Written Answers Nos. 140-154
140. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he or the Minister of State in his Department have signed the employment regulation order for the security industry which provides for a pay increase for the sector from 1 September 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44242/21]
View answerOn 28 April 2021, I announced my intention to issue an Order to give effect to a statutory recommendation of the Labour Court concerning minimum rates of remuneration and other terms and conditions in the Security Sector.
The Order was to apply from 1 September 2021.
An ex-parte application to initiate legal proceedings challenging the underlying legislation in the High Court was lodged in late July.
As part of the proceedings, the High Court has placed a Stay on me, which stops me from making the Order.
My officials are in the process of ongoing legal advice on the matter.
A press release was issued by my Department on the 17th of August to ensure that employees and employers in the Security Sector are aware that, until such time that these legal issues have been resolved, the statutory minimum rates of pay and other terms and conditions in the sector will remain unchanged.
141. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a series of queries (details supplied) in respect of the Companies Registration Office will receive a response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44244/21]
View answerThe Registrar of Companies is a statutory role and the Registrar has administrative independence in the exercise of this function. The Registrar will respond directly to the Deputy on the issues raised.
142. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a dedicated helpline and email address will be created for business owners in the hospitality industry to seek clarity on the permissibility of planned events in advance of the planned lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in October 2021. [44345/21]
View answerMy colleague, Minister Catherine Martin T.D., Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht may be able to provide assistance with regards to the establishment of a dedicated helpline service for the hospitality sector as Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, is tasked with supporting Ireland’s tourism and hospitality businesses and this would lie within their remit.
143. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will ensure that all staff in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit who, by necessity of their work have to come into close proximity with others, including other employees or members of the public are provided with medical grade masks in the EN14683 category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44371/21]
View answerThe wearing of medical grade facemasks is predominately for “front line” workers such as those in the medical/healthcare sector and other key sectors whose work, by necessity, means that they will come into close proximity with others.
The vast bulk of staff across my Department and its Offices are office-based workers based across eleven buildings across the country. Each building has a range of health and safety mitigations already in place, aligned to the national Work Safely Protocols, and where mask wearing is an important element of a suite of measures to guard against the spread of COVID-19.
My Department has a dedicated Health and Safety Unit with responsibility at Principal Officer level, whereby the objective is always to ensure a safe and appropriate working environment for all staff and visitors across our buildings. As a consequence of the pandemic, we quickly introduced a range of measures such as adjusting our accommodation setup to provide for social distancing, enhanced cleaning regimes and adjustments to our door access systems to reduce the risk of disease transmission. These are just some of the measures introduced since March 2020. Where a staff member has a particular health and safety concern(s) they are encouraged to make that known directly to their line manager, or to the Health and Safety Unit or the HR Unit of my Department, depending on the nature of the individual issue and all reasonable assistance will be provided to staff, which may include the provision of specific health and safety related equipment, where warranted.
The nature of the work of my Department means we have minimal direct interaction with members of the public in our buildings. We have no public offices in the Department. The primary “face-to-face” onsite interaction with the public as we continue to transition back to our buildings is predominately undertaken by the Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Other Offices, such as the Companies Registrations Office and the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland have moved more and more of their operations online over recent years as part of the public sector reform process.
For the small number of Departmental staff, such as our Service teams on Reception in our buildings or the WRC Inspectors, who would have more direct contact with members of the public, we have provided appropriate PPE to enable them to safely conduct their roles.
The day-to-day operations of the Agencies under the remit of my Department is a matter for the respective Board and heads of the Agencies to oversee and manage though the majority of the Agency staff roles would be desk/office bound roles, whereby local arrangements would be very similar to those in place in my Department and also aligned to the national Work Safely Protocols.
144. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if ratification of the International Labour Organization, ILO, Convention C190 Violence and Harassment in the Workplace requires amendments to domestic legislation; if so, the type of legislative amendments that will be required; and the outcome of his officials stakeholder consultation with the social partners and other interested parties. [44385/21]
View answerThe ratification of ILO Convention C190 is a matter of priority for Ireland and my Department officials continue to work towards being amongst the first ILO member States to ratify, with plans to progress the ratification this year.
The issue of ratification by Ireland of International Labour Organisation Convention 190, Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, is being considered in the context of our standard approach to the ratification of international instruments. Ireland does not ratify international conventions until it has been determined that national law is in line with the provisions of the international instrument.
Convention 190 is the first ever international instrument on the very important issues of eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work. Ireland already has very strong protections in law to combat violence and harassment in the world of work and has ratified the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).
My officials are engaging with relevant Departments and offices to establish the extent to which domestic legislative provisions already provide for the rights and entitlements enunciated in the Convention, as well as legislative amendments, if any, that may be required to enable ratification.
As part of the ratification process, my officials will undertake a stakeholder consultation with the social partners and other interested parties.
145. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a new national energy efficiency action plan will be drafted to reduce energy use including behavioural and awareness aspects of energy efficiency such as building and data management in view of the growth of data centres in the country and in line with commitments under the Programme for Government. [43746/21]
View answerThe National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) has replaced the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP). Under the Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, Ireland is committed to a binding target of 51% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030. An update of the 2019 Climate Action Plan is being finalised to give effect to this target which has also been given legal force through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. The Plan will set out the range measures and actions required across all relevant sectors, including electricity and the built environment, to deliver on the binding emissions reduction target.
The Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy (2018) acknowledges the role of data centres as part of the digital and communications infrastructure for many sectors of our economy. The statement also notes that data centres pose considerable challenges to the future planning and operation of Ireland’s power system.
My Department is evaluating policies to encourage the development of renewable energy projects by the data centre sector to meet their own demand and to contribute to the target set out in the 2019 Climate Action Plan of meeting 15% of electricity demand through Corporate Power Purchase Agreements by 2030
146. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the recent Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, report regarding the burning of soft plastic in Ireland; and his plans to increase the recycling rate of soft plastic.. [44237/21]
View answer147. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to combat Ireland’s declining recycling rates. [44238/21]
View answer155. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date in achieving targets as set out in the waste action plan for a circular economy with particular reference to the reduction of plastic; if targets set in respect of a ban of single-use plastics have been met or are on target to be met; if he has in mind further plans to help eliminate the use of plastic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44352/21]
View answer158. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date in introducing a deposit and return scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans as set out in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44355/21]
View answer166. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he is taking in response to the finding in the EPA report Packing Waste in Ireland in 2019 that Ireland produced 1,124,917 tonnes of packaging waste in 2019, an increase of 11% on 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44403/21]
View answerI propose to take Question Nos. 146, 147, 155, 158 and 166 together.
The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, which was published in September 2020, details a range of measures that will be adopted to achieve optimum results in the area of plastics and packaging over the coming years. The over-riding objective is to ensure that all packaging placed on the Irish market is reusable or recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030.
The announcement last week that soft plastics can now be disposed of in the domestic recycling bin is an example of a very significant step to help Ireland move onto the right trajectory – to increase recycling rates while also helping to reach EU recycling targets.
Other measures contained in the Plan include:
- The introduction of eco modulated fees whereby producers’ fees will reduce in line with the recycling content of their packaging products;
- A ban from the 3rd July this year on a range of single-use plastic items;
- The introduction next year of a deposit and refund scheme on plastic beverage bottles and aluminium cans;
- An environmentally ambitious approach to the European Commission’s review of the essential requirements for packaging reduction- with proposals due in Q4 of 2021; and
- A commitment to drive higher levels of segregation and to support investment in treatment capacity.
148. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the design of the new energy efficiency obligation scheme which will operate from 2022 to 2030; the envisaged targets for the scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44313/21]
View answerIreland has used an Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme (EEOS) to help deliver on its binding energy savings obligation under Article 7 of the Energy Efficiency Directive since 2014. The 2014-2020 EEOS successfully resulted in final energy savings of over 3,800 GWh, supporting over 290,000 dwellings and 3,000 businesses. Following a consultation in 2019, it was decided that for 2021-30, Ireland would again use an EEOS to achieve a portion of the energy savings required under Article 7. For this period, the Government is redesigning the EEOS to more closely align with Ireland’s broader climate ambitions and targets. Since then, work has been progressing on the redesign of the EEOS to commence in 2022. As part of this, a second consultation in March/April 2021, set out detailed scheme design proposals, with stakeholders asked to provide input on consultation questions across the broad policy areas. Iit was proposed that the new EEOS target would be set at 36,424 GWh cumulative final energy savings (60% of Ireland’s Article 7 obligation), with at least 15% of this to be delivered in the residential sector, including energy poor homes. This target equates to new final energy savings of over 6,600 GWh.Consultation responses were received from a range of stakeholders and have been considered as part of the development process.
I intend to publish my decision on the new EEOS shortly, which will allow for its implementation from January 2022.
149. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 156 of 8 July 2021, the reason a detailed reply has not yet been received by this Deputy as promised in the reply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44332/21]
View answerI understand that my Department has just recently received information from the service provider operating in the area who confirmed that copper cabling is available to the premises referred to and that broadband services should be available. Furthermore, the commercial operator has confirmed that the premises will be in the next phase of its fibre network deployment, although a date for this has not been provided.
150. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date in achieving emission reduction targets in line with the Programme for Government whilst at the same time protecting economic progress in the agri-food business or other sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44347/21]
View answerI propose to take questions 150 and 162 together. The Programme for Government recognises that the next ten years are critical if we are to address the climate crisis, and commits to a 51% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions over the decade and to achieving a climate neutral economy no later than 2050. These commitments have since been placed on a statutory footing through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. The Climate Act provides for carbon budgets and sectoral ceilings to be put in place, which will determine how each sector of the economy will contribute to the achievement of the carbon budgets, including the agriculture sector.
Ireland is also bound by commitments at EU level. The 2009 Effort Sharing Decision 406/2009/EC (ESD) set annual binding emission reduction targets for EU Member States for the period 2013 to 2020. These targets cover emissions from sectors outside of the EU Emissions Trading System, such as agriculture, transport, buildings and waste. For the year 2020 the target set for Ireland was that emissions should be 20% below their value in 2005. However, the latest projections indicate that emissions from these sectors in 2020 are around 7% below 2005 levels. The EU Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) sets further binding emission reduction targets for Member States for the period 2021-2030. While the current target for Ireland is a 30% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2005 levels, the European Commission has proposed to increase this target to 42% in their Fit for 55 package.
To meet these ambitious targets set domestically and internationally, we must reduce the level of carbon emissions across every sector in our economy, including in the agri-food sector.
Irish agriculture has a positive international reputation in terms of producing high quality, sustainable produce. For us to maintain that reputation we must reverse trends within the sector of increasing emissions and negative impacts on our environment and biodiversity. The most recent Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘State of the Environment’ report has again highlighted that the agriculture sector must make improvements in order to protect our water, air and biodiversity.
This Government is committed to finding the balance between environmental, climate and biodiversity needs, and supports for the farming and agri-food industries. In recent months my Department have been actively preparing the Climate Action Plan 2021, which will identify the measures necessary to meet our ambition for carbon emissions reductions, in direct consultation with stakeholders, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In the agri-food sector, we must focus on a number of key areas.
Firstly, we must support and help our farmers to continue to roll out improvements in our farming practices. This is essential from both a consumer perspective as the market demands more ‘green’ and carbon efficient produce, and from a financial perspective as higher efficiencies often mean less costs at farm level.
Secondly, we need to create a policy framework which enables farmers to make choices to avail of new diversified business opportunities, in areas like forestry, the bioeconomy and organic farming.
And thirdly, we need to focus on gathering an evidence base to support policy design in the area of land use. Ireland is currently a net emitter of emissions from our lands. We need to reverse that trend and reward farmers for doing so. As well as developing the next Climate Action Plan, my Department together with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, are evaluating the potential climate contributions from land use improvements, to develop a land-use strategy. Land-use offers significant potential to sequester additional carbon and may provide a new source of family farm income and rural economic benefit.
With the correct policy choices in the agri-food sector, we can reward farmers for sequestering carbon, restoring biodiversity, producing clean energy and improving water and air quality, while increasing profitability and competitiveness.
151. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date in the programme to provide broadband of a high quality and high speed nationally with particular reference to blackspot-prone rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44348/21]
View answer152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which the broadband roll-out throughout the country can be expedited with a view to ensure the availability of sufficient connectivity to enable the maximum number of citizens to work from home or from hubs where available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44349/21]
View answer159. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which steps can be taken to rapidly improve the roll-out of broadband in towns, villages and rural areas throughout County Kildare, having particular regard to the increased demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44356/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 151, 152 and 159 together.
Extensive investment plans are in place by a range of commercial operators with further investment plans recently announced. These plans will see improved high speed broadband access across the country. Of the 2.4 million premises across Ireland, 77% of premises now have access to high-speed broadband of more than 30 Mbps. National Broadband Ireland (NBI), through the Government's State led intervention, will address the remaining premises to ensure no premises is left behind.
According to the most recent Quarterly Report by ComReg, the Quarterly Key Data Report on the Electronic Communications market for the period (1 April to 30 June), Q2 2021, which is available at: www.comreg.ie/media/2021/09/ComReg-2188.pdf, the total number of live broadband subscriptions (mobile and fixed) at the end of June 2021was 1.887m, which represents a 4.2% increase on the number of subscriptions in Q2 of 2020. The majority of the fixed broadband subscriptions in Q2 2021 were equal to or greater than 30Mpbs, with 46% being equal to or greater than 100Mpbs. Of the 1.5m fixed broadband subscriptions which represented a 4.0% increase since Q2 of 2020, 308K were fibre to the premises subscriptions, making up 19.9% of total fixed broadband subscriptions, up from 13.5% in Q2 of 2020.
With respect to the National Broadband Plan, the Covid 19 pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of the fibre network, resulting in delays on delivery of aspects of the programme. Impacts include challenges with mobilisation of key contractors with restrictions on operations and supply chain and logistic delays both nationally and internationally. In addition, there have been challenges with the recruitment of key personnel as National Broadband Ireland (NBI) and its contractors scale up, including challenges associated with on-boarding and training people. Inevitably, like many other organisations, NBI and contractor staffs are at risk of contracting Covid 19 or may have had to restrict their movements as a result of being a close contact.
My Department has worked closely with NBI to put in place a remedial plan under the Contract to address the impacts of the Covid 19 pandemic on the project for 2021. The impact on future years continues to be assessed. NBI is putting in place mitigation measures to address the impact of the pandemic on the programme to date. These include
- Increasing the rate of pole replacement and duct remediation per month
- Bringing in more resources to NBI
- Purchasing more materials earlier
- Bringing in more subcontractors
In line with the Programme for Government, NBI and my Department are also engaged in a review of potential measures that can be taken to accelerate the network rollout in parallel with the measures required to mitigate delays arising as a result of Covid-19. My Department continues to engage with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of the NBP rollout 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. However, the primary focus must be on addressing the delays which have arisen and ensuring that the build programme gets back on track and is building momentum month on month.
Despite the unprecedented challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, NBI has made steady progress on delivery of the new high speed fibre broadband network under the National Broadband Plan. I am advised by NBI that as of 3 September over 251,000 premises have been surveyed across all counties. Main Fibre Build works are underway in 25 Deployment Areas covering over 105,000 premises. Surveys are complete or underway in County Kildare in Killashee, Oughterard, Naas Rural, Rathmore, Kill, Kilteel, Carnalway, Gilltown, Ballymore Eustace, Bodenstown, Naas Urban, Newtown, Donaghcumper, Athy, Coneyboro, Aughaboura, Ballinapark, Castlemitchell, Bert, Kilberry, Kilkea, Leixlip, Celbridge and Maynooth. Network build, as part of the Blessington Deployment Area, has commenced in areas which are close to the Wicklow border.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Kildare 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 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 3 September, 366 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. BCP’s are connected at Bigstone Community Hall, Crookstown Further Education and Training and Community Centre, and Lullymore Heritage Park. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
Rathmore National School, Saint David's National School and Piper's Hill Campus have BCPs installed by NBI for educational access. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high speed broadband, within the Intervention Area, for connection over the term of the NBP. In this regard, an acceleration of this aspect of the National Broadband Plan was announced in December which will see some 679 primary schools connected to high speed broadband by 2022, well ahead of the original target delivery timeframe of 2026. Further details are available on the NBI website at nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.
153. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of new broadband connections in the past 12 months to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44350/21]
View answerAccording to the most recent Quarterly Report by ComReg, the Quarterly Key Data Report on the Electronic Communications market for the period (1 April to 30 June), Q2 2021, which is available at www.comreg.ie/media/2021/09/ComReg-2188.pdf, the total number of live broadband subscriptions (mobile and fixed) at the end of June 2021was 1.887m, which represents a 4.2% increase on the number of subscriptions in Q2 of 2020. The majority of the fixed broadband subscriptions in Q2 2021 were equal to or greater than 30Mpbs, with 46% being equal to or greater than 100Mpbs.
Of the 1.5m fixed broadband subscriptions which represented a 4.0% increase since Q2 of 2020, 308,000 were fibre to the premises subscriptions, making up 19.9% of total fixed broadband subscriptions, up from 13.5% in Q2 of 2020.
154. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which air quality is being protected; the degree to which the measures in place are achieving the desired result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44351/21]
View answerAir quality in Ireland is protected by a range of legislation and policies, in line with EU and international policy, and is monitored by the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme, operated by the Environment Protection Agency, and funded by my Department. This programme has undergone significant expansion in recent years, from 29 stations in 2017 to 96 today. All monitoring stations collect air quality data for a range of pollutants in order to provide information to the public, and for assessment against European legal limit values and World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline values. Data from these monitoring stations shows that the measures to protect our air quality have on the whole been effective and where exceedances of air quality guideline value levels have been observed, these have been primarily due to the burning of solid fuel in our cities, towns and villages. Each year, some 1,300 people die prematurely in Ireland due to air pollution from solid fuel burning. I am committed to addressing this critical public health and environmental challenge through enhanced regulation of all solid fuels. From September 2022, new emissions standards will be introduced across a range of fuels to ensure that the most polluting will no longer be available for sale on the Irish market. Introducing these standards will improve the quality of the air that we breathe, and the health of the public that we serve.
The national Clean Air Strategy, currently being finalised by my Department, will commit us to further cutting levels of the most damaging and dangerous pollutants in order to meet the current guideline limits recommended by the WHO. The Strategy will also identify and promote the integrated measures and actions across Government that are required to reduce air pollution and promote cleaner air, while delivering on wider national objectives.
