Written Answers Nos. 1-6
1. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Taoiseach the number of times and the dates that the senior officials group on the Sustainable Development Goals, which is chaired by his Department has met in 2019, 2020 and 2021; and the Sustainable Development Goals addressed in each of the meetings of the group in tabular form. [7727/21]
View answerThe Government is firmly committed to achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These cut across policy areas within the responsibility of many Government Departments and agencies, and touch on both domestic and international policy approaches.
The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has lead responsibility for promoting and overseeing the coherent implementation of the SDGs on a whole-of-Government basis, and the SDG implementation and reporting framework.
Officials in his Department lead this work, including through an Inter-Departmental Group which brings together officials from Departments responsible for measures associated with individual SDGs under Ireland’s National Implementation Plan.
Overall high-level political oversight of the SDGs is provided where necessary and appropriate at Government.
The Senior Officials’ Group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, and supported by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, meets as required to coordinate and monitor progress generally. It met on 22 November 2019 and, most recently, on 16 February 2021.
The Interdepartmental Working Group, chaired by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, meets to prepare draft documentation, including implementation plans and progress reports. It met on the following dates:
2019: 10 January; 8 April; 17 June; 10 October; 22 October (workshop); 11 December.
2020 13 January; 16 June; 23 July, and 3 September.
2. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Taoiseach the amount of peat products imported in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021. [8117/21]
View answer3. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Taoiseach the amount of peat products exported in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021. [8118/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.
The data requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. There are no data available yet for 2021.
Table A: Exports of Peat and Peat Products 2018-2020
|
Year |
Peat |
Peat |
Peat Products |
Peat Products |
|
Exports |
Exports |
Exports |
Exports |
|
|
€000’s |
Tonnes |
€000’s |
Tonnes |
|
|
2018 |
75,630 |
765,785 |
68 |
12 |
|
2019 |
81,336 |
791,370 |
95 |
17 |
|
2020 |
76,107 |
919,371 |
103 |
18 |
Table A contd: Imports of Peat and Peat Products 2018-2020
|
Year |
Peat |
Peat |
Peat Products |
Peat Products |
|
Imports |
Imports |
Imports |
Imports |
|
|
€000’s |
Tonnes |
€000’s |
Tonnes |
|
|
2018 |
2,733 |
6,892 |
31 |
90 |
|
2019 |
3,569 |
9,646 |
26 |
47 |
|
2020 |
3,262 |
10,442 |
290 |
990 |
4. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Taoiseach if it will be ensured that local newspapers receive their fair share of advertising in national Covid-19 campaigns. [8438/21]
View answerPublic information campaigns in relation to Covid-19 have been advertised across a broad range of media, including national and local newspapers, and this will continue to be the case.
5. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Taoiseach the contracts for public relations advice and consultancy entered into by his Department over the cost of €10,000 since January 2021; the nature of the contract; and the length of the contract in tabular form. [8900/21]
View answerMy Department has not entered into any contracts for public relations advice or consultancy since January 2021.
6. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Taoiseach if there has been any contact with his counterpart in the Administration of the United States. [8920/21]
View answerFollowing success in the elections in November, I wrote to then President-elect Biden and to Vice President-elect Harris to offer my personal congratulations.
I spoke with the President-elect by phone on 10 November. We discussed the great value we both attach to warm and close bilateral relations, the importance of protecting the Good Friday Agreement and the US’s unwavering support for the peace process. We also discussed the value of multilateralism in tackling global issues.
I also sent a message of congratulations to President Biden and Vice-President Harris as they took up their respective offices in January.
