Written Answers Nos. 139-147
139. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide details in tabular form, by county, of the projects funded under the structures at risk fund in 2012; the amount paid to each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11929/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2012, my Department provided €495,057 in grant assistance through a Structures at Risk Fund, administered by local authorities, to assist with works to safeguard structures protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2012. A breakdown of the grants provided is laid out in the following table.
|
Local Authority |
Site Name |
Grant |
|
Offaly |
Former Estate Workers Cottage, Geashill |
€10,000 |
|
Offaly |
Annabrook House, Shinrone |
€15,000 |
|
Cork |
Alms Houses, Glanmire |
€12,489 |
|
Waterford (City) |
Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity |
€20,000 |
|
Leitrim |
Manorhamilton Castle |
€4,000 |
|
Louth |
Rokeby Hall, Grangebellew |
€10,000 |
|
Louth |
Essexford Glebe |
€9,500 |
|
Kerry |
Castleview House, Castleisland |
€10,000 |
|
Kerry |
Glanleam House, Valentia Island |
€10,000 |
|
Mayo |
Foxford Parish Church, Foxford |
€10,000 |
|
Mayo |
Milford House, Kilmaine |
€10,000 |
|
Roscommon |
Stations of the Cross memorials, St. Colman's Graveyard, Ardsallagh Beg |
€8,000 |
|
Roscommon |
Killinovoy House, Knockcroghery |
€14,114 |
|
Tipperary (South) |
Cappawhite Church, Cappawhite |
€14,846 |
|
Tipperary (South) |
The Tholsel, Fethard |
€21,113 |
|
Tipperary (North) |
Ardcroney Church and Castle |
€15,000 |
|
Tipperary (North) |
Lisbunny Church |
€10,000 |
|
Kildare |
Monasterevin Charter School |
€45,000 |
|
Kildare |
Clane Friary Walls |
€10,000 |
|
Waterford |
Curraghmore House, Portlaw |
€10,000 |
|
Limerick |
The Old Church of Ireland, Caherconlish |
€10,000 |
|
Cork (City) |
61 Shandon Street, Cork City |
€7,200 |
|
Meath |
Annesbrook, Duleek |
€18,108 |
|
Westmeath |
Market Square, Kilbeggan (two houses) |
€10,000 |
|
Galway (City) |
Ballinfoyle, Headford Road |
€7,000 |
|
Wicklow |
Aghowle Cottage, Ashford |
€7,000 |
|
Wicklow |
Carnew Castle Wall |
€7,000 |
|
Longford |
St. Catherine's Church of Ireland, Ballymacormick |
€5,000 |
|
Dublin (Fingal) |
Ardgillan Glasshouse, Ardgillan Demesne |
€8,088 |
|
Limerick (City) |
Irish Town House (O'Currys Street) |
€14,598 |
|
Carlow |
Borris House |
€7,000 |
|
Dublin (City) |
65 & 66 Mountjoy Square |
€15,000 |
|
Dublin (City) |
Abbey Presbyterian Church |
€15,000 |
|
Dublin (City) |
10 Ardee Street |
€40,000 |
|
Wexford |
Mountgarret Castle |
€15,000 |
|
Clare |
Byrne's Shop |
€10,000 |
|
Cavan |
Cavan Parish Church |
€7,500 |
|
Cavan |
St Mary's Church, Crosserlough |
€7,500 |
|
Sligo |
Ahamlish Church of Ireland |
€10,000 |
|
Sligo |
St Anne's Church, Strandhill |
€5,000 |
140. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the importance of having in place high-quality broadband at Carraroe, County Sligo, where there is a high level of retail activity and small and medium enterprises located in County Sligo; the reason Eircom is not proceeding to activate from its exchange at Carraroe; if the Commission for Communications Regulation is aware of the lack of proper broadband at this industrialised area of County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11800/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland’s telecommunications market has been liberalised since 1999 and thus the delivery of broadband services is a matter, in the first instance, for private sector commercial operators who are licensed and regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Decisions relating to the provision of broadband services in any particular area, including the upgrading of telephone exchanges, are commercial decisions for the commercial service providers. I have no statutory power to compel any service provider to offer higher levels of broadband service at any particular location.
The State only becomes involved in the provision of services in instances of clear market failure, such as in the case of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) and the Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS). The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August last, 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. Ireland is now therefore moving to a new phase of public and private sector investment in broadband in Ireland which will see significantly improved speeds delivered across the country.
The National Broadband Plan commits the Government to investing in areas where high speed services are not commercially viable and will not be provided by the market. This will ensure that citizens or businesses, wherever they are located, have a broadband connection which meets their needs to interact effectively with society and business in a global digital environment. I would reiterate that the Government remains committed to the delivery of the speeds referred to in the Plan, to ensure that all parts of Ireland, including Carraroe, County Sligo, will have at least 30Mbps connectivity.
141. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a list of ventures supported financially by the National Digital Research Centre in each year since its establishment including to date in 2013; if he will detail the particulars of the support offered in each case, including amounts granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11821/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra145. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will itemise the total share capital portfolio of the National Digital Research Centre, NDRC, at present; if he will list all ventures in which the NDRC once held share capital, including the value of each investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12007/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 145 together.
The National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) is a private company which is funded by my Department through a Concession Agreement to develop research based projects to market ready stage by means of collaboration between researchers and commercial development staff who work together in joint project teams. The Concession Agreement commenced in 2007 and to date €23.2m of Exchequer capital funding has been advanced to the NDRC. I am informed by the NDRC that ventures set up from NDRC projects have received follow-on private investment of €9.6m and created 155 full-time jobs and 66 part-time jobs by end 2012, and their market valuation had reached almost €30m.
A list of the ventures supported by the NDRC, based on information I have received from the NDRC, is shown in the table. Support is provided by way of mentoring and development as well as share capital in some instances. NDRC further advises that the investment amounts provided to, and the shares which it holds in, ventures is commercially sensitive information.
NDRC Ventures
|
1 |
ADAPT |
|
2 |
Adaptics |
|
3 |
Adjuno Inc. |
|
4 |
Agile Education Technologies |
|
5 |
Balls.ie |
|
6 |
bitSmith Games |
|
7 |
BOSS Metrics |
|
8 |
Boxever |
|
9 |
BragBet |
|
10 |
Bsmark |
|
11 |
Busy Moos |
|
12 |
Buttrr |
|
13 |
BuyNow.TV |
|
14 |
Buzzoo |
|
15 |
Catering Mentor Ltd/Bizimply |
|
16 |
Causehere - Kind Citizen/digital Edge Ltd. |
|
17 |
Cellusys - Sentinel |
|
18 |
ClearSight Ltd. |
|
19 |
ClearTone Technologies - cTone |
|
20 |
Cloudsplit |
|
21 |
Conker |
|
22 |
Coolnagour Ltd t/a iCabbi |
|
23 |
DEN |
|
24 |
Digital DemiGods |
|
25 |
Eazipass |
|
26 |
EquineWatch |
|
27 |
ESSBRaiN - Bluebox lTD |
|
28 |
ExRayLab Ltd. |
|
29 |
Fixational |
|
30 |
Freegaming |
|
31 |
Gamebrains Ltd |
|
32 |
GeoDealio |
|
33 |
getHealth |
|
34 |
Glidebooks - Fieldaware |
|
35 |
Good Travel Software Ltd - Dropcar |
|
36 |
Gradpool |
|
37 |
Haunted Planet Studio - Viking Ghost Hunt |
|
38 |
Haystack |
|
39 |
HeartPhone |
|
40 |
Hit The Road - Commutable Ltd. |
|
41 |
Hush Vine Ltd |
|
42 |
Hypertiny |
|
43 |
IADT - SeeSearch |
|
44 |
Inside Out |
|
45 |
Instant Opinion |
|
46 |
jumpzter |
|
47 |
Lantenant Ltd |
|
48 |
LearnUpon |
|
49 |
Lidar |
|
50 |
Lingleonline ltd - Comenius |
|
51 |
Logentries |
|
52 |
Media for Buyers Ltd. |
|
53 |
Metalabs |
|
54 |
MobStats |
|
55 |
MuteButton Ltd. |
|
56 |
My Good Points |
|
57 |
Mypp Media Ltd - Buildeye |
|
58 |
Neuro Hero |
|
59 |
Neurosynergy Games |
|
60 |
NewsWhip |
|
61 |
Parallel Win |
|
62 |
PBOC Ltd |
|
63 |
Pharmapod |
|
64 |
Picturk |
|
65 |
Placebo Responder |
|
66 |
Planet iLove |
|
67 |
Plug'N'Play |
|
68 |
Plum Brothers |
|
69 |
Point The Way GPS Ltd - EyePhone |
|
70 |
PowWow |
|
71 |
Prowlster |
|
72 |
RASS -iGeocomms |
|
73 |
Redeem&Get - Sarsol Ltd. |
|
74 |
Reverbeo |
|
75 |
Right to Sight Technology - IRIS |
|
76 |
Rococco Software Ltd - LocalSocial |
|
77 |
SCRAZZL |
|
78 |
SendRR |
|
79 |
SilverCloud Health - TET |
|
80 |
Slate State Ltd |
|
81 |
SmartCarbon |
|
82 |
Smarter |
|
83 |
Smartrip Technologies Ltd |
|
84 |
Sneaky Vegetables |
|
85 |
SokoHealth |
|
86 |
Somnium Ltd - Popdeem |
|
87 |
Soundwave Analytics Ltd. |
|
88 |
StockEnvy |
|
89 |
Tapadoo |
|
90 |
Tempity |
|
91 |
The Turning Institute |
|
92 |
ThoughtBox |
|
93 |
True Pivot |
|
94 |
TuneTrak |
|
95 |
Twelve Horses - Vizi |
|
96 |
Unified Media |
|
97 |
Uvoice |
|
98 |
V-Learning |
|
99 |
VideoElephant |
|
100 |
VideoScamp |
|
101 |
VitFiz |
|
102 |
von bismark |
|
103 |
VoucherLink |
|
104 |
Winnow |
|
105 |
ZenDoc |
|
106 |
Zinc Software Limited |
142. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the €2.7 million funding allocated to TG4 for the roll out of high definition, HD, in 2011, if he has set any deadlines for the project or has required any consultation or liaison between TG4 and RTÉ on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11825/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraTG4 is an independent national public service broadcaster whose remit, obligations, principal objects and associated powers are set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009. Section 98 of that Act provides that TG4 shall be independent in the pursuance of these objects, subject to the requirements of the Act. As such I, as Minister, have no function in TG4’s management of its day to day affairs. This includes the rollout of its High Definition (HD) project. In order to be of some assistance, however, I have asked the company to contact the Deputy directly on this matter.
143. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he intends to adjust the REFIT scheme for miscanthus growers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11875/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra144. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to put the REFIT scheme in place in time for the 2013 harvest, due shortly and without which the large personal investment by farmers would be lost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12006/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 144 together.
The REFIT scheme for biomass (REFIT3), which was opened in February 2012, is designed to incentivise the addition of 310 MW of renewable electricity capacity to the Irish electricity grid. The technologies being supported include anaerobic digestion and combined heat and power, which will also contribute to our renewable heat targets. It also contains incentives for co-firing of biomass in peat powered generation plants with a premium for the use of energy crops such as miscanthus and willow. The scheme operates by guaranteeing a minimum price for renewable electricity generated and sent to the grid over a 15 year period. The scheme does not set out a tariff price for biomass itself which is a contractual matter between biomass supplier and the electricity generator. The REFIT schemes are funded through the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy which is paid for by all electricity consumers. I do not have any plans at this time to open any new REFIT schemes or to adjust the schemes currently in existence with respect to any particular feedstock.
146. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he expects to see the creation of the energy efficiency fund as referred to in the Action Plan for Jobs; the way he proposes to implement the operation of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12013/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Energy Efficiency Fund (the Fund) will be established with the aim of providing finance to energy efficiency initiatives in the public and private sectors. The aim is to attract matching funding from the private sector, such that the overall amount available for investment is greater than €70 million. NewEra has been asked by Government to coordinate establishment of the Fund and ensure it is appropriately managed. It has been meeting with sector participants and parties with experience in making and managing investments in the energy efficiency sector.
The Fund will be supported by the creation of a National Energy Performance Contracting Policy Framework (the Framework), which will standardise energy performance contracting in Ireland and provide a robust process for establishing the investment-ready projects. Work on the Framework is well advanced with a public/private group established late last year. The first version of the Framework will be published in early April this year.
I anticipate that NewEra will shortly conclude the process of stakeholder engagement and move to formalise interest in the Fund’s establishment. The investors will determine the Fund’s structure and operational priorities. I anticipate that the Fund will be established later this year. Parties interested in the Fund are encouraged to contact NewEra, while the SEAI are the contact point for the Framework. Further information on both the Fund and the Framework is available on the Department’s website.
147. Deputy Liam Twomey asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it should be insisted that suppliers from whom community groups purchase equipment with State moneys should have tax clearance certificates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11742/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraTax clearance requirements are a matter for the Minister for Finance and are detailed in Department of Finance Circular 44/2006: Tax Clearance Procedures Grants, Subsidies and Similar Type Payments.
