Written Answers Nos. 93-112
93. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will address a matter regarding toy shops for Christmas (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35809/20]
View answerUnder Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19, only essential retail outlets will remain open.
S.I. No. 448 of 2020 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 8) Regulations 2020 clearly sets out the temporary restrictions under Level 5 of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID. A list of essential services can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9158-essential-services/ and the list of essential retail outlets at Level 5 can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/60ecc-essential-retail-outlets-for-level-5/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/en/publication/60ecc-essential-retail-outlets-for-level-4/.
Level 5 restricts people from physically going into non-essential stores in order to stop people congregating and browsing for non-essential goods, to limit the spread of the virus. All retailers – essential and non-essential, including toy shops – can however continue to trade via ‘remote ordering’ and fulfil orders for all products including non-essential items, by online or by phone, for home delivery and for collection.
I and my colleague Minister of State English met with the Retail Forum members on 21 October to remind those in the retail sector, of the need for strict adherence to the public health guidelines during Level 5. Minister English met again with the Retail Forum members and major multiple grocery retailers on 28 October and Retail Forum members and representatives of the retail grocery and distribution sector on 4 November to reinforce this message. Minister English is due to convene another meeting with Retail Forum members and representatives of the Retail Grocery and distribution sector this week.
I would like to thank retailers and their customers for their efforts at this difficult time. By each of us following the spirit of these new rules and working together we can hopefully return to a lower level of the Living with Covid-19 framework.
94. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department has lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies; and, if so, the details of the leases, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35854/20]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) manages and oversees the State's property portfolio. Accordingly accommodation for my Department and its Offices is provided by the OPW in buildings which are either State owned or leased by the OPW on our behalf. My Department has no dealings with real estate companies on such matters.
95. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department leases additional office space that is outside its departmental building and the estates section of the OPW; and, if so, the details of the lease, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35872/20]
View answerAccommodation for my Department and its Offices is provided by the Office of Public Works(OPW) in buildings which are either State owned or leased by the OPW on our behalf. The Department nor its Offices does not lease additional office space outside of that provided for by the OPW.
96. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if resources will be directed to the work permits section of his Department to ensure that as many persons who have secured employment as possible can be working. [35907/20]
View answerIn March 2020, the Employment Permits Section of my Department implemented a COVID-19 contingency plan to ensure that the employment permit regime could continue to operate throughout the crisis. Since 30th March, the employment permit system has been operating fully remotely and online.
Operational practices have been adjusted to replace the paper-based elements of the service to allow for a fully online process involving electronic/scanned documents and all decisions/outcomes now issue via e-mail rather than by post. Agreement was reached with the Immigration Service Delivery in the Department of Justice and Equality on arrangements to introduce, on a temporary basis, a type of “e-employment permit” and a similar soft copy process to transition to permanent residence permission.
At the end of October 2020, the Employment Permits Section issued 13,931 permits. This figure is only slightly lower than the number of permits issued for the same period during 2019, which was 13,977. The current waiting times for applications from trusted partner, regular users of the service, is approx. 1 week and for standard applications approx. 4 weeks, which is within our ambitious customer service targets of 2 and 4 weeks respectively, and is a considerable improvement on the waiting times at the start of March 2020 when they were 6 and 13 weeks respectively. I am satisfied that the Employment Permits Section is adequately resourced to effectively manage its current caseload.
Full details in relation to the contingency arrangements introduced by the Employment Permits Section in response to the pandemic can be accessed on my Department's website through the following link: https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/Publications/COVID-19-Employment-Permits-System-Contingency-Arrangements.html.
97. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the new employment regulation order, ERO, for the security industry; if consideration is being made of the proposed rate increase; the timeframe for the proposed implementation of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35927/20]
View answerI am informed by the Labour Court of the following position:
The Labour Court on 14 October 2020 received proposals from the Security Industry Joint Labour Committee (JLC) for the adoption of proposals to amend S.I. 231 of 2017 Employment Regulation Order (Security Industry Joint Labour Committee) 2017 .
Having examined the proposals and the report of the Chairman of the JLC submitted in accordance with the terms of the statute, the Court, in accordance with the Industrial Relations Act, 1946 at Section 42B(12)(d) declined to adopt the proposals of the JLC. The Court has informed the Chairman of the JLC accordingly.
In those circumstances, the Court currently has no proposals before it from the JLC and consequently will not be forwarding proposals to the Minister at this time.
Any further submission of proposals by the JLC will require the Court to consider the adoption of such proposals in accordance with Section 42B of the Industrial Relations Act, 1946 Act.
98. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question 209 of 3 November 2020, if dog groomers and dog day care centres can remain open during level 5 restrictions; if dog day care centres can also remain open for essential workers who have pets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35936/20]
View answerFollowing the advice of NPHET, the Government made the decision to move the entire country to Level 5 of the Framework for Living with COVID-19 for a period of six weeks (Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19). While essential retail and services including schools, early learning and childcare will remain open, all non-essential services must close. A list of essential services can be found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9158-essential-services/.
Businesses should carefully review the essential services list and determine whether they can operate or not under the current restrictions. It is not necessary for businesses to seek official authorisation.
This decision was not taken lightly, and I am acutely conscious of the impact it will again have on businesses. That is why since the beginning of the pandemic, the Government has worked to support businesses through this difficult time with a comprehensive range of measures for firms of all sizes.
99. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department or an agency operating under his Department has encountered expenditure in respect of hand sanitisation products or other PPE products that were subsequently subject to a recall by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2020; if so, the expenditure in respect of such products; if the expenditures will be recouped from the sellers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36001/20]
View answerAs part of the internal health and safety internal response to COVID-19 my Department and its Offices have installed additional hand sanitisation and a range of PPE products across our 11 buildings around the country. To date, none of the products distributed across our buildings have been subject to a product recall.
100. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if changes to the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020 to allow the migration of Irish securities from their current central security depository, Euroclear Britain and Ireland to the Euroclear Bank after Brexit would delay the settlement or transaction date on which securities are traded; if trades will still be cleared in real time ensuring that the buyer of a security is not waiting for days to attain ownership of a share; if there are financial risks with the new arrangement in respect of these securities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36119/20]
View answer101. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the changes to the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020 to allow the migration of Irish securities from their current central security depository, Euroclear Britain and Ireland to the Euroclear Bank after Brexit will disrupt trading of certain types of securities being traded between Ireland, the European Union and Britain; if so, the securities that will be affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36120/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 101 together.
The decision to migrate the Central Securities Depository (CSD) used by Euronext Dublin (formerly the Irish Stock Exchange) was a market and industry decision made in 2018 which will result in the transfer of the settlement of trades in Irish equities and other exchange traded instruments from Euroclear UK and Ireland to Euroclear Bank Belgium.
The operation of the migrated CSD will be based upon the commercial agreement between Euroclear and Euronext. A key objective of the migration is to maintain the professional and modern management of Ireland’s stock exchange and capital market. In that regard it is the position of all stakeholders that the status quo remains in so far as possible and that Irish investors and traders can continue to operate as they have and without any additional and unnecessary friction.
The Government has put in place a number of legislative supports to assist the migration of the CSD in an orderly and timely manner.
Part 4 of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020 provides for miscellaneous amendments to the Companies Act 2014 to facilitate the operation of a substitute securities settlement system, compatible with the law of the European Union after the transition period. Specifically on timelines, section 1087G provides for a least a 72-hour period before a general meeting for a relevant issuer to permit investor’s voting instructions in a general meeting to be provided. This is compared to a 48-hour period for PLCs outside of the CSD system and is necessary operationally under the CSD’s intermediated system.
In addition to the provisions of Part 4 this Bill and the Finance Bill 2020, the Government also enacted the Migration of Participating Securities Act 2019 ensuring the orderly migration of all Irish securities to Euroclear Bank.
The combined effect of these legislative supports is to bring clarity to participants and to mitigate against any potential financial and disruption risks arising from the migration of the system.
The migration also allows for the operation of the CSD and all trades settled on it to continue to be covered under the EU regulatory framework in this area.
The wider responsibility for financial services lies with my colleague the Minister for Finance. I am committed to ensuring the Companies Act 2014 supports the proposed functioning of the securities markets and more broadly Irish business.
102. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications his views on subsidising radon testing services to encourage more household testing for this cancer-causing radioactive gas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36088/20]
View answerRadon gas is recognised as a serious threat to public health and estimated to be responsible for approximately 300 deaths from lung cancer annually in Ireland.
In response to this issue, the then Government established a National Radon Control Strategy. The Strategy, which is now in its second phase covering the period 2019 to 2024, can be viewed at:
https://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/radiation/The%20National%20Radon%20Control%20Strategy%20Phase%202.pdf
Implementation of the Strategy is overseen by the National Radon Control Strategy Group chaired by my Department.
Financial support for radon testing by households is one of the priorities for phase 2 of the Strategy, and the first steps have been taken to assess the uptake and cost of such a scheme. The next step is to review the outcome of this work from a behavioural science perspective, and assess different approaches to communication of risk and financial supports, to inform the design a national scheme that will optimise uptake. Work is ongoing in this area and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) have been engaged to carry out a study on the behavioural aspects of radon testing. Once the ESRI study findings have been analysed, careful consideration will be given to designing an appropriate radon financial support scheme for householders.
103. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) that highlights the benefits plastic packaging offers with regard to food preservation; and his views on the relationship between food waste and packaging technologies. [35810/20]
View answer104. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if, in keeping with the findings of a report (details supplied), there is a risk that with moving away from plastic, food waste will increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35811/20]
View answer105. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if he or his Department has considered that promoting packaging-free foodstuffs would lead to an increase in food waste; the estimated level of increase in food waste as a result of same; the estimated carbon footprint of that food waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35812/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 105, inclusive, together.
I recently launched a new Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy on 4 September 2020. The Action Plan includes a range of ambitious, holistic measures to reform and strengthen how we manage our waste. The Plan commits to ensuring that all packaging placed on the market is reusable or recyclable by 2030. This will be achieved through the eco-modulation of extended producer responsibility fees whereby recyclable packaging will have substantially reduced fees, while non-recyclable, composite packaging and over-packaging will attract a heavier fee.
In the context of food waste, the Plan commits to working with a range of stakeholders to develop a Food Waste Prevention Roadmap. This Roadmap will set out a series of actions to deliver the reductions necessary to halve our food waste by 2030, meet any other related targets, and promote our transition to a circular economy.
The Plan acknowledges the role which packaging plays for food hygiene and we commit to work with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland on measures relevant to food contact packaging, acknowledging in particular the health and safety requirements.
In addition, the Plan acknowledges the role of packaging in food preservation with a commitment to support the design and roll out of packaging developed by retailers and the packaging industry that meets the needs of food preservation without encouraging the generation of packaging waste, especially plastic packaging.
106. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35824/20]
View answerThe Support Scheme for Renewable Heat was developed to financially support the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users.
The Government assigned the administration of the scheme to the SEAI who evaluate applications, approve projects and process payments. I, as Minister, therefore do not have a role in relation to individual applications and any queries in relation to specific projects should be directed to the SEAI.
I am informed by the SEAI that there have been over 90 applications received and almost 50 projects approved for funding. The projects approved to date will lead to annual support payments of up to €1.2 million.
In order for a project to proceed from approval to being eligible for payment, they must demonstrate to the SEAI that they have met all the terms and conditions of the scheme. This includes demonstrating that they have all relevant permits and licences and are operating within them.
I understand that a number of projects are having difficulty demonstrating full compliance with the terms and conditions of the scheme and I have raised this issue with the SEAI.
The SEAI have undertaken to work with applicants to assist them in demonstrating the necessary compliance with the terms and conditions and I expect this work will lead to projects progressing to being eligible for payment over the coming weeks.
107. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications when the investigation into the protected disclosure of a person (details supplied) will be completed. [35848/20]
View answerAll Protected Disclosures received in my Department are dealt with through an independent process in which I am not involved. However, in line with the Department’s Protected Disclosures Policy, any disclosures received would be dealt with in as timely a manner as possible.
108. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies; and, if so, the details of the leases, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35855/20]
View answerMy Department does not have any lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies. The procurement and management of office accommodation for my Department is carried out by the Office of Public Works.
109. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department leases additional office space that is outside its departmental building and the estates section of the OPW; and, if so, the details of the lease, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35873/20]
View answerThe procurement and management of all office accommodation for my Department is carried out by the Office of Public Works.
110. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if he will prioritise midland counties, specifically counties Laois and Offaly, for the roll-out of the next tranche of rural broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35893/20]
View answerThe High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie, shows the areas which will be included in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led intervention as well as areas targeted by commercial operators. The map is colour coded and searchable by address and Eircode.
Premises in the AMBER area will be provided with high speed broadband through the State led Intervention, the contract for which was signed in November last with National Broadband Ireland (NBI). The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract. The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years. I am advised by NBI that, as of 4 November 2020, almost 122,000 premises across 25 counties have been surveyed which is ahead of the full year survey target of 120,000 that had been projected by the company. This activity involves physically walking the routes and documenting images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area. This is informing design solutions for provision of the fibre network. This detailed design is then used to initiate the ‘make ready’ project with eir for the area, where eir ensure any poles and ducts being reused are fit for purpose. It is also used to initiate works with the subcontractors deploying the actual fibre in the area. The first fibre to the home connections are expected next month in Carrigaline, Co Cork and they will be subject to technical testing and validation prior to a wider release of the area. I am advised that from the end of January retailers will be able to resell the service and householders in these areas will be able to order high speed broadband provided via the NBI network. In Offaly surveys have commenced in the areas of Brosna, Shinrone, Mount Heaton and areas close to the county boundary with Tipperary. In Laois surveys have commenced in the areas of around Portlaoise, Rossbaun, Borris-On-Osssary and Coolowley. Surveying in townlands around Ballylinnane in Laois are due to start in the first half of 2021. NBIs plan is to pass premises in both counties within the next year which is consistent with ensuring that all counties are addressed at the earliest opportunity. NBI will then build out from these initial deployments in the most efficient manner possible so that all premises are then passed. Further details are available on specific areas within County Offaly and Laois through the NBI website which provides a facility for any premises within the intervention area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie. Individuals who register with this facility will receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county, including Laois and Offaly, in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. This will assist communities to quickly get free public access to high speed broadband in advance of the main deployment under the NBP. The planned BCP locations, including schools (for educational access only), library hubs, local sports facilities and other public places. As of 30 October, some 187 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and 59 of these are now connected with high speed publicly accessible broadband, through a service provider contract managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development. BCPs have been connected in Offaly at the Kilclonfert Community Centre, Ballycommon Telework and Training Centre, Primo Coaches, and Croghan Community Hall with further locations at Coolderry Community Hall, and Shannon Harbour scheduled for connection in the coming months. BCPs have been connected in Laois at the Emo Community Centre, Vicarstown Community Centre, Oisin House Rossmore, with Donaghmore Workhouse and Famine Museum scheduled to be connected in the coming months. St Jospeh’s and Shanganamore National Schools in Offaly and Shinrone National School in Laois have been connected. Killadooley National School, Gaelscoil an Tali Dála in Offaly and Lumcloon National School in Laois will be connected in the coming months. My Department continues to work with Department of Education and Skills to prioritise the remaining schools to be connected over the term of the NBP. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/. The Programme for Government has committed to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. In this regard, my Department continues to engage with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of this roll out to establish the possibility of bringing forward premises which are currently scheduled in years 6 and 7 of the current plan to an earlier date. Exploring the potential to accelerate the network roll out is being undertaken in parallel with the measures required to mitigate delays arising as a result of Covid 19.
111. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department or an agency operating under his Department has encountered expenditure in respect of hand sanitisation products or other PPE products that were subsequently subject to a recall by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2020; if so, the expenditure in respect of such products; if the expenditures will be recouped from the sellers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36002/20]
View answerNo hand sanitisation products or other PPE products purchased by my Department were subject to a recall by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. The information regarding the agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each Agency. I will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisation.
112. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications when high-speed fibre broadband will be fully available in rural areas such as Moycarkey-Borris, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36029/20]
View answerMoycarkey-Borris, County Tipperary contains premises located in both BLUE and AMBER areas on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie.
Premises in the AMBER area will be provided with high speed broadband through the State led Intervention, the contract for which was signed in November last with National Broadband Ireland (NBI).
The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract. The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years.
I am advised by NBI that, as of 4 November 2020, almost 122,000 premises across 25 counties have been surveyed which is ahead of the full year survey target of 120,000 that had been projected by the company. This activity involves physically walking the routes and documenting images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area. This is informing design solutions for provision of the fibre network. This detailed design is then used to initiate the ‘make ready’ project with eir for the area, where eir ensure any poles and ducts being reused are fit for purpose. It is also used to initiate works with the subcontractors deploying the actual fibre in the area.
The first fibre to the home connections are expected next month in Carrigaline, Co Cork and they will be subject to technical testing and validation prior to a wider release of the area. I am advised that from the end of January retailers will be able to resell the service and householders in these areas will be able to order high speed broadband provided via the NBI network. In Tipperary, I can advise that surveys have commenced in the areas of Aherloe, Ballinalard, Bansha and surveying has just commenced in the Roscea area and surrounding townlands.
Further details are available on specific areas within Tipperary through the NBI website which provides a facility for any premises within the Intervention Area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie. Individuals who register with this facility will receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own premises when works are due to commence. Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. As of 30 October, some 187 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and 59 of these are now connected with high speed publicly accessible broadband, through a service provider contract managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/. BCPs connected in County Tipperary include Moyglass Community Hall, Aglish Community Hall and Killurney Community Centre, with other locations at Drom Community Centre, Killoscully Community Centre and Killea GAA Club due to be connected in the coming months. A number of schools in Co Tipperary including Poulacapple National School and Killeen National School will be connected to high speed broadband, for educational access only, as part of the BCP initiative. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education and Skills to prioritise the remaining schools to be connected over the term of the NBP.
