Written Answers Nos. 751-767
751. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when a premises (details supplied) will receive high-speed broadband; if this will be prioritised due to the urgent business need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30126/18]
View answerThe Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to 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. Today, 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. By 2020, 9 out of 10 premises will have access to a high speed broadband connection. This is being achieved via a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention.
In April 2017 I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the National Broadband Plan.
The Map is colour coded and searchable by address/eircode:
- The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.
- The BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- The LIGHT BLUE areas represent eir's commercial rural deployment plans to rollout high speed broadband to 300,000 premises as part of a Commitment Agreement signed with me in April 2017.
The premises referred to by the Deputy is in an AMBER area on my Department’s High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. It is therefore included in the State Intervention Area under the NBP.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will rollout a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now in its final stages.
In the interim practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services. My officials have carried out a desk top survey of the referenced premises and have determined that there is an existing eir 4G tower some 1.89km from the premises in question and this tower provides a good clear line of sight to this premises. The possibility of 4G data coverage might therefore be explored by the premises owner while the NBP process is being finalised.
Under the 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 at this link.
752. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a complaint has ever been made to the European Commission by agencies within its remit in respect of a breach of the habitats directive on the Munster Blackwater at Fermoy, County Cork. [30132/18]
View answerMy Department will bring the Deputy's query to the attention of the agencies under the aegis of the Department asking them to reply directly to the Deputy.
753. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing issue regarding the lack of mobile phone signal and broadband signal in areas (details supplied), his plans to improve the services in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30441/18]
View answerI recognise the frustration felt by Irish consumers where telecommunications networks are not always delivering the services people expect. Accordingly, I specifically included in the Programme for Government a commitment to a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce. The Taskforce worked with key stakeholders to produce a report in December 2016, available on my Department’s website, which contained 40 actions to alleviate some of the deficits. The Implementation Group which I co-chair with Minister Kyne is overseeing implementation of the actions and comprises all key stakeholders responsible for delivery. This includes ComReg, which attends as both an action owner, and in an observer capacity in its role as the independent Regulator.
Minister Kyne and I published the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Implementation Review 2017 on 21 February 2018, which comprehensively outlines the progress made in 2017 on the actions identified by the Taskforce. Of the 40 actions, 29 have been completed, with work on the remaining 11 carrying into the 2018 Work Programme. Following close engagement with stakeholders at the National Stakeholder Forum, an additional 23 new measures have been identified for delivery in 2018, that will lead to improvements for consumers across Ireland.
The sixth meeting of the Taskforce Implementation Group was held on 4 July 2018, and the Quarter 2 2018 Progress Report has since been published on my Department’s website. This report offers progress updates on all Q2 actions.
In terms of addressing mobile coverage black-spots, various initiatives are under way:
- My Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development have worked to achieve a greater consensus around site selection for deployment of telecoms infrastructure and therefore improve mobile phone coverage.
- Both Departments also worked with a pilot group of local authorities to identify the issues associated with mapping local black-spots. This pilot exercise has been completed, with all local authorities having been asked to map local black-spots and identify infrastructure that could potentially be used to provide additional coverage on an economic basis. This exercise is on-going under the 2018 Taskforce Work Programme. It is planned to have dedicated Geographic Information System (GIS) resources in place to support this.
- A review was conducted to identify recommendations to address black-spots. A focus group is continuing this work in 2018, to inform future policy development and initiatives. The work of this focus group, will provide guidance on location categories where high quality mobile phone coverage should be made available as a priority, taking account of customer expectations.
- ComReg recently introduced a new scheme allowing the use of accredited mobile phone repeaters to help address the issue of indoor coverage, particularly in rural areas.
- ComReg is also developing a composite national coverage map, which will, in tandem with its work on handset testing and awareness raising activities, allow people across Ireland to optimise the services available to them.
In tandem with the work of the Taskforce, the release by ComReg of the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band, which has been identified at EU level as a primary band suitable for 5G rollout, will also contribute to addressing increasing mobile data demands and improve mobile coverage. Mobile operators’ commercial investment has also resulted in improved services, following ComReg's 2012 multi-band spectrum auction. At least one operator now has in excess of 90% 4G population coverage.
All of these initiatives should help enhance the quality of mobile phone and data services, particularly in rural areas such as West Wicklow.
754. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the implementation of the public sector energy efficiency action plan. [30481/18]
View answerIreland has a national target to improve energy efficiency by 20% by 2020. The public sector has a critical leadership role to play, with a more ambitious 33% energy efficiency target in the same period. Very significant efficiency gains have already been made with a 20% improvement in energy efficiency achieved in the public sector by the end of 2016. This equates to €133m of energy spend savings and a 520,000 tonne CO2 equivalent savings mitigated by the public sector in 2016 alone. This is set out in the Annual Report on Public Sector Energy Efficiency Performance compiled by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and available on their website.
Nevertheless, a significant scaling up of effort is now required if the 33% is to be met. This is why I published the first Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy, with the approval of Government, in January 2017. It introduced new governance structures and enhanced support measures, and provided clarity on the retention of financial savings achieved by public sector bodies from the energy efficiency measures they implement.
To realise the potential for energy efficiency in the public sector, there must be senior leadership and accountability for energy performance in Government Departments and public sector bodies. All Government Departments have now appointed Energy Performance Officers (EPO) at a senior level to provide the necessary strategic leadership to their departments and bodies in their sectors on energy management.
Since the publication of the Strategy, my Department, along with the SEAI and OPW, have continued to engage with the EPO network and their energy management teams through workshops and individual advisory sessions. This engagement process is then supported on an on-going basis by the specialist energy advisors assigned to each Department by SEAI. The next step is for my Department, again working with SEAI and OPW, to support EPO's to work with the bodies in their sector to identify and develop energy efficiency projects, and avail of the financial and advisory supports, funded by my Department and available from SEAI.
In 2017, I secured €5m for two pilot partnership programmes between the SEAI and the OPW, and SEAI and Department of Education and Skills. €3 million was allocated to the SEAI/OPW pilot to deliver energy upgrades in central government buildings and €2 million was allocated for a SEAI/DES pilot for medium to deep retrofit upgrades to 10 primary and secondary schools. The purpose of these pilot programmes was to develop a scalable model for energy retrofit investment in our central government building stock and school. I have secured a further €9m this year to extend those pilot initiatives and to further invest in energy efficiency projects and initiatives in the wider public sector. The progress gained and learnings from last year are currently informing the development of standard retrofit approaches that will be effectively and efficiently deployed throughout the entire public sector building stock.
A project pipeline is currently being developed to identify projects of significant scale that can close the remaining gap to target. Along with the pilot schemes, the SEAI is working with the higher education, State laboratory and healthcare sectors to develop significant projects and continues, along with my Department, to support the City & County Management Association in its development of its National Public Lighting upgrade programme, which will halve local authority electricity use.
Furthermore, the Strategy is now providing the basis for realising the commitment in the National Development Plan, to upgrade the public sector built environment under a comprehensive €750 million retrofit programme. This will place the public sector built environment on a sound trajectory for 2050 and lead the way in developing Ireland’s sustainable energy supply chain.
755. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the implementation of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30482/18]
View answerThe Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to 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. Today, 7 out of 10 of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland have access to high speed broadband. By 2020, 9 out of 10 premises will have access to a high speed broadband connection. This is being achieved via a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention.
In April 2017 I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This Map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the NBP. The Map is colour coded and searchable by address and eircode.
- The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.
- The BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- The LIGHT BLUE areas represent eir's commercial rural deployment plans to rollout high speed broadband to 300,000 premises as part of a Commitment Agreement signed with me in April 2017 and available on my Department’s website www.dccae.gov.ie.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. This process is now in its final stages.
For those premises currently awaiting access to high speed broadband, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.
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. The Department of Rural and Community Development maintain a list of Broadband Officers, a link to which is available on my Department's website at this link.
756. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there are vacancies on the board of the Digital Hub Development Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30483/18]
View answer757. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of staff employed by the Digital Hub Development Agency; if these staff members are funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30484/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 756 and 757 together.
The Digital Hub Development Agency Act 2003 provides that the Agency shall consist of a maximum of 14 members. There are currently 9 members on the Board of the Agency. In June of this year I made three appointments to the Board of the Agency and I have no plans to make further appointments at this time.
In relation to staffing, the DHDA currently employs 12 people. While the Agency exploits commercial opportunities arising from its functions, this is not currently adequate to meet its full costs. The Department continues to part fund the Agency’s costs and for 2018 a grant of €530k is forecast as a contribution towards its staff costs.
758. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the review of designated sports events for free-to-air broadcasting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30485/18]
View answerThe Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) provides that Member States may designate sporting and cultural events of major importance to society as free-to-air. At a national level, the Broadcasting Act 2009 sets out the statutory process for designating events as free-to-air.
Under the 2009 Act, I, as Minister, am obliged to review the list of designated events every three years. The purpose of the review is to consider the appropriateness of the current list of designated events and to examine whether to add any events of major importance to society.
The most recent review was finalised in 2017. Approval was received from the European Commission to designate the All Ireland Senior Ladies Football and Camogie Finals as events of major importance in May 2017. Cabinet approval was received in June 2017 and the decision was subsequently laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.
The current list of designated events will be reviewed again in 2020.
The events currently designated by Order (S.I. 465 of 2017) are as follows:
Live:
- The All Ireland Senior Ladies Football Final
- The All Ireland Senior Camogie Final
- The Summer Olympics
- The All-Ireland Senior Inter-County Football & Hurling Finals
- Ireland’s home and away qualifying games in the European Football Championship and the FIFA World Cup Tournaments
- Ireland’s games in the European Football Championship Finals Tournament and the FIFA World Cup Finals Tournament
- Ireland’s games in the Rugby World Cup Finals Tournament
- The Irish Grand National and the Irish Derby
- The Nations Cup at the Dublin Horse Show
Deferred:
- Ireland’s games in the Six Nations Rugby Football Championship.
759. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has transposed the cost of the broadband directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30486/18]
View answerDirective 2014/61/EU on measures to reduce the cost of deploying high-speed electronic communications networks requires operators of communications, district heating, electricity including public lighting, gas, transport and waste water networks to negotiate agreements to share their network physical infrastructure with public communications networks operators, if requested, unless there are objective reasons not to do so in any particular case.
The Directive provides, among other things, for infrastructure sharing requirements and a requirement to establish a dispute settlement body to adjudicate in disputes regarding access to other networks and the terms and conditions of such access. The European Union (Reduction of Cost of Deploying High Speed Public Communications Networks) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 391 of 2016) transposing these requirements of the Directive were signed into law by me on 20 July 2016.
A further provision of the Directive - to ensure that all newly constructed buildings at the end-user's location, with certain exceptions, or buildings undergoing major renovation works, for which applications for building permits have been submitted after 31 December 2016, are equipped with a high-speed-ready in-building physical infrastructure - requires an amendment to the Building Control Acts in order to effect transposition. My officials have been working with officials in the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government on the necessary measures to transpose this provision, which are now being finalised.
760. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the review of metropolitan area networks has been completed; if the outcome of the review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30487/18]
View answerThe Review of pricing and access arrangements of the Metropolitan Area Networks has been completed by Analysys Mason Consultants. My Department is finalising its consideration of the Review and is currently engaging with the Management Services Entity (enet) in relation to the Review’s recommendations. It is my intention to publish the Review in the near term.
761. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a national energy forum has been established; if so, the number of times it has met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30488/18]
View answerOn foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, I established the National Dialogue on Climate Action in 2017. The National Dialogue subsumes the proposal in the Energy White Paper, 'Ireland's Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future 2015-2030,' to establish a National Energy Forum to maximise and maintain consensus on the broad policy measures required in the energy transition. Therefore, the National Energy Forum will be a part of the National Dialogue.
The primary objective of the National Dialogue will be to ensure an inclusive process of engagement and consensus building across society towards enabling the transformation to a low carbon and climate-resilient future. To do this, the Dialogue will seek to create awareness, engagement and motivation to act (locally, regionally and nationally) in relation to the challenges presented by climate change and to establish, on a long term basis, appropriate networks for people to meet periodically to consider evidence-based inputs on the economic, social, behavioural, environmental and public aspects of climate and energy policy. This is also in line with the objectives for the National Energy Forum envisaged in the Energy White Paper.
National Dialogue initiatives already being implemented include the Green Schools National Climate Change Action and Awareness Programme, incorporating Climate Action Week, the Green Schools Climate Expo, and the Climate Ambassador Programme; the EPA Climate Lecture Series; the Tidy Towns Climate Award; and the Regional Gatherings.
I hosted the first Regional Gathering in Athlone on 23 June last, and this event was targeted at community organisations and individuals from the counties of Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Longford, Roscommon, and Leitrim. A report on the outcomes of this event will be published shortly on my Department’s website at www.dccae.gov.ie. I intend that a number of further Regional Gatherings will take place in other regions across Ireland in the coming months.
762. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount provided for capital investment in energy efficiency in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form. [30489/18]
View answerA significant programme of capital expenditure for energy efficiency programmes in the residential, commercial and public sectors is funded by my Department and implemented through the SEAI. In addition to achieving energy savings, these Programmes realise benefits for air quality, health, social inclusion, business competitiveness and better public services, all of which make a real and positive impact on people’s lives. Such investments focus on supporting the transition to a circular, climate resilient and resource efficient economy and protecting our environment, while ensuring the sustainable management of our natural resources.
The amount spent on capital investment in energy efficiency in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to June 2018 is set out below. The capital allocation for energy efficiency programmes in 2018 is €107m. This is a doubling of the allocation since 2016 - evidence of the importance of energy efficiency for action on climate change. The bulk of spend on energy efficiency programmes has historically taken place in the second half of the year and I expect this to be the case this year also.
|
Year |
Amount (€m) |
|
2011 |
€95.4 |
|
2012 |
€66.7 |
|
2013 |
€47.3 |
|
2014 |
€56.3 |
|
2015 |
€46.9 |
|
2016 |
€56.9 |
|
2017 |
€79.2 |
|
2018 (Jan to June |
€30.5 |
|
Total |
€479.2 |
763. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount spent on schemes (details supplied) in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018, by county. [30490/18]
View answerThe Better Energy Programme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Programme consists of three main schemes: Homes, Warmer Homes and Communities.
Better Energy Homes provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Better Energy Warmer Homes delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households who meet the defined eligibility criteria and who are vulnerable to energy poverty. Better Energy Communities supports energy efficiency upgrades to mixed projects of homes, community facilities and businesses in a local community; projects under this scheme can cross county boundaries and therefore a breakdown of costs per county is not available.
These schemes are supplemented by the Warmth and Wellbeing Scheme which was launched as a Pilot scheme under the Government’s Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty and the Healthy Ireland Framework. The aim of the scheme, a joint policy initiative between my Department and the Department of Health, which began in 2016, is to demonstrate the positive effects that making homes warmer and more energy efficient can have on the health and well-being of people in energy poverty who are living with a chronic respiratory condition. As a pilot scheme, it is currently available only in certain areas of CHO 7.
Table 1: Spend across the Better Energy Communities and Warmth and Well-being schemes 2014-2018YTD.
|
Programme |
2014 Spend |
2015 Spend |
2016 Spend |
2017 Spend |
2018 Spend to date |
|
Better Energy Communities |
€15.3m |
€13.57m |
€16.71m |
€22.7m |
€1.94m |
|
Warmth & Well-being |
N/A |
N/A |
€0.5m |
€6.5m |
€4.39m |
|
Total |
€45.86m |
€46.04m |
€54.92m |
€68.15m |
€26.41m |
Table 2: County by County breakdown of spend for Better Energy Homes scheme 2014-2018YTD
|
County |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 YTD |
|
Carlow |
€95,230 |
€160,320 |
€143,950 |
€148,350 |
€41,350 |
|
Cavan |
€114,560 |
€165,730 |
€175,300 |
€140,650 |
€61,650 |
|
Clare |
€201,120 |
€247,300 |
€361,550 |
€361,000 |
€119,025 |
|
Cork |
€1,339,860 |
€1,943,185 |
€2,261,175 |
€1,957,964 |
€938,950 |
|
Donegal |
€166,317 |
€248,230 |
€271,950 |
€244,075 |
€86,000 |
|
Dublin |
€3,765,393 |
€5,493,691 |
€5,956,419 |
€5,959,279 |
€2,861,509 |
|
Galway |
€497,521 |
€692,565 |
€777,052 |
€815,100 |
€321,550 |
|
Kerry |
€313,520 |
€456,768 |
€608,800 |
€551,800 |
€288,288 |
|
Kildare |
€412,330 |
€600,170 |
€711,130 |
€735,300 |
€393,750 |
|
Kilkenny |
€117,540 |
€125,370 |
€206,550 |
€148,800 |
€45,950 |
|
Laois |
€73,200 |
€137,727 |
€194,300 |
€185,350 |
€67,950 |
|
Leitrim |
€45,780 |
€56,310 |
€44,200 |
€55,150 |
€15,650 |
|
Limerick |
€394,417 |
€478,034 |
€916,553 |
€833,900 |
€370,524 |
|
Longford |
€43,690 |
€58,800 |
€35,350 |
€89,700 |
€27,700 |
|
Louth |
€220,670 |
€349,500 |
€457,218 |
€476,600 |
€374,050 |
|
Mayo |
€251,590 |
€339,901 |
€478,725 |
€440,625 |
€214,800 |
|
Meath |
€316,662 |
€489,610 |
€671,600 |
€591,450 |
€637,800 |
|
Monaghan |
€75,610 |
€76,380 |
€101,610 |
€89,100 |
€33,900 |
|
Offaly |
€90,810 |
€160,690 |
€134,300 |
€178,645 |
€58,700 |
|
Roscommon |
€74,167 |
€113,460 |
€148,450 |
€126,850 |
€43,500 |
|
Sligo |
€92,120 |
€118,990 |
€157,100 |
€171,450 |
€39,700 |
|
Tipperary |
€222,160 |
€376,030 |
€528,100 |
€416,010 |
€149,400 |
|
Waterford |
€225,122 |
€346,655 |
€466,511 |
€367,000 |
€156,350 |
|
Westmeath |
€135,195 |
€200,250 |
€245,650 |
€247,100 |
€68,200 |
|
Wexford |
€254,860 |
€403,796 |
€416,950 |
€410,510 |
€176,750 |
|
Wicklow |
€375,250 |
€486,059 |
€556,750 |
€587,750 |
€219,500 |
|
Grand Total |
€9,914,693 |
€14,325,521 |
€17,027,242 |
€16,329,508 |
€7,812,496 |
Table 3: County by County breakdown of spend for Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme 2014-2018YTD
|
County |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 YTD |
|
Carlow |
not available |
€523,961 |
€200,344 |
€250,051 |
€95,913 |
|
Cavan |
not available |
€409,985 |
€272,327 |
€380,766 |
€407,289 |
|
Clare |
not available |
€209,070 |
€335,272 |
€652,857 |
€69,646 |
|
Cork |
not available |
€1,045,762 |
€1,463,903 |
€1,622,243 |
€1,588,509 |
|
Donegal |
not available |
€985,560 |
€865,165 |
€1,011,083 |
€866,192 |
|
Dublin |
not available |
€2,432,752 |
€1,333,654 |
€3,167,986 |
€2,434,009 |
|
Galway |
not available |
€895,184 |
€774,751 |
€1,763,729 |
€487,595 |
|
Kerry |
not available |
€442,009 |
€421,904 |
€535,545 |
€1,113,813 |
|
Kildare |
not available |
€1,176,300 |
€693,232 |
€347,646 |
€399,786 |
|
Kilkenny |
not available |
€279,677 |
€660,772 |
€165,509 |
€116,391 |
|
Laois |
not available |
€201,613 |
€765,453 |
€280,083 |
€136,058 |
|
Leitrim |
not available |
€218,732 |
€157,928 |
€204,544 |
€128,407 |
|
Limerick |
not available |
€209,665 |
€495,583 |
€743,277 |
€99,381 |
|
Longford |
not available |
€298,805 |
€206,281 |
€144,708 |
€178,730 |
|
Louth |
not available |
€393,031 |
€1,168,614 |
€433,733 |
€82,439 |
|
Mayo |
not available |
€885,292 |
€860,383 |
€1,704,754 |
€344,267 |
|
Meath |
not available |
€484,551 |
€1,547,615 |
€497,041 |
€222,298 |
|
Monaghan |
not available |
€187,811 |
€129,735 |
€209,127 |
€209,969 |
|
Offaly |
not available |
€297,959 |
€936,966 |
€277,491 |
€169,721 |
|
Roscommon |
not available |
€316,828 |
€257,299 |
€303,279 |
€249,264 |
|
Sligo |
not available |
€187,010 |
€400,866 |
€703,149 |
€135,309 |
|
Tipperary |
not available |
€389,003 |
€513,979 |
€870,511 |
€179,555 |
|
Waterford |
not available |
€364,183 |
€327,691 |
€1,078,988 |
€373,317 |
|
Westmeath |
not available |
€936,282 |
€510,733 |
€462,076 |
€317,129 |
|
Wexford |
not available |
€799,089 |
€849,173 |
€1,518,067 |
€883,848 |
|
Wicklow |
not available |
€322,083 |
€977,271 |
€427,931 |
€171,896 |
|
Grand Total |
€19,800,000 |
€14,892,199 |
€17,126,896 |
€19,756,172 |
€11,460,730 |
764. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the two studies commissioned on the North-South interconnector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30491/18]
View answer777. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason for the delay in publishing the studies on the North-South interconnector; the timeframe for publication of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30618/18]
View answer782. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason the publication of the reports on the North-South interconnector has been delayed; the date for publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31044/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 764, 777 and 782 together.
In 2017 I commissioned two studies designed to address the main points of the motions passed in Dáil and Seanad Éireann as well as key concerns expressed by the parties opposed to the development of the North South Interconnector as an overhead line. The first is an independent study to examine the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the interconnector. The second study is focused on the levels of compensation provided to land and property owners in proximity to high-voltage transmission lines in a European context.
I indicated previously that the Consultants undertaking the two studies have finalised their reports and it is my intention that these will be brought to Government and made publicly available. I expect to bring both reports to Government shortly.
765. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the reallocation of the 700 MHz spectrum; the amount spent on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30492/18]
View answerA Decision was adopted at EU level in order to co-ordinate the release of the 694-790MHz (700MHz) spectrum band in all Member States by 30 June 2020.
In Ireland, the 700MHz band is currently used by digital terrestrial television services (DTT) and my Department and ComReg have been working to ensure the necessary measures are taken to facilitate a clearance of the spectrum to meet the timeline of June 2020. This work is being carried out with the co-operation of RTÉ (as owner and operator of the two DTT public service multiplexes) and its subsidiary, 2rn, as the owner and operator of the national broadcasting transmission network.
A project plan and related expenditure estimates have been finalised by 2rn and reviewed by independent consultants on behalf of the Department and ComReg. Ireland will compensate RTÉ for the changes to the DTT network which relate to the re-engineering of their DTT network to facilitate its migration out of the 700MHz band.
A compensation agreement between my Department, RTÉ and 2rn was signed in February 2017. As part of this agreement, a Cost Recovery Mechanism (CRM) has been developed to ensure that only appropriate expenditure is compensated and that this is carried out in a fully transparent manner.
2rn received two separate payments in 2017, Phase 1 payment of €5.16m in February and €2.8m in December under Phase 2. A further payment will be made under Phase 3 in 2020 once the migration is complete.
Further information and documentation is available on my Department's website at this link.
766. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the biofuel obligation scheme; the steps he will take to ensure compliance in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30493/18]
View answerThe Biofuels Obligation Scheme was introduced in 2010 and requires suppliers of motor fuel to ensure that biofuels make up a certain percentage of annual fuel sales. It is a certificate based scheme with two certificates awarded per litre of sustainable biofuel if that biofuel is produced from wastes or residues and one certificate per litre for all other sustainable biofuels. The Biofuels Obligation Scheme is administered by the National Oil Reserves Agency, which is a body established under the 2007 National Oil Reserves Agency Act.
For each calendar year, a fuel supplier must hold sufficient biofuel obligation certificates to demonstrate compliance. The number of certificates required is determined by the biofuel obligation rate, which is currently set at 8%. This means that at the end of 2018, a fuel supplier must hold 8 biofuel certificates for every 92 litres of fossil fuel they place on the road transport fuel market this year. If a fuel supplier does not have sufficient certificates, it can purchase certificates from other obligated parties who hold surpluses and/or pay a ‘buy out charge’ of 45 cent per certificate for the shortfall. The level of compliance with the obligation is high and there has been very limited necessity for the buy-out charge to be levied since the scheme was introduced.
In 2017 the Biofuels Obligation Scheme resulted in over 225 million litres of biofuel being placed on the market in Ireland leading to over 7% renewable energy use in the transport sector compared to the 10% target for 2020 under the Renewable Energy Directive.
In December 2017, my Department held a consultation seeking views in relation to implementing a phased increase to the biofuel obligation rate and on how the scheme could be developed in the future. A key theme to emerge from responses to the consultation was the need to provide certainty to industry and stakeholders to facilitate longer term planning for future blending obligations.
In April 2018, I published a Biofuel Obligation Scheme Policy Statement which set out six key actions that will be undertaken in the development of the scheme. This included an increase in the biofuel obligation rate to 10% by volume from 1 January 2019 and 11% by volume from 1 January 2020. The first of these changes has been enacted by S.I. No. 169 of 2018.
Further changes to the Biofuels Obligation Scheme are likely for the period post-2020 to conform to the recently agreed changes to the Renewable Energy Directive. In this regard, it is my intention that a further public consultation be held next year.
767. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the engagements and representations he has made in regard to the EU's review of the oil stocks directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30494/18]
View answerThe Commission’s proposals around amendments to Directive 2009/119/EC, known as the Oil Stocks Directive, are currently being considered by the Oil Stocks Directive Committee, set up under Article 23 of the Directive, in which Ireland is participating.
As things stand the amendments proposed by the Commission are as follows:
- To change the date on which member states are obliged to have in place oil stocks reserves corresponding to 90 days of net imports from 1st April to 1st July annually. Ireland's position is that while we are consistently able to meet the 1st April deadline, we recognise that it does pose difficulties for other member states in terms of their administration. For this reason we support this amendment
- To change the rules under which an allowance is made for naphtha yield when calculating the stock holding obligation of member states. Naphtha is a by-product of the refining process which may be used as a feedstock for further refining or in the petrochemical industry. The current methodology for taking into account naphtha yield is leading to large fluctuations in some member states stockholding obligations from one year to the next. Ireland's annual naphtha yield of approximately 3% does not subject the State to such fluctuations in its obligations. Given that the proposed technical changes in the methodology will have no impact on Ireland’s stock holding obligation and in recognition of the difficulties experienced by some member states, Ireland supports the Commission’s proposal in this area.
