Written Answers Nos. 86-108
86. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the actions being taken to ensure that hairdressers, barbers and beauty and nail salons are complying with public health guidelines regarding Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18863/20]
View answerThe national Return to Work Safely Protocol should be used by all workplaces, including hairdressers, barbers and beauty and nail salons, to adapt their workplace procedures and practices to comply fully with the COVID-19 related public health protection measures identified as necessary by the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health. The Protocol operates in parallel with existing workplace health and safety statutory requirements. The Protocol sets out in very clear terms for employers and workers in all business sectors the steps that they must take on an ongoing basis.
I would emphasise that, in the first instance, employers and workers have a joint responsibility for adhering to the procedures and practices in the Protocol which are designed to protect the health and safety of all concerned.
The Health and Safety Authority is the lead agency tasked with monitoring adherence to the Protocol. The inspectorate of the Health and Safety Authority is being supplemented significantly by deploying other inspectors from across the system. These resources are being drawn from the Workplace Relations Commission, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the cohort of Environmental Health Officers. This has resulted in approximately an additional 500 inspectors checking compliance with the Protocol as part of their normal workplace inspection programme across all business sectors.
87. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to publish specific guidelines for the reopening of pubs; when he last met with representatives of an organisation (details supplied); the supports available to pubs which have been unable to reopen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18925/20]
View answerIreland’s pubs are a valued part of the nation’s tourism industry and Fáilte Ireland is on hand to help the sector to successfully navigate a smooth return to business.
For pub owners planning to resume trading in Phase 4 of our Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, now is the time to put essential strategies in place to deal with the challenges to come. There are many factors for pubs to consider when preparing to re-open – from practical health and safety concerns to effective marketing and communication plans.
Fáilte Ireland’s suite of supports have been specifically tailored towards the bar sector, to ensure businesses can prepare to reopen safely. Fáilte Ireland provides a range of guidance on health and safety, financial recovery, marketing advice and more, with all resources updated constantly. Fáilte Ireland has consulted the industry to develop this set of detailed and practical guidelines to prepare pubs to re-open safely. All of the principles in these guidelines are underpinned by advice made available from the HSA, HSE, FSAI, WHO?and other?relevant bodies.
The Fáilte Ireland operational guidelines for reopening of pubs are available on its website at: https://covid19.failteireland.ie/business-supports/business-reopening/pubs/guidelines-for-re-opening/ . These guidelines will be regularly updated in line with Government public health advice as and when this advice evolves.?
The National Return to Work Safely Protocol is a useful guide for businesses in making their assessments and adapting their workplace procedures and practices to comply fully with the COVID-19 related public health protection measures. It sets out in very clear terms for employers and employees the steps that they must take firstly before a workplace reopens, and then while it continues to operate. The Protocol is available at https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Return-to-Work-Safely-Protocol.html . It operates in parallel with existing workplace health and safety statutory requirements and will assist employers to carry out a full risk assessment in relation to their business operations.
The Health and Safety Authority, which is an agency of my Department, is the lead agency in overseeing compliance with the National Return to Work Safely Protocol in the workplace. If employers or employees need further guidance on the Protocol, the HSA Helpline can be contacted at 1890 289 389 or wcu@hsa.ie .
The Health and Safety Authority has also developed a range of checklists and templates which are available on its website (www.hsa.ie ) for use by employers, workers and worker representatives, and further material is being developed.
While the lead engagement with the pub sector is through Fáilte Ireland and the Minister for Tourism, my predecessor as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, T.D. met with the representative bodies for the sector, as has the Secretary General of my Department, and the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English, T.D., who met representatives of the sector on 16 July last.
On Thursday 23 July last we announced the July Stimulus Package, a substantial financial package to stimulate our economy worth more than €5 billion, with an additional €2 billion in loan guarantees. It is bigger in scale than most budgets and will be deployed at speed.
The July Stimulus package is designed to help businesses to open, to help those that are already open to stay open, to get staff back to work and for those who cannot go back to their old jobs, there are new opportunities. These new measures are in addition to those already announced since the onset of the Global Pandemic that were open to those in the hospitality and pub sectors including the Temporary Wage Subsidy, low cost loans and commercial rates waivers.
Significantly for the hospitality and pub sector to support viable businesses and jobs, including new hires, we have extended the wage subsidy scheme, which will run until the end of March 2021 and will be open to firms that do not currently participate and will be open to workers like seasonal workers, who were not previously included. We are also giving companies extra assistance to reopen and stay open through an enhanced Restart grant which is available to more firms and is more generous. We are providing more and cheaper loan finance through MicroFinance Ireland, SBCI and the new €2bn Credit Guarantee Scheme. We have also announced a six month reduction in VAT from 23% to 21%, together with a range of additional measures designed to stimulate domestic demand. Businesses affected by COVID-19 will able to delay payment of their PAYE and VAT debts in part of in full for a set period with no interest or penalties
Furthermore, to assist the badly impacted hospitality and tourism sectors, a new Stay and Spend Incentive will see any taxpayer spending over €625, on accommodation, food and non-alcoholic drinks, between October 2020 and April 2021, able to claim back €125 through a tax credit. It is anticipated that whilst these hospitality supports are not directly targeted at the on-trade drinks sector, a boost to the hospitality sector in general will have spill over benefits for pubs.
Further information on these, along with the full list of actions within the July Stimulus and how to avail of them can be found at www.gov.ie/jobsstimulus .
I have underlined that in developing the stimulus package, we must look ahead to ensuring economic recovery. The National Economic Plan, to be developed in parallel with the next Budget, will be crucial in this respect. It will go beyond the issue of business supports and set out a range of actions to be developed across Government to realise economic recovery.
88. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he is considering changes to employment permits in view of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18949/20]
View answerIreland operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages, however, this objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one.
The system is, by design, vacancy led and managed through the operation of the critical skills and ineligible occupations lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for consideration for an employment permit. As demand grows or recedes, the orientation of economic migration is adjusted accordingly through changes to these lists which are subject to twice yearly evidenced based reviews.
These reviews are guided by research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) and the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU) in SOLAS, a public consultation process, input from the relevant Government Departments and the Economic Migration Inter-Departmental Group, chaired by the Department. Account is also taken of contextual factors such as Brexit and , in the current context, COVID 19.
Clearly the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to severely impact our economy, will cause us to look closely at the evolving challenges that present in the labour market for some time to come. Changes to the employment permit regime will be based on the evidence, submissions received, consultation with key stakeholders and the input of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group.
The first occupation list review of 2020 is almost finalised, with the second due to commence before the end of August with the announcement of the public consultation phase.
The Department has implemented a COVID-19 contingency plan to ensure that the Employment Permit system continues to operate. With effect from Monday 30th March, the Department has implemented remote working arrangements for staff and has adjusted operations to, inter alia, provide for the acceptance of electronic/scanned documents. My Department has also agreed with Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice and Equality, as a temporary measure, soft copy arrangements for issuing employment permits.
Since this crisis began, the Department has been prioritising the processing of employment permit applications for medical personnel on a daily basis. and since mid-March, this has resulted in 2,799 employment permits issuing to medical personnel.
Full details on the Employment Permits contingency arrangements are available at the following link - https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Publication-files/COVID-19-Employment-Permits-System-Contingency-Arrangements.pdf
89. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he will grant a work permit to a person (details supplied) in view of their frontline role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18950/20]
View answerIreland operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The system is intended to act as a conduit for key skills which are required to develop enterprise in the State for the benefit of our economy, while simultaneously protecting the balance of the labour market. The system is, by design, vacancy led and driven by the changing needs of the labour market, expanding and contracting in tandem with its inherent fluctuations.
The system is managed through the operation of the critical skills and ineligible occupations lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for consideration for an employment permit. The occupations lists are subject to twice-yearly review which is predicated on a formalised and evidence-based process and involves consideration of the research undertaken by the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (Solas), the Expert Group of Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), the National Skills Council, and input by relevant Government Departments in addition to the public consultation phase. Account is also taken of contextual factors such as Brexit and in the current context COVID 19. The views and guidance of the Interdepartmental Group on Economic Migration Policy, chaired by this Department, are also an important part of the decision-making process.
Currently the occupation of physiotherapist is ineligible for an employment permit. In order to have an occupation considered for removal from the ineligible list, there needs to be a clear demonstration that recruitment difficulties are solely due to shortages across the EEA and not to other factors such as employment terms and conditions. A detailed evidence-based business case needs to be submitted to the lead policy Government Department, in this instance the Department of Health, and this Department for review and consideration.
The first occupation list review of 2020 is almost finalised, with the second due to commence in the coming weeks with the announcement of the public consultation phase. Sector representatives will have an opportunity to make an evidenced based submission to seek the removal of the occupation of physiotherapist from the ineligible list in this review.
90. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if an employer that only provides a member of staff with a laptop due to the fact they are required to work in multiple locations is in breach of health and safety legislation or guidelines by refusing to also provide a monitor to ensure the employee does not suffer from posture difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18953/20]
View answerUnder the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 employers have specific duties to ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of all employees. These duties include the managing and conducting all work activities to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare of those employees. In this regard, an employer who provides a laptop to a member of staff who works at multiple locations should conduct a risk assessment that takes full account of the nature of the work. The risk assessment will inform whether or not the laptop is used for long periods of time at the different sites. An employer has a duty to implement appropriate control measures to mitigate risk including adapting work to the employee, especially as regards the choice of work equipment, as well as providing training in how to use equipment safely and monitoring how employees work while mobile working.
Employees themselves also have duties and responsibilities and must take reasonable care of themselves and other people who may be affected by the work they are doing. This duty includes co-operating with their employer and following instructions and procedures put in place by their employer.
As with all issues or concerns relating to occupational health and safety matters, the Workplace Contact Unit of the Health and Safety Authority can be contacted on 1890 289 389 or at any time through the HSA website (ww.hsa.ie) by email at wcu@hsa.ie and advice on the matter will be provided.
91. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the opening of an Enterprise Ireland office in Lyon, France; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19145/20]
View answerThe Enterprise Ireland Lyon office was officially opened by Sean Canney TD, Minister of State for Natural Resources, Community Affairs and Digital Development on November 27th 2019. The opening of the Lyon office brings the total number of EI offices in France to two, with an EI office in Paris also.
As the Deputy will be aware, Enterprise Ireland supports companies in urban and rural areas to start, innovate and expand reach. Enterprise Ireland’s global network of 40 offices supports this activity via providing market intelligence to inform companies’ internationalisation strategies. Enterprise Ireland client company exports increased by 8% to a record €25.6bn in 2019. Exports to the Eurozone region saw record growth of 15% to €5.6bn. This reflects Enterprise Ireland’s emphasis on the importance of diversifying into new markets as a result of Brexit.
92. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to ensure sufficient broadband access is provided in rural areas to facilitate online learning. [19162/20]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government’s plan to rollout high speed broadband to the 1.1 million people living and working in the nearly 540,000 premises including almost 100,000 businesses and farms, along with 695 schools where commercial operators will not commit to deliver the service. The NBP State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed on 19 November last. The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 150Mbps from the outset. By the end of next year, NBI plans to pass in the region of 115,000 premises, with 70,000 - 100,000 passed each year thereafter until rollout is completed. All counties will see premises passed in the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State will have access to high speed broadband within the next four years. Design work is complete or ongoing in target townlands across 17 counties and steady progress is being made with circa 55,000 premises surveyed to date. This survey work is feeding into detailed designs for each deployment area and laying fibre should commence shortly with the first fibre to the home connections expected around December this year. The Covid 19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of good reliable broadband to ensure that citizens across Ireland can avail of remote working, education and other essential online facilities. Recognising this, the Programme for Government commits to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. The Programme for Government also recognises that the NBP will be a key enabler to many of the policies envisaged particularly around increased levels of remote working and remote service delivery.My Department is currently engaging with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of the NBP rollout and bring forward premises which are scheduled in years 6 and 7 of the current plan to an earlier date. These discussions are ongoing and a preliminary position will be arrived at by the end of the summer. To support remote working and rural connectivity, locations for up to 300 Broadband Connections Points (BCPs) have been identified by Local Authorities. The BCP delivery project is well underway and connectivity is being provided to each of the sites by National Broadband Ireland (NBI). Subsequent to this, the sites, other than schools, are being Wi-Fi enabled by Vodafone under a contract with the Department of Rural and Community Development. This work also involves the local authorities and site owners determining the services that will be provided for end-users at each site. For the 75 schools that are also part of this project, enabling these schools with Wi-Fi is being led by the Department of Education following NBI providing the connectivity to the schools.
93. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if documents (details supplied) in relation to the climate action plan will receive a response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18139/20]
View answerTransport energy demand reduction through active travel, remote working and increased public transport in addition to electrification of transport will be key to reducing our transport emissions. The programme for Government commits to a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland. It includes a range of measures across cycling and walking, greenways, transport infrastructure, public transport, rail, buses, taxi road transport and safety. This is recognition that new strategies will be needed to sustain a reduction trajectory that will increase over time to meet an economy-wide average 7% per annum fall in emissions to 2030. The strategies to deliver these emissions reductions will require genuine consultation, detailed planning, organisation and adequate mechanisms for funding and incentives, as well as the gradual build-up of their impact. The transition to alternatively-fuelled vehicles and away from fossil-fuelled vehicles is a necessary step-change to effect a substantial reduction in transport greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the passenger car fleet which accounts for 52% of transport emissions, or approximately 10% of Ireland’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions.
The Climate Action Plan sets out a pathway for the uptake of electric vehicles over the next decade based on analysis to identify key emissions abatement technologies. It is widely expected that, over the next number of years, the combination of improvements in technology, reductions in vehicle purchase prices, increasing driving ranges and model availabilities, coupled with Government incentives and new investment in the recharging network will maintain the current positive policy environment under which electric vehicle sales have risen steeply in recent years, albeit from a low base.
The Climate Action Plan therefore sets targets for electric and low emissions vehicles by 2030 as follows:
- Increasing the number of passenger EVs on the road to 840,000 (split between 550,000 BEVs and 290,000 PHEVs)
- Reaching 95,000 electric vans and trucks
- Procuring 1,200 low-emissions buses for public transport in cities
The Plan expects the bulk of the shift to EVs (and the resulting emissions reduction) to occur in the second half of the next decade, when prices have fallen in line with technology development, and purchasing behaviour patterns have changed. These targets are challenging but indicative of the scale of the transformation required if Ireland is to reach its legally binding emission ceilings in future years.
Achieving the Climate Action Plan targets will likely require a suite of policy and regulatory interventions at national and EU level. Action 79 of the Climate Action Plan committed to the development of a roadmap on the optimum mix of regulatory, taxation and subsidy policies to drive significant ramp-up in passenger EVs and electric van sales from very early in the next decade. The Electric Vehicle Optimum Policy Pathway Group, established to take forward this work, is due to present its final report to me shortly.
As set out in the Programme for Government, the Government is also fully committed to introducing a ban on the sale of fossil-fuelled internal combustion engine cars and to the targets set out in the Climate Action Plan for electric and low emissions vehicles by 2030. The General Scheme of the Climate Action (Amendment) Bill, published in December 2019, proposes to include a provision to ban the sale of fossil fuel cars by 2030 and to stop the granting of NCTs by 2045 to address the commitments in the Climate Action Plan. Work on the drafting of this legislation is ongoing in my Department.
Since 2009, EU legislation sets mandatory emission reduction targets for all new passenger cars and vans registered in the EU. The legislation is the cornerstone of the EU’s strategy to improve vehicle fuel economy and has driven car manufacturers to develop innovative energy efficient technologies. The regulations have iteratively been made more stringent, progressively decreasing EU fleet-wide average emissions along with increasing the availability of lower emission vehicles across the EU.
Regulation (EU) 2019/631 sets CO2 emission performance standards to ensure that, by 2025 and 2030, the average emissions from new cars will be 15% and 37.5% lower, respectively, compared to 2021 levels. The Regulation is also structured to incentivise manufacturers to increase the production of zero- and low-emission vehicles.
Achievement of these targets by manufactures will make an important contribution to both the EU and individual Member State emissions reductions targets for 2030. Due to the absence of vehicle manufacturing here, Ireland will remain strongly dependent on continued action at an EU level in this respect. Notwithstanding this, Member States may introduce additional domestic policies and measures and impose more ambitious targets for specific sectors. The Climate Action Plan imposes specific and differentiated targets for individual sectors, based on an analysis of the most cost-effective split of emissions reductions across the economy in order to meet Ireland's emissions reduction targets for the 2021 - 2030 period. The Plan targets a 45% - 50% reduction in transport sector emissions by 2030 relative to existing projections.
The new European Green Deal proposes that, by June 2021, the Commission will revise the legislation on CO2 emission performance standards for cars and vans, to ensure a clear pathway from 2025 onwards towards zero-emission mobility.
94. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the breakdown of the former the Department budgets for the Environmental Protection Agency of €11.78 million in capital and €25.14 million current for 2019. [18165/20]
View answerA total of €38,761,099 in Vote funding was provided by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to the Environmental Protection Agency during 2019. The breakdown of this funding is as follows:
|
Total Current |
€24,831,099 |
|
Pay |
€16,796,000 |
|
Pension |
€3,643,213 |
|
Non-Pay |
€3,733,000 |
|
Climate Secretariat |
€268,886 |
|
Climate Dialogue |
€210,000 |
|
Air Quality Monitoring |
€180,000 |
|
Total Capital |
€13,930,000 |
|
Climate Information Platform |
€57,000 |
|
Research |
€7,849,000 |
|
Core Capital |
€6,024,000 |
The Deputy may also wish to note that additional funding of €9,205,083 was provided to the Agency from the Environment Fund in 2019.
95. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the annual target completions and budget for the retrofitting plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18183/20]
View answer97. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of retrofitting an average home; the total estimated spend by the State on retrofitting each year from July 2020 until 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18185/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 97 together.
The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets for the number and depth of residential retrofits to be completed by 2030. The targets are to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal equivalent and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. In order to hit our overall target, we will need to scale up activity to at least 56,000 B2 retrofits per year by 2025. Retrofitting has the ability to contribute to a number of important goals including - decarbonisation; warmer, more comfortable homes; and job creation and retention.
A cross-Departmental Retrofit Taskforce has been established to develop a new retrofit delivery model capable of achieving these targets and an estimate of the total cost. This process has been informed by experience from existing schemes in Ireland, consultation with stakeholders and an analysis of relevant international experience. The model is designed to address barriers to energy efficiency investments in four key areas: customer proposition and demand generation, financing and affordability, supplier capacity, and delivery structure. The Retrofit Taskforce report is to be published in October 2020.
The cost of bringing a home to a B2 or cost optimal standard is determined by a number of factors including the size and type of home as well as the starting condition of the home. However a cost-optimal analysis commissioned by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government estimated the cost to achieve a B2 rating from a starting point of a D or E rating to be in the range of €21,000-€39,000. 90% of our dwellings are estimated to have Building Energy Ratings below a B2. The Retrofit Taskforce is working to finalise an estimate of the total cost of the retrofit programme as well as a new average cost.
Achievement of these targets will be supported by the Programme for Government commitment to ring-fencing a significant portion of future carbon tax receipts for a new €5 billion socially progressive retrofit fund. As part of the July Stimulus, I have taken the decision to increase the SEAI budget by €100 million in 2021. This money will be focused on community retrofit schemes, retrofit schemes supporting those in energy poverty as well as other initiatives to support the achievement of our retrofit targets. The SEAI will be announcing the first details of the new and expanded retrofit schemes next month.
96. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if an audit has been carried out on publicly owned buildings regarding their energy rating and their potential need for retrofitting; if an estimated cost has been calculated for the publicly owned buildings which need to be retrofitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18184/20]
View answerThe Climate Action Plan set out that all public buildings should reach a Building Energy Rating (BER) level of B by 2030. A study, funded by the European Commission's Structure Reform Support Service, is currently underway to inform the policies and measures that will be necessary to achieve this target. This study is examining how best to implement a comprehensive building retrofit programme for public sector buildings in Ireland.
As part of this study, data is being gathering on the public sector building stock and an assessment will be made of the total level of investment likely to be required to achieve the 2030 target. A total of €750 million is currently allocated in the National Development Plan for energy efficiency in public buildings.
The study is expected to be completed by the end of this year, at which point there will be a more detailed understanding of the likely cost of retrofitting the public building stock.
98. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the 2020 budget allocations for all the offices, agencies and semi-State companies under his remit including additional funding allocated as a result of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18191/20]
View answerThe following table provides a breakdown of the 2020 Vote allocations for the agencies under the aegis of my Department:
|
State Body / Agency |
Allocation € 000’s |
|
Digital Hub Development Agency |
795 |
|
Raidió Teilifís Éireann* |
209,622 |
|
TG4* |
37,233 |
|
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) |
12,671 |
|
Inland Fisheries |
31,095 |
|
Loughs Agency |
2,826 |
|
Environmental Protection Agency |
40,880 |
In addition, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland administers a number of Sustainable Energy and Energy Research schemes on behalf of the Department. The amount allocated to these schemes in 2020 is set out in the table below:
|
|
Allocation € 000’s |
|
Sustainable Energy and Energy Research schemes administered by SEAI |
195,338 |
No additional funding has been allocated to agencies under the aegis of my Department as a result of COVID-19.
*My Department is currently preparing a Transfer of Functions Order to transfer responsibility for media and broadcasting (to include RTÉ and TG4) to the newly constituted Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sports and the Gaeltacht.
99. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that companies (details supplied) jointly requested and obtained approval from the regulators here and Northern Ireland for exceptional funding to commence an advanced procurement process prior to receipt of planning approval having signed procurement contracts without planning approval yet fully obtained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18192/20]
View answerThe North South Interconnector is critical to improving the efficient operation of the Single Electricity Market and increasing security of electricity supply across the island of Ireland. It will also help us to move towards 70% renewable electricity. A resilient and well connected energy infra structure is vital for Ireland’s economic well-being and the ability to respond to the future needs of energy consumers.
EirGrid is the designated Transmission System Operator and its role includes the operation, maintenance and development of the electricity transmission network in Ireland. The construction of the North South Interconnector, and all related procurement activities, is an operational matter for EirGrid and ESB Networks and one in which I have no function. I am advised that due to the very long lead times that can arise in relation to projects of this nature and the benefits of a single joint procurement process to be undertaken and managed by ESB Networks, EirGrid sought approval from the regulators in Ireland and Northern Ireland to commence procurement. Following this approval, in September 2017, ESB Networks commenced a number of procurement processes in relation to the project. In June 2019, ESB Networks awarded a framework contract for the design, test and supply of steelwork in relation to the project. However, under this framework there will be no supply of materials and no critical procurement process for construction will be concluded until the planning process in Northern Ireland is complete.
100. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if part of SI 585/2018 Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2018 (details supplied) will be amended to allow fishers to record salmon or sea trout caught and released and the sex of fish caught and retained and or caught and released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18253/20]
View answerThe Wild Salmon and Seatrout Tagging Scheme regulations, which are made every year to take account of stock changes require anglers to record salmon and sea trout that are caught and whether they are retained and released and to return these records to IFI. The commercial salmon fishery does not operate on a catch and release basis. However, where the annual commercial quota has been reached, or the number of tags in the commercial fisherman’s possession are exhausted, the regulations require cessation of fishing activity and any surplus salmon to be released alive. Any accidental mortalities in excess of the available quota or tag allocation must be surrendered to IFI.
It is extremely difficult to accurately determine the sex of salmon and sea trout by external visual inspection and for many freshly caught fish internal examination for accurate sex determination would be necessary. Even internal examination to determine sex requires very specific expertise.
The independent Technical Expert Group on Salmon has already carried out a scientific analysis of the gender distribution in the Irish salmon stock and compiled a National index of the proportion of males and females. This analysis indicates that 60% of one sea winter fish and 85% of multi sea winter fish are classed as female. These proportions are used by scientists to estimate the number of eggs laid in the calculation of salmon conservation limits.
101. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the National Broadband Plan. [18314/20]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government’s plan to rollout high speed broadband to the 1.1 million people living and working in the nearly 540,000 premises including almost 100,000 businesses and farms, along with 695 schools where commercial operators will not commit to deliver the service. The NBP State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed on 19 November last. The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 150Mbps from the outset. By the end of next year, NBI plans to pass in the region of 115,000 premises, with 70,000 - 100,000 passed each year thereafter until rollout is completed. All counties will see premises passed in the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State will have access to high speed broadband within the next four years. Design work is complete or ongoing in target townlands across 17 counties and steady progress is being made with circa 55,000 premises surveyed to date. This survey work is feeding into detailed designs for each deployment area and laying fibre should commence shortly with the first fibre to the home connections expected around December this year.
The Covid 19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of good reliable broadband to ensure that citizens across Ireland can avail of remote working, education and other essential online facilities. Recognising this, the Programme for Government commits to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. The Programme for Government also recognises that the NBP will be a key enabler to many of the policies envisaged particularly around increased levels of remote working and remote service delivery.
My Department is currently engaging with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of the NBP rollout and bring forward premises which are scheduled in years 6 and 7 of the current plan to an earlier date. These discussions are ongoing and a preliminary position will be arrived at by the end of the summer.
To support remote working and rural connectivity, locations for up to 300 Broadband Connections Points (BCPs) have been identified by Local Authorities. The BCP delivery project is well underway and connectivity is being provided to each of the sites by National Broadband Ireland (NBI). Subsequent to this, the sites, other than schools, are being Wi-Fi enabled by Vodafone under a contract with the Department of Rural and Community Development. This work also involves the local authorities and site owners determining the services that will be provided for end-users at each site. For the 75 schools that are also part of this project, enabling these schools with Wi-Fi is being led by the Department of Education following NBI providing the connectivity to the schools.
102. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the individual home energy grant schemes available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in each of the years 2016 to 2019; the number of applications for each grant; the number of grants awarded; the average value of grant awarded under each heading; the annual spend on each home energy grant scheme in tabular form;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18317/20]
View answerMy Department funds a number of grant schemes to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. These are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Since 2000, over 400,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier to heat and light. This year approximately €121 million has been allocated to residential and community energy efficiency schemes and the Solar PV scheme.
The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets for the number and depth of residential retrofits to be completed by 2030. The targets are to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal equivalent and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. Achievement of these targets will be supported by the Programme for Government commitment to ring-fencing a significant portion of future carbon tax receipts for a new €5 billion socially progressive retrofit fund. As part of the July Stimulus, I have taken the decision to increase the SEAI budget by €100 million in 2021.
The table below presents the grants schemes available, the number of grants availed of under each scheme and spend per scheme from 2016 to 2019.
|
2016 |
Number of new Applications |
Number homes completed |
Average € value of grant awarded |
Total cost (€m) |
|
Better Energy Homes |
19,866 |
14,972 |
€1,168 |
€17.490 |
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes |
8,146 |
6,743 |
€3,068 |
€20.688 |
|
Warmth &Wellbeing |
257 |
71 |
€7,732 |
€0.549 |
|
Better Energy Communities |
63 projects* |
1,997 |
€4,892 |
€9.770 |
|
Better Energy Finance |
3 projects* |
60 |
€5,100 |
€0.306 |
|
2017 |
Number of new Applications |
Number homes completed |
Average € value of grant awarded |
Total cost (€m) |
|
Better Energy Homes |
17,601 |
14,618 |
€1,196 |
€17.480 |
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes |
12,863 |
6,555 |
€3,451 |
€22.621 |
|
Warmth &Wellbeing |
508 |
360 |
€18,186 |
€6.547 |
|
Deep Retrofit Pilot |
14 projects* 12 letters of offer issued (119 homes) |
18 homes |
€27,057/home** |
€0.861*** |
|
Better Energy Communities |
63 projects |
1,965 homes |
€7,150 |
€14.150 |
|
Better Energy Finance |
3 projects |
62 |
€2,903 |
€0.180 |
|
2018 |
Number of new Applications |
Number homes completed |
Average € value of grant awarded |
Total cost (€m) |
|
Better Energy Homes |
20,766 |
14,238 |
€1,294 |
€18.430 |
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes |
7,408 |
5,255 |
€6,758 |
€35.512 |
|
Warmth &Wellbeing |
604 |
455 |
€26,960 |
€12.267 |
|
Deep Retrofit Pilot |
39 projects 34 letters of offer issued (196 homes) |
211 homes |
€38,250/home** |
€4.722*** |
|
Better Energy Communities |
48 projects |
1,188 homes |
€9,377 |
€11.140 |
|
Better Energy Finance |
3 projects |
57 |
€4,842 |
€0.276 |
|
2019 |
Number of new Applications |
Number homes completed |
Average € value of grant awarded |
Total cost (€m) |
|
Better Energy Homes |
26,661 |
18,531 |
€1,296 |
€24.045 |
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes |
5,682 |
3,142 |
€12,671 |
€39.814 |
|
Warmth &Wellbeing |
303 |
340 |
€24,600 |
€8.364 |
|
Deep Retrofit Pilot |
64 projects 64 letters of offer issued (337 homes) |
114 homes |
€46,468/home** |
€6.002*** |
|
Better Energy Communities |
57 |
696 homes |
€14,182 |
€9.871 |
|
Better Energy Finance |
1 project |
130 |
€6,154 |
€0.800 |
|
Solar PV |
|
1,827 |
€2,485 |
€4.540 |
* Better Energy Communities, Better Energy Finance and Deep Retrofit applications are for projects, where each project includes a number of homes.
** The grant per home is the amount awarded in principle at the start of the project and is comprised of the expected capital costs, project management, BER design and consultancy, BER and airtightness test costs pre and post works and the potential airtightness bonus. Projects awarded grants in a given year are frequently not completed within that year and the overall amount drawn down can be lower than the grant awarded. The average grant amount for completed homes across the scheme as of March 2020 was in the order of €32,000 per home. This includes capital costs, project management, BER design and consultancy, BER and airtightness test costs pre and post works and the potential airtightness bonus.
*** The total cost reflects the amount paid out in a given year including payments for projects fully completed, and either fully paid or where the final measurement and verification payment is pending, as well as milestone payments for projects to be completed in the following year.
103. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of applications for electric vehicle grants made to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in each of the years 2016 to 2019; the number of grants awarded; the average value of grant awarded; the annual spend on electric vehicle grants in tabular form;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18318/20]
View answer104. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of applications for electric vehicle home charging point grants made to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in each of the years 2016 to 2019; the number of grants awarded; the average value of grant awarded; the total annual spend on electric vehicle home charging point grants in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18319/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 104 together. I propose to answer Question numbers 103 and 104 together.
The Electric Vehicle (EV) Purchase Grant Scheme, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), currently provides up to €5,000 in grant support for the private purchase of a new electric car and up to €3,800 for the commercial purchase of a new electric van. The vehicles in question may be battery electric vehicles (BEVs) or plug in electric hybrid vehicles (PHEVs).
The table below indicates the total number of applications received, number of grants awarded, average value of grant awarded and annual spend in respect of the EV Purchase Grant Scheme for the years 2016-2019:
|
Year |
Number of Applications |
Number of grants awarded |
Average value of grant awarded |
Annual Spend |
|
2016 |
796 |
638 |
€4,763.01 |
€3.039m |
|
2017 |
1261 |
908 |
€4,693.83 |
€4.262m |
|
2018 |
3387 |
1999 |
€4,584.09 |
€9.164m |
|
2019 |
5679 |
4616 |
€4,513.39 |
€20.834m |
The EV Home Charger Grant Scheme, also administered by the SEAI, has been in operation since January 2018 to support the installation of home chargers for purchasers of new and second-hand BEVs and PHEVs. The grant provides support towards the full cost of installation of a home charger up to a maximum of €600.
The table below indicates the number of applications received, number of grants awarded, average value of grant awarded and annual spend in respect of the EV Home Charger Grant Scheme for the years 2018 and 2019:
|
Year |
Number of Applications made |
Number of grants awarded |
Average value of grant awarded |
Annual spend |
|
2018 |
2,632 |
2,443 |
€600 |
€0.612m |
|
2019 |
4,369 |
4,177 |
€600 |
€1.529m |
105. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on whether a full review of the inclusion of a company (details supplied) in fixed and wireless telecommunications networks here is warranted in the interest of national security and the integrity and resilience of networks here and in view of the UK decision to make it illegal for carriers to purchase equipment from the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18387/20]
View answer106. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if legal impediments exist here to ban high risk vendors from participating or deploying in the telecommunications networks of Ireland; if the Attorney General has been consulted on the matter; if a telecommunications company has threatened legal action against the State if it was to enforce a ban; if so, if such advice and the name the telecommunications companies which threatened such legal action will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18389/20]
View answer107. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the drafting of legislation to provide the definition of a high-risk vendor has commenced; if so, when the legislation will be published; the person or body the legislation will empower in order to assist carriers in identifying a high-risk vendor; if a commitment will be given to outline the measures and consequences that will be taken against a vendor or entity which has been designated a high-risk vendor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18390/20]
View answer108. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the review of the EU 5G security toolbox; when a public consultation will commence and be published on the common measures for network security in view of the fact that the EU Commission requires feedback from member states on 1 October 2020 in relation to the effectiveness of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18391/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 105, 106, 107 and 108 together. I propose to take Questions Nos 105,106,107 and 108 together.
5G Mobile Networks are in their early stages of rollout globally, and will offer both improved services to customers and likely give rise to a variety of new use cases for telecommunications services. Importantly, the software based nature of 5G systems gives rise to new types of security risks in addition to those arising from traditional networks.
In early 2019 the EU embarked on a detailed assessment of the security risks associated with 5G. This involved each Member State conducting their own risk assessment, and the subsequent publication of a joint EU wide assessment. This was followed in January 2020 by the publication of a ‘Toolbox’ of risk mitigation measures, and on 24 July by an update on the implementation of the toolbox.
Government is committed to further enhancing the security of our telecommunications infrastructure, including 5G networks. The recently adopted National Cybersecurity Strategy sets out a range of measures that Government will take over the coming years in this regard, building on a comprehensive EU-led risk assessment process. The National Cyber Security Centre, which is part of my Department, conducted the National Risk Assessment in early 2019, and is now working with industry on the development of a set of enhanced Telecoms Security Requirements (TSRs) to secure all telecommunications services in the State. These TSRs will encompass the full range of issues covered by the Toolbox, and will be published for public consultation later this year.
