Written Answers Nos. 255-264
255. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if Ireland is on course to meet its 2020 renewable energy targets in respect of biofuels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38552/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all Member States a binding target that at least 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland aims to meet this target mainly through the use of sustainable biofuels with electric vehicles also making a contribution.
The Biofuels Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 as the primary means through which Ireland would meet the transport target and is the principal support for the uptake of biofuels in Ireland. The scheme has resulted in increases in the amount of biofuels in Ireland since its introduction. In 2014, almost 167 million litres of biofuel was placed on the road transport fuel market, which is an increase of over 16 million litres from the previous year. This represented 5.2 percentage points of the 10% target required by 2020.
It is estimated that in order to achieve the binding target for Ireland of 10%, a biofuel obligation rate of 12% by volume may be needed by 2020. Therefore, the obligation rate must be increased progressively on a managed and phased basis over the coming years. Last month, I launched a consultation seeking views on an increase to the biofuel obligation rate from 2016. The consultation closed last Friday and my Department is considering the responses received.
256. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will establish a round table forum of Departments and local Deputies to assess and address the implications of the High Court rejection of planning permission to Bord na Móna to extend the lifetime of the Edenderry power station given the implications that it has for local employment and for the extension to the operation of the power stations at Shannonbridge in County Offaly and at Lanesborough in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38557/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraBord na Móna is a commercial State company operating under the Turf Development Acts 1946 to 1998. The matter raised by the Deputy is operational in nature and not one in which I, as Minister, have any function.
I have noted the decision of the High Court in this matter. Separately, I understand that there are matters before An Bord Pleanála relevant to this issue. In the circumstances, it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment or to take any action at this time.
259. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of discussions he has had with Eir on the timing and implementation of the Eir fibre broadband investment project; how that compares with proposed timing and roll-out of the State's national broadband programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38594/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe High Speed Broadband Map 2016, published on 24th November 2014 (www.Broadband.gov.ie) was developed by my Department to establish the National Broadband Plan (NBP) Intervention Areas.
This Map shows where access to high speed broadband services provided on a commercial basis are expected to be in place by the end of 2016 and where the Government may intervene to enable access to high speed broadband. The High Speed Broadband Map was subject to public consultation which closed in February 2015.
The planned period for the roll-out of the State Intervention is 2016 to 2020 and the Department has revised the investment period under assessment to also include investments in the period 2016 – 2020.
The Department is currently in the process of assessing future Next Generation Access (“NGA”) investment plans of commercial operators, including eir, to establish whether those operators have concrete, and credible, plans to roll out further NGA services by 2020. This process takes into consideration changes to investment plans by operators since the first High Speed Broadband Map 2016 was published and involves a detailed review of the proposals, including in particular the technical and financial aspects. A further consultation relating to the process for updating the 2016 High Speed Broadband Map was published by my Department on 19 October.
This exercise is expected to culminate in the publication of a new High Speed Broadband Map 2020 (the “Map”) in December 2015.
260. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the percentage of staff in his Department capable of dealing with the public in the Irish language; if there are training programmes in place for staff to improve their level of working Irish; the provision there is for other minority languages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38620/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSome 6% of staff in this Department have indicated that they possess Irish language skills. Supports are available should the Department need to improve the level of Irish available. The Department does not have significant direct engagement with the public and therefore, there is no requirement for the provision of other minority languages. If this changes, the requirement for minority languages can be re-examined.
261. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the funding allocated by his Department to organisations not audited directly by the Comptroller and Auditor General; the names of these organisations; the funding allocated to each over the past five years; the process in place to ensure that value for money is achieved and that the funding allocated is audited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38666/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
262. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a survey was conducted to determine if eel stocks had been depleted to such levels that fishermen were forced to abstain from eel fishing on the rivers Barrow and Suir; if the survey deemed that eel stocks were below the conservation limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38679/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra263. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the nature of the survey conducted to determine if eel stocks had been depleted to such levels that fishermen were forced to abstain from eel fishing on the rivers Barrow and Suir; the criteria of same; the locations in which it was carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38680/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra264. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he envisages that the appropriate rivers will ever be re-opened for eel fishing; if not, if he will consider a voluntary buy-out scheme for current licence holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38681/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 262 to 264, inclusive, together.
I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland as follows in relation to surveys.
The Barrow and Suir Rivers and the Waterford Estuary were examined during a number of surveys in 2009 and 2011. Two locations on the Suir were surveyed in 2009, one upstream of the bridge in Waterford city and one downstream with a total catch of 1,888 eels. A further 1,410 eels were captured in the Barrow transitional waters during the 2009 surveys. The catching method in the study area was by way of un-baited fyke nets.
If I inform me that difficulties remain in obtaining density estimates for eels in large water bodies, due to the challenges for sampling methodology in such environments, and the migratory habits of eels moving upstream into the rivers and/or leaving the transitional water as silver eel. Gaining accurate population densities of eel in transitional waters is challenging.
It is not possible therefore to state, with the certainty required that eel stocks in these areas are currently at levels which could sustain commercial fishing. It is also difficult to develop a conservation limit for the estuarine environment due to such movements of eels within the system. Acoustic tagging telemetry studies of eels in the Barrow are being undertaken to quantify their movements and to assist in determining eel density estimates in transitional waters.
To determine the population density within this area, a spatially explicit mark recapture experiment was carried out in the Waterford Harbour in July 2009. The Barrow and Suir Rivers and the Waterford Estuary were examined during a number of surveys in 2009 and 2011. Low mark-recapture rates indicated probable high levels of movement within these waters and made population estimation difficult.
Preliminary analysis of samples taken from the Barrow Transitional Water indicates a mean eel age of 9 years and an average growth rate of 3.78 cm per year. The high growth rate confirms the importance of transitional waters as a productive habitat for eels. In the absence of historic eel biomass estimates for the Waterford estuary to assess achievement of the eel escapement target, telemetry eel tagging studies were undertaken over the 2012 – 2014 period to assist in giving a clearer indication of the movement habits of eels in estuaries and improve population density estimates.
The results of River Barrow Fyke Netting Surveys, 2012-2014 and the River Barrow Acoustic Tagging studies, 2012-2014 including sampling locations are available in the IFI Eel Monitoring Report 2012-2015 available on the IFI website http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/fisheries-management-1/514-eel-monitoring-programme-2012-2014
The latest advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) in 2014 is that “the status of eel remains critical and ICES advises that all anthropogenic mortality (e.g. recreational and commercial fishing, hydropower, pumping stations, and pollution) affecting production and escapement of silver eels should be reduced to – or kept as close to – zero as possible.
The annual recruitment to Europe has increased over the last 3 years from 5% to 12% of historic levels, however recruitment is still well below the reference levels of 1960-1979 and there is no change in the status of the eel as being critically endangered”.
Ireland Eel Management Plan under EU regulation 1100/2007 was reviewed in 2012 and again this year. Both reviews included a robust public consultation process in which stakeholders were invited to make written submissions.
If I have recently submitted recommendations in relation to the management options for the period up to 2018 based on the advice of the Statutory independent Standing Scientific Committee on Eels and this is under consideration.
While I recognise fully the difficulty facing eel fishermen, there is no property right attaching to public eel licences and currently there are no plans to introduce a hardship scheme as outlined by the Deputy.
