Thursday, 2 Apr 2015

Written Answers Nos. 257-266

Broadband Service Provision

Ceisteanna (257, 258, 259, 261)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

257. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to improve broadband telecommunications service in an area (details supplied) in County Cavan; if he is aware that households and many small enterprises are very concerned regarding the totally inadequate service that exists at present; if the necessary investment programme will be undertaken, without further delay, to bring this broadband service up to a proper standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13709/15]

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

258. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to improve broadband telecommunications service in an area (details supplied) in County Cavan; if he is aware that households and many small enterprises are very concerned regarding the totally inadequate service that exists at present; if the necessary investment programme will be undertaken, without further delay, to bring this broadband service up to a proper standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13710/15]

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

259. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to improve broadband telecommunications service in an area (details supplied) in County Cavan; if his attention has been drawn to the fact many small enterprises are very concerned regarding the totally inadequate service that exists at present; if the necessary investment programme will be undertaken, without further delay, to bring this broadband service up to a proper standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13711/15]

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

261. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the proposals there are to improve broadband telecommunications service in an area (details supplied) in County Cavan; if he is aware that households and many small enterprises are very concerned regarding the totally inadequate service that exists at present; if the necessary investment programme will be undertaken without further delay to bring this broadband service up to a proper standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13757/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 to 259, inclusive, and 261 together.

The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.

The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next two years. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.

Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The map shows Ireland with two colours, BLUE and AMBER.

The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers plan to deliver high speed broadband services by end 2016 and includes Crossdoney Co Cavan.

The AMBER areas on the map show the target areas for the State intervention and includes Knockbride, Kill and Killinkere Co Cavan. All premises within the AMBER areas will be included in the State's intervention.

The website also provides information on a county by county basis with a breakdown of coverage across the townlands in every county in Ireland including Co Cavan.

Intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy for the AMBER area. Following a public consultation process on the draft Intervention Strategy this summer, I hope to move to formal procurement phase towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders.

I anticipate that the first homes and businesses will be connected in 2016 and connections will continue thereafter, with the intention of having all premises connected within a 5 year period.

This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.

Mobile Telephony Services

Ceisteanna (260)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

260. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he proposes to raise as a matter of extreme urgency with the European Union communications Ministers and at the European communications Council the need to implement the previously agreed abolition of mobile phone roaming charges in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13755/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

The regulation of retail charges for roaming services is implemented by way of EU Regulations. The first such EU Regulation commenced in 2007, followed by amending Regulations adopted in 2010 and 2012 to further reduce the maximum permitted wholesale and retail roaming charges within the EU. The Regulations also introduced measures to protect users from bill shocks when roaming. Ireland supported each of the EU Roaming Regulations which the EU Commission calculates have achieved regulated retail roaming price reductions of over 80% since 2007 in calls, SMS and data. These reductions have benefitted all roaming mobile phone users without adverse impacts on users who do not use roaming services. This was achieved by reducing both wholesale and retail prices simultaneously.

In September 2013, the European Commission introduced a wide range of proposed measures, including changes to current roaming regulations, as part of a comprehensive Telecoms Single Market (TSM) package. In early 2014, the then out-going European Parliament, having discussed the TSM proposal, voted to significantly amend the Commission's proposals on roaming. It proposed instead a Roam Like At Home approach which would have seen the abolition of roaming charges within the EU by December 2015, subject to a fair usage limit which was unquantified.

The Parliament’s proposal was aimed at retail tariffs and did not address issues in relation to wholesale charges. A concern emerged that this might result in operators passing on costs to domestic customers.

The European Council has been discussing the roaming proposals for several months now and at a recent meeting Ireland along with all Member States agreed to give the Latvian Presidency a mandate to enter into formal negotiations with the European Parliament and the Commission on a revised proposal which would set a basic free roaming allowance for users and significantly reduce charges for roaming beyond the basic allowance. These negotiations are ongoing.

Question No. 261 answered with Question No. 257.

North-South Interconnector

Ceisteanna (262)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

262. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the recent EirGrid report which provides for alternatives to high voltage overhead power lines in the grid link project and in the grid west project and which does not provide similar alternatives for the North-South interconnector; if he will request EirGrid to review this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13816/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

In January 2014, an Independent Expert Panel (IEP) was established to oversee the integrity of the process being undertaken by EirGrid to report on comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground options for both the Grid Link (GL) and Grid West (GW) projects. While the North South Transmission Line project (N/S) is outside the IEP's Terms of Reference, the Independent Expert Panel did agree, on foot of a request by my predecessor, to provide an opinion on the compatibility of the methodologies, to be employed on the GL and GW projects with what had already been done on the N/S project up to and including 2 May 2014, being the date that the Panel decided to examine the N/S project. Having considered and discussed all of the material, the Panel issued a statement on 1 July 2014, indicating its unanimous opinion that, in all material respects, what had already been done on the N/S project is compatible with the methodologies now being employed on the GW and GL projects.

On 27 March 2015 EirGrid published a new draft Strategy which is shaped by three key pillars: open engagement with communities; making the most of new technologies; and a commitment to make the existing grid work harder before building new transmission infrastructure. The draft Strategy will allow for the achievement of an optimal balance between the competing demands of publicly consulting on necessary network development, choosing the best emerging technology options for that development, and minimising new build. The draft strategy found that there remains a clear need for the North South transmission Line, and that the existing proposal for a 400kV overhead line remains the most appropriate solution for the project. Both the draft Strategy and the clear need identified in it for the N/S project were subjected to peer review, which includes independent technical and economic analysis.

I welcomed the publication of the new EirGrid draft Strategy which represents a fresh approach and will strengthen the electricity grid while ensuring that new infrastructure will be built when a clear need is identified and when all options have been fully explored. The Strategy also places a much stronger focus on engaging and consulting with local communities on future infrastructure development.

Broadcasting Authority of Ireland

Ceisteanna (263)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

263. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 26 February 2015, the reason appointments were made to the board of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland without a public competition; if he considers it good practice to have made such appointments in the knowledge that the Government of which he is a member viewed such practice dimly and was imminently to reform these processes; if he will further explain the way it is not a conflict of interest to make an appointment to the board and compliance committee of a person with very close previous professional links with large media entities, which are routinely the subject of complaints before the compliance committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13825/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

The recent appointments to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and the statutory Committee were made by the Government in accordance with Section 8 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. The appointment of members to the Compliance Committee does not come within the new arrangements on Appointments to State Boards. With regard to the appointments to the BAI, I issued a press release last October notifying my intention to fill a number of pressing board vacancies in advance of the new arrangements for appointments to State Boards becoming fully operational. A copy of the press release is available on my Department's website.

I would also point out that in the case of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), there are a number of specific statutory measures, additional to the provisions of the Ethics legislation, in place governing conflicts of interest that may arise in the course of the work of both the Authority and its Committees and providing for transparency, accountability and independence. Section 23 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 obliges the Authority to draw up and adopt a Code of Conduct in respect of controls on interests and ethical behaviour to apply to each member of the Authority, statutory committee, advisory committee and members of staff.

The revised Code was approved by the Authority in November 2013 on the recommendation of the Finance Audit and Risk Committee and is available on the website of the BAI. http://www.bai.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/20131119_RevisedCodeOfBusinessConduct_PK.pdf .

The Code contains a number of specific provisions governing matters of conflict of interest. In addition, members of the statutory Authority and Committees are subject to the obligations placed on them by the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Acts, 1995 and 2001. Authority and Committee members are also subject to Sections 21 and 22 of the Broadcasting Act 2009, which provides for the disclosure of any conflicts of interest. In addition, Section 20 of the Broadcasting Act places duties of accountability to Oireachtas Committees on the Chief Executive, Chairperson of the Authority and the Chairpersons of the Statutory Compliance and Contract Awards Committees.

Taxi Regulations

Ceisteanna (264)

Michael Lowry

Ceist:

264. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify the rules regarding the age of vehicles of taxis (details supplied); if he will introduce a temporary exception and reprieve for taxi drivers and cars which were bought around the January 2013 exception, one month before and after, in view of the fact there was confusion surrounding the exact dates and exception rules during this time and in the run-up to implementation. [13613/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The regulation of the small public service vehicle sector, including vehicle age rules, is a matter for the National Transport Authority under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Acts.

I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.

Road Improvement Schemes

Ceisteanna (265, 266)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

265. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the mechanism available for third parties who wish to make a planning related complaint on roads project such as the Newlands Cross flyover N7 junction improvement scheme where the third party believes that the construction of such a project, or aspects thereof, are in breach of either the environmental impact statement or the final schedule of commitments as lodged with and agreed to, by An Board Pleanála. [13617/15]

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

266. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the provision that exists for third parties to have complaints heard on road building works that are covered by section 4 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and section 52 of the Roads Act 1993 where the third party believes the works to be in breach of the environmental impact statement and/or the final schedule of commitments. [13619/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual national road schemes are matters for the National Roads Authority (NRA) in conjunction with the road authorities concerned.

With regard to the N7 Newlands Cross Upgrade scheme, I understand that an application for approval of the proposed road development, pursuant to section 51 of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended), was made to An Bord Pleanála by Kildare County Council.

Kildare County Council has stated that as it is the authority that obtained the approval for An Bord Pleanála, it is responsible for ensuring that works on the scheme are carried out in accordance with the scheme as approved by the Board.

Accordingly, any third party should bring any concerns and observations they may have with regard to works on the Newlands Cross Upgrade scheme to the attention of Kildare County Council in the first instance.

Generally speaking, third parties who wish to make a complaint in relation to road works may bring their concerns to the attention of the relevant road authority or the NRA as the case may be.