Written Answers Nos. 170-191
170. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a statutory authority monitors the price of diesel and petrol products throughout the country in view of the wide price differential between different areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62435/21]
View answerMy Department does not have any function in monitoring the price of diesel and petrol products.
The price of petrol and diesel is determined by a number of factors including taxation, the price of the raw materials, the prevailing exchange rates as well as the fact the different wholesalers can enter into forward contracts at different rates for the purchase of oil. The price of fuel on the forecourt is set by the individual retailer and would likely take into account the costs associated with the retail of the product such as those mentioned above together with the cost of having oil delivered.
171. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the issues at the World Trade Organization governing intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines; if progress has been made with regard to waivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62489/21]
View answerUniversal and equitable access to safe, effective and affordable vaccines, diagnostics and treatments is crucial in the global fight against COVID-19.
International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties and in exercising that competence, the European Commission engages fully with the Member States, including Ireland, through a variety of Committees and Working Parties/Groups, including on Intellectual Property.
The EU proposed an alternative to the TRIPS waiver that relates to the use of the flexibilities in the TRIPS Agreement. The proposal is targeted and pragmatic and aims at ensuring that governments can resort to compulsory licences, including to export to countries with no or limited manufacturing capacities, in the most effective manner adapted to the circumstances of a pandemic.
The EU is of the view that there is no single solution and that a multi-pronged approach is needed and that discussions should concentrate on how the Intellectual Property system can contribute towards increasing the manufacturing capacity and the equitable access to vaccines around the world.
Despite the postponement of the WTO Ministerial Conference, WTO members will continue to engage in a solution-oriented manner to find an outcome on how the WTO can contribute to an effective response to any pandemic, not just the current one.
Ireland will engage with the European Commission and other member states on the EU position for the WTO discussions including discussions on how the flexibilities within the TRIPS Agreement can contribute towards increasing the manufacturing capacity and the equitable access to vaccines around the world.
The global production of vaccines is increasing rapidly, and it is estimated that 12 billion doses of COVID vaccines will be produced by the end of 2021. The EU considers that the COVAX Facility is the mechanism that is best placed to ensure that high-income countries finance the vaccines and support the developing countries to secure their share of global supply.
Team Europe has committed 200 million doses to reach low and middle-income countries by the end of this year, mainly through the COVAX initiative and is investing €1 billion to ramp up mRNA production capacity in Africa.
Ireland has contributed €7 million in funding to COVAX in 2021 and will donate 3 million vaccines this year to low-income countries as part of the COVAX programme. The first 500,000 Irish doses donated through the facility reached Nigeria on the 29 November. 112,800 vaccines arrived in Indonesia on 11 December and a bilateral donation of over 335,000 vaccines was made to Uganda in September. A further consignment of 122,400 vaccines to Indonesia and 276,000 to Ghana are expected in the coming days.
172. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of State boards under the remit of his Department or its agencies, in tabular form; the number of members on each board; the number of persons with a declared disability on each board; and the percentage of each board that is made up of persons with a declared disability. [62523/21]
View answerThe number of State Boards and the number of positions on each board under the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, is set out below in tabular form. I'm informed that the Department and its Agencies do not collect data on disabilities at board level but only at organisational level.
|
State Board/Agency |
Number of Positions on Board |
|
Enterprise Ireland |
12 |
|
Health and Safety Authority |
12 |
|
Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA) |
9 |
|
Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) |
11 |
|
IDA Ireland |
12 |
|
National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) |
12 |
|
Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) |
9 |
|
Low Pay Commission (LPC) |
9 |
The percentage of persons employed with a disability in the Agencies under the remit of this Department is set out below in tabular form. This data was compiled via staff census in Q1 2021 and is based on voluntary self-declaration of disability. This is in accordance with guidance and standards issued by the National Disability Authority. The Department and each of its Agencies will conduct a further census in Q1 of 2022 to collect summary data for 2021.
|
Agency |
Total Number of employees |
% of employees with a disability |
|
Competition & Consumer Protection Commission |
120 |
6.67 |
|
Enterprise Ireland |
672 |
3.13 |
|
The Health and Safety Authority |
190 |
6.84 |
|
IDA Ireland |
359 |
5.85 |
|
InterTrade Ireland |
57 |
5.26 |
|
NSAI |
164 |
4.27 |
|
PIAB |
80 |
7.50 |
173. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of HSA inspections of meat processing plants that have been carried out for compliance with Covid-19 regulations since 1 January 2021; the number that were unannounced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62809/21]
View answerBetween the 1 January 2021 and the 10 December 2021, the Health and Safety Authority completed 253 inspections of meat processing plants, of which 250 inspections were unannounced.
Health and Safety Authority inspections are predominantly made without prior notification, however in some exceptional circumstances prior notification may be appropriate, for example, in support of Public Health management of an outbreak, advanced notification may be required for operational reasons.
Based on the inspections, Health and Safety Authority inspectors have observed a generally high level of compliance with the recommended measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 in a workplace context, in line with the Interim Guidance issued by the National Outbreak Control Team.
The Health and Safety Authority is a member of the National Outbreak Control Team dealing with the COVID-19 outbreaks at Meat Process Facilities. Local outbreak control teams work with the employers and employees of affected facilities to control and reduce the spread of infection. These teams are led by HSE Public Health departments and are also multi-agency, with representatives from environmental health, occupational health and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The Health and Safety Authority inspections involved engagement with on-site personnel including management, health and safety advisors, COVID-19 Lead Worker Representatives, safety representatives and DAFM officials. Inspectors also liaised, pre-inspection and post-inspection, with the Chair of the relevant local outbreak control team to ensure effective planning and feedback.
The Health and Safety Authority also continues to support and work with public health experts in dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks in the meat plants and food processing businesses.
174. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of workplace accidents that occurred in meat processing plants in each county between 1 December 2020 and 30 November 2021; the type of accident and injury involved, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62810/21]
View answerThere is a duty on all employers, the self-employed and other duty holders to report to the Health and Safety Authority any work-related accident causing workers to lose four or more days of work.
The information collected in the accident reports is based on European Statistics on Accidents at Work methodology, this allows comparison of accidents between EU member states. The statistics system relies on a classification system known as NACE which stands for the Nomenclature of Economic Activities. The work practices carried out in a meat processing plant can be categorised under three of the NACE classifications, as follows.
|
NACE Code |
NACE Description |
|
1011 |
Processing and preserving of meat |
|
1012 |
Processing and preserving of poultry meat |
|
1013 |
Production of meat and poultry meat products |
The number of accidents reported to the HSA in meat processing plants (as identified by the three NACE codes above) for the period from 01 December 2020 to 30 November 2021 period is 362.
The number of accidents reported for the period in meat processing plants by county, all of which were non-fatal accidents is set out in the table on Appendix I.
All accidents reported to the HSA include important details such as the trigger i.e. the cause of the accident and details of the triggers involved in the accidents reported are set out in Appendix II.
The Health and Safety Authority’s annual programme of work is based on a risk assessment of sectors, with inspections targeted at sectors with higher levels of workplace fatalities and accidents. The food sector is a highly regulated sector with a high level of compliance with Health and Safety legislation. Thus, in any one year the Health and Safety Authority carries out a lower level of inspections in the food sector compared to the construction or farming sectors where workplace fatalities and accidents are considerable higher.
Appendix 1
|
County |
No. of Accidents |
% of Total |
|
Cavan |
76 |
20.99% |
|
Tipperary |
61 |
16.85% |
|
Cork |
48 |
13.26% |
|
Monaghan |
30 |
8.29% |
|
Wexford |
17 |
4.70% |
|
Offaly |
16 |
4.42% |
|
Kildare |
14 |
3.87% |
|
Longford |
14 |
3.87% |
|
Meath |
12 |
3.31% |
|
Kilkenny |
10 |
2.76% |
|
Laois |
10 |
2.76% |
|
Louth |
8 |
2.21% |
|
Westmeath |
8 |
2.21% |
|
Wicklow |
7 |
1.93% |
|
Waterford |
6 |
1.66% |
|
Carlow |
5 |
1.38% |
|
Donegal |
5 |
1.38% |
|
Dublin |
5 |
1.38% |
|
Mayo |
5 |
1.38% |
|
Galway |
3 |
0.83% |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
0.28% |
|
Limerick |
1 |
0.28% |
|
Total |
362 |
100.00% |
Appendix 2
|
What Triggered |
No. of Accidents |
% of Total |
|
Lifting, carrying |
66 |
18.23% |
|
Other triggers not listed |
59 |
16.30% |
|
Pushing, pulling |
53 |
14.64% |
|
Fall on same level (slip, stumble etc) |
46 |
12.71% |
|
Loss of control of hand held tool |
31 |
8.56% |
|
Twisting, turning |
22 |
6.08% |
|
Loss of control of object being worked on |
19 |
5.25% |
|
Body movement (no physical stress) |
13 |
3.59% |
|
Breakage of material at joints |
11 |
3.04% |
|
Fall from height |
10 |
2.76% |
|
Loss of control of machine |
10 |
2.76% |
|
Loss of control of means of transport or handling equipment |
8 |
2.21% |
|
Loss of control of animal |
6 |
1.66% |
|
Overflow, leakage, emission of gas |
4 |
1.10% |
|
Overflow, leakage, emission of liquid |
3 |
0.83% |
|
Person in inappropriate area |
1 |
0.28% |
|
Total |
362 |
100.00% |
175. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA site visits to County Kerry in quarters 1, 2 and 3 of 2021; if visits have taken place to date in quarter 4; the way the figures compare to 2019 and 2020, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62892/21]
View answerIDA Ireland is focused on winning investment for regional locations such as Kerry. The IDA Ireland Strategy 2021-2024 contains a target of 800 investments over the period, 400 of which will be outside Dublin. Each region has its own individual target over the strategy with the South West Region (Kerry and Cork) having a target of 118 investments.
IDA Ireland has been working in a very challenging environment over the past 16 months with reduced international travel globally as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. The Agency has been operating virtually and hosting companies on virtual site visits with some successes during this time.
IDA continues to engage with new companies to promote Ireland as a location for their business. To Q3, 2021, IDA Ireland hosted one virtual site visit showcasing Kerry for a potential investment, during 2020 one E-visit and in 2019 five site visits were facilitated. Site visit data is compiled quarterly and is submitted after the quarter figures have been verified.
176. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the up-to-date position regarding the location of a company (details supplied) at the IDA advance facility in Tralee, County Kerry; if an updated timeline in relation to future activities and employment levels at the facility will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62893/21]
View answerCentral Pharma announced in December 2018 plans to establish an EMEA accredited contract packaging and supply centre at the IDA’s Advanced Technology Building in Tralee.
I understand that the company subsequently experienced some delays in progressing their plans, including in relation to the Covid-19 restrictions which delayed work on the site. I am told that regulatory approvals have now been received and the company expects to be ready to commence operations in Q1 2022.
177. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if further advance facilities will be considered in respect of the southern part of County Kerry in view of the relatively poor performance of the county in relation to foreign direct investment, recognising the very positive news of a second advance facility for Tralee that was recently announced by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62894/21]
View answerIDA Ireland is committed to building a new Advanced Technology Building in Tralee. IDA is continuing to engage with stakeholders to seek a suitable site for this proposed building. Securing planning permission and the construction of the building will take time, but it is intended that the building facility will be delivered during the life of the current IDA Strategy to 2024. The advanced technology building may support either a new office or industrial investment given the flexible nature of IDA building solutions. The are no plans at this time for additional advance buildings in Kerry beyond what is outlined in the Strategy.
The strategy also says that IDA will continue to work closely with the private sector in the South-West to secure the provision of appropriate and cost-effective building and property solutions for client companies. It says that additional upgrade works, and investment are planned for IDA Parks in the region to ensure a robust value proposition for clients, and IDA plans to acquire additional strategic sites for future development.
178. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 39 of 27 July 2021, if interest has since been expressed by potential investors in relation to the site (details supplied); if so, the details of the inquiries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62895/21]
View answerThere has been no update since the Deputy raised this question in July.
The property mentioned is not under the ownership of IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland. However, the IDA has included it in its suite of property marketing material for clients looking at this location. The IDA has not been made aware of any potential project for the facility. Enterprise Ireland will also continue to market this location as a potential site in the Kerry region.
179. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the additional measures that will be introduced to prevent the supply of a product in this State (details supplied) in view of the widespread concerns of merchants regarding the availability of this product; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62676/21]
View answerThe Air Pollution Act (Marketing, Sale, Distribution and Burning of Specified Fuels) Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 326 of 2012), only make it an offence to place on the market, sell or distribute any ‘specified fuel’ within a Low Smoke Zone (LSZ), and to burn specified fuel in a private dwelling or public house within a LSZ. It should be noted that new Regulations to provide for improved emissions standards are being introduced for a range of solid 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.
It is important to note that in the interim, the importation of bituminous (smoky) coal from other jurisdictions is not currently illegal, provided that the coal is sold, marketed, distributed, and burned outside of designated LSZs only.
Local Authorities remain responsible for taking appropriate enforcement action in instances where such coal is found within LSZs, while the Revenue Commissioners are responsible for ensuring compliance with carbon tax and VAT requirements.
180. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the way in which persons can apply for the universal, one-off electricity credit of €100 per household; if the application is sent to the individuals or to the electricity company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62449/21]
View answer184. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if households that pay their electricity bill on a pay-as-you-go system will be included in the rebate of €100 to be given for electricity charges to each household in the State; the method by which they will receive the rebate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62593/21]
View answer185. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the procedure to be followed to ensure that persons who own a second home for their personal use do not receive the rebate of €100 to be given for electricity charges to each household in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62594/21]
View answer194. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the way persons who use pay-as-you-go electricity services will be able to avail of the announced €100 electricity credit. [62811/21]
View answer195. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if tenants whose rental payments include the costs of electricity bills benefit from the announced €100 electricity credit. [62812/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 180, 184, 185, 194 and 195 together.
The Government agreed on 14 December to provide a once off payment of €100 to every domestic electricity account holder through their electricity supplier in 2022 as part of a range of measures to help mitigate the impact of rising electricity costs.
The scheme will become operational in quarter 1 2022 following the passage of the requisite legislation through the Oireachtas. Around 2.1 million homes will benefit from the scheme for a one-off, exceptional credit payment to their electricity accounts. The payment will be automatic and will applied directly to the bills of each domestic electricity account holder by their electricity supplier. People will not need to apply for the payment.
The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) will be charged with oversight of the scheme. The scheme will be operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) by virtue of its existing interface with all electricity suppliers. ESB Networks will make payments to energy suppliers who in turn will credit all their domestic electricity account holders in the amount of €100. The scheme will apply to all domestic accounts, including prepay meters. Further details of the Scheme including FAQ’s will be available on my Department’s website shortly.
The position of successive Governments has been that competitive energy markets result in greater choice for consumers, in terms of suppliers, products and prices. Data from approved price comparison sites shows that consumers can make significant savings by switching or engaging with energy suppliers. Many households could save on their bills if they did so. As recently as the 9th December, switching supplier could save a customer, consuming the average amount of electricity, up to €313.
181. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of State boards under the remit of his Department or its agencies, in tabular form; the number of members on each board; the number of persons with a declared disability on each board; and the percentage of each board that is made up of persons with a declared disability. [62524/21]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of State Boards under the remit of the Department and the number of members of each State Board is available at www.stateboards.ie. Further information is also available on the Department’s website at gov.ie - State Board Membership (www.gov.ie).
Under Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 there is a requirement for public bodies to report on the percentage of people with a disability employed within the organisation. This report is collated annually by the National Disability Authority. As Board members are not generally considered employees of the State Body, there is no requirement for the State Bodies to collate information in relation to their disability status.
182. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the options available regarding broadband at a location (details supplied); the steps his Department has taken in relation to full-capacity fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62577/21]
View answerThe premises referred to in the Question is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie.
BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan 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.
Complaints about service provision are a matter to be dealt with between the consumer and the service provider in the first instance. If this avenue has been exhausted without a satisfactory resolution, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) may be able to assist further. ComReg is the independent body that issues licences to broadband service providers and investigates complaints to make sure that companies are delivering services in line with their licence obligations.
Notwithstanding this, my Department has undertaken an initial investigation into the matter and has raised a query with the network operator regarding the broadband service being provided to the premises. As soon as a reply is received my Department will revert to the Deputy with a further update.
183. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will publish an unredacted national broadband contract before Christmas 2021 given it is in the public interest and the contract has been awarded. [62582/21]
View answerThe NBP contract is a complex and detailed document which sets out the specific contract terms with NBI in respect of the rollout of the new high speed broadband network under the State led intervention.
The publication of commercial contracts of this nature would not be commonplace but, recognising the public interest and level of State subsidy involved, and in accordance with commitments given at the time of contract signing, a suitably redacted version of the contract has been published. This followed considerable engagement between the Department and NBI and both sets of advisors to ensure that only those elements of the contract which could be demonstrated as commercially sensitive or potentially impacting the ability of the Department or NBI to fulfil their requirements under the contract were redacted.
I am mindful that publication of commercially sensitive information which has the potential to impact the programme would create a precedent which could have consequences for the State’s ability to contract with commercial third parties in the future. However, as indicated in my responses to Parliamentary Questions on 14 December 2021, I have asked my officials to review the current published version of the contract to ensure that the maximum disclosures permissible have been made.
186. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the arrangements being put in place to ensure proper inclusion of the adjacent coastal communities that will be affected by the offshore wind facilities in the process of development; if the requirement to have an advisory board on such projects with local representation has been considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62601/21]
View answerThe Government considers citizen engagement to be at the heart of Ireland’s energy and climate transformation. Local coastal communities will be central to the decision-making processes of community engagement initiatives as part of Ireland’s offshore renewable energy journey.
The Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Bill, which has been passed by Dáil Éireann and is currently before Seanad Éireann, will enable the realisation of our offshore renewable energy ambition by establishing a well-regulated and inclusive consenting process, with comprehensive environmental assessments and consultative processes to enable meaningful community engagement.
As part of the National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF), the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage established an Advisory Group to facilitate participation in the marine spatial planning process by all relevant stakeholders from the economic, environmental and social pillars including representatives from the County and City Management Association and Association of Irish Local Government. Work on a revised Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP II), which will provide an evidence base for the identification of areas most suitable for the sustainable development of offshore renewable energy, has been initiated by my Department. As part of that process, my Department will invite members of the NMPF Advisory Group to take part in the development of the OREDP II.
My Department has recently completed a public consultation on the draft terms and conditions for the first offshore wind auction under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, ORESS 1, which will support offshore wind development in Ireland. Projects successful at this auction will be required to make significant community benefit contributions from an early stage in the lifecycle of an offshore wind project. There has been a significant response from local communities to this consultation and my Department will now carefully consider all submissions before issuing a formal response early next year.
187. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the arrangements that are being put in place to ensure that adjacent local communities will be able to acquire a stake in offshore wind projects as the host communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62602/21]
View answerMy Department has just this month completed a public consultation on the draft terms and conditions for the first offshore wind auction under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, ORESS 1, which will support the first phase of offshore wind development in Ireland. The submissions are now being considered in preparation of a formal response early next year.
Ireland's ambitious offshore target of 5GW by 2030 will require investment of billions of euro in Ireland’s offshore renewable energy sector, which will deliver considerable benefits to coastal communities in terms of high-value jobs, and indigenous supply chains. The significant role for regional ports in development of Ireland’s offshore renewable energy sector, and the need for investment in port infrastructure, will also benefit local coastal communities through employment and commercial opportunities.
A medium-size offshore windpark now entails installed capacity of circa 500MW and a corresponding capital expenditure of over €1.5 billion, accordingly to the latest estimates provided by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). It is proposed that the RESS auction for offshore would mandate a community benefit fund payment of €2 for every MW/hour of energy generated. Given the anticipated high levels of offshore generating potential, this will ensure multi-million Euro contributions per offshore project, per annum, to offshore communities over the entire duration of the project.
Local communities are central to the decision-making processes of community engagement initiatives as part of Ireland’s offshore renewable energy commitments under the Climate Action Plan. In order to ensure the highest levels of good governance and administration of the community benefit funds, guidance will be provided to local communities, stakeholders such as local fishers and the offshore industry itself to encourage and facilitate good design of local benefit schemes.
188. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the arrangements that are being put in place to ensure that Ireland will have first call on power generated in coastal waters and that this power will be sold beyond the island of Ireland only when Irish power requirements are met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62603/21]
View answerAs set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021, the 5GW of offshore electricity generation capacity that is being developed over the coming years, in combination with the indicative 8GW onshore wind capacity and 1.5-2.5GW solar PV capacity, aims to meet electricity demand in Ireland and the objective of up to 80% of Ireland's electricity being met from these renewable sources by 2030. As well as enabling the integration of higher volumes of renewable energy, the two electricity interconnectors between Ireland’s all-island Single Electricity Market and Great Britain provide a range of benefits to Irish electricity customers, including enhanced security of supply, increased wholesale market competition and the export of surplus electricity when there is more generation than necessary to meet domestic demand.
189. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if consideration will be given to one proposal in relation to the fitting of solar panels on all farm buildings and this energy being sold back to the ESB as a way of generating more green energy and passive income for farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62725/21]
View answerThe pending introduction of a Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff represents the first phase of a comprehensive enabling framework for micro-and small-scale generators in Ireland. This will allow all renewables self-consumers, including farmers, to receive remuneration from their electricity supplier for all excess renewable electricity exported to the grid, reflective of the market value of that electricity. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a decision on an interim enabling framework for the CEG on 1 December last. This decision, inter alia, outlines eligibility criteria and remuneration methodology. The CEG will become available upon the transposition of Article 21 of RED II into Irish law, which is expected to be complete before year end, and will be available to both new and existing micro- and small-scale generators who fulfil the eligibility criteria as determined by the CRU.
My Department is also developing the final scheme design for the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS). It is expected that a proposal on the supports to be offered for new installations under the Scheme, including for farms, will be finalised shortly. Following Government approval, it is expected that the scheme design will be published in early 2022 and supports will be introduced on a phased basis during the year. The Climate Action Plan 2021 commits to the development of a support scheme for small-scale generators, i.e. above 50kW but smaller than those supported by the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, which will be progressed in 2022 and is expected to become available in 2023.
190. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of premises in County Mayo; the number of premises that have had National Broadband Ireland surveys completed in County Mayo; the number of premises in which National Broadband Ireland surveys are ongoing in County Mayo; the number of premises that have been passed and available for Internet connection in County Mayo; the number of premises that have been connected in County Mayo, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62774/21]
View answer191. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the original target for premises connected by the end of 2021 in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62775/21]
View answer192. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated number of premises that will be connected in County Mayo in the first half of 2022 and by the end of 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62776/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 190 to 192, inclusive, together.
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 the over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.
There are over 84,000 premises in County Mayo of which over 36,000 are within the National Broadband Plan Intervention Area and will receive access to high speed broadband under the State led intervention to be delivered by National Broadband Ireland. Government investment in County Mayo under the NBP will be in the order of €145 million.
I am advised by National Broadband Ireland that, as of 7 December, over 10,000 premises in County Mayo have been surveyed. Surveys are complete in areas around Castlebar, Ballina, Newport and Carrowmorelacken. Surveys are ongoing in the areas around Killadoon. I am advised that the following represents the deployment progress in County Mayo as of 7 December.
|
Mayo – Surveys Complete |
Mayo – Surveys Ongoing |
Anticipated dates for premises to be passed and available for connection |
|
8,281 premises have been surveyed in Mayo including; |
Areas around Killadoon (1053) |
Castlebar H1, 2022 |
|
Castlebar (2139) |
Ballina H2, 2022 |
|
|
Ballina (2678) |
||
|
Newport (1826) |
||
|
Carrowmorelacken (1638) |
I am further advised that pre build works are ongoing in the Deployment Area of Athlone in which 2,100 premises are located in County Mayo.
In addition to the challenges to the delivery of the NBP due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NBI has faced a range of other challenges due to the sheer scale and complexity of rolling out fibre to the home in a rural environment. These include significant tree trimming to ensure cable can be placed on overhead poles, remediation of ducting that has been in place for many decades, the co-ordination of hundreds of contracting crews and addressing the many issues arising week on week which could not have been foreseen until the build crews commenced work on the ground.
My Department has worked closely with NBI to put in place a remedial plan under the Contract which addresses delays experienced by NBI, primarily arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This plan rebaselines milestones for 2021 and work is currently underway to rebaseline milestones for 2022. Further details are available on specific areas within County Mayo 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 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 December 2021, 424 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 installed in County Mayo at Clare Island Community Centre, Finny Community Centre, Islandeady Community Centre, Taugheen Community Centre, Bofeenaun Community Centre, Clogher Community Centre, Ardagh Community Centre, Cushlough Community Centre, Belderrig Community & Research Centre, Kilmovee Community Centre, Keel Community Centre, Killaser Community Centre, The Black Tom Freeman Sport and Community Amenities Centre and Clg Béal An Mhuirthead. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
Scoil Néifinn, Midfield National School, Meelick More National School, Kinaffe National School, Gortskehy National School, Facefield National School, Errew National School, Cloghans National School, Shraigh National School, Rathbane National School, Rathnamagh National School, Dooagh National School, Valley National School, Dookinella National School, Roxboro National School, Cloonliffen National School, Tavraun Central National School and Saint Coleman's National School have been 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 late last year 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/.
