Written Answers Nos. 458-478
458. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the measures he has taken in his Department further to the statement (details supplied) by the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that the Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018 is needed to provide a legal basis for certain data transfers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31615/18]
View answerThe Data Sharing and Governance Bill was published on 8 June 2018 and is currently at Report Stage in the Seanad.
The purpose of the Bill is to promote and encourage data sharing between public bodies by providing a statutory framework for data sharing for legitimate and clearly specified purposes that are compliant with data protection law, and to improve the protection of individual privacy rights by setting new governance standards for data sharing by public bodies.
National and EU data protection law requires that data sharing needs an explicit legal basis. Data sharing is currently carried out by the public service under existing sectorial legislation.
Access to the legislative schedule is limited, however, and, as a result, the process of obtaining the required powers to share data can be very slow for public bodies. Furthermore, the reliance on sectorial legislation for sharing has resulted in a piecemeal set of data sharing laws that are complex and not very transparent to the public.
The Data Sharing and Governance Bill, therefore, provides a flexible legislative gateway for data sharing by public bodies that will simplify the complex legal landscape that currently slows the pace of our efforts to modernise and improve public services. The Bill also provides a framework for public bodies to share data in a manner that is compatible with data protection law, including the new General Data Protection Regulation that came into effect on 25 May.
459. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline his plans to reduce the licence fee for deaf persons who are working and who have to pay the full television licence fee despite not being able to access full ISL sign language interpreter services and subtitles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31344/18]
View answerThe current TV licensing system is underpinned by Part 9 of the Broadcasting Act 2009, which sets out inter alia the requirement to have a television licence and the penalties for not having a valid licence. In accordance with Section 142 of the Act, any premises at which a television is located requires a TV Licence regardless of its use. Currently, only one class of licence and one level of licence fee of €160 exists.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has statutory responsibility in relation to access to broadcasting services. Under Section 43 (1)(c)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 2009, the Authority must prepare and, from time to time, revise rules with respect to the specific steps each broadcaster is required to take to promote the understanding and enjoyment, by those who are deaf or have a hearing or visual impairment, of programmes transmitted on any broadcast service provided by the broadcaster.
The Access Rules include provisions for subtitling, captioning, Irish sign language and audio descriptions. The provision of subtitling is then a matter for individual broadcasters in accordance with the Access Rules, with which all broadcasters licensed within the jurisdiction of Ireland must comply. Compliance is monitored by the Authority. The rules apply to the Public Service broadcasters RTE and TG4 and to broadcasters who hold content provision contracts with the BAI under Section 71 of the Broadcasting Act.
460. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the progress that has been made on the establishment of a compensation scheme for fishers affected by the eel ban; the stage the plan is now at; when details of the package including terms of eligibility will be released; the amount of money which will be set aside; and if the compensation will be in the form of lump sum payments. [31351/18]
View answerIreland’s Eel Management Plan (EMP), including the closure of commercial fishing, was approved, in 2009, by the European Commission under EU Regulation 1100/2007. Fishing for eel was by way of public licence and therefore the issue of compensation does not arise. However, I directed my officials to engage with the European Commission in relation to Ireland's proposals to fund a support scheme for former eel fishermen. The outcome of that engagement confirmed that funding for the proposed measure is not eligible for support under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. However both Minister Naughten and I have secured Exchequer funding to support the measure and our position that this does not constitute State Aid has been confirmed to the Commission. Consultation with the Revenue Commissioners is at an advanced stage. Until consultations are completed, it is not possible to elaborate on the terms and conditions for, or the prospective number of participants in, any potential support measure. Once completed it is intended to publish the relevant details as early as possible.
461. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if broadband will be provided in an area (details supplied). [31204/18]
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.
The premises referred to by the Deputy is in an AMBER area on the High Speed Broadband Map. 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.
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 at the following link.
462. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set down the number of part-time and full-time media advisers employed in his Department; the Civil Service grade of each media adviser; and the cost over a full year of employing all such advisers. [31242/18]
View answerThere is currently one full-time Special Adviser with responsibility for press and media employed in my Department. Special Advisers are appointed on the Civil Service Principal Officer salary scale with the annual salary cost of the press and media adviser currently amounting to €98,391.00.
Special Advisers are appointed under the terms and conditions set out in the 'Instructions to Personnel Officers - Ministerial Appointments for the 32nd Dáil' which includes the guidelines for appointment of Special Advisers.
463. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out in tabular form the specific projects that will receive the €47 million in extra capital expenditure in 2019 as outlined in Annex 1 of the National Development Plan 2018-2027; the amount each project will receive of this €47 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31270/18]
View answer464. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out in tabular form the specific projects which will receive the €256 million in capital funding allocated in 2019; the amount each project will receive of the €256 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31285/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 463 and 464 together.
The amount of €256 million in capital funding allocated to my Department in 2019, and published in the National Development Plan, represents a 22% or €47 million increase over 2018. Programme allocations for 2019 will be agreed in the context of the annual Estimates process and will be made public on Budget Day, while detailed programme allocations will be published in the Revised Estimates Volume in December next.
In 2019, my Department will progress projects in a number of areas of strategic national importance, encompassing climate action, energy efficiency, communications, broadcasting, environment, waste management, natural resources and inland fisheries. In the Communications area, the new high speed broadband network under the National Broadband Plan and continued support for digital adoption among businesses and citizens will ensure that the opportunities presented by the digital transformation are available to every community in Ireland.
Focus will be maintained on advancing the critical climate action agenda, in line with the whole-of-Government National Mitigation Plan. Expanded investment in energy efficiency upgrades in the residential, commercial and public sectors will deliver significant energy savings and reductions in emissions. Development of renewable energy across the electricity, heat and transport sectors is central to Ireland’s transition to a low carbon economy. The rollout of the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat will promote the replacement of fossil fuel heating systems with renewable energy technologies, while incentivising the uptake of electric vehicles will continue to be a priority for my Department.
In the environmental area, the Environmental Protection Agency will continue to deliver on its legislative mandate and research commitments in relation to ambient air quality, noise and non-ionising radiation monitoring, as well as the areas of climate mitigation and adaptation.
My Department will continue to provide grant funding for the remediation of landfill sites, as well as supports for the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy and protection of our natural environment. Continued investment in INFOMAR and TELLUS mapping projects will provide reliable geoscience support, underpinning the sustainable development of Ireland’s natural resources.
465. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the specific reason for the underspend in gross voted expenditure of €5 million as outlined in Appendix V of the June 2018 fiscal monitor; the specific projects that have an underspend; the value of the underspend on each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31302/18]
View answerMy Department prepares a profile of projected monthly capital spending at the start of each year and actively manages expenditure throughout the fiscal year to deliver on its agreed business priorities and objectives. It is not unusual, however, for actual expenditure to vary from profiled expenditure during the course of the year. In overall terms, capital expenditure (excluding capital carryover from 2018) to the end of June was about €5 m behind profile, equating to less than 3% of the annual capital allocation.
The following table sets out details of the main projects where expenditure varied against profile at the end of June, and the reasons for same.
|
- |
Profiled Expenditure |
Expenditure |
Variance |
- |
|
Subhead |
€'000s |
€'000s |
€'000s |
Main reason for variance |
|
A.3 - ICT Programme |
8,246 |
3,941 |
-4,305 |
Variance is due, in the main, to expenditure levels on the National Broadband Plan which reflect the current stage and complexity of the procurement process. It also relates to the timing of payments in relation to the Eircode contract. |
|
A.4 - Multimedia Developments |
2,161 |
1,732 |
-429 |
Timing of the drawdown request from the National Digital Research Centre. |
|
B.5 - Deontas I Leith TG4 (Deontas-I-gCabhair) |
925 |
388 |
-537 |
Timing of the drawdown request from TG4. |
|
C.4 - Sustainable Energy Programmes |
36,924 |
36,409 |
-515 |
Expenditure on energy efficiency programmes was approximately 1% behind profile at mid-year. |
|
C.5 - Energy Research Programmes |
2,570 |
1,465 |
-1,105 |
Timing of the drawdown request relating to the Ocean Energy research project. |
|
D.4 - Mining Services |
650 |
190 |
-460 |
A large amount of preparatory work is ongoing and requires completion before the next phase of the Avoca rehabilitation can be initiated. |
|
D.5 - GSI Services |
5,054 |
2,651 |
-2,403 |
Delay in the arrival of Tellus survey plane and INFORMAR vessel fit out impacted expenditure. |
|
F.6 - Landfill Remediation |
1,110 |
5,760 |
+4,650 |
Expenditure occurred in relation to a number of landfill sites earlier than anticipated. |
|
F.10 - Waste Campaign |
430 |
54 |
-376 |
Delay in the receipt of invoices for Spring waste campaign. |
466. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the implications of a declaration (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31458/18]
View answerI have given notice of proposals to make a Designated Salmonid Waters Bye-Law and instigated a public consultation seeking observations on the draft proposals at any time during the period of 21 days which concluded on 25 May 2018. The principal intention behind the proposed (draft) Bye-Law is to give statutory status to the existing policy designation of seven distinctive waters for their management primarily as brown trout waters.
The seven waters are Lough Sheelin in the Limerick Fishery District, Loughs Conn and Cullin in the Ballina Fishery District, Loughs Corrib, Mask and Carra in the Galway Fishery District and Lough Arrow in the Sligo Fishery District.
Lough Ennell is not currently a managed wild brown trout fishery.
These seven limestone lakes are quite unique in terms of topography and trout habitat and have long been managed as wild brown trout fisheries via established stock management programmes. From that perspective, these waters are considered especially important.
The scope of the draft Bye-Law is confined to the seven distinctive State–owned waters where established stock control measures are already in place. This represents a small number of the many angling lakes and waters available.
Submissions from the public consultation are currently being considered before the draft Bye-Law is finalised.
The complexity of a broader designation of waters and any required management measures will have to be considered as a matter of primary legislation. Therefore, I have directed that this matter is to be considered in the context of the major Inland Fisheries (Consolidation ) Bill currently being advanced by the Department.
Before it can be finalised, the contents of the proposed Bye-Law and its potential scope will also require legal consultation and settlement. In view of the public consultation, it is not appropriate to comment further at this stage.
467. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the changes he has made to allow access by persons to their own data held by his Department and bodies under its aegis following the introduction of GDPR; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31466/18]
View answerMy Department has assigned responsibility for handling Data Subject Access Requests to the Department's FOI Unit. In addition a Data Subject Access Request Form has been drafted to assist individuals in requesting a copy of their personal data held by the Department. This form is available on the Department’s website and can also be requested by phone or by post. Internally, staff have been briefed on the correct procedure for processing these requests and responding to them within the specified timeframe.
The implementation of GDPR is an operational matter for the bodies under the aegis of my Department. I have asked them to reply directly to the Deputy on this matter.
468. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the staffing complement and resources of his Department's data protection officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31490/18]
View answerMy Department has appointed a Data Protection Officer with another staff member working alongside them to ensure the full implementation of GDPR in the Department. In addition, receipt and handling of Data Subject Access Requests is being managed by the Department's FOI Unit. My Department has also established a GDPR Project Board, chaired at Assistant Secretary level, who meet regularly on ongoing data protection issues, and review the Department's data protection policies and procedures. The Data Protection Officer presented reports to the Management Board on the progress of GDPR in the lead up to its implementation, and will continue to meet the Board from time to time to keep them informed of on-going compliance measures.
469. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out the data protection impact assessments his Department has commenced since 15 May 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31507/18]
View answerMy Department has commenced one Data Protection Impact Assessment since 15 May 2018.
470. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when fast charge points for electric vehicles will be installed in Cavan town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31533/18]
View answer479. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline his plans to increase the number of ecar charging points; the progress of efforts to increase numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31594/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 470 and 479 together.
The National Policy Framework: Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport in Ireland 2017 to 2030 sets out the need for electric vehicle charging in Ireland. Although the existing capacity of the public charging network is considered adequate, development of infrastructure to meet the growing demand is necessary.
The majority of the existing network of publicly accessible charge points was rolled out by the ESB through its eCars programme. This network includes over 70 fast chargers, mainly on national routes.
A key aspect of the work of the Low Emission Vehicle Taskforce, co-chaired by my Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, involves examining how best to support the development of the public charging network. The first phase of the Taskforce's work, which focuses on electric vehicles, is nearing completion and will lead to an expanded range of supports for the provision of effective and efficient electric vehicle charging.
In this regard, this week I announced the first Call for Applications for the Climate Action Fund which is one of the four funds established under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 as part of Project Ireland 2040. The Climate Action Fund will provide at least €500 million to support initiatives that contribute to the achievement of Ireland's climate and energy targets over the next decade. The first Call for Applications focuses on funding larger scale projects that are scheduled to commence development in 2019 or 2020. Local infrastructure projects including the provision of electric vehicle charging networks will be eligible to apply. Further information can be found on my Department’s website.
Funding for public charging in local communities can also be accessed through the Better Energy Communities Scheme. The scheme, which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, supports community based partnerships to improve the energy efficiency of homes, businesses and community facilities in a local area.
Although I cannot provide a timeline for the provision of a fast charger in Cavan town at this point, I expect the supports that are in place, and further proposals that I intend to bring forward later this year, will increase the availability of publically accessible electric vehicle charging.
471. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the agreement that has been reached regarding the transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra from RTÉ to the NCH; the funding from the TV licence that will go towards supporting orchestras in future; the breakdown of the TV licence assigned towards supporting orchestras over the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31574/18]
View answerThe Government agreed in principle on 5 July 2018 that the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra should move from RTE to within the remit of the National Concert Hall. This followed the publication on 23 April of an independent review of orchestral services, 'Ensuring a Sustainable Future' which was commissioned by RTÉ. The review was carried out by Ms Helen Boden, a former Director of BBC Radio and a consultancy firm, Mediatique. Its key recommendation was that the National Symphony Orchestra should be a national cultural institution in its own right or within the National Concert Hall.
Following the Government Decision, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is establishing structures, including an oversight group, to identify and address the relevant issues to enable the successful transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra from RTÉ to the remit of the National Concert Hall. Officials from my Department will participate in this oversight group.
The distribution of TV licence fee funding to the Orchestras is an operational matter for RTÉ and the amount allocated is published in RTÉ Annual Reports. The amounts allocated to the Orchestras for 2007-2017 are as outlined in the following table.
|
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
€15m |
€15m |
€13m |
€13m |
€13m |
€12m |
€12m |
€12m |
€12m |
€13m |
€13m |
472. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the status of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31587/18]
View answer473. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out the number of premises in County Cork connected to high-speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31588/18]
View answer474. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out the number of premises in north-west County Cork connected to high-speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31589/18]
View answer475. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out the number of premises nationally which are connected to high-speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31590/18]
View answer476. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out the number of premises in County Cork not connected to high-speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter- [31591/18]
View answer477. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out the number of premises in north-west County Cork not connected to high-speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31592/18]
View answer478. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to set out the number of premises nationally not connected to high-speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31593/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 472 to 478, inclusive, together.
The 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.
The following table outlines the number of premises where access to a high speed broadband connection is, or will be, delivered by commercial operators (BLUE/LIGHT BLUE) and those where access to this vital service will be delivered under the State led intervention (AMBER).
|
County Name |
AMBER Premises within the NBP State Intervention Area |
BLUE Premises within Commercial Operator’s Area |
LIGHT BLUE Premises within eir's commercial rural deployment |
|
County Cork |
73,500 (28%) |
177,400 (66%) |
16,100 (6%) |
|
North West Cork |
20,900 (47%) |
18,200 (41%) |
5,300 (12%) |
|
Nationally |
540,000 (23%) |
1,600,000 (60%) |
160,000 (17%) |
Information on a county by county basis with a breakdown of coverage across the townlands in every county is available on my Department’s website at the following link.
Data for Q1 2018 recently submitted by eir to my Department indicates that the company passed more than 145,000 premises nationwide as part of its planned rural deployment. Officials from my Department continue to meet with eir on monthly basis to review the company’s performance on their ongoing rural deployment project in line with their obligations under the April 2017 Commitment Agreement. eir has signalled that there would be likely knock-on effects to the 2018 milestone targets due to the severe weather impacts of both storms Ophelia and Emma. I have met with the senior management in eir and expressed to them the importance of implementing measures to catch up with milestone targets as a priority.
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. 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.
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 at the following link.
