Written Answers Nos. 136-148
136. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if an incorrect Eircode for a dwelling (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be corrected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47250/23]
View answerCapita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, assigns Eircodes to new property addresses using a valid postal address and verified geo-locations. An Post collects information on all new and existing buildings, as well as changes to existing addresses and Tailte Éireann (formerly Ordnance Survey Ireland) solely provide the geo-locations (latitude and longitude) for all these buildings. An Post GeoDirectory (APG), a subsidiary company of An Post and Tailte Éireann, issue a new release of database files monthly to Capita in accordance with their revised licence agreement.
Capita have advised my officials that they have been in direct contact with the property owner who verified that they have received an Eircode Notification Letter and using the online Eircode Finder (www.eircode.ie) the Eircode correctly locates their property and the address details are correct.
137. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what options are available to customers of pre-pay energy companies to recoup the Government energy credits if they did not receive any of them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47265/23]
View answerThe Budget package includes a new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €412.83 (exclusive of VAT) will be credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €137.61 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - December 2023, January/February 2024 and March/April 2024. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.007 billion.
The payment will be applied to domestic electricity accounts, including those with Pay As You Go meters, which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2).
While the majority of residential tenants will hold their own domestic electricity accounts, and therefore receive the credit directly, others could have tenancy agreements where tenants pay their actual share of each bill and, in those cases, will benefit from the payment because the amount of the bill will be reduced by the amount of the payment. A small proportion could have other arrangements in place whereby electricity costs are part of the rental cost. Where tenants have a dispute relating to tenancies including any terms relating to electricity payments, these can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for dispute resolution
Following implementation of Scheme I & II, my Department became aware of a cohort that did not receive payment under Schemes I & II. This relates to properties that receive electricity through a “submeter”. This situation occurs where an existing dwelling has been divided for the purposes of accommodating additional people and provides an independent meter for this accommodation. Examples of this situation would include a secondary suite, or house being modified to contain further distinct units than for which it was initially purposed.
The Submeter Support Scheme is being introduced to ensure that €412.83 (exclusive of VAT) is credited to each such account, in three payments of €137.61 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - December 2023, January/February 2024 and March/April 2024. The payment will apply to supplier submeter accounts, including those with Pay As You Go meters.
138. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the amount of money that has been ringfenced for local enforcement of the national smokey coal ban, given that one-third of coal sold in this jurisdiction is illegal bituminous coal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47271/23]
View answerMy Department has worked with the Local Government Management Agency to develop the business case for an enhanced enforcement structure to support the provision of improved co-ordination, expertise, and advice to underpin consistent implementation of all air quality legislation across the country. I have made funding of up to €3m available to support this regional enforcement group and I expect the business case to be submitted formally to the sector for approval in the coming months.
In the absence of a co-ordination body, officials from my Department have been engaging directly with enforcement personnel on the ground, developing guidance and training, holding workshops, providing funding, and supporting the sharing of best practice in relation to a range of air quality legislative obligations that are under the remit of the Local Authorities. I have provided grant funding of over €600,000 to support enforcement efforts on the ground, including a solid fuels sampling programme and an online sales pilot project.
My Department has also engaged extensively with the solid fuel industry, and with retailers, and retailer representative bodies, and is aware of their concerns, including the supply of non-approved and non-tax compliant fuel from outside this jurisdiction.
Tax evasion, with respect to both Carbon Tax and VAT can distort the market irrespective of the type of fuel type being sold as these taxes apply to both low smoke and smoky coal products. Any concerns or information regarding tax evasion should be reported directly to Revenue. Details on how to report such activity can be found at www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/assist-us/reporting-shadow-economy-activity/index.aspx
139. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for a detailed update on the introduction of laws with regard to recycling plastic bottles and aluminium cans; to outline progress on the Government’s legislation in this area; and when new regulations for recycling will be introduced and become active for the public to participate in. [47273/23]
View answerAround 1.9 billion drinks containers are consumed in Ireland each year. Drinks containers are typically consumed on the go and are often thrown away in mixed waste or littered rather than being recycled. A national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is being introduced to encourage more people to recycle bottles and cans and to ensure we meet our ambitious EU targets for the recycling of those materials under EU Single Use Plastics and Packaging legislation.
In November 2021, the Deposit Return Scheme Regulations (S.I. No. 599 of 2021) were signed. These Regulations made it the responsibility of beverage producers to establish a DRS and to nominate a DRS operator for approval by the Minister.
Deposit Return Scheme Ireland (trading as Re-turn) was established by the Irish beverage industry in February 2022 as a new, not-for-profit company to fulfil their obligations under the DRS Regulations. I approved an application from Re-turn to establish and operate a DRS under national regulations on 1st July 2022.
This approval was a vital foundational element for the project, giving Re-turn the legal standing to establish a DRS and commence formal engagement with producers, retailers and other operators.
DRS was launched in November 2022, when registrations opened for producers and retailers. This is a major project involving the development of complex IT, infrastructure and communication systems and Re-turn has been working with all relevant stakeholders over the course of 2023 to prepare for go-live on 1st February 2024.
Further regulations are currently being drafted for my signature to address operational requirements such as the deposit amount, minimum sizing of in-scope containers and retailer exemptions. I will sign these regulations in the coming weeks.
140. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to detail any ongoing or previous use of artificial intelligence within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47334/23]
View answerMy Department continues to take advice from the National Cyber Security Centre in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.), and are following recommendations provided in June 2023.
All applications used within the Department are required to be in line with Departmental policies and procedures. No licenses or subscriptions to AI tools have been purchased.
141. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 160 of 20 June 2023, when a premises (details supplied) can expect to be connected to the NBI network now that it has been reclassified for inclusion in the NBP intervention area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47349/23]
View answerIn December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:
• all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028
• all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and
• digital connectivity will be delivered to all schools and broadband connection points by 2023
These targets will be achieved through commercial operators investing in their networks, complemented by the State’s National Broadband Plan intervention. When taken together, all premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband in every part of the country no matter how remote.
The National Broadband Plan intervention contract provides for the roll out of a high speed and future-proofed broadband network to primarily rural areas. The intervention area covers over 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.
My officials have requested an update from NBI as to when your constituent, whose premises has recently been added into the intervention area, will be in a position to place an order for fibre broadband to his premises. However, I can confirm that all neighbouring premises along this road are ready to connect which means all the necessary fibre infrastructure has been completed by NBI and the connection should not take too long. NBI will now send a crew to the premises to survey the works required to bring the fibre into the home from the road. As it appears no infrastructure has previously existed at this premises, NBI may need to erect new poles or install new ducting and this may require a private wayleave and possibly a licence from the Local Authority for any works on the public road. Once NBI provides further details on this my officials will relay a target date for connection to both your constituent and your office.
There is also a Broadband Connection Point at Inch Community Centre within 1.2km of this premises where free access to high speed broadband is also available. NBI advise that as of 27th October 2023, 191,146 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. 58,332 premises are already connected to the NBP high-speed broadband network.
Additionally, as of 31st October 23,886 premises in County Cork have now been passed by NBI with a high-speed fibre broadband network and available for immediate connection, with 7,441 premises now connected.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Cork and can be monitored via nbi.ie/reps. A county update can be selected to provide the overall number of premises in the Intervention Area, the overall NBP investment in the county, the number of premises passed and connected to date and the status of each of the Deployment Areas with the anticipated date for connection over the lifetime of the project. NBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie , which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
Commercial operators’ fibre rollouts are progressing at pace. Open eir have already passed over 125,000 homes and businesses in Cork with gigabit services, with plans to pass a further c.97,000 homes and businesses over the next 2 – 3 years, bringing their total fibre-based investment in the county to over €89m. Other commercial operators are also continuing to increase their network footprint right across country, with SIRO recently passing over 520,000 premises for full fibre and is on track to reach 700,000 premises by 2026. While Virgin Media have passed over 69,000 premises, and have announced plans to bring 2Gbps services to 345,000 premises, through an upgrade and expansion of their own network, and to bring gigabit broadband upgrades to 1 million premises.
Recent ComReg data shows that Quarter 2, 2023 saw a 7.4% increase in fibre broadband subscriptions compared to the first 3 months of the year, and a 33.7% increase when compared to Quarter 2 of 2022. This demonstrates that take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing massively as it is deployed to areas where it had previously been unavailable. The same ComReg data also indicates that c.40% of homes and business throughout the State now have access to gigabit services through either fibre (576,856) or cable (359,669) infrastructure.
142. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what additional funding was allocated to the warmer homes scheme in Budget 2024; and the estimated time this additional funding will shorten the current waiting list for the scheme. [47371/23]
View answerThe Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low-income households vulnerable to energy poverty. The primary aim of the scheme is to provide upgrades to those living in, or at risk of, energy poverty. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates the scheme on behalf of my Department.
Increased awareness of the multiple benefits of retrofit and improvements to the Warmer Homes Scheme are driving increased levels of demand for the scheme. The average waiting time from application to completion in Q3 2023 was just under 20 months. This is a decrease from an average of 26 months for homes completed in 2022.
The reduction in wait times follows a range of measures introduced by the Department and SEAI including enhanced budgets; increased staffing resources in SEAI; and actions to address supply chain challenges. Over 4,000 homes have been upgraded this year to end-September. My officials continue to work with the SEAI to maximise and accelerate output of free energy upgrades delivered.
Budget 2024 includes record funding of €380 million across all SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes, including the Solar PV (photovoltaic) Scheme meaning that more funding than ever will be available to make homes warmer, healthier, more comfortable and less expensive to heat. This will be supplemented by additional funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to support next year’s programme of energy upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty.
The final details of the funding allocations to each SEAI scheme and the 2024 retrofit targets are currently being finalised as part of preparation of the Revised Estimates Volume for 2024 (REV 2024) and the 2024 SEAI business planning process.
143. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the development of a National Adaptation Framework; the timeline for completion and publication of the Framework; whether it will incorporate just transition and environmental justice principles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47435/23]
View answerObservations show that Ireland’s climate is changing in terms of increases in average temperature, changes in precipitation patterns, and weather extremes. Climate change is expected to have diverse and wide-ranging impacts on Ireland’s environment, society, and economic development, including on the built environment, managed and natural ecosystems, water resources, agriculture and food security, human health, and coastal zones. Ireland will need to adapt to these impacts, notably including flood risk, over time. My Department leads and coordinates national climate adaptation policy, primarily through the development and implementation of the National Adaptation Framework (NAF).
The current NAF, developed under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 (as amended) addresses these risks. The NAF outlines a whole of government and society approach to climate adaptation in Ireland to improve the enabling environment for adaptation through ongoing engagement with key sectors, along with civil society, the private sector, and the research community. The key objectives of the NAF are implemented through activities – at sectoral, regional and local levels. Departments and Agencies are responsible for implementing adaptation measures, in sectors, including flood risk, under their remit.
Following a statutory review by my Department in 2022, a new NAF is currently in development and a first draft, which will incorporate just transition principles, alongside other issues raised during the review process, is expected to be completed by end 2023. A public consultation will be held in early 2024 following which the new NAF will be submitted for Government approval.
144. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when he will make a decision on the proposed increase in the P and T, Telecom Éireann, and Eir pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47490/23]
View answerThe 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 stipulates that pension increases to members can be paid subject to authorisation at Ministerial level across three Departments; my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, and the Department of Finance.
In June 2023, my Department received a request from the trustees for sanction for an increase of 2%, with effect from 1 July 2023. The request has been considered and my Department has now sought concurrence with approval of the request from the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the Minister for Finance, following which the formal approval of the request may be given.
145. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he proposes to make up the shortfall in the PhD stipend, to ensure that PhD researchers funded by his Department either directly or through bodies such as the EPA, who have been excluded from the planned increase in stipends for PhD students, are treated in an equitable manner with other Government-funded PhD students by being given an increase in the stipend to €22,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47579/23]
View answerThere is a strong commitment by Government to nurturing, attracting and retaining talent to drive research and innovation in Ireland, as set out in Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy, Impact 2030. The Government recognises that attracting and retaining early career researchers is essential to building Ireland’s knowledge economy and enabling Ireland to respond to key challenges, including in relation to climate, environment, energy, communications and cyber security.
In driving key actions to deliver the green and digital transitions, my Department funds PhD researchers via competitive research funding programmes run by Geological Survey Ireland, a Division of my Department, and by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
I welcome the recommendations set out in the Independent National Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers, including the recommended increase in the PhD stipend to an optimum target of €25,000 per annum. I also welcome the recent announcement by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science which will see an increase in the PhD stipends offered by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC) to €22,000 per annum from January 2024.
I can inform the Deputy that Geological Survey Ireland currently has a rate of €24,000 for GSI funded MSc and PhD stipends. These will be increased to €25,000 per annum from January 2024 (and backdated to the start of the relevant project). The Environmental Protection Agency and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland have informed my Department that they welcome the recommendation of the Independent National Review to significantly increase the PhD stipend, and they are currently reviewing the implications for their respective R&I programmes.
146. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of statements of interests for the purposes of Section 19 that have been filed by his special advisors in 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; and if he will provide a schedule of same. [47645/23]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that Special Advisers are responsible to the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) in relation to filing of Section 19 Statements of Interests. Where a Statement of Interest is furnished, it is to be laid before the Oireachtas. There is no obligation on a special advisor to furnish a nil statement where no interests exist. Accountable issues in relation to Special Advisors are defined in declarations to be made under the Ethics in Public Office Act.
147. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when commercial customers generating electricity from solar panels will get paid for their surplus production that is currently been fed in to the grid free of charge, and subsequently being charged out to the same customer at full rate in the following days. [47672/23]
View answerOn the 15 February last year, I signed the Regulations that create an obligation on suppliers to offer the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff to new and existing micro-and small-scale generators so that they will receive payment for excess renewable electricity they export to the grid, reflective of the market value.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a decision on an interim enabling framework for the CEG which outlines the arrangements for the implementation of the CEG, including eligibility criteria and remuneration methodology. More information is available here: Clean Export Tariff - Commission for Regulation of Utilities (cru.ie)
The CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them to raise questions on such energy regulatory matters to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
148. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will ensure that the provision of fibre broadband to a medical facility (details supplied) is urgently prioritised. [47674/23]
View answerIn December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:
• all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028
• all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and
• digital connectivity will be delivered to all schools and broadband connection points by 2023
These targets will be achieved through commercial operators investing in their networks, complemented by the State’s National Broadband Plan intervention. When taken together, all premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband in every part of the country no matter how remote.
The National Broadband Plan intervention contract provides for the roll out of a high speed and future-proofed broadband network to primarily rural areas. The intervention area covers over 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) have advised that the premises referred to in the question is at a status of “Network Build in Progress” and an estimated date of connection of July 2025 – December 2025. However, my officials have also advised that this premises should be currently capable of receiving speeds of up 90Mbps from any Retail Service Provider (RSP) of open eir. If your constituent is not receiving these speeds they should, in the first instance, raise this with their RSP.
Your constituent can then contact my officials by completing a web form at secure.dccae.gov.ie/forms/NBP-Customer-Service.aspx providing full details so that my officials can escalate the matter to Open eir for investigation
NBI advise that as of 27th October 2023, 191,146 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. 58,332 premises are already connected to the NBP high-speed broadband network.
Furthermore, as of 31st October 3,125 premises in County Longford have now been passed by NBI with a high-speed fibre broadband network and available for immediate connection, with 1,034 premises now connected.
Commercial operators and NBI will continue work in County Longford, and all counties, over the next three years to complete their fibre rollouts and all efforts are being made to speed up to the rollout. My Department is working extremely hard with Local Authorities to ensure any barriers encountered by these operators are dealt with quickly through day to day engagement and through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Task force.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Longford and can be monitored via nbi.ie/reps. A county update can be selected to provide the overall number of premises in the Intervention Area, the overall NBP investment in the county, the number of premises passed and connected to date and the status of each of the Deployment Areas with the anticipated date for connection over the lifetime of the project. NBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie , which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
Commercial operators’ fibre rollouts are progressing at pace. Open eir have already passed over 9,328 homes and businesses in Longford with gigabit services, with plans to pass a further c.5,700 homes and businesses over the next 2 – 3 years, bringing their total fibre-based investment in the county to over €7m.
Recent ComReg data shows that Quarter 2, 2023 saw a 7.4% increase in fibre broadband subscriptions compared to the first 3 months of the year, and a 33.7% increase when compared to Quarter 2 of 2022. This demonstrates that take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing significantly as it is deployed to areas where it had previously been unavailable. The same ComReg data also indicates that c.40% of homes and business throughout the State now have access to gigabit services through either fibre (576,856) or cable (359,669) infrastructure.
