le fáil anseo: http://www.bai.ie/ga/consultations/glaoch-ar-aighneachtai-leasa-de-sheirbhis-craolachain-fuaime-trachtala-nua/
Beidh mé ag seoladh aip nua Raidió Rí-Rá san fhómhar agus buailfidh mé le lucht bainistíochta an stáisiúin ansin.
