Written Answers Nos. 593-603
593. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of extending the SEAI grant for electric vehicle purchase until 2019 to 2023, respectively. [54078/17]
View answer594. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of extending the SEAI grant for hybrid vehicle purchase until 2019 to 2023, respectively. [54079/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 593 and 594 together.
The electric vehicle purchase grant, introduced in April 2011, provides grant aid of up to €5,000 towards the purchase of a new Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) or new Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). Other hybrid vehicles do not qualify for support under the scheme.
From the introduction of the Scheme to the end of November 2017, grant support has been provided for the purchase of a total of 2,607 new vehicles to the value of €12.2 million. During the first eleven months of this year, €4.1 million has been provided to support the purchase of 879 new electric vehicles.
The grant scheme will continue into 2018 with 6 million euro allocated in the Department’s budget for this purpose. The scheme will kept under review in relation to funding and grant amounts for future years.
The purchase grant scheme is demand led and it is therefore difficult to predict exactly how many vehicles will be supported in future years. In May this year, the Government approved and published the National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport in Ireland 2017 to 2030. This policy framework sets an ambitious target that by 2030 all new cars and vans sold in Ireland will be zero emissions, or zero emissions capable.
595. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount that has been contributed to the green climate fund in 2017; and the amount that is pledged for 2018. [54082/17]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 397 of 29 November 2017. The position is unchanged.
596. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the licence fee receipts collected in 2017 to date; the level of evasion that is currently estimated to occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54083/17]
View answerThe total TV licence fee receipts to 30 November is €198m. This figure includes funding provided by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) of €48.8m in respect of free TV licences issued under the Household Benefits Scheme and receipts from An Post for direct licence sales of €149.2m. The total receipts for 2017 will not be known until Q1 2018 when final sales figures for the year are available. I am very much aware of the challenges that face the existing TV Licence system including the current level of evasion which is estimated to be 14.6%. A number of diverse sources are used in calculating the evasion rate, including household data from the 2016 Census, business data from the Revenue Commissioner's Annual Report 2016 and the numbers qualifying for free licences from DEASP. While the rate has fallen from 15.3% at the end of 2013, it is still very high and equates to a loss of €40m per annum to public service broadcasting.
To address this issue, my Department has been working with An Post and RTÉ on an on-going basis to ensure that the TV licence collection system is working as effectively as possible. Measures such as marketing campaigns, more evening and weekend inspection and appointment of additional temporary inspectors are just some of the initiatives that have been utilised to enhance sales and improve compliance rates.
While these measures are important steps, I believe that the current system needs to be reformed. As the Deputy will be aware, I obtained Government approval earlier this year to draft a number of legislative amendments to the Broadcasting Act 2009, including amendments for the tendering of TV Licence fee collection. The proposed amendments are currently under Pre-Legislative Scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment and I look forward to receiving the Committee's Report on the matter.
In addition, I requested the Committee to examine the longer term issue of the future funding of public service media. The Committee recently published their report on this issue. My Department is currently examining the recommendations.
597. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount that has been allocated to residential energy efficiency programmes for 2018, by programme. [54084/17]
View answerIn Budget 2018, I secured €107m in capital funding for energy efficiency, an increase of over 40%. This capital increase is complemented by an increased current expenditure allocation that will allow the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support the expansion of our highly successful energy efficiency schemes bringing the total allocation for energy efficiency schemes to €117m.
Of the €107m in capital funding, at this point I expect to allocate approximately €84m to domestic energy efficiency programmes. A full breakdown of these figures is not yet available pending announcements on the operation of individual SEAI schemes in 2018. I have already announced that €28m worth of grants will be awarded under the Better Energy Communities scheme, and applications for this scheme are already open.
These figures will be confirmed in the Revised Estimates for Public Services, which I understand will be published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform later this month.
598. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount that has been budgeted for journalism bursaries for 2018; the number of bursaries that will be provided with this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54085/17]
View answerThere is currently no provision in the Broadcasting legislation for a bursary scheme for journalists and, as such, the issue of a 2018 budget does not arise.
As the Deputy is aware, one of the amendments that I have proposed to the Broadcasting Act, 2009 is to amend the provisions of section 154 to allow for the creation of a new funding scheme that would allow the granting of bursaries to journalists in local or community radio stations. As the Deputy is also aware, the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill is currently under pre legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment and I look forward to receiving the Committee’s Report.
599. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to introduce measures to deal with the large volumes of packaging resulting from persons purchasing goods online from producers and retailers that fall outside of a scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54088/17]
View answerRepak is the approved producer responsibility compliance scheme for packaging in Ireland and is tasked with meeting recovery and recycling targets established under the EU Packaging Directive (94/62/EC). This Directive is transposed by the European Union (Packaging) Regulations 2014. In accordance with these regulations any producer placing packaging on the Irish market is obliged to ensure that their waste packaging is recovered in a prescribed manner.
Membership of Repak ensures that regulatory obligations in relation to the treatment of waste packaging are fulfilled.
The Packaging Directive does not afford Member States the power to exercise control over distance sellers who place packaging on the market in Ireland from outside the country. However, amendments to the Packaging and Waste Framework Directives are being negotiated at EU level at the moment and Ireland has argued for controls on distance sellers to be introduced.
Amendments to our national packaging legislation will be necessary on foot of amendments to the Packaging Directive. At that point all stakeholders will be consulted, including on possible models for dealing with distance sellers if the relevant powers are given to Member States.
600. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the use of external public relations firms employed by his Department per annum since coming into office, in tabular form; the external public relations firms used; the internal departmental policy with regard to employing external groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54089/17]
View answer605. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the use of external public relations firms employed by his Department in each year since March 2011; the list of uses of the external public relations firm; the internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54239/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 600 and 605 together.
My Department's remit includes complex policy areas, oversight of State regulation and service provision across key strategic services such as energy and public broadcasting, and regulation of sectors such as mining and hydrocarbon exploration. Given the technical complexity, economic significance and community interest in these areas, there is a requirement to disseminate information and to address specific issues as they arise. The Department therefore necessarily incurs some expenditure on public relations from time to time.
In procuring these services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and keeping expenditure to the minimum necessary.
The information requested in the Question is outlined in the following table:
|
Company |
Amount Spent on Public Relations for each year |
Purpose of Consultancy |
||||||
|
2011 - € |
2012 - € |
2013 - € |
2014 - € |
2015 - € |
2016 - € |
2017 (to date) - € |
||
|
Morrow Communications Ltd |
40,514 |
19,538 |
18,318 |
28,221 |
54,516 |
41,546 |
36,962 |
Provision of services in relation to outreach in rural communities with respect to low flying geophysical survey and soil geochemical survey. |
|
Murray Consultants |
8,349 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
Media Services to the Department. |
|
McConnells Advertising Agency |
32,670 |
86,933 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
Public information campaign on the Digital Switchover. |
|
Communications Consultants Ireland |
n/a |
n/a |
1,797 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
Management of two Public Information Meetings on new Inland Fisheries Legislation |
|
Danielle Coombs |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
65,608 |
Communications Officer |
|
Mandy Johnson Communications |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
7,200 |
Provision of services in relation to Household Waste Awareness Campaign |
|
Focus Advertising |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
15,855 |
Provisions of services in relation to Household Waste Awareness Campaign |
The information set out in the table does not include information in relation to the use of public relations services for the period prior to July 2016 for those areas formerly the responsibility of the then Department of Environment, Community and Local Government which transferred to my Department in July 2016.
601. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the photography costs per annum for his Department since coming to office, inclusive of costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance, in tabular form; the occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54090/17]
View answer604. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the photography costs for his Department in each year since March 2011 inclusive of costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance; the list of occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used, in tabular form; if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within his Department. [54223/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 601 and 604 together.
The policy of selection and contracting of photography services for my Department is carried out as part of competitive procurement processes in line with Office of Government Procurement guidelines. Where possible, every effort is made to minimise costs
The following table sets out the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment photography costs from 2011 to date in 2017:
Photography Costs in 2011
|
Company |
Event |
Cost - € |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Government convenes Next Generation Broadband Taskforce |
341 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Age Action Silver Surfer Launch (pre shoot) |
275 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Minister Rabbitte stock photos available for widespread media use |
409 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Minister Rabbitte welcomes EU Commission Telecoms specialists to Dublin |
552 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Publication of the Government’s Affordable Energy Strategy Launch of Irish Anti Botnet Website (anti cyber crime initiative) |
1,052 |
|
2011 Total |
2,629 |
|
|
Photography Costs in 2012 |
||
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Launch of Community Outreach Campaign - Digital TV Switchover |
492 |
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Launch of the SMS 112 emergency service |
492 |
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Nationwide rollout of high speed broadband to second level schools |
492 |
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Minister Rabbitte welcomes 23 Digital Outreach Champions |
492 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Next Generation Broadband Taskforce launch |
485 |
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Launch of the Renewable Energy Strategy Report |
492 |
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Third Central & North Atlantic Conjugate Margins Conference |
492 |
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Launch of the National Broadband Plan |
492 |
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Minister Rabbitte visits Kippure TV mast for Digital Switchover with media |
492 |
|
Phocus |
Minister Rabbitte inspects high speed broadband in St. Colman’s School |
359 |
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Announcement of Ireland’s Digital Champion |
492 |
|
Fennell Photography |
Taking of last Tellus Border geochemical sample photocall, Minister O’Dowd, Co. Louth, 15th June 2012. |
553 |
|
2012 Total |
5,825 |
|
|
Photography Costs in 2013 |
||
|
Jason Clarke Photography |
Signing of Energy MoU with Britain |
492 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Launch of National Energy Efficiency Action Plan |
499 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Announcement of phase II of Schools Broadband in Warrenmount School |
361 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Launch of the National Digital Strategy |
327 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Appointment of the New Chairman and Commissioners in Comreg |
137 |
|
Fennell Photography |
Tellus Border Data Launch stakeholder event, Davenport Hotel, 5th Feb 2013. Tellus Border gold data launch photo call, Minister O’Dowd, 17th Oct 2013, National Museum. |
1,595 |
|
2013 Total |
3,411 |
|
|
Photography Costs in 2014 |
||
|
Maxwell Photography |
Launch of Energy Green Paper |
327 |
|
Hany Marzouk (freelance photographer) |
Announcement of National Broadband Plan state intervention |
273 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Launch of the Trading Online Voucher Scheme with Local Enterprise Offices |
309 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Launch of the report of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group |
309 |
|
JMAC Photography |
100,000th participant receiving digital training under BenefIT scheme – Arranmore Island |
227 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
National Digital Strategy Award of Grants to Benefit IIII projects |
499 |
|
Fennell Photography |
National Digital Strategy Showcase, Dublin Castle |
411 |
|
2014 Total |
2,355 |
|
|
Photography Costs in 2015 |
||
|
Maxwell Photography |
Post Office Network Business Development Group – press event at Rathangan Post Office |
533 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
National Broadband Plan |
447 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
1000th Trading Online Voucher |
551 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Launch of Energy White paper |
430 |
|
Fennell Photography |
Tellus North midlands data release photo call, GSI, 21st Sept 2015. |
283 |
|
Mac Innes Photography |
Staff Headshots |
1,793 |
|
2015 Total |
4,037 |
|
|
Photography Costs in 2016 |
||
|
Maxwell Photography |
Post Office Network Group |
585 |
|
Maxwell photography |
Hodson Bay Hotel Athlone |
717 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Digital Economy Report |
602 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Launch of New EPA Guidelines |
717 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Digital Economy Report |
602 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Asthma Society |
413 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Mobile & Broadband Taskforce Launch . |
361 |
|
Fennell Photography |
Tellus Waterford block airborne data release, photocall Minister Kyne, Copper Coast Visitor Centre 29th July 2016; geochemistry file image photography, Waterford. |
957 |
|
Mac Innes Photography |
Young Scientist |
316 |
|
Mac Innes Photography |
Staff Headshots |
2,087 |
|
Total 2016 |
7,357 |
|
|
Photography Costs in 2017 |
||
|
Maxwell Photography |
Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC) Event |
120 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Forum on Food Waste |
241 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Ladies Gaelic Football - Free to Air Finals |
482 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
National Broadband Launch |
430 |
|
Andrew Fox Photography |
Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Forum |
200 |
|
Marc O’ Sullivan Photography |
Advanced Mobile Location Launch |
553 |
|
Andrew Fox Photography |
Local Authority Broadband Officers NBP Workshop to highlight the: - Announcement of the eir 300k rural roll out Commitment Agreement - Launch of the updated High Speed Broadband Map |
450 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
Photo shoot to highlight the NBP: - Announcement of the eir 300k rural roll out Commitment Agreement - Launch of the updated High Speed Broadband Map |
499 |
|
Mac Innes Photography |
Prints |
51 |
|
Maxwell Photography |
School Digital Champion Programme – Showcase Event 13th May 2017. |
529 |
|
Total to date in 2017 |
3,555 |
The information set out in the table does not include information in relation to the use of photography services for the period prior to July 2016 for those areas formerly the responsibility of the then Department of Environment, Community and Local Government which transferred to my Department in July 2016.
602. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the use his Department has made of the Government jet since coming into office, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54191/17]
View answer603. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the use his Department has made of the Government jet in each of the years March 2011 to February 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54207/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 603 together.
The use of the government jet by Government Ministers is subject to the authorisation of An Taoiseach. Since being appointed as Minister to my Department in May, 2016, I utilised the government jet twice, as set out below. On both occasions the jet had already been requested by colleague Ministers.
|
Departure Date |
Return Date |
Route |
Purpose |
|
19/06/2016 |
20/06/2016 |
Baldonnel – Luxembourg – Baldonnel |
Environment Council, Luxembourg |
|
16/10/2016 |
17/10/2016 |
Baldonnel – Luxembourg – Baldonnel |
Environment Council, Luxembourg |
Use of the government jet for my Department from March 2011 to February 2016 is set out in the following table:
|
Departure Date |
Return Date |
Route |
Purpose |
|
20/06/2011 |
20/06/2011 |
Baldonnel – Northolt – Stansted – Baldonnel |
British Irish Council Summit, Northolt |
|
Anni Podimata MEP (Socialists & Democrats) Vice Chair ITRE & Vice President EP |
|||
|
Claude Turmes MEP (LU-Greens/European Free Alliance) & Rapporteur EED |
|||
|
Herbert Raul MEP (DE-EEP) & Chair ITRE |
|||
|
Meeting Fiona Hall MEP (UK-ALDE) Leader and Shadow Rapporteur Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) |
|||
|
12/10/2011 |
13/10/2011 |
Baldonnel – Brussels – Baldonnel |
Meeting Mr Anthony Whelan, Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Kroes (Digital Agenda) |
|
22/06/2012 |
22/06/2012 |
Baldonnel – Edinburgh – Cork – Baldonnel |
British Irish Council Summit, Edinburgh, Scotland |
|
03/10/2012 |
03/10/2012 |
Baldonnel – Brussels – Baldonnel |
Meeting with Marita Ulvskog & Commissioner Kroes, Brussels |
|
20/12/2012 |
20/12/2012 |
Baldonnel – Brussels – Dublin |
Telecoms Council, Brussels |
|
21/02/2013 |
22/02/2013 |
Baldonnel – Brussels – Baldonnel |
Meeting with Jerzy Buzek, Brussels |
|
16/05/2013 |
17/05/2013 |
Baldonnel – Brussels – Baldonnel |
EPC Policy Dialogue, Brussels |
|
26/06/2013 |
26/06/2013 |
Baldonnel – Brussels – Baldonnel |
Financing & sustainable energy conference, Brussels |
|
28/01/2013 |
28/01/2013 |
Baldonnel – Brussels – Baldonnel |
Smart grid standardisation achievements conference, Brussels |
|
11/04/2013 |
11/04/2013 |
Baldonnel – Zurich – Baldonnel |
Lech energy forum, Austria |
|
30/05/2013 |
30/05/2013 |
Baldonnel – Brussels – Baldonnel |
European Broadcasting Union Annual Conference in Brussels |
|
19/09/2013 |
20/09/2013 |
Baldonnel – Vilnius – Baldonnel |
Informal meeting of Energy Ministers, Latvia |
|
08/04/2014 |
09/04/2014 |
Baldonnel – Northolt – Baldonnel |
President Higgins state visit with Queen, UK |
|
13/06/2014 |
13/06/2014 |
Baldonnel – Luxembourg – Baldonnel |
Energy Council Meeting, Luxembourg |
|
28/11/2014 |
28/11/2014 |
Baldonnel – Isle of Man – Baldonnel |
British Irish Council Summit, Isle of Mann |
|
25/11/2015 |
26/11/2015 |
Baldonnel – Brussels – Baldonnel |
Energy Council Meeting, Brussels |
