Written Answers Nos. 87-106
87. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when he plans to sign off on a pension increase (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63898/22]
View answer106. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the position regarding the sign-off of the pension increase of 3% for Eir pensioners approved by the pension trustees and Eir since 1 July 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1349/23]
View answer134. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when pensioners of Eircom will be entitled to the 3% increase in pension that was announced in July 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2312/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 106 and 134 together.
The Eircom Main Superannuation Scheme (as amended) was established by Statute for the purpose of providing for the pension liabilities of staff transferred from the former Department of Posts and Telegraphs to Telecom Éireann on its establishment on 1st January 1984, the Vesting day. The pre-vesting and post vesting liabilities of the scheme members were paid entirely out of the Main Fund until 1996.
Following extensive discussions with the Department of Finance at the time, formal arrangements for payment of the sums due in respect of pre-vesting service were settled between the company, Fund Trustees and that Department. The arrangements involved, inter alia, the establishment of the Eircom No. 2 Fund in 1999 to provide funding towards pre-vesting liabilities while the Main Fund continued to provide only for the post-vesting day liabilities arising.
The provisions of the eircom Superannuation Scheme (Section 10) stipulate that eircom Limited may grant pension increases to members as may be authorised from time to time by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance
Therefore, all pension increases require authorisation at Ministerial level across two Departments; my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (in line with delegated functions).
In October 2022, my Department received a request from the trustees for sanction for an increase of 3%, backdated to 1 July 2022. In order to consider the request, a report was requested from NewERA on the pension increase proposal. Following completion of this report, a determination will be made by my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
88. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding details of an incident when applying for a prospecting licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63911/22]
View answerNeither I nor the Geoscience Regulation Office (GSRO) of my Department was aware of the incident referred to in the Question.
Notwithstanding this, I can advise that the granting of the two Prospecting Licences in Co Leitrim in April 2022 was in accordance with all relevant provisions of the Minerals Development Act (1940). The Prospecting Licences issued only permit the company to undertake exploration activities including geological mapping, geochemical sampling and ground geophysical surveys. These activities are temporary and involve minimal disturbance. No mining is permitted to take place under the Prospecting Licences.
90. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the publication date for the Energy Poverty Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63941/22]
View answerOn 13 December Government approved a new Energy Poverty Action Plan. The Plan was published that week and is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/159cb-energy-poverty-action-plan/.
Building on the 2016 Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty, and in response to rising energy prices, the actions in the Plan fall into two overarching categories – near and medium term measures with income, social protection and consumer protection supports to help consumers manage this winter, and increased funding for energy efficiency upgrades in 2023 and beyond to tackle the root causes of energy poverty. Many near term actions in this plan are already in place and their impact will be closely monitored through Quarter 1 of 2023.
An important purpose of this Plan is to capture all of the measures that are being implemented right across Government over the 2022/23 winter and to provide a source of clear information for consumers and stakeholders. These measures include:
- the three €200 electricity emergency benefit payments, totalling €1.2 billion in supports, which will be made to all domestic electricity accounts by the end of April 2023
- the additional lump sum Fuel Allowance Payment of €400, bringing the total allowance for winter 2022/2023 to €1,324
- strengthened consumer-protection measures mandated by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), including an extension of the annual moratorium on disconnections
The plan also includes two additional safeguards: the establishment of a €10 million fund to provide a further safeguard for people struggling to pay their energy bills (in addition to supports from suppliers and the Additional Needs Payment operated by the Department of Social Protection); and an extension to the definition of vulnerable customer to include financial vulnerability, which will extend the protection against disconnection for non-payment of account for a longer period over the winter.
91. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a person (details supplied) has any entitlement to a public sector pension; the way they can proceed to check any entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1164/23]
View answerThe management of pensions of former employees of the Department of Post and Telegraphs is conducted by the National Shared Service Office (NSSO).
The person to referred to in the Question should make contact with the NSSO in the first instance to check if they have any pension entitlements. The NSSO can be contacted by email at pensions@nsso.gov.ie or by phone at 0818 107 100.
93. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide a breakdown of the €287 million capital underspend in his Department in 2022, in tabular form, as outlined by the Fiscal Monitor published by the Department of Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1193/23]
View answerA breakdown of the projected €287 million capital underspend in my Department, as outlined in the Fiscal Monitor is set out in the table below.
|
Subhead |
2022 Allocation€000 |
2022 ProjectedOutturn€000 |
2022 ProjectedVariance€000 |
|
Admin Capital |
1,477 |
734 |
-743 |
|
A.3 - Environmental Protection Agency |
5,521 |
7,037 |
1,516 |
|
A.4 - Environmental and Climate Research |
14,300 |
13,536 |
-764 |
|
A.5 - Carbon Fund |
4,500 |
0 |
-4,500 |
|
A.6 - International and Climate Change Commitments |
15,000 |
16,100 |
1,100 |
|
A.7 - Climate Initiatives |
9,227 |
8,089 |
-1,138 |
|
A.8 - Just Transition |
34,000 |
3,400 |
-30,600 |
|
B.4 - Residential/Community Retrofit Programmes |
144,159 |
144,159 |
0 |
|
B.5 - Other Energy Efficiency Programmes |
40,000 |
37,629 |
-2,371 |
|
B.7 - Energy Research Programmes |
24,000 |
7,839 |
-16,161 |
|
B.9 - Renewable Energy Compliance |
10,300 |
0 |
-10,300 |
|
B.11 - Electricity Credit |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
B.13 - Emergency Generation Capacity |
350,000 |
151,000 |
-199,000 |
|
C.3 - Mining and Petroleum Services |
550 |
72 |
-478 |
|
C.4 - Geological Survey Programmes |
12,100 |
10,996 |
-1,104 |
|
C.5 - Inland Fisheries |
3,276 |
3,095 |
-181 |
|
C.6 - Waste Management Programmes |
36,110 |
32,755 |
-3,355 |
|
D.3 - National Broadband Plan |
195,000 |
177,160 |
-17,840 |
|
D.4 - Other Communication Infrastructure |
3,570 |
2,677 |
-893 |
|
D.5 - Other Digital Economy Programmes |
3,600 |
4,255 |
655 |
|
D.6 - National Cyber Security Centre |
2,600 |
1,500 |
-1,100 |
|
Total |
909,290 |
622,033 |
-287,257 |
94. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide the final 2022 allocation for each subhead in his Department in 2022; the final outturn for each subhead in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1194/23]
View answerThe 2022 final allocation and provisional outturn for each subhead in my Department are set out in the table below. The Deputy will note that outturn figures provided below are provisional and will not be finalised until the Department's 2022 accounts are submitted to and audited by the Comptroller & Auditor General
2022 Subhead Allocations and provisional outturn
|
Subhead |
2022 Allocation(€000) |
2022 Provisional Outturn€000 |
|
Admin Pay |
39,632 |
34,064 |
|
Admin Non-Pay |
10,722 |
9,388 |
|
A.3 Environmental Protection Agency |
41,619 |
41,600 |
|
A.4 Environmental and Climate Research |
14,300 |
13,536 |
|
A.5 Carbon Fund |
4,500 |
0 |
|
A.6 International Climate Change Commitments |
15,000 |
16,045 |
|
A.7 Climate Initiatives |
11,077 |
9,776 |
|
A.8 Just Transition (IE and EU) |
34,000 |
3,397 |
|
A.11 Subscriptions to International Organisations |
3,200 |
3,400 |
|
B.3 SEAI Admin & General Expenses |
21,475 |
19,814 |
|
B.4 Residential/Community Retrofit Programmes |
152,869 |
151,654 |
|
B.5 Other Energy Efficiency Programmes |
46,065 |
43,425 |
|
B.6 Other Energy Programmes |
2,050 |
626 |
|
B.7 Energy Research Programmes |
25,010 |
9,240 |
|
B.8 Gas Services |
45 |
42 |
|
B.9 Renewable Energy Compliance |
10,300 |
0 |
|
B.10 Single Scheme Pension Payment (CRU) |
6 |
0 |
|
B.11 Electricity Credit |
1,592,000 |
1,588,208 |
|
B.12 Subscriptions to International Organisations |
290 |
312 |
|
B.13 Emergency Generation Capacity |
350,000 |
151,000 |
|
C.3 Mining and Petroleum Services |
2,264 |
950 |
|
C.4 GSI Services |
12,900 |
11,542 |
|
C.5 Inland Fisheries |
33,449 |
34,186 |
|
C.6 Waste Management Programmes |
37,010 |
33,477 |
|
C.7 Subscriptions to International Organisations |
135 |
121 |
|
D.3 National Broadband Plan |
195,000 |
177,282 |
|
D.4 Other Communications Infrastructure |
3,570 |
2,614 |
|
D.5 Other Digital Economy Programmes |
6,206 |
6,770 |
|
D.6 National Cyber Security Centre |
5,100 |
3,419 |
95. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the situation with respect to the clean export guarantee tariff for the commercial sector; if and when such businesses that export solar generated power to the grid will be paid for same; the situation with respect to phase three smart meters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1227/23]
View answerThe Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has published a decision for the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff (CRU21131-Interim-Clean-Export-Guarantee-Decision-Paper.pdf) which outlines arrangements for implementation of the tariff, including eligibility criteria and remuneration methodology.
To be eligible for remuneration based on metered export quantities, a renewables self-consumer must be eligible for a smart meter installation as part of the ESB Networks led deployment under the National Smart Metering Programme (NSMP) and they must meet the following criteria:
- the renewables self-consumer must meet the definition included in REDII (Renewable Energy Directive II);
- the renewables self-consumer must be exporting electricity to the network based on data transmitted to ESBN;
- the renewables-self consumer must have installed microgeneration and must have informed ESBN of their intention to install microgeneration via a declaration using the NC6, NC7 or equivalent form and
- they must have a smart meter installed to meter their exported electricity. Under the export metered quantity arrangements, the exported quantity recorded and provisioned by ESBN is the final determination of the quantity of export for which customers are to be paid by suppliers.
Under certain conditions outlined in the CRU’s CEG Decision paper, customers with microgeneration but who are not yet eligible for a smart meter (including 3-phase meters) may still avail of the CEG.
Under these conditions a deemed quantity will be calculated by the ESBN. This is the final determination of the quantity for export which customers are to be paid by suppliers.
The CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them to raise questions on general energy regulatory matters to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
ESB Networks (ESBN), the electricity Distribution System Operator, is delivering the electricity smart meter rollout, which involves the installation of over 2.4 million smart meters by end of 2024. To date, over 1 million smart meters have now been installed.
My Department has been in contact with ESBN and have been informed that replacement of 3 phase meters is planned to begin in Q4 2023.
96. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on whether churches should be able to avail of relief for their electricity bills given the current energy crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1229/23]
View answerThe Government is acutely aware of the difficulties households, businesses and community organisations are facing with respect to the current global energy crisis and the resultant high electricity prices. That is why throughout 2022 Government introduced a €2.4 billion package of supports and as part of Budget 2023 introduced a package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion to mitigate the impact including:
- a new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €550.47 (exclusive of VAT) will be credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €183.49 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - November/December 2022, January/February 2023, and March/April 2023.
- an extension of the 9% VAT rate on electricity and gas until February 2023.
- a €400 lump sum payment to Fuel Allowance recipients
- €200 lump sum payment for pensioners and people with a disability getting the Living Alone Increase
- €500 cost of living lump sum payment to all families getting Working Family Payment
- double payment of Child Benefit to support all families with children
- €500 cost of living payment for people receiving Carer's Support Grant will be paid in November
- Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS), which will provide up to €10,000 per business per month until spring 2023 – to help meet rising energy costs. The scheme will support eligible companies, covering 40% of the increase in their energy bills.
In addition, as part of its suite of once-off measures, Budget 2023 allocates €340 million for support for communities including sports bodies and community organisations. This includes:
- The Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme (CVESS) which provides small grants to community groups, development associations, and volunteer-led organisations.
- The Community Support Fund will also help community groups and facilities deal with increases in energy prices and other costs including Parish Halls, Community Centres, Local Development Associations, Social Clubs, ICA Groups, Senior Citizen Groups, Men’s Sheds, Women’s Sheds and more.
97. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the action his Department is taking to accommodate homeowners in the conversion of existing domestic heating systems, that is, oil burners and boilers to hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel, in view of the fact that it would assist homeowners in retrofitting their homes more feasibly and the conversion to HVO fuel would lead to an immediate reduction in carbon emissions in home heating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1239/23]
View answer107. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of matters raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1351/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 107 together.
Under Response 17 of the National Energy Security Framework, the Government committed to building on the detailed sectoral analysis of the National Heat Study to develop proposals for regulatory options to accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels for space and water heating in all new buildings, with limited exemptions such as industrial processes. This is reflected in the ambition set out in the Climate Action Plan.
The Climate Action Plan 2023 includes a range of measures to address the use of fossil fuel in heating systems in buildings. The National Heat Study contains the detailed analysis that is informing the development of options, policies and measures to decarbonise the heating and cooling sectors to 2050. The Study considered a number of potential decarbonisation options for a wide range of dwelling and business types. This included the use of liquid biofuels, solid biomass, biogases and other technologies such as heat pumps and district heating networks.
The recommendation of the Heat Study is that heat pumps are the optimal decarbonisation path for domestic heating systems, with district heating also being a competitive option that can be widely deployed.
The National Retrofit Plan sets out how the Government will deliver on the targets of retrofitting the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a BER of B2/cost-optimal and installing 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by the end of 2030.
The plan is designed to address barriers to retrofit across four key pillars: (i) driving demand and activity; (ii) financing and funding; (iii) supply chain, skills and standards; and (iv) governance. For each pillar, barriers were identified, and time-bound policies, measures and actions were put in place to address them.
A particularly important aspect of the Retrofit Plan was the launch, in February, of a new package of enhanced SEAI retrofit supports. The key measures included:
- A new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme providing increased grant levels towards the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard; and,
- A new network of registered One Stop Shops to offer a hassle-free, start-to-finish project management service, including access to financing, for home energy upgrades.
Under the SEAI administered schemes, grants for heat pump systems of up to €6,500 are available.
District heating is a proven technology, offering the potential to supply low- and zero-carbon heat to homes, businesses and public buildings from a central source. Significant ramp-up in the deployment of district heating networks will be required to 2030 and beyond. The National Heat Study has identified that district heating could, in time, provide as much as 50% of building heat demand in Ireland. A multi-disciplinary District Heating Steering Group, was established by my Department and met regularly in 2022. The Group has prepared a report that will be brought to Government shortly. The Report will provide recommendations on issues including:
- Supports for the rollout of district heating in Ireland;
- Development of a regulatory framework to protect consumers and suppliers;
- The manner in which national, regional and local planning frameworks encourage and facilitate the development of district heating;
- Development of a roadmap for district heating, informed by the evidence of the National Heat Study;
- Financing mechanisms to support the delivery of district heating projects, including appropriate financial incentives similar to the retrofit grant programmes; and
- Regulatory and legislative tools to enable the rollout of district heating infrastructure.
Liquid renewable fuels may be best used in transport systems that are more difficult to decarbonise and their use should be incentivised in the transport energy market. HGVs and the aviation sector have no alternative for sustainable fuel, unlike the domestic heating for which we can turn to other alternatives. Ireland imports substantial quantities of bioethanol and biodiesel in order to meet requirements under the Biofuels Obligation Scheme to incorporate biofuels into the transport fuel supply and is likely to continue to have a heavy reliance on imports in the future. Biofuels are a core transitional technology relied upon for the medium-term reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the road transport sector.
One of the key challenges for increasing the supply of biofuels, including HVO, is ensuring sustainability and availability. There is potential for indigenous production to scale up to between 435m and 735m litres of biodiesel/HVO in 2030, but with low recoverable feedstock supplies (potential for 70m litres of biodiesel from indigenous feedstock) reliance on imported feedstocks (Used Cooking Oil (UCO) and tallow) will continue to be high. Supply of UCO is limited and additional demand for it will impact on its cost and may heighten the risk of fuel fraud in global supply chains.
98. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when he expects to see fibre broadband rolled out in Brownstown, Cloughjordan, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1249/23]
View answerI am advised by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) that, as of 6 January, construction is underway across 26 counties. Over 117,900 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection, with over 109,200 premises passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. In County Tipperary, NBI has advised that there are 5,806 premises passed by the high-speed fibre broadband network and available for immediate connection.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Tipperary, including the area referred to in the question 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. NBI has also made recent improvements to their website to enhance the provision of information to Oireachtas members including a portal that will serve as a means for Oireachtas members to proactively search for information relevant to their county/local area. The portal provides an up-to-date picture of NBI’s deployment schedule across the 227 Deployment Areas (DAs) in all 26 counties. The dedicated webpage can be accessed here: www.nbi.ie
Strategic Connection Points (SCPs) 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 6 January, 844 SCP sites (281 Broadband Connection Points, which are publicly accessible sites, and 563 schools) have been installed 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 BCPs and the Department of Education for school SCP’s. In County Tipperary 20 BCP’s have been installed to date. Further details can be found at: nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.
In County Tipperary 35 schools have been installed by NBI to date 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. Further details of schools in scope are available on the NBI website at: nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.
99. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there will be any scheme to accommodate homes that are rated as D1 or below on the BER scale, making them ineligible for SEAI grants that would make their homes more energy efficient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1274/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to reducing emissions from the residential sector through retrofitting the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating B2/cost optimal level and installing 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end-2030.
Last year, the Government launched a range of enhanced supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to retrofit their homes. In addition to 100% funded retrofits for energy poor households, grant supports are available for those seeking to undertake deep retrofits as well as for homeowners that wish to take a step by step approach by installing individual or shallow measures.
I am not aware of any restrictions which would prevent a homeowner with a D1 BER standard home or lower BER standard from applying for an SEAI home energy efficiency upgrade. Further information on all SEAI schemes can be found at www.seai.ie.
100. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if organic waste that is used to cover landfills will continue to be exempt from the organic fines levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1275/23]
View answerThe Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy (WAPCE) sets out a commitment to ‘analyse the impact of the landfill levy exemption for bio-waste and whether it should be removed’. My Department has established a working group to examine this.
Arising from the work of the group it is intended to undertake a full review of the landfill levy regulations and exemptions to the levy, including stabilised waste that has been bio-logically treated, this year.
101. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if progress has been made in calculating the amount of polyethylene terephthalate, PET, and plastic that are recycled domestically and exported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1311/23]
View answer102. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his proposals to reduce the amount of polyethylene terephthalate, PET, and plastic exported from Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1312/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together.
At present, the quantity of recyclable materials placed on the market exceeds domestic recycling capacity and the waste management industry relies, in part, on the export market to meet its processing needs. The following organisations collate data on PET and plastic and the recycling and export of that waste:
- The National Transfontier Shipment Office (NTFSO) maintains records of waste exports and registers containing details of waste exported by year are available on the NTFSO website.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collects data for national waste statistics and data on the treatment of packaging waste, including plastic recycled outside Ireland, is published in the EPA’s Waste Packaging Statistics for Ireland.
- Repak, the national packaging Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, has subsidies in place to incentivise domestic recycling infrastructure ahead of recycling abroad by providing, for example:
- an additional reprocessing subsidy for household collection which was introduced in 2020 and is only available to plastic re-processors with operations in Ireland. Currently this subsidy is €80 per tonne.
- a stepped system in place for commercial collection with the highest subsidy payable where material is recycled in Ireland, mid-range funding where material is recycled in EU/UK, and a reduced subsidy for material sent outside Europe.
Repak also reports data on plastic recycling in its annual Plastic Pledge Report.
Latest data from the EPA shows that 89,057 tonnes of plastic packaging waste was recycled in 2020, of which 7,568 tonnes (8%) was recycled domestically and 81,489 tonnes (92%) was recycled outside Ireland. Currently, data on PET exports cannot be separately identified as there is no EU or international waste code for this type of material.
In November 2022, I launched the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for PET plastic bottles and aluminium cans. Data on PET plastic bottles will be collected and reported to the Department by Re-turn, the DRS operator, once the scheme is live.
103. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the introduction of a levy on the use of virgin plastics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1313/23]
View answerThe Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy 2020-2025 commits to examining measures to support increased use of recycled materials in packaging including the possible introduction of a virgin plastic levy. Any interventions in the market must be carefully assessed and my officials are engaging with stakeholders to better understand current behaviour in the plastics recycling market.
My Department is also monitoring plans at an EU level to deal with virgin plastic. On 30 November 2022, as part of its Circular Economy Package, the European Commission published proposed revisions to the Packaging and Packaging Waste legislation. One of the actions proposed by the Commission is the inclusion of mandatory recycled plastic content rates in new plastic packaging which will further boost the market for recycled materials.
104. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if consideration will be given to the establishment of a new local community banking system in conjunction with An Post, similar to the successful model of community banking as developed in New Zealand, in view that it would allow all rural post offices to remain viable into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1320/23]
View answer105. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if consideration will be given to combining credit union services and An Post services in certain rural communities where post offices may not be sustainable on their own; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1321/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together.
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. An Post will continue to actively seek new business and to explore opportunities to develop new or enhanced product lines for the network.
An Post is transforming its retail network by delivering new products and new formats. This includes, among other things, diversifying and growing the financial services products it provides for individuals and SMEs to include loans, credit cards and more foreign exchange products, local banking in association with the major banks and a full range of State Savings products. An Post is providing agency banking services for a number of leading banks including AIB, Ulster Bank and Bank of Ireland.
The Department of Finance has conducted a broad ranging review of the retail banking sector. As part of the Review, stakeholders, including members of the public, were invited to make submissions to the Department of Finance. These submissions were by way of a public consultation process launched at the Retail Banking Review dialogue in Tullamore in May 2022. Over 100 delegates attended the dialogue, including the retail banks, An Post, Fintech companies, Trade Unions, Credit Unions and the community and voluntary sector. The public consultation process concluded in July and over 100 submissions were received. The Review team published its report in November 2022. The report indicates that there is scope for An Post to further expand its offerings in consumer and SME retail financial services, in partnership, and on a commercial basis with other firms. The matter of commercial partnerships is one for the company to consider and progress directly.
