Written Answers Nos. 24-48
24. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement he or the agencies under his remit has had with the National Broadband Plan in the past two months. [38200/21]
View answerThe department was consulted when the national broadband plan was developed. However there has been no engagement on it in the last two months.
25. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if there are guidelines, written procedures or protocols or key performance indicators for acknowledgement of correspondence received and response to correspondence received, respectively by category of correspondence (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38240/21]
View answerMy Department is committed to treating all our customers equally and to delivering the highest quality of customer service and has both a Customer Charter and Customer Service Action Plan in place. The Charter and Action Plan are aligned to the wider Public Service as part of the work of Our Public Service 2020, which is the framework for the development and innovation in Ireland’s public service.
Our Customer Charter outlines the standards of service customers can expect when corresponding with my Department. It provides details of contacts in the range of offices and agencies who assist my Department in the delivery of its programmes. It also sets out the steps to take in the event of customer dissatisfaction where they wish to make a complaint.
The Department’s Customer Service Action Plan 2019-2021 provides further clarity on how the Customer Charter commitments will be delivered in accordance with the guiding Principles of Quality Customer Service across the public service. By adhering to the 12 principles of customer service we are proactive in providing clear, timely and accurate information. We acknowledge all written correspondences within 5 working days and respond within 15 working days. Our response provides a contact name, phone number, e-mail address and reference number. If correspondence is received in Irish, we duly respond in Irish. We do not hold detailed records by category of correspondence types.
26. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of vacancies currently in the Health and Safety Authority; the length of time each vacancy has been open; and the full year cost of filling each of the vacant posts in tabular form. [38259/21]
View answerThe staff of the Health and Safety Authority comprises both administration and inspector grades as well as professional and technical specialists. In the 2021 budget the Health and Safety Authority was given an additional pay allocation of €4.2m, primarily to increase the staff available to it, enabling the Authority to deliver further on its mandate including the establishment of an occupational health division.
The Health and Safety Authority now has sanction for 271 staff (this includes recent sanction for an additional 54 posts) covering inspectors, professional and technical specialists (including occupational health specialists) managers, administrative and clerical staff across four divisions: Operational Compliance and Prevention; Occupational Health; Chemicals and Prevention; and Corporate Services as well as the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB).
As of 12th July 2021 the Health and Safety Authority has 73 current vacancies, as shown in the table below. 61 positions are vacant less than six months, of which 10 are vacant less than three months.
The Health and Safety Authority will continue to progress the establishment of the new Occupational Health Division, and an associated increase in staffing resources and the filling of existing vacancies, against the background of a challenging recruitment environment, throughout 2021.
27. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has been notified by a company (details supplied) of any proposals for redundancies; if such proposals ahead of a transfer of undertakings by it of a firm is in line with current employment legislation and TUPE directives that seeks to offer protection to workers facing such transfer of business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38436/21]
View answerThere is an obligation under section 12 of the Protection of Employment Act 1977 which makes it mandatory on employers proposing a collective redundancy to notify the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment of the proposed collective redundancy. I can confirm that no notification has been received from GMC Utilities.
A collective redundancy notification from Balfour Beatty Group Limited in respect of 28 employees was received 15 April, 2021.
The European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003 (S.I. No. 131 of 2003) apply to any transfer of an undertaking, business or part of a business from one employer to another employer as a result of a legal transfer (including the assignment or forfeiture of a lease) or merger.
The main provisions of the Regulations provide that all the rights and obligations of an employer under a contract of employment (including terms inserted by collective agreements), other than pension rights, are transferred to the new employer on the transfer of the business or part thereof. The new employer must also continue to observe the terms and conditions of any collective agreements until they expire or are replaced.
Both the outgoing and incoming employers are obliged to inform their respective employees’ representatives of, inter alia, the reasons for the transfer and the legal, social and economic implications of the transfer.
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is the organisation mandated to secure compliance with employment rights legislation. Employees can refer complaints to and seek adjudications from the WRC, including in situations where an employee considers that a breach of the European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003 has occurred or there is a dispute between an employer and employee in relation to redundancy entitlements.
The WRC’s Customer Service and Information Unit provides information on employment, equality and industrial relations rights and obligations. A complaint may be made using the Workplace Relations e-Complaint Form available on the WRC website.
28. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his proposals to begin the consultation process in relation to the proposed Industrial relations (amendment) Bill that sought to grant representative rights to retired workers on issues relating to their pensions schemes; if this consultation process will involve the representative bodies of those retired workers affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38437/21]
View answerThe Government have agreed to a timed amendment to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021. This will allow time, as I outlined on the floor of the Dáil, to examine the issues carefully and to ensure that all stakeholders are consulted. This process will commence as soon as possible.
29. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit are implementing Action 16 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (details supplied). [38478/21]
View answerMy Department is committed to the promotion of accessibility and universal design principles and Action 15 of my Departments ICT Strategy 2020-2025 reaffirms this commitment. My Department aims to achieve AA standard under WCAG 2.1 guidelines when developing websites or online systems. As part of this commitment, it has begun the process of migrating website content to gov.ie. A review of all websites is ongoing and, where practicable, each website will be migrated to the .gov.ie platform. Where it is not possible to migrate a particular site to the .gov.ie platform it will be upgraded to meet the WCAG 2.1 guidelines. In addition, as part of my Departments ICT Strategy, existing online transactional systems will be redeveloped and some new online systems will be launched. Meeting the WCAG 2.1 guidelines will also be a key element of these projects. The Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) approach will be used. My Department encourages feedback from its customers and will work with individual visitors to resolve any issues should they have any difficulties accessing content or systems.
I have asked the Agencies under the remit of my Department to update me on the position in relation to their own accessibility compliance, and this information will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.
30. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit are implementing Action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (details supplied). [38507/21]
View answerMy Department is committed to inclusion, with equality of opportunity for all, regardless of disability, gender, civil or family status, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, race or membership of the Traveller Community.
In 2018 my Department established a Disability Consultative Committee (DCC), in line with the Government’s ‘National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-21’. The DCC's purpose is to provide a focus for disability inclusion in respect of the policy work, schemes and initiatives of the Department. Membership of the Group includes nominated representatives of disability groups along with Departmental officials and representatives from the Department’s Offices and Agencies. The DCC also reviews my Department’s actions under the 'Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with a Disability 2015-24'.
The DCC meet regularly, with an upcoming meeting on 23rd July, and also proactively engages with its membership through regular email correspondence on relevant matters.
My Department has two Access Officers who are specially assigned staff members responsible for coordinating assistance and guidance for people with disabilities. This helps them to access, to the widest possible extent, the full range of services that we provide, including how best to access our buildings, as well as the range of publications in alternate formats that we have available.
In support of staff who work in my Department, we promote disability inclusion through our Disability Liaison Officer who acts as a contact for staff with disabilities, to assist them, and to assist in the implementation of best Human Resource practices in line with equality legislation. This role also includes the organisation of work placements in my Department for people with disabilities, specifically for the Willing and Mentoring project. This project provides the opportunity for people with disabilities to gain experience in different workplaces through coaching and mentoring, as well as building the capacity of employers to integrate disability into the workplace.
31. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the contingency measures and supports in place and being considered to safeguard County Cork SMEs due to Brexit and Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38592/21]
View answerThe financial assistance which the Government is providing nationally to businesses and workers affected by the pandemic is unprecedented. The Economic Recovery Plan is a €3.5 billion stimulus to fuel the economy and help businesses to recover and rebuild. Across 2020 and 2021, €38 billion was provided to help our people and businesses cope with the pandemic.
There will be a number of changes to the current financial assistance as public health restrictions unwind. The Covid-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) and the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) are being extended until the end of 2021. The commercial rates waiver will continue in its current form during the third quarter of this year. The 9% VAT rate will be extended until the 1 September 2022. Tax warehousing is being extended until the end of the year and will be interest free in 2022. A new additional, more streamlined business assistance scheme, the Business Resumption Support Scheme (BRSS) will be introduced in September 2021 for businesses with very significantly reduced turnover as a result of public health restrictions.
There is a growing take-up of the range of credit and loans available for businesses, in particular of the cheaper loan finance through MicroFinance Ireland, SBCI and the new €2 billion Credit Guarantee Scheme. The Government is investing in a range of working capital and longer-term funding options for SMEs, with strong demand for medium- and long-term finance through Credit Guarantee Scheme and Future Growth Loan Schemes, at interest rates of below 4% p.a.
For micro businesses, the 31 Local Enterprise Offices continue to offer support and guidance to entrepreneurs nationwide by providing direct grant aid to enterprises in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector. They also offer ‘soft supports’ to entrepreneurs targeted at developing entrepreneurial capability through mentoring, training and development programmes. Recently I launched buy local campaigns which are being funded through the Local Enterprise Offices and the Design and Crafts Council. These campaigns aim to raise awareness of the benefit of spending in local areas.
Overseen by my Department, nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024 are currently being developed by regional stakeholders which will identify growth opportunities, recognise vulnerabilities, and in response, strengthen the regional enterprise ecosystem to enable job creation in the regions. The Regional Enterprise Plans complement and reinforce ongoing activities of the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs and the wider range of State Bodies directly involved in supporting enterprise development in the regions. The new Plans to 2024 are expected to be completed in Quarter 3 this year.
A €9 million “Ready for Customs” Grant to enable companies build Customs Clearing Capacity to help SMEs involved in exporting and importing with the UK and further afield to put in place the staff, software and IT systems to be ready for the new and evolving customs arrangements. A total of 85 companies so far in County Cork have availed of this grant worth over €1 million.
Enterprise Ireland companies employ 25,706 people in 607 plants in County Cork. Payments to Enterprise Ireland companies in County Cork between 2018 and 2020 amounted to almost €42 million. This funding is assisting companies in the County to innovate, be competitive, diversify markets and grow exports in the face of the dual challenges of Brexit and Covid-19. Under Enterprise Ireland’s Sustaining Enterprise Fund (SEF), over €21 million in funding has already been approved for both small, large and high potential start-up companies in County Cork. Other Brexit related funding approved for County Cork enterprises include over €2 million in respect of Enterprise Ireland’s “agile innovation” fund, almost €2 million from the Agency’s “market discovery fund” and almost €2 million from its strategic consultancy funds.
Under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF), County Cork achieved success with a number of projects including €2.7 million approved and up to €1 million also contributed by Údarás na Gaeltachta towards developing the regional hub, Seirbhísí Forbartha Gnó (SFG). This project plans to support the creation in the region of 200 jobs, including 75 direct jobs, 75 spinouts, and 50 indirect jobs, over the duration of the Plan.
Regional and rural development will be a core part of a balanced recovery and reflecting the core focus in our Programme for Government we want to facilitate enterprise growth and job creation in every region. In that context also, my Department is leading implementation of ‘Making Remote Work’, Ireland’s National Remote Work Strategy, which highlights how remote work can facilitate workers to move to less congested urban and rural locations, resulting in more balanced regional development.
32. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the type of projects eligible for support under the regional enterprise development fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38593/21]
View answerMy Department’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF), is a competitive Fund that has been introduced to co-finance the development and implementation of collaborative and innovative enterprise projects that can make a significant impact on enterprise development in the regions so as to help sustain and add to employment at county, regional and national level.
There have been three calls under the Fund to date and just under €100 million in funding has been approved across 68 projects, with projects approved in every region.
REDF projects funded include SynbioHub in Cork which secured funding of over €3m to develop Ireland’s first Life Sciences ‘BioHub’. SCCUL Enterprises in Galway secured funding of €1.2m to support start-ups, SMEs and social enterprises, and a Future Mobility Campus based in Co. Clare has over €4.7m of approved funding to deliver a CAV test centre facility.
Successful projects under the REDF include enterprise-led clustering initiatives, innovation and technology partnership collaborations, enterprise centres, sectoral focused projects and entrepreneurial spaces.
Projects awarded funding under the REDF are closely aligned with the Strategic Objectives for enterprise development set out in my Department’s nine Regional Enterprise Plans.
33. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the investment court system component of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement; when it is due to come into effect; and if he is satisfied that participation in the system is a prudent decision for the Irish people. [38639/21]
View answerThe EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, commonly known as CETA, has provisionally applied since 21st September 2017, meaning a great many of the benefits of this Agreement are already in place. Provisional application is a standard mechanism provided for in the EU’s Free Trade Agreements. This means that those areas where the EU has full competence may be applied immediately once the Agreement has been voted for by Council and the European Parliament. It is an important mechanism that allows consumers and companies to benefit from a trade agreement at an early stage, as the completion of national ratification procedures across all 27 Member States can take several years.
The positive impact of the provisional application of the Agreement has been plain to see with goods exports to Canada increased from EUR 953 million in 2016 to more than EUR 1.7 billion in 2020, an increase of 78 per cent, while services exports grew from EUR 1.6 billion in 2016 to more than EUR 2.3 billion in 2019, an increase of 44 per cent.
Looking further at the tangible benefits of this Agreement, my Department has recently released the results of an independent study of the potential economic opportunities and impacts for Ireland from the European Union’s Free Trade Agreements with Canada as well as South Korea, Mexico and Japan. The study, released on 28th of April, encompasses state of the art quantitative modelling and qualitative analysis, including a comprehensive programme of stakeholder engagement with business and agriculture representatives and found that these four EU FTAs are forecast to have a positive effect on trade, GDP and national income in Ireland.
The full coming into force of the Agreement once ratified across all Member States, will see the implementation of the Investment Chapter of the Agreement including the resolution of disputes between investors and states, should they arise. All international trade agreements have dispute resolution arrangements. Where such agreements cover (i) trade in both goods and services and (ii) investment rules and protections, then there must be a dispute resolution mechanism that covers investments. The EU’s new approach to investment protection is the Investment Court System (ICS) which is contained in CETA and replaces the old Investor-State Dispute Settlement or ISDS mechanism. I have set out for the House, on many occasions previously, the improvements ICS represents over the older ISDS.
It is also important to point out that CETA reaffirms the EU and Canada’s right to regulate to achieve legitimate policy objectives, such as the protection of public health, the environment or consumer protection. And while CETA does not prevent a party pursuing a claim through domestic courts, the ICS element of CETA is specifically designed to provide an arbitration alternative to either EU investors in Canada or Canadian investors in the EU.
As I outlined during my appearance before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on EU Affairs on 26 May 2021, ratifying CETA is Government policy and an objective of mine as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. As a small, open economy, Ireland has benefited immensely from our export-orientated enterprises trading across the globe and, therefore, we support international trade and the EU free trade agreements that seek to underpin this. Equally, Ireland has been an attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) for many decades and participating in EU third country agreements that cover investment and provide investment protection continue to assist us in marketing Ireland as a competitive, FDI-friendly, jurisdiction for multinational enterprise to invest in with the attendant jobs and prosperity that entails.
Taking the foregoing into consideration and given that there can be no doubt that CETA is a progressive, high-standard agreement, I believe that ratifying the agreement would send a positive message to our trading partners around the world that Ireland continues to be committed to the values of open and fair global trade.
Finally, for CETA to enter into force fully and definitively all EU Member States need to ratify the Agreement in line with their national procedures and this process is still ongoing so I cannot say when CETA will take full effect.
34. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of applications that have been received by Cavan County Council for the restart fund for micro and small businesses; the amount of funding that has been allocated to the local authority; the number of businesses in County Cavan that have received funding under the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38641/21]
View answerThe Restart Grant and Restart Grant Plus schemes were administered by the 31 Local Authorities on behalf of my Department and closed to applications on 31st October 2020. The Schemes were superseded by other budgetary measures including the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) operated through Revenue, and the Small Business Assistance Scheme for Covid (SBASC) administered by the Local Authorities.
Details of the Restart Scheme Grants for Cavan Local Authority area are set out in tabular format below.
|
Cavan Local Authority |
Number of Applications Received |
Number of Grants Paid |
Value of Grants Paid |
|
Restart Grant |
1,118 |
1,027 |
€3,074,295 |
|
Restart Grant Plus |
1,154 |
1,051 |
€6,777,122 |
35. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the engagement he or the agencies under his remit has had with the National Broadband Plan in the past two months. [38201/21]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.
The NBP contract is a detailed document that provides for the design, build and operation of a national high speed broadband network by NBI and includes detailed provisions that are designed to protect the interests of the State and citizens. It contains extensive reporting requirements. My Department as the contracting authority manages all of the elements of contract governance and engages with NBI on an ongoing basis across all elements of the programme to deliver the new high speed broadband network.
I receive regular briefings from my officials on delivery of the NBP programme and met with representatives from NBI for a briefing on 22 June last. I also visited a site in County Monaghan on 25 June where the NBI fibre network is being built, before attending the launch of the 200th Broadband Connection Point at Drumhowan Community Centre in Monaghan.
36. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there are guidelines, written procedures or protocols or key performance indicators for acknowledgement of correspondence received and response to correspondence received, respectively by category of correspondence (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38241/21]
View answerMy Department is committed to providing the highest standard of communications, stakeholder engagement, and open and transparent dialogue in order to inform policy making and enhance our services for citizens. Our communications approach is designed to enhance our reputation and build trust through collaboration and engagement.
Our customer service experience for unsolicited correspondence is guided by our Customer Service Charter (www.gov.ie/en/publication/e4c85-department-of-communications-climate-action-environment-customer-charter-2018-2020/). This sets out how we engage with customers, including our standards for acknowledgement and responses to correspondence. The Charter was developed and published in 2018 and is due to be revised this year.
My Department has a central Customer Service unit that processes the majority of the correspondence received. Guided by the Charter, the central Customer Service team have developed a detailed set of procedures and protocols for managing and tracking correspondence, the aim is to provide customers with a comprehensive response to their query within 20 working days.
Outside of this unit, some divisions across our policy and corporate areas regularly receive unsolicited correspondence directly from the public. Where required, auto responses are set up on certain mailboxes to reassure customers that their email has reached the correct place. These messages may also contain further instructions for contacting specific areas relevant to their query.
Ministerial representations, whether from members of the public or members of the Oireachtas, are tracked, processed and replied to using the internal representations system eCorrespondence, which was built and is maintained by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. They have provided training and guidance documents which inform our use of the system.
The majority of solicited correspondence my Department receives is through our public consultations and engagement. Submissions can take several forms including free-form written responses and more structured online surveys. Our approach to consultations varies, depending on the objectives for each individual consultation. Most of our consultations have automated responses set up to inform respondents that their submission has been received, however, it is not always practical for policy divisions or business units to individually acknowledge each response.
Our overarching approach to consultations is guided by the Consultation Principles and Guidance (www.gov.ie/en/publication/e9b052-consultation-principles-and-guidance/) issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As per this guidance, we aim to publish all submissions to our consultations on gov.ie. In some cases this is not feasible, due to the amount or nature of responses received, or where it is not possible due to the inclusion of commercially-sensitive information. In these cases we publish a summary of responses received.
Unsolicited correspondence from members of the public
Guidelines, Written Procedures, Protocols: Customer Service Charter, eCorrespondence Training and Guidance Documents Key Performance Indicators: Yes – maximum 20 working days for response
Solicited correspondence from members of the public
Guidelines, Written Procedures, Protocols: DPER Consultation Guidelines Key Performance Indicators: No
Unsolicited correspondence from TDs and Senators
Guidelines, Written Procedures, Protocols: Customer Service Charter, eCorrespondence Training and Guidance Documents Key Performance Indicators: Yes – maximum 20 working days for response
Solicited correspondence from TDs and Senators
Guidelines, Written Procedures, Protocols: DPER Consultation GuidelinesKey Performance Indicators: No
37. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he plans to amend legislation relating to dog fouling fines and associated litter laws. [38329/21]
View answerThe General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021 was published on 15 June 2021. Under the Bill, my Department is proposing to consider the issue of existing Fixed Penalty Notices and to introduce new Fixed Penalty Notices related to waste enforcement activities. The issue of litter fines is being considered in the context of progressing the Circular Economy Bill.
The Litter Pollution Acts, 1997 to 2009, provide the statutory framework to combat littering and include provisions relating to dog fouling. Under the Acts, the primary management and enforcement response to littering (including dog fouling) rests with Local Authorities.
It is a matter for each Local Authority to determine the most appropriate course of action to tackle litter pollution locally within the legislation provided. This includes the most appropriate public awareness, enforcement and clean-up actions in relation to dog fouling, taking account of local circumstances and priorities.
38. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to assist local authorities further in combatting the issue of illegal dumping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38382/21]
View answer39. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to use CCTV more efficiently to deal with illegal dumping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38383/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together.
My Department published the General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021 on 15 June 2021. It is my intention to facilitate not only the use of CCTV, but also the use of a broad range of Audio Visual Recording equipment under the Bill in order to combat illegal dumping.
A combination of legislation and guidance will help to ensure that the processing of personal data may be carried out by local authorities tasked with enforcing both litter and waste law, thus providing an important deterrent in order to protect our environment from the scourge of illegal dumping, while at the same time respecting the privacy rights of citizens. The Bill can also facilitate consideration of the use of Fixed Penalty Notices for waste enforcement purposes.
My Department provides significant support to local authority waste enforcement activity, through the annual Local Authority Waste Enforcement Measures Grant Scheme, which supports the recruitment and retention of over 150 local authority waste enforcement personnel across the country. €7.6mn has been allocated in support of this scheme in 2021, with a further €1mn allocated to the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authority (WERLA) Offices, which were established in 2015 to oversee local authority enforcement efforts.
My Department also continues to support the annual Anti-Dumping Initiative (ADI), which was introduced in 2017 to encourage a collaborative approach between local authorities, communities and other State Agencies to tackling the problem of illegal dumping. The ADI focuses on four key areas, prevention, abatement, education and enforcement and local authority project proposals are assessed and approved by the WERLA Offices, based on their potential impact in these four areas. Since the introduction of the ADI in 2017, my Department has provided over €9m to the local authority sector in support of over 1,000 projects nationwide and over 10,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste have been removed from our landscape.
As was the case in 2020, €3m has been allocated to the Anti-Dumping Initiative in 2021 and the WERLA Offices are currently finalising their consideration of project proposals.
40. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of SEAI home grants funding by local authorities for each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38384/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years.
€221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year for SEAI residential and community retrofit programmes. This represents an 82% increase on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever for the schemes. This allocation has facilitated the expansion and improvement of existing SEAI grant schemes and the introduction of new initiatives.
SEAI does not hold data on grant funding provided by local authority area. However, a breakdown of funding by county is available and I have asked the SEAI to provide this information to the Deputy
It is important to note that the number of retrofits last year were unfortunately, negatively impacted by COVID-19 related restrictions. Enhanced COVID restrictions between January and April also had a significant impact on activity this year. Every effort is being made to maximise activity now that construction activity in the residential sector has recommenced.
41. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the SEAI can consider a person (details supplied) for future works on their property despite having had some minor energy efficiency work completed 15 years ago; if consideration is given to the health and age of such applicants and the nature and limitations of any previous work done; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38413/21]
View answerThe Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. In order to qualify for support, applicants must own and live in their home which was built and occupied before 2006 and must be in receipt of certain social welfare payments. Age and health status are not part of the eligibility criteria for the Warmer Homes Scheme.
To date over 143,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme, leaving the occupants better able to afford to heat their homes to an adequate level. The approximate average value of the energy efficiency measures provided to households under the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme was €14,800 in 2020.
Individual applications to the Warmer Homes Scheme are an operational matter for the SEAI and as Minister I have no role in such matters. However, in reference to the case raised by the Deputy, I have been informed by the SEAI that there is no record of a previous application through the Warmer Homes Scheme for this address and as such, the person in question is eligible to submit an application for review.
There are currently over 7,800 homes on the Warmer Homes work programme and the scheme operates nationally on a first come, first serve basis. These homes have not previously received any free upgrades under the scheme and for that reason are the priority to receive upgrades. My Department is in regular contact with the SEAI in relation to the operation of the Scheme. Recommendations on the implementation of changes to the scheme to better target those most in need will be finalised shortly.
In addition to the increased budget allocation, delivery capacity has increased due to a new, broader contractor panel that commenced at the end of 2020. I have also secured additional resources this year to expand the capacity of the SEAI to deliver the scheme.
42. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will make a better energy grant available for the installation of a thermodynamic solar hot water system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38433/21]
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 450,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes, representing nearly one home in four across the country. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier to heat and light.
Under the Better Energy Homes scheme, a grant of €1,200 is available for Solar Water Heating installation. The installation must meet the minimum annual solar renewable energy contribution based on the floor area of the dwelling. Full details of the technical criteria can be found in the Domestic Technical Standards and Specification (DTSS) publication available on the SEAI website.
All solar products installed must be included on the SEAI Solar Thermal Registered Product List. If a manufacturer or their designated agent wishes to register a product on the SEAI Solar Thermal Registered Product List, they must complete and return a Solar Thermal Product Registration form along with any supporting documentation. This form can be downloaded from the SEAI website at www.seai.ie/grants/supports-for-contractors/. The product will be assessed by SEAI to ensure compliance with thermal performance and durability criteria and if successful, will be included on the registered product list.
43. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit are implementing Action 16 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (details supplied). [38479/21]
View answerMy Department’s digital content migrated to a central platform, gov.ie, in September 2020. As users, the Department does not have a remit in the platform's overall compliance. The Department ensures, however, that relevant staff are trained properly according to the standard set out by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) who have responsibility for the platform.
OGCIO have confirmed the following with regard to the accessibility of gov.ie:
- Gov.ie partially complies with the double-A Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 standards and the 4 principles of accessibility in that it is perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. This is similar to most other government sites across the European Union.
- One way that accessibility is being improved is by improving the level of plain language used for services on the site. This allows users of all levels to be able to find and understand information as quickly as possible.
- The gov.ie team have performed multiple accessibility reviews since the website has gone live. The gov.ie team has engaged with an accessibility expert to outline all accessibility requirements. This is an ongoing process.
- Following the last accessibility audit, 65 issues were fixed and OGCIO have since released updates to the core code of the site to improve accessibility.
My Department's digital content manager ensures all content uploaded by the team meets all accessibility requirements set out by OGCIO in relation to this directive including plain language, text formatting, and image descriptions/alt- text.
My Department has been pro-active in promoting the use of plain language to improve engagement and communications with customers (citizens and businesses), as part of the process to improve customer service delivery advocated under the Public Service Reform Plan. Training has been provided by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) to Department staff. NALA has developed a range of tools to assist Departments in improving their performance and these are available to all staff via the Intranet.
Services provided by my Department are built with accessibility and universal design principles in all areas where possible, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.
The information requested in relation to the bodies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each body. The Department will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisations.
44. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit are implementing Action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (details supplied). [38508/21]
View answerMy Department holds and chairs Department Consultative Committee (DCC) meetings on a quarterly basis, which is a forum for departmental officials, representatives of the Disability Stakeholders Group, the National Disability Authority and relevant Agencies to review and monitor the implementation of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy. The DCC is responsible for implementing actions outlined in the National Disability Inclusion Strategy where my Department and/or its Agencies have a role.
Officials from my Department also attend the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy Steering Group meetings which are held quarterly and which are chaired by the Minister of State for Disability. The group is comprised of representatives from the key government departments, as well as agencies and disability stakeholder groups.
I will request the relevant bodies under the aegis of my Department to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisations.
45. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to support the expansion of angling across communities in particular among younger persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38590/21]
View answerInland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the state agency with statutory responsibility for the protection, management, conservation, development and promotion of Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources, has a significant track record of delivering initiatives to promote angling and the value of the aquatic environment to younger people and encourage access to angling across to all strands of society. I anticipate that IFI’s new Corporate Plan 2021-2025, which is currently being finalised, will place strong emphasis on safeguarding our fisheries resources for future generations and promoting angling for young people.
46. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the input his Department has had in the framing of the National Development Plan 2018-2027 to ensure the viability of the rural post office network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38591/21]
View answerMy officials have been involved in a strategic dialogue with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to agree a new five-year capital allocation and a 10-year capital ceiling to 2030 for the revised National Development Plan which will enable the Department to deliver its vision of a climate neutral, sustainable and digitally connected Ireland.
In relation to the post office network, An Post is a commercial State body with a mandate to act commercially. It has statutory responsibility for the State’s postal service and the post office network. Decisions relating to the network, including those in relation to the size, distribution and future of the network are operational matters for the Board and management of the company.
While it is longstanding Government policy that postal services will not be directly subsidised by the Government, we remain fully committed to a sustainable post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure in both rural and urban areas.
A Capital Expenditure programme was approved at Ministerial level which, as part of the Company’s commitment to the sustainability of its network, is designed to develop the newer elements of An Post’s Financial Services business and mitigate declining core mail volumes and revenues on the Retail side of the business. €30m in State funding was also made available to the company, of which €15 million is to support the renewal of the post office network and a further €15 million towards the continued fulfilment of a five-day per week mail delivery service.
47. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the guidelines for planning and development of solar farms; if there is a regional or spatial element of guidelines for planning authorities; if specific areas or regions within counties are identified as suitable or preferential for farms; if not, if they will be developed in a random ad hoc, less planned way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38617/21]
View answerThe issuance of guidelines to planning authorities in respect of their functions under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage under section 28 of that Act. However, Regional Assemblies, local authorities and Government Departments all have a role to play in ensuring that the proper planning and sustainable development of renewable electricity generation, including solar photovoltaics, is provided for in development plans.
The National Planning Framework (NPF), published by the Government under Chapter IIA of Part II of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides the national framework for strategic planning and sustainable development and includes a national policy objective to 'promote renewable energy use and generation at appropriate locations within the built and natural environment to meet national objectives towards achieving a low carbon economy by 2050'.
Under Chapter III of Part II of the Planning and Development Act 2000 the three Regional Assemblies have made Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs) to support the implementation of the NPF and economic policies and objectives of the Government.
To assist local authorities in the preparation of plans for renewable energy, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has published the Methodology for the Local Authority Renewable Energy Strategies (LARES). The methodology outlines a best practice approach to identifying and assessing renewable energy resources and potential and developing renewable energy policies and, where appropriate, incorporating a LARES into a county development plan.
In light of the development of renewable energy technology, including the reduction in the cost of solar photovoltaics, and the national climate ambition outlined in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021, the SEAI intend to review the Methodology for LARES later this year with a view to re-issuing an updated methodology. This revised methodology and the implementation of the regional policy objectives of the Regional Assemblies will facilitate and assist local authorities to provide for the proper planning and sustainable development of renewable electricity generation, including where appropriate for solar photovoltaics, through their development plans.
48. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the schedule for upgrading the public broadband in libraries per county in tabular form. [38633/21]
View answerThe provision of library services is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001 and therefore the upgrading of public broadband in public libraries would fall under their remit. I understand that the public libraries strategy ‘Our Public Libraries 2022’ commits to implement a programme of ICT infrastructure upgrades and developments to underpin the development and roll-out of new and innovative services.
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools ensuring no premises is left behind.
The NBP network will offer those premises in the Intervention Area a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. All counties will see construction commenced 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.
The NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie shows the areas covered by the State led intervention as well as those targeted by commercial operators. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention. BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the NBP as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard.
While the vast majority of public libraries are located in cities, towns and villages and will already have access to a high speed broadband service, libraries that are located within the AMBER area will be served with high speed broadband through the NBP network. Further details are available 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. Libraries may register with this facility to receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own premises as works commence. NBI also has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
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 8 July, 335 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and the high speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development for publicly accessible sites and the Department of Education for school BCPs. As part of this initiative Borris Library, Co. Carlow and Kilronan Library, Co. Galway have had high speed broadband installed by NBI. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
