Written Answers Nos. 245-254
245. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a file (details supplied) for the young farmers scheme and national reserve will be sent to the agricultural appeals office for consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6330/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted applications under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme. The Terms and Conditions governing the operation of these schemes state that in order to qualify as a ‘young farmer’, a person must be setting up an agricultural holding for the first time in his/her name or have set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the BPS application. The applications were not successful as the applicant was not the registered owner of the herd number at the time of the application. The applicant was notified of this decision and was offered the opportunity to submit an appeal.
My Department subsequently received an appeal from the person named in relation to the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme applications. This appeal was considered based on the information set out by the applicant and the original decision was upheld. The person named was notified of the outcome of the appeal and offered the opportunity to submit further appeals. The person named has submitted these further appeals. The Agricultural Appeals Office has recently finalised arrangements to manage such appeals and in this regard the relevant papers were submitted to the Agricultural Appeals Office on 30th January 2017. The Agricultural Appeals Office will be in direct contact with the person named with regard to her appeals.
246. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a GLAS application for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6336/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named has been approved into GLAS 3 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2017. The approval letters for successful applications are due to commence issuing shortly.
It is not possible to confirm payment amounts for 2017 at this stage as the information contained in the GLAS application will have to be verified against land details in the 2017 Basic Payment Scheme application before GLAS payment can be calculated. The processing of 2017 GLAS 3 payments will be carried out in the final quarter of 2017 in accordance with the EU regulations governing the Scheme.
247. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the national mitigation plan; the timeline for the publication of the plan; the resources being made available for the implementation of the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6141/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWork is well under way on the development of the first statutory National Mitigation Plan (NMP), required under Section 4 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015. The primary objective of the first NMP is to track implementation of measures already under way, identify additional measures in the longer term to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and progress the overall national low carbon transition agenda to 2050. The first iteration will focus on putting the necessary measures in place to address the challenge to 2020, but also in terms of planning ahead to ensure that appropriate policies and measures can be put in place beyond 2020 and out to 2030.
I recently published a briefing document outlining the development of the NMP to date. It covers the four sectors concerned of electricity generation, the built environment, transport and agriculture, and highlights some key questions to be considered in terms of how best we should position Ireland in taking this important step towards achieving the national transition objective by 2050. The briefing document is available to download from my Department's website. A public consultation is planned for mid-March before a final plan is submitted to Government in early June.
A key part of developing the NMP has been the preparation of appropriate technical, environmental and economic analysis to inform the decision-making process as to what should be included in the plan. These analyses are still ongoing as part of the iterative approach to the development of the plan, and will be an important input into resource allocation as part of future expenditure planning, including as part of the Capital Review.
It should be noted that funding climate action to the required level presents an enormous challenge for Ireland. Early action is imperative to find the most cost-efficient and cost-effective solutions. However, finding the appropriate and most equitable manner to address this issue is not going to be easy, particularly given the economic circumstances of recent years and where finances are still continuing to stabilise and recover. A whole-of-Government approach is essential to identify the optimal mix of measures and policy tools to enable an effective transition. Consideration must be given to the role of regulations, standards, education initiatives and targeted information campaigns, in addition to public and private sector investment. Some initiatives in these areas are outlined in the briefing document which I recently published.
248. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of money set aside by the Government for the warmer homes scheme for 2016 and 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6144/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH) Scheme funds energy efficiency improvements in the homes of the elderly and vulnerable, making their homes more comfortable, healthier and more cost effective to run. In 2016, 6,839 homes were upgraded under the scheme and the level of funding provided was just over €20m.
Across these three strands of the Better Energy Programme, I anticipate investing more than €60m in 2017. This funding will clearly demonstrate the continuing potential of the scheme to deliver energy efficiency gains and related benefits, such as reduced energy costs and better health outcomes.
As I announced in October 2016 around €100m will be dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in 2017, which in addition to the Better Energy Programme will also provide for a number of other programmes, including the Warmth and Wellbeing programme, SME and Industrial engagement with energy efficiency, Public Sector Energy Efficiency and Electric Vehicles.
249. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the action he has taken to dispel concerns held by the tyre industry over lost revenues and trade, among others, which it is claimed will ensue as a result of new structures and regulations being introduced for the industry, including a new compliance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6149/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is my intention to introduce new regulations early this year to address Ireland's waste tyres problem.
These regulations will enable me to put in place a full compliance scheme for tyre operators, which will be financed by a visible Environmental Management Charge (vEMC). Similar compliance schemes have operated very successfully across other waste streams, including, packaging, waste electrical and electronic goods, batteries and farm plastics.
I met with some tyre industry representatives recently. I listened to their concerns and I have done my best to address as many of them as possible, including making the issue of tyres a priority area for enforcement in 2017 for the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs). I have also received a lot of support during the extensive consultation that has taken place with the industry for the introduction of the scheme from other operators in the tyre market
By introducing these new structures, I am implementing the recommendations of the Review of Producer Responsibility Initiatives in Ireland which was published by my Department in 2014. I am convinced that the new structures will address the lack of regulation in this market to date and address the occurrences of stockpiles of waste tyres that could have a detrimental effect on the environment and human health.
250. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the introduction of Eircode to rural Ireland; the action being taken to encourage it to be used by households; the number of households that have been provided with an Eircode in counties Cavan and Monaghan, in tabular form; if there are strategies in place to implement the usage of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6150/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCapita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, was awarded a 10 year contract in December 2013 to develop, implement and maintain the National Postcode System "Eircode".
At launch 2.2m Eircode notification letters were issues to addresses across the State. Since then in excess of 24,000 new addresses have been assigned Eircodes, of which c.26% have been non-unique rural addresses. All new addresses with their Eircodes are made publically available on the free to use Eircode Finder website, which remains very popular with the public, with just under 10m searches since the finder went live at launch. In addition, Capita provides regular updates to Google who have now integrated Eircodes within Google Maps.
Capita ran a number of national advertising campaigns on television, radio and online to raise public awareness of using Eircodes for deliveries and during emergency situations. For example Eircodes helps the National Ambulance Service (NAS) provide speedier access to care and they are also being used by a number of other public and private sector bodies to help locate addresses.
My Department referred the issue raised in the question to Capita who have stated that 32,846 Eircodes have been issued for County Cavan and 24,644 issued for County Monaghan since Eircode was launched in July 2015. Capita will continue to promote the use of Eircodes through the delivery of coherent marketing campaign, taking into account the different needs of rural Ireland.
Residents who have queries relating to Eircodes can contact Eircode by phone on 0818 300 005, email hello@eircode.ie or by post to Capita Business Support Services Ireland Ltd, Block C, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, W23 F854.
251. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there are any grant aid programmes currently within his Department or due to come online shortly which provide funding for assisting persons in the sourcing, purchasing, construction or installation of solar panels and associated technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6231/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Better Energy Homes scheme, which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on behalf of my Department, offers a financial incentive to homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar thermal panels and accompanying Building Energy Rating (BER). The grant available for the installation of a solar thermal system is €1,200.
I have recently requested SEAI to commence a review of all measures that are supported through the energy efficiency schemes and the results of this review will inform any future measures that may be offered through the scheme.
For businesses, the Accelerated Capital Allowance is a tax incentive for companies paying corporation tax and aims to encourage investment in energy efficient equipment. It allows companies to write off 100% of the purchase value of qualifying energy efficient equipment against their profit in the year of purchase. Eligible equipment can be chosen from the Triple E register and includes solar heating and photovoltaic technologies.
Current Building Regulations also require that a certain proportion of the energy consumption to meet the energy performance of a new dwelling is provided by renewable energy sources. Solar technologies can be used to help meet this contribution. SEAI also maintains an online guide to solar electricity and solar heating. This information is available on their website.
252. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if Inland Fisheries Ireland has any salmon stock information for the Owenae river in County Donegal including catch figures from anglers, smolts leaving the river and salmon returning to the river for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6236/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary index for evaluation of likely returning salmon numbers for any river is the recorded rod (harvest or catch and release) and commercial catch (if any) averaged over the previous 5 years.
I have been informed by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that the Owenea has remained fully open over the past 5 years and a full index based on rod catches is available for the river. The table shows the angling catch for the last available (and verified) five years.
In cases where a river is closed, IFI gathers information on juvenile abundance indices derived from electro-fishing surveys carried out annually as an indicator of stock status. The Owenea, as an open river with good adult stock indices, has not been prioritised for electrofishing surveying, which is focused on those rivers at or below their conservation limit to provide juvenile stock abundance indices where no rod catch data is available. If the juvenile stock indices are above a scientifically established threshold the relevant river may be opened to catch and release angling which will create a rod catch index.
As the Owenea does not require electrofishing, precise information on juvenile abundance is not available. However, the evidence of a good adult spawning stock over five years would indicate a healthy population of juvenile salmon which migrate to sea and return to the Owenea as adults to spawn and replenish the stock.
|
Year |
Harvest |
Catch and Release |
Total Angling Catch |
|
2015 |
252 |
47 |
299 |
|
2014 |
177 |
54 |
231 |
|
2013 |
286 |
69 |
355 |
|
2012 |
345 |
110 |
455 |
|
2011 |
437 |
120 |
557 |
253. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if consideration will be given to appointing a number of liaison officers from his Department to deal with different regions in taking broadband queries on behalf of members of the public submitted by elected representatives; if further consideration will be given to supplying elected representatives with the contact details of a liaison person from each of the broadband service providers within regions that elected representatives can communicate with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6237/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department welcomes queries from public representatives and members of the public in relation to the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and has a dedicated inbox, broadband@dccae.gov.ie, for this purpose. Queries received in relation to the NBP are then responded to by members of my Department’s NBP team. There is also helpful information on the NBP available through my Department’s website at www.broadband.gov.ie.
The National Broadband Plan aims to deliver high speed broadband services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment by the telecommunications sector and a State intervention in those areas where commercial investment has not been fully demonstrated.
The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie shows the extent of the State Intervention area:
- The areas marked BLUE on the High Speed Broadband Map represent those areas where commercial telecommunications providers are either currently delivering or have previously indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- The areas marked AMBER on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the target areas for the State Intervention, which are the subject of the current procurement process.
The map provides information on a county by county basis with a breakdown of coverage across the townlands in every county. Individuals can check whether their premises are in a BLUE or an AMBER area by accessing the High Speed Broadband Map and entering their Eircode.
My Department is actively monitoring the commercial deployment plans in the BLUE areas to ensure that all premises can get access to services. In this regard, direct feedback from consumers is important and if customers in these areas cannot access high speed broadband services, I would encourage them to contact my Department directly at broadband@dccae.gov.ie, quoting their address and Eircode and giving details of providers they have contacted with a view to obtaining services.
A formal procurement process is in train to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network within the State Intervention Area. The Department will shortly update the High Speed Broadband map and finalise this Intervention Area for bidders, taking into account any industry investments that have not materialised in Blue areas, along with new industry investments and concrete, commitments by industry for further new investments within the proposed State Intervention Area.
The procurement process is being intensively managed, to ensure an outcome that delivers a future-proofed network that serves homes and businesses across Ireland, for at least 25 years. Intensive dialogue with bidders is continuing and the three bidders have indicated that they are proposing a predominantly fibre-to-the-home solution. This provides for a future proofed-solution for the 25 years of the contract and beyond. A fibre-to-the-home solution means that householders and businesses may get speeds not just of 30 Megabits per second but much higher, potentially up to 1000 Megabits per second.
The timeframe for the procurement continues to be dependent on a range of factors, including the complexities that may be encountered by the procurement team and bidders during the procurement process. During the Department's extensive stakeholder consultations in 2015, telecommunications service providers indicated a 3-5 year timeline to roll-out a network of the scale envisaged under the NBP. As part of the competitive process, the Department will engage with winning bidder(s) on the best roll out strategy, in order to target areas of particularly poor service, business needs and/or high demand. This will need to be balanced with the most efficient network roll out plan. A prioritisation programme will be put in place in this regard, in consultation with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. A detailed roll-out plan for the network will be published once contract(s) are in place.
The Programme for Government also commits to measures to assist in the roll-out of the network once a contract is awarded. In this regard, Minister Humphreys is leading on the establishment of two regional action groups, working with Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Offices and other relevant agencies to help accelerate the broadband network build in rural Ireland, once a contract(s) has been awarded.
In a further positive initiative, last July, I established a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce with my colleague Minister Humphreys to address immediate issues in relation to the quality of mobile phone and broadband coverage. The Taskforce report is available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.dccae.gov.ie/communications/en-ie/Broadband/Pages/Mobile-Phone-and-Broadband-Taskforce.aspx.
As part of the Taskforce recommendations, the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is funding all local authorities to assign an officer with responsibility for broadband to act as the single point of contact for engagement with operators to assist with accelerated roll-out of the National Broadband Plan and create awareness of/stimulate demand for broadband services. 24 local authorities have now appointed dedicated Broadband Officers, to work with the telecoms industry. Each of these reports to and is being actively supported at Director level in the relevant Local Authority. My Department will be working closely with these Officers and this initiative will further enhance the availability of local information.
I have signed Regulations allowing ComReg to proceed with an early 2017 auction of the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band, to provide an 86% increase in total spectrum available for mobile and fixed wireless services. I have also secured €8m for RTE which will allow it to free up the 700MHz spectrum band, to provide enhanced mobile services.
In the meantime, my Department continues to liaise closely with industry and relevant other Departments and agencies to assist in the commercial deployment of telecommunications networks. The commercial telecommunications sector has invested over €2.5bn in upgrading and modernising networks which support the provision of high speed broadband and mobile telecoms services.
These investments should assist in significantly improving the coverage and quality of broadband and mobile voice and data services throughout the country.
254. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if, in addition to advertising scholarships for students undertaking taught MSc degrees commencing in the academic year 2017-2018 on topics of direct relevance to the development of Ireland’s petroleum resources, he will consider offering similar scholarships in the field of renewable energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6247/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Energy White Paper published in December 2015, sets out a vision and framework to guide Irish energy policy and the actions that Government intends to take in the energy sector from now up to 2030, aimed at transforming Ireland's fossil-fuel based energy sector into a clean, low carbon system by 2050. Successive Governments have introduced a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of renewable energy and deliver energy efficiency.
There is already a vibrant energy research and development environment in Ireland. Government continues to encourage innovation and significant funds are already invested in energy research, development, demonstration and deployment across a range of third level institutions, research institutions such as the Beaufort Centre in Cork, agencies including Science Foundation Ireland, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, EU research programmes such as Horizon 2020, provide opportunities for Irish public bodies and private companies to maximise funding opportunities.
Energy research plays an integral part in Ireland’s energy policy and support to renewable energy research is a vast multiple of the €35,000 p.a. approx. provided to support geoscience scholarships. As regards my Department, I recently doubled the funds available to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for its Energy Research, Development and Demonstration (RD and D) fund in 2017 to €2 million. This fund is open to Irish researchers in industry and academia to support sustainable energy research into new market solutions which overcome various barriers in the move to a secure, clean energy future, and provides for the possibility of support to postgraduate studies. SEAI, with my Department, is currently reviewing RD and D funding to see how it could better align with the timelines of academic research, and the potential for postgraduate studies. Priority areas include energy efficiency, citizen engagement and energy storage with the programme open to a wide range of proposal types - including technology RD and D, field research, and feasibility studies. Since 2002, my Department has funded SEAI to provide €26 million through its Energy RD and D programme and details of these projects are available on the SEAI website (www.seai.ie). Furthermore, in conjunction with the Economic and Social Research Institute, SEAI funds a Research Fellowship which focuses on energy efficiency incentivisation activities.
Exchequer funding is also supporting ocean energy research with a total cumulative funding of €26.3 million provided under my Department’s multi-annual ocean energy development budget for the period 2013 to 2016 and administered by SEAI.
Noting the availability and scale of Government and EU funding for energy research, while I have no plans to introduce scholarships in the field of renewable energy, I will continue to keep the matter under review.
