Written Answers Nos. 122 - 130
122. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress that has been made towards our renewable targets for transport and the amount of oil consumption that has been displaced as a percentage of the total domestic transport energy market over the past few years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48774/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Mineral Oil Tax Relief (MOTR) schemes, which were introduced in 2005 and 2006 and ran until 2010, and the Biofuel Obligation Scheme were measures introduced to incentivise the use of biofuels in Ireland.
The Biofuel Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 to underpin delivery of the mandatory EU target of 10% renewable energy in transport by 2020. The obligation currently requires that the amount of biofuel brought to the market is not less than 4.166% of the relevant disposal of petroleum road transport fuels. In 2011, the total amount of petroleum motor fuel placed on the market was 4,276 million litres of which 145 million litres or 3.39% were biofuel, which equated to 2.7% of the total energy requirement in road transport and which displaced approximately 115 million litres of petroleum fuels. Taking into account the double certificates issued for biofuel produced from wastes a total of 194 million biofuel certificates were issued in 2011 which equates to 4.54% of relevant disposals during the year. The Biofuel Obligation will increase over time (with the first increase happening in 2013) requiring suppliers of road transport fuels to make certain that even higher volumes sold are biofuel.
Prior to the commencement of the MOTR schemes and the Biofuel Obligation Scheme, market penetration of biofuels in Ireland was almost non existent but since their introduction the energy supplied by biofuels in road transport has risen steadily each year from less than 0.1% in 2006 to 2.7% in 2011.
123. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the percentage in every case of electricity generated from oil, coal and from natural gas in this jurisdiction and quantify the extent, where applicable to which each fuel is domestically sourced or is imported and the quantity and cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48775/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Regulation 25 of S.I. No. 60 of 2005, which transposed Article 3(6) of the Electricity Directive (2003/54/EC), the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is required to ensure that all electricity suppliers provide reliable information on bills and promotional materials sent to customers regarding the contribution of each energy source to the overall fuel mix of the supplier concerned.
The latest CER figures (2010), on an all-island basis, show the following fuel mix for electricity generation; Gas 64%, Coal 16%, Renewables 12%, Peat 6% and Oil 2%. I have been informed by the CER that the 2011 fuel mix figures will be published shortly.
The sourcing, cost and quantity of the raw materials used for electricity generation is a commercial decision by each company. However, I can confirm that Coal, Oil and the majority of the gas are sourced internationally while renewables and peat are sourced domestically.
124. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to his statement on 30 May 2012 welcoming the formal decision on that date by the EU Competitiveness Council regarding data roaming costs, if he will update Dáil Éireann on the implementation to date of that decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48904/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the Council decision referred to in the question, “EU Regulation 531/2012 of 13 June 2012 on roaming on public mobile communications networks” was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on the 30 June last and became directly applicable to mobile roaming services providers on the following day. The purpose of the Regulation is to provide increased levels of consumer protection for customers using mobile phone roaming services. The Regulation requires recurring reductions in the maximum permitted roaming charges over time out to 2014, imposes obligations on service providers to circulate better consumer information to customers including early warnings if the aggregate bill for roaming is rising above €50 in any month and to implement structural changes to permit increased competition in the provision of roaming services.
This is the third in a series of EU Regulations to increase the level of consumer protection for mobile phone users when using roaming services. The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) was designated as the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) in Ireland for the purpose of the previous Regulations (EC) No 717/2007, as amended by (EC) No 544/2009. My Department is currently drafting regulations to designate ComReg as the NRA in Ireland for the purposes of the current Regulation.
At the end of July last ComReg published a document [12/83] “Implementation of EU Roaming Regulation by Irish Mobile Companies - 9th wave of Irish and EU aggregated data” which, among other things, sets out the main obligations arising for roaming service providers under the most recent EU Regulation.
125. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Next Generation Broadband Programme to-date; if he will outline his plans for enhancing broadband coverage in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48905/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published recently, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of at least 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses, well in advance of the EU’s target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible.
The Plan commits to high speed broadband availability across the country – specifically:
- 70Mbps – 100Mbps will be available from the commercial market operators to more than half of the population by 2015;
- At least 40Mbps, and in many cases faster speeds, to at least a further 20% (and potentially as much as 35%) of the population during the lifetime of the Government; and
- A minimum of 30Mbps for every remaining home and business in the country, also during the lifetime of the Government.
During the preparation of the Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70Mbps to 100Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. The areas to be provided with those services will be determined by the commercial market operators.
One of the first steps in delivering on the 30Mbps and 40Mbps commitments will be the completion of a formal national mapping exercise to determine the exact position in relation to commercial service providers’ existing and planned broadband services throughout the country. Preparatory work has commenced within my Department to expedite this mapping exercise.
The mapping exercise will identify the areas of the country where there is market failure in the provision of high speed broadband services. It will also identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband over the coming years. The precise areas of the country which will require State intervention will be not be identified until that process is completed. I would reiterate however, that the Government is committed to the delivery of the speeds referred to above, to ensure that all parts of Ireland will have at least 30Mbps connectivity.
126. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will comment with reference to Article 14 (4) and Article 5 (5) of the European Parliament resolution on roaming on public mobile communications networks within the Union, May 2012, on Ofcom's assertion in its Communications Market Report 2012 that 91% of Northern Ireland mobile phone users have picked up Republic of Ireland networks when in Northern Ireland; if he will outline his strategy for addressing inadvertent roaming charges on Republic of Ireland mobile phone users for phone usage in this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48916/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraInadvertent roaming within the EU is governed by “EU Regulation 531/2012 of 13 June 2012 on roaming on public mobile communications networks”. This is the third in a series of EU Regulations to increase the level of consumer protection for mobile phone users when using roaming services.
The current Regulation, (EU) 531/2012, was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on the 30 June last and became directly applicable to mobile roaming services providers on the following day. My Department is currently drafting regulations to designate the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) as the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) in Ireland for the purposes of the current Regulation.
ComReg was also the designated as the NRA in Ireland for the purpose of the previous Regulations. Last July ComReg published a document [12/83] “Implementation of EU Roaming Regulation by Irish Mobile Companies - 9th wave of Irish and EU aggregated data” which, among other things, sets out the main obligations arising for roaming service providers under the most recent EU Regulation, it includes provisions such as roaming providers making information available on how to avoid inadvertent roaming and taking reasonable steps to protect their consumers from paying roaming charges while situated in their Member State. ComReg is gathering information from providers regarding the measures that they are taking and the information they are providing to their customers in this regard.
The current Regulation also requires that customers receive a short text message (SMS) informing them on each occasion when they move to a roaming service and the related details. In addition, ComReg advises customers to refer to their handset user guide to change the setting from ‘automatic network selection’ to ‘manual network selection’ to avoid inadvertent roaming. Customers can refer the matter to ComReg’s consumer line, if they have raised the issue with their provider and not achieved a satisfactory outcome. I understand from ComReg that the level of issues raised by Irish consumers in this respect is low.
Regulation of the telephone market in Northern Ireland is a matter for its regulatory authorities.
127. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps that he is taking to establish the Electoral Commission to increase voter registration and to improve electoral integrity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49017/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government includes a range of political reform measures a number of which are in my area of responsibility as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Many of the measures have already been implemented through legislation enacted in 2011 to provide for a reduction in the number of TDs, reduced spending limits at Presidential elections and time limits for the holding of bye elections, and legislation enacted in 2012 to strengthen the political funding regime in Ireland. That legislation also provides for the payment of state funding to political parties being conditional on parties having at least 30% women and 30% men candidates at the next general election. The Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2012 was published on 5 October 2012 and will soon come before the Oireachtas for debate. The Government legislation programme includes an Electoral (Amendment) (Referendum Spending and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill to be published in 2013 which will implement more commitments in the Programme for Government. Arising from the Action Programme for Effective Local Government I will shortly establish and provide support to a Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee to review and make recommendations on local electoral area boundaries in time for the 2014 local elections.
Following these tasks, I will be addressing the Programme for Government commitment to establish an Electoral Commission to subsume functions of existing bodies and my Department. Establishment of an Electoral Commission will be a major body of work. Issues for consideration include international best practice, the Commission's structure and functions, who it reports to, its relationship with other bodies currently involved in electoral administration, and the approach to be followed in relation to the extensive legislation that will be required, as well as practical matters including staffing and funding arrangements.
128. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details in tabular form for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 inclusive, of the arrangements entered into by the Local Government Management Service Board, for the obtaining of advice from a senior or junior counsel and or a firm of solicitors; the subject matter for which advice was sought; the names of the barristers' and solicitors' firms concerned and the fees paid; the nature of the work concerned; if in each case the matter was advertised for competitive tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48800/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra129. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form a list of all companies or persons providing an external professional service to the Local Government Management Services Board for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 inclusive, such as ICT, legal advice, advertising, project management and including any other external professional service not listed; the amount invoiced by each company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48801/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra130. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details in tabular form for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 inclusive the total amount of expenditure on consultancy by the Local Government Management Services Board; the names of the consultancy companies awarded contracts; the nature of the work concerned; the fees paid to each consultant; if the matter was advertised for competitive tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48802/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 128 to 130, inclusive, together.
The information sought is not readily available in my Department. Its compilation by the Local Government Management Agency, established in August 2012 and nationalising the functions of the Local Government Management Services and Computer Services Boards, would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work.
