Written Answers Nos. 194-213
195. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans regarding the television licence fee collection system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44499/17]
View answerI obtained Government approval earlier this year to draft a number of legislative amendments to the Broadcasting Act, 2009, including amendments to allow for the tendering of TV Licence fee collection. As the Deputy is aware, the proposed amendments are currently under Pre-Legislative Scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action & Environment and I await a report from the Committee in this regard.
The Committee is also considering the longer term issue of the future funding of public service media. The Committee's work is ongoing and a very useful consultative forum on this important topic was hosted by the Committee on 7 July this year. I look forward to receiving the Committee’s report which will inform consideration of future funding options and I intend to bring proposals to Government at an early date following receipt of the report.
In the meantime, there will be no change to the existing TV licence fee arrangements and An Post continues to work as the issuing agent for television licences in accordance with Section 145 of the Act.
196. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the review of the impact of opt-out advertising on the broadcasting sector. [44500/17]
View answerThe EU regulatory framework for broadcasting as set out in the Audio-visual Media Services Directive is currently undergoing review. To support its work in this area, my Department engaged consultancy services in October 2016 to review the impact of ‘opt-out’ advertising on the Irish broadcasting sector.
I am currently considering the report’s recommendations and intend to publish the report on my Department’s website in the coming weeks.
197. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of RES-E capacity that has been installed to date in 2017. [44501/17]
View answerI understand that as of September 2017, the total amount of renewable generation connected to the grid was 3,400 MW approximately of which 3,080 MW was wind generation. A breakdown of the other renewable technologies at that date is not available, but the majority (212 MW) was hydro. It is estimated that a total of between 3,900 MW and 4,300 MW of onshore wind generation capacity will be required to allow Ireland to meet its 40% renewable electricity target.
The latest available published information in regard to the breakdown of Ireland's total primary energy supply is publically available in the report Energy in Ireland 1990-2015 published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in November 2016 and available at www.seai.ie.
Details of connected and contracted generators are publically available on the websites of EirGrid and ESB Networks at www.eirgridgroup.com and www.esbnetworks.ie/ respectively.
198. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of homes that have been covered by energy efficiency measures since 2010, in tabular form. [44502/17]
View answerIn total, over 293,300 homes have received state supported energy efficiency upgrades since 2010. These upgrades were provided through the Better Energy Programme which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) with funding from my Department. The Better Energy Programme consists of the Better Energy Homes Scheme, Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme, and Better Energy Communities Scheme.
The Better Energy Homes (BEH) Scheme provides grant aid to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their home. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar thermal panels and accompanying Building Energy Rating (BER).
The Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH) scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty, who meet the eligibility criteria. The measures available include draught proofing, attic insulation, lagging jackets for hot water tanks, low energy light bulbs and cavity wall insulation.
The Better Energy Communities Programme (BEC) aims to encourage community based partnerships to improve the thermal and electrical efficiency of the building stock and energy poor homes and facilities, encouraging the implementation of deeper and more technically and economically challenging measures.
The table details the numbers of homes that have received energy efficiency measures under each scheme.
|
Programme |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
Better Energy Homes |
45,946 |
49,229 |
26,423 |
13,710 |
9,927 |
12,339 |
15,265 |
10,863 |
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes |
24,291 |
20,388 |
12,175 |
9,803 |
9,056 |
6,867 |
6,743 |
5,346 |
|
Better Energy Communities |
N/A |
N/A |
2,263 |
3,617 |
4,004 |
2,500 |
2,013 |
0** |
|
Warmth and Wellbeing* |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
72 |
196 |
|
Total |
70,237 |
69,617 |
40,861 |
27,130 |
22,987 |
21,706 |
24,093 |
16,405 |
*The Warmth & Wellbeing Scheme was introduced in 2016, The aim of this Pilot is to provide deep energy efficiency interventions to people living with chronic respiratory conditions who are in or at risk of energy poverty. By making their homes warmer, more comfortable and cheaper to run, it is hoped that this will improve their health and wellbeing. In 2017 the Pilot Scheme has been extended to include families with children aged 12 and under who are living with chronic respiratory condition. While 268 homes have been upgraded to date, works are underway on another 262 homes. Recruitment of participants will continue over the winter months and those people will have their upgrades carried out as early as possible in 2018, as this type of work cannot always take place during the winter.
**Figure declared later in the year.
199. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of inspections of recreational anglers for licences that have taken place each year since 2010, in tabular form. [44503/17]
View answer201. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of fixed charge notices that were issued in respect of inland fisheries offences in each year since 2010, in tabular form. [44505/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 201 together.
The information requested is as follows:
|
Inspections |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017B |
|
No of Iicence inspections of recreational anglers |
4,986A |
18,657 |
14,461 |
17,042 |
16,499 |
8,874 |
|
No of other angling Inspections |
5,302A |
14,985 |
16,795 |
17,254 |
19,511 |
7,823 |
A. Details for 6 months as reporting metric was commenced mid 2012
B. Details are latest available up to end Q2
|
Fixed Charge NoticesC |
|||||
|
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017D |
|
388 |
295 |
253 |
289 |
156 |
19 |
C. Details of FCNs compiled from 2012 onwards
D. Details are latest available up to end Q2
200. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of prosecutions of inland fisheries-related offences that have taken place to date in 2017. [44504/17]
View answerI have been informed by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that the number of prosecutions for fisheries related offences to date in 2017 is fourteen.
I am also advised by IFI that a significant number of cases are under consideration following activity during recent months.
The Inland Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2017 (No. 16 of 2017) came into operation on 11 July 2017 and confers an explicit power on Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to bring and prosecute summary proceedings for inland fisheries offences.
This Act resolves an issue concerning IFI’s power to prosecute that came to light in February 2017. It ensures that IFI is fully empowered to enforce the Inland Fisheries Acts and to protect and conserve Ireland’s valuable inland fisheries and sea-angling resource.
202. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the Aarhus Convention Bill. [44506/17]
View answerThe draft Heads of the Aarhus Convention Bill are scheduled for publication before year-end, and will then be subjected to the pre-legislative scrutiny process, with a view to progressing the Bill through the Oireachtas next year.
Ireland ratified the Aarhus Convention in 2012 and over 60 pieces of legislation have been used to implement it. The Convention governs environmental justice rights, and is formed by three aspects, or ‘pillars of the Convention,’ namely: Access to Information on the Environment; Public Participation in Decision-Making in Environmental Matters; and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters. The Heads of the Bill focus primarily on the Access to Justice pillar. Key elements of this require, amongst other things, that review procedures be fair, adequate and not prohibitively expensive, and that people should have awareness of their rights in environmental decision-making.
There are two EU Directives implementing the Access to Information on the Environment and Public Participation elements of the Convention, but none for Access to Justice, one reason for this being that Ireland, the United Kingdom and some other Member States have a dual common law system instead of just civil law. To address this at national level, a public consultation was carried out in 2014 focussing on the Access to Justice pillar of the Convention to stimulate and facilitate discussion at a domestic level.
The draft Heads of the Bill were initially prepared in response to the outcomes of the public consultation at the end of 2014. Progress was delayed pending clarification from the EU Commission on whether a Directive on the Access to Justice pillar would be brought forward. It was confirmed in June 2015 that a Directive would not be issuing, and a guidance document would be made available. This guidance document was published in April 2017, and will be taken into account before publication of the draft Heads of Bill later this year. Ireland was represented at a recent EU Experts Group to discuss the guidance document, with feedback to be submitted shortly to the EU Commission.
203. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when broadband will be available to residents and businesses in the Piercetown area of Fordstown, County Meath. [44523/17]
View answer204. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when broadband will be available to residents and businesses in the village of Fordstown, County Meath. [44524/17]
View answer205. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when broadband will be available to residents and businesses in the Pluxtown, Grennanstown and Causestown areas of Athboy, County Meath. [44525/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 203 to 205, inclusive, together.
The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) will ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector so that to date approximately 1.5m or 65% of the 2.3m premises in Ireland can get high speed broadband and this footprint is expanding.
In April, I signed a Commitment Agreement with eir in relation to its plans to provide broadband to an additional 300,000 premises in rural areas on a commercial basis. My Department will be monitoring this rollout to ensure that eir meets its obligations under the Agreement. A copy of the Agreement is available on my Department's website www.dccae.gov.ie. Whilst the full programme of work is due to be completed by the end of 2018, more precise information on the timeframe for rollout is available from eir’s website on http://www.fibrerollout.ie
I also published an updated High Speed Broadband Map in April which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The updated Map shows the following categories of areas for delivery of broadband:
- The BLUE areas represent those areas where commercial telecommunications providers are either currently delivering or have indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- The AMBER areas on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the areas that will require State Intervention and are the subject of the current procurement process.
- LIGHT BLUE premises are part of eir’s 300k rural rollout.
I will outline below the distribution of premises into each category in the 5 townlands in question. Individuals can themselves check whether their premises is in a BLUE, LIGHT BLUE or AMBER area by accessing the High Speed Broadband Map and entering their eircode at www.broadband.gov.ie.
Townland: Piercetown - Total Premises: 26 Premises Covered:
- 85% (22) AMBER
- 8% (2) BLUE
- 8% (2) LIGHT BLUE
Townland: Fordstown - Total Premises: 38 Premises Covered:
- 5% (2) AMBER
- 0% (0) BLUE
- 95% (36) LIGHT BLUE
Townland: Pluckstown - Total Premises: 22 Premises Covered:
- 27% (6) AMBER
- 73% (16) BLUE
- 0% (0) LIGHT BLUE
Townland: Grennanstown - Total Premises: 34 Premises Covered:
- 65% (22) AMBER
- 35% (12) BLUE
- 0% (0) LIGHT BLUE
Townland: Causestown - Total Premises: 25 Premises Covered:
- 12% (3) AMBER
- 88% (22) BLUE
- 0% (0) LIGHT BLUE
My Department is engaged in an on-going procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out the new high speed broadband network for the State led intervention. A significant milestone in that process was reached in September with the submission of "Detailed Solutions" by two bidders. This is the last stage before receipt of final tenders and progression to the appointment of a preferred bidder(s).
To improve both mobile and broadband services in rural Ireland in advance of the rollout of the high speed broadband network to be built in the State intervention area I established, in July 2016, a Taskforce to identify solutions which can be implemented in the short, medium and long term to alleviate mobile phone and broadband coverage deficits, to identify priority areas for rollout and investigate how better services could be provided to consumers. These solutions will enhance the existing services prior to the full build and rollout of the network planned under the NBP State led intervention.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
206. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44307/17]
View answerThe maximum weight that a vehicle can tow is in accordance with the manufacturer’s design specifications. The towing capacity of a vehicle can be verified by consulting the owner’s handbook or the manufacturer’s statutory plate affixed to the vehicle. The towing capacity weight is the maximum weight of the trailer that the vehicle can tow. The towing capacity of any vehicles should never be exceeded.
The maximum weight that can be towed is also dependent on the driver’s driving licence category. A person can tow a trailer on a B (car) licence if the trailer’s Design Gross Vehicle Weight (DGVW). A category BE licence is required if it is more than 750kg but the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer does not exceed 3,500kg. As a general rule, a category B licence would not allow the towing of a livestock trailer. The Road Safety Authority has prepared specific guidance with respect to ‘Driver Licensing rules for drawing light trailers’ and this can be found on the Authority's website.
Individuals are also advised to contact their insurance broker/insurance provider in relation to the specifics of their individual insurance policy, particularly with respect to towing a trailer.
207. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to waive the fee for disabled parking permits for renewal and subsequent permits after the first two-year permit expiries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44318/17]
View answerThe Disabled Parking Permit is available to people, as drivers and passengers, living in Ireland with a permanent disability, medical condition, severe mobility difficulties and to people who are registered blind.
The disabled parking scheme is operated on behalf of my Department by the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI) and the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA), who are empowered to issue disabled parking permits. As Minister, I have responsibility for the regulations under which the scheme operates.
The renewal of a disabled parking permit incurs an administration charge of €35 to cover the cost of processing and producing the permit. It is not my intention to abolish this charge at this time.
208. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the policy of his Department regarding the development of the road transport links linking Waterford and Limerick and Tuam and Letterkenny; if these roads will receive priority in the national capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44344/17]
View answerThe draft National Planning Framework which is the subject of public consultation at present looks at planning policy over the time horizon to 2040. Once the Framework is finalised, it is envisaged that the proposed 10 year investment plan will set out the projects/programmes which can be undertaken over the next capital planning period. In the interim, the extra allocations being made available as a result of the Capital Plan Review will allow TII to re-activate preparatory work on a pipeline of future upgrade projects.
209. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation for the local authority swimming pool grant fund for 2018. [44360/17]
View answer212. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to replenish the funding and-or reopen the local authority swimming grant scheme in 2018. [44363/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 212 together.
Full details on the allocations for each of my Department's subheads for 2018 will be set out, as usual, in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV).
The 2018 provision for the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programmes will cover all existing commitments made under the programme. There are four swimming pool projects in the current programme and the priority in 2018 will be on progressing these projects.
In relation to the future funding of swimming pools, my Department is currently finalising a review of national sports policy. This includes a specific focus on how Government should fund sports facilities including swimming pools in the years ahead. It is expected that the new sports policy will be published before the end of the year.
210. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation for the sports capital grant for 2018. [44361/17]
View answerFull details on the allocations for each of my Department's subheads for 2018 will be set out, as usual, in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV). The allocation will be sufficient to cover all existing commitments under previous rounds of the Sports Capital Programme (SCP) as well as new commitments under the 2017 round of the programme. In this regard, by the closing date of 24th February, a record number of 2,320 applications seeking €155 million in grants were received. When the programme was launched, it was envisaged that €30m would be available which would have made the allocation of grants particularly challenging. Following the conclusion of the budget discussions and in order to allow as many worthwhile projects as possible to receive some funding, I am pleased that significant extra resources have been secured to allocate under this round. The assessment of all the 2,320 applications is now nearing completion and I expect to be in a position to announce full details of the allocations in the coming weeks.
211. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to finalise the completion of a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44362/17]
View answerIn relation to the proposed swimming pool at the Campus, in January 2016 my Department contacted local authorities and sought expressions of interest in a limited round of swimming pool allocations for the construction of new swimming pools and/or the refurbishment of existing pools. Of the expressions of interest received, only three were for new pools, two of which were valid and both in Dublin, one in Lucan and the other in Ballyogan. Following consideration of the expressions of interest, and the two valid proposals for new pools, it was decided to include the proposal from South Dublin County Council (SDCC) for a new swimming pool in Lucan in the LASPP.
The priority in 2018 will be on progressing the four projects already in the programme.
In relation to the future funding of swimming pools, my Department is currently finalising a review of national sports policy. This includes a specific focus on how Government should fund sports facilities including swimming pools in the years ahead. It is expected that the new sports policy will be published before the end of this year.
As regards the other sports facilities at the Campus, I can confirm that an application has been submitted under the 2017 Sports Capital Programme. The 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme, which closed for applications on the 24th February, received a record number of 2,320 applications seeking €155 million in grants. When the programme was launched, it was envisaged that €30m would be available which would have made the allocation of grants particularly challenging. Following the conclusion of the budget discussions and in order to allow as many worthwhile projects as possible to receive some funding, I am pleased that significant extra resources have been secured to allocate under this round. The assessment of all the 2,320 applications is now nearing completion and I expect to be in a position to announce full details of the allocations in the coming weeks.
213. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the annual steady State funding requirement to maintain each national and regional port on an annual or periodic basis. [44389/17]
View answerIn line with National Ports Policy published in 2013, no State funding is provided to any commercial port company.
National Ports Policy 2013 outlines that Irish ports must operate on a commercial basis without recourse to State funding for any activities. Ports are expected to fund their activities and capital infrastructure investment from their own resources.
