Written Answers Nos. 442-459
442. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision is likely to be made in respect of an application (details supplied) for an aquaculture licence in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40666/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe aquaculture licence application referred to by the Deputy is currently under consideration by my Department under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, the 1933 Foreshore Act and applicable EU legislation.
The legislation provides for a period of public and statutory consultation. In the case of this application the public consultation period is now over. My Department is continuing to examine this application in accordance with the applicable legislation and full account is being taken of the engineering, scientific, environmental, legal and public policy aspects relevant to this application.
As the licence application is under active consideration as part of a statutory process it would not be appropriate to comment further on the matter at this time.
443. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a GLAS payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40683/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2016.
The 2016 advance payment of 85% has issued to the person named. A Farm Nutrient Management Plan must be submitted on behalf of each GLAS 1 and 2 participant to the dedicated online system before the 15% balancing payment or any future GLAS payment can issue. In this case the 15% balancing payment will be processed for payment as soon as possible.
444. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if nine houses at Woodpark, Ballyboughal, have been left out of the broadband roll-out scheme; and his plans to include them in the scheme to provide access to high speed broadband. [40159/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) will ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector so that to date approximately 1.5m or 65% of the 2.3m premises in Ireland can get high speed broadband and this footprint is expanding.
In April I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area. The Map is searchable by eircode.
- The BLUE areas on the Map represent those areas where commercial telecommunications providers are either currently delivering, or have indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services,
- The AMBER areas on the Map represent the areas that will require State Intervention and are the subject of a procurement process.
The map shows that 100% of the townland of Woodpark, Co Dublin is within the AMBER area and will be covered by the State intervention under the NBP. The eircode of the premise will indicate whether the premise will be covered commercially or be part of the State led Intervention. Individuals can access the High Speed Broadband Map www.broadband.gov.ie using their eircode to ascertain the colour code (BLUE or AMBER) status for their premise.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network within the State intervention area. That procurement process is now at an advanced stage, with “Detailed Solutions” to be submitted to my Department by bidders today 26th September.
To improve both mobile and broadband services in rural Ireland in advance of the rollout of the high speed broadband network to be built in the State intervention area, I established a Taskforce to identify immediate solutions to mobile phone and broadband coverage deficits and investigate how better services could be provided to consumers. These solutions will enhance the existing services prior to the full build and rollout of the network planned under the National Broadband Plan State intervention.
445. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to protect the future of post offices nationwide. [40190/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra448. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures that are being put in place to secure the future of the post office network here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40329/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 445 and 448 together.
As Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, I am responsible for the postal sector, including the governance of An Post to ensure that the company is fully compliant with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State bodies and the governance functions included in the statutory framework underpinning An Post. Operational matters are matters for the board and management of An Post. As Minister, I do not have a statutory function in respect of such matters.
It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong, viable company in a position to provide a high quality, nationwide postal service and that it maintains a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community. However, the environment in which the post office operates is changing and the network needs to change to thrive particularly with the move to digital transactions. This involves harnessing existing strengths such as its trusted brand and the relationship of postmasters with individual communities to build the network of the future. The post office plays an important role in serving the needs of business and domestic customers alike and this is at the forefront of An Post’s mandate. The Government is fully committed to a sustainable post office network which it sees as a key piece of economic and social infrastructure for both urban and rural areas.
The strategic review of An Post, including the post office network, which will identify the strategic changes and restructuring necessary to maintain the company on a sound financial footing is nearing completion. All opportunities are being assessed by An Post in the context of the strategic review.
Until such time as the review is finalised and assessed it will not be possible to comment further. Government will be briefed once a definitive strategy has been agreed.
446. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 1034 of 13 July 2017, if there is a policy on the emissions of greenhouse gases from development sites on peatlands, including degraded peatlands, to which planning authorities should have regard when assessing proposals for renewable energy or other developments. [40238/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I set out in answer to Parliamentary Question No. 1034 of 13 July 2017, it is a matter for planning authorities, taking account of Government policy, and national and EU legislation, to assess the likely impacts of proposed developments on the environment.
The 2015 National Peatlands Strategy, published by my colleague the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, identifies the potential role of peatlands rehabilitation, restoration and enhancement in the context of mitigating Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
As outlined in the National Mitigation Plan, which I published on 19 July 2017, I intend to undertake further work to analyse the feasibility of including wetland draining and re-wetting in the national inventory.
This work will be essential to support the development of an informed policy position on the potential contribution of peatlands management to climate change mitigation. Pending the outcome of this work, the preparation of a specific guidance or policy in relation to emissions of greenhouse gases from development sites on peatlands is not being considered in my Department.
447. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the projections his Department has made in relation to possible fines Ireland will face for not achieving the 2020 emissions targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40300/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2009 Effort Sharing Decision 406/2009/EC established binding annual greenhouse gas emission targets for EU Member States for the period 2013 - 2020. For the year 2020 itself, the target set for Ireland is that emissions should be 20% below their level in 2005. This will be Ireland’s contribution to the overall EU objective to reduce its emissions by the order of 20% by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. Ireland’s target is jointly the most demanding 2020 reduction target allocated to EU Member States under this Decision, which is shared only with Denmark and Luxembourg.
The latest projections of greenhouse gas emissions by the Environmental Protection Agency indicate that emissions from those sectors of the economy covered by Ireland's 2020 targets could be between 4% and 6% below 2005 levels by 2020. The projected shortfall to our targets in 2020 reflects both the constrained investment capacity over the past decade due to the economic crisis, and the extremely challenging nature of the target itself. In fact, it is now accepted that Ireland’s 2020 target was not consistent with what would be achievable on an EU wide cost-effective basis.
Notwithstanding this projected shortfall, Ireland's first statutory National Mitigation Plan, which I published in July of this year, provides a framework to guide investment decisions by Government in domestic measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Plan sets out what Ireland is currently doing, and is planning to do, to further the national transition objective as set out in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015. Although this first Plan will not provide a complete roadmap to achieve the national transition objective to 2050, it begins the process of development of medium- to long-term options to ensure that we are well positioned to take the necessary actions in the next and future decades.
The legislative framework governing the EU’s 2020 emissions reductions targets includes a number of flexibility mechanisms to enable Member States to meet their annual emissions targets, including provisions to bank any excess allowances to future years and to trade allowances between Member States. Using our banked emissions from the period to 2015, Ireland is projected to comply with its emission reduction targets in each of the years 2013 to 2018. However, our cumulative emissions are expected to exceed targets for 2019 and 2020, which will result in a requirement to purchase additional allowances. While this purchasing requirement is not, at this stage, expected to be significant, further analysis will be required to quantify the likely costs involved, in light of the final amount and price of allowances required.
449. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of fibre to the premises, FTTP, connections in County Monaghan; the number of new connections that have been made in each of the past four quarters; the average connection cost; the eircodes connected; his plans for FTTP connections in the next four quarters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40337/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere has been significant progress in relation to broadband rollout so that today, approximately 1.5m or 65% of premises in Ireland can get high speed broadband of a minimum of 30 Megabits per second. The National Broadband Plan has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector, which is continuing to expand this footprint.
On 4 April 2017, I signed a commitment agreement with eir in relation to its plans to provide broadband to an additional 300,000 premises in rural areas on a commercial basis. Eir has committed to doing this work over a 90 week period. The 300,000 figure includes some 4,650 fibre to the home premises in County Monaghan. Progress made on eir’s planned rural deployment, on a county by county basis, is available at the following link: http://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/communications/topics/Broadband/national-broadband-plan/commercial-investment/Pages/Rural-Deployment-Progress.aspx
My Department will be monitoring this rollout to ensure that eir meets its obligations under the Agreement. A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department's website www.dccae.gov.ie. A total of over 80,000 premises has been delivered against eir planned rural deployment as at end of August 2017. Of these, I understand that some 10,000 connections have been made to date. The nature of the retail services, including price, offered by commercial retail operators to customers over this new high speed broadband infrastructure is determined in a liberalised telecoms market that is subject to competition.
There are some 32,800 premises in County Monaghan of which over 17,200 premises including eir’s planned rural deployment can now or will be able to access a high speed broadband service through commercial providers by the end of 2018. The remaining 15,600 premises will be covered by the State led Intervention.
My Department is engaged in an on-going procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network for the State led intervention. That procurement process is now at an advanced stage, with “Detailed Solutions” to be submitted to my Department by bidders today 26th September. Further information about the NBP including the interactive map, the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce Report, and other initiatives are available on my Department’s website at www.broadband.gov.ie
For information ComReg compiles a quarterly report of key data on the Irish Communications Market. The full publication is available at the following link: https://www.comreg.ie/publications/.
450. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the direct investment made by the State and public or semi-State bodies via grants or other forms that is directed to solar or wind energy projects for each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017. [40367/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Renewable Electricity Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) schemes are the principal means of supporting renewable electricity generators for electricity exported to the grid. Renewable technologies supported under the REFIT schemes include Onshore Wind, Hydro, Biomass Landfill Gas, Biomass Combustion, Biomass CHP and Anaerobic Digestion CHP. This is paid for through the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy which is paid for by all electricity consumers. At present, Solar PV, for electricity generation, is not supported under any of these REFIT schemes. While there are encouraging reports of cost reduction in relation to solar PV, to date higher costs have been associated with Solar PV in comparison to other renewable electricity technologies.
The PSO Levy has been in place since 2001. The PSO levy facilitates a set of support schemes designed to facilitate the achievement of national electricity policy objectives for renewables and security of supply by using indigenous fuel sources. The PSO has supported the connection of more than 3,000 MW of renewables to the electricity grid. It will continue to support the development of renewable energy to meet the 40% renewable electricity target by 2020.
The total amount and details of the PSO levy for each levy year are calculated and published annually by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). This material is publicly available at www.cer.ie.
The 2016 Programme for Government recognises that Ireland’s long-term interests are best supported by further decreasing our dependence on foreign fossil fuels through the continued development of indigenous renewable energy. To support the delivery of this ambition, my Department is developing a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) which will be designed to assist Ireland in meeting its renewable energy contributions out to 2030.
A public consultation on the design principles of the proposed new RESS was launched on 4 September and submissions are invited from the public. Full details of the consultation are available on my Department’s website at: www.dccae.gov.ie.
Details in relation to direct investment decisions made by State or semi State bodies are matters for the companies themselves and I have no function in relation to such.
451. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the current or planned incentives available for solar or wind energy projects. [40368/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCurrent financial supports for renewable electricity projects in Ireland are provided via the Renewable Electricity Feed-In-Tariff (REFIT) schemes, which support renewable electricity generated and exported into the national grid. Renewable technologies supported under the REFIT schemes include Onshore Wind, Hydro, Biomass Landfill Gas, Biomass Combustion, Biomass CHP and Anaerobic Digestion CHP. At present, Solar PV, for electricity generation, is not supported under any of these REFIT schemes. This is largely down to the historic higher costs associated with Solar PV in conjunction to other renewable electricity technologies.
However, the 2016 Programme for Government and 2015 Energy White Paper recognise that Solar Photovoltaic (Solar PV) has the potential to provide a community dividend, thereby enhancing citizen participation in Ireland's energy future and that Solar PV has the potential to contribute to meeting Ireland’s renewable energy and climate change objectives.
To support the delivery of this ambition, my Department is developing a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) which will be designed to assist Ireland in meeting its renewable energy contributions out to 2030.
The design of this new scheme included an extensive economic appraisal. This appraisal compared the cost of supporting Solar PV (both rooftop and ground mounted), Onshore and Offshore Wind and a range of other commercial renewable technologies, at various scales, to ensure that the new scheme delivers value for money for energy users whilst also delivering on the energy pillars of sustainability and security of supply. The assessment also included analysis of the optimum financial support mechanisms for renewable technologies, in line with the 2014 EU State Aid Guidelines.
A public consultation on the design principles of the proposed new RESS was launched on 4 September and submissions are invited from the public. All submissions will be considered and following on from this final consultation, a design proposal will be brought to Government for approval. Full details of the consultation are available on my Department’s website at: www.dccae.gov.ie
Finally, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland currently provides supports for the use of solar thermal heating technology to both large industry and SMEs. Households can also avail of grant support for investment in renewable energy installations, including solar thermal, under the Better Energy Homes Scheme.
452. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of plans for broadband implementation at Kenagh, County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40403/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn April I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area. The Map is searchable by eircode.
eir signed a agreement with me in April last committing to follow through on their commercial plans to provide new high speed broadband infrastructure to 300,000 premises in rural areas. eir has committed to doing this work over a 90 week period with an average of 500 premises passed per day. Quarterly updates on progress of the eir 300k rollout are published on my Department’s website. The Quarter 2 2017 figures have been verified by my Department and the eir rollout is in line with the Commitment Agreement.
The maps show that 100% of the townland of Keenagh, Co. Longford falls within a LIGHT BLUE area on the Map and is covered by eir’s planned rural fibre high speed broadband deployment. Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available from eir at http://fibrerollout.ie/eircode-lookup/.
Customers seeking connectivity to eir's network should, in the first instance, access this website to determine the connectivity availability status for their eircode. The website also provides a list of retail service providers who offer services using high speed fibre network in the area.
453. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if consideration has been given by his Department to the incentive that a for-profit waste collection system creates in that there is no financial gain for waste companies to encourage recycling or waste reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40427/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy role as Minister is to provide a comprehensive legislative and waste policy framework through which the relevant regulatory bodies, such as the local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency, operate. The waste collection system is subject to a number of regulatory controls, including the Waste Management Act, 1996 as amended and the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations, 2007, S.I. No. 820 of 2007, as amended.
European, national and regional waste policy are all predicated on the management of waste in line with the waste hierarchy, whereby the prevention, preparation for re-use, recycling and other recovery of waste are preferred (in that order) to the disposal of waste. Collectors of waste must conduct their activities in accordance with the relevant legislation and the conditions of their waste collection permits which require that waste is managed in line with the waste hierarchy. Enforcement of waste collection permit conditions is a matter for the relevant local authority.
The Government's policy of increasing the landfill levy to its current level of €75 per tonne has provided a real financial incentive for operators to divert as much material as possible from being disposed of at landfill. The application of this economic instrument has ensured that it is in the financial interest of collectors, who are competing for market share, to encourage effective recycling in an effort to minimise costs for operators and customers alike.
The success of the above policy and legislative measures to encourage waste prevention, preparation for re-use, recycling and other recovery has meant that more waste can be put to environmentally sustainable and productive use as opposed to being buried in the ground. The statistics show that we have come a long way in a relatively short period of time in terms of improving our recycling rates. In this regard, National Waste Statistics - Reports and Bulletins are available to download at http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/waste/stats/ including the recently published table on Progress towards EU waste recycling, recovery and diversion targets.
454. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if broadband service will be available to all houses in the Clonlyon, Kilcock, County Meath area following upgrade works being carried out in the area. [40548/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn April I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area. The Map is searchable by eircode.
- The BLUE areas on the Map represent those areas where commercial telecommunications providers are either currently delivering, or have indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services,
- The AMBER areas on the Map represent the areas that will require State Intervention and are the subject of a procurement process.
The map shows that the townland of Clonlyon, Co Meath comprises 52 premises and broadband coverage will be realised through a mix of commercial investment and through the State Intervention under the National Broadband Plan (NBP). Of the 52 premises, 31 premises fall with the State Intervention area while the remaining 21 premises fall within eir's planned rural deployment of 300,000 premises. Therefore, depending on the eircode of the address the constituent may either be in a BLUE or AMBER area of the High Speed Broadband Map.
Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available from eir at http://fibrerollout.ie/eircode-lookup/. Individuals can access this website to determine the connectivity availability status for their premise using their eircode. The website also provides a list of retail service providers who offer services using high speed fibre network in the area.
Those premises within the State Intervention area form part of my Department's ongoing procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network. That procurement process is now at an advanced stage, with “Detailed Solutions” to be submitted to my Department by bidders today 26 September.
To improve both mobile and broadband services in rural Ireland in advance of the roll-out of the high speed broadband network to be built in the State intervention area, I established a Taskforce to identify immediate solutions to mobile phone and broadband coverage deficits and investigate how better services could be provided to consumers. These solutions will enhance the existing services prior to the full build and rollout of the network planned under the National Broadband Plan State intervention.
455. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has established the pricing watchdog monitoring unit to oversee new pricing structures being introduced by waste management companies; if so, the members of this unit; the numbers of times the unit has met; the findings of this unit to date; the progress being made in establishing a regulator for the waste management industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40660/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA Household Waste Collection Rate Monitoring Group has been established and the first meeting of the Group was held on 13 September, 2017 and comprised representatives from my Department, the Central Statistics Office, St. Vincent de Paul and a market expertise company. The company has also been appointed to begin the process of monitoring the rates charged by household waste collectors. They will report back to the Group on a monthly basis and the results will be published. The results will be monitored and analysed, and they will provide an evidence base regarding future monitoring or additional regulation of the waste market.
In the interest of encouraging further waste prevention, flat-rate fees for kerbside household waste collection will be phased out over the period autumn 2017 to autumn 2018, as customers contracts come up for renewal. It is worth noting that the measure to phase out flat fees is not ‘new’ for about half of kerbside household waste customers, who are already on an incentivised usage pricing plan, i.e., a plan which contains a per lift or weight related fee.
To assist householders in managing their waste, the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices commenced a programme of education and awareness funded by my Department earlier this year with radio advertisements encouraging the use of brown bin and focusing on food waste prevention. This was backed up with social media campaigns to further encourage the use of the brown bin. The Regional Waste Management Planning Offices will continue to roll out waste awareness and education initiatives this year, re-focussing on the use of the brown bin, but also concentrating on improving and increasing recycling, waste prevention and the correct use of the kerbside collection system. My Department is also undertaking an awareness campaign to inform people about the phase out of flat rate fees, which began during the summer and will continue this year.
456. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans for exemptions for those with medical conditions that require the use of incontinence pads in view of the difficulties those people are now experiencing following the changes being introduced by refuse companies and the pay by weight policy. [40755/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn annual support of €75 will be introduced for persons with lifelong or long-term medical incontinence. This will help people meet the average annual cost of the disposal of medical incontinence pads. The details and arrangements of this support will be finalised later this year, after further consultation with the stakeholder groups.
The charges applied by waste management companies are matters for those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation.
In the interest of encouraging further waste prevention, the Government decided that flat-rate fees for kerbside household waste collection will be phased out over the period autumn 2017 to autumn 2018 as customers contracts come up for renewal and the necessary regulatory steps are being put in place to give effect to this decision.
As has been long-standing practice, a collection service provider may amend a pricing structure or a contract at any time, as long as the amendments are in accordance with all relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation. It is worth noting that the measure to phase out flat fees is not ‘new’ for the more than half of kerbside household waste customers who are already on an incentivised pricing plan, i.e., a plan which contains a per lift or weight related fee.
457. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which the EU funding criteria attached to motorway infrastructure in respect of the planting of linear native woodlands for buffering alongside new motorways has been applied; the reason there appears to be a completely ad hoc approach to the existing motorway planting; if there are management plans for the existing woodlands as part of an overarching long term management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40374/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra458. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the plans in place to finish off the native tree planting creating native linear woodlands on land that is readily available in view of the fact that motorway planting does not appear to be co-ordinated or consistent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40375/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 457 and 458 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 road projects (including associated tree planting) is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's questions to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
459. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a sports capital grant will be awarded to a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40148/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme closed for applications on 24 February and I can confirm that an application has been submitted by the organisation. By the closing date, a record number of 2,320 applications seeking €155 million in grants were received. The total amount currently available to allocate under this round is €30 million. Accordingly, the allocation of grants will be particularly challenging.
All of the 2,320 applications received are currently being assessed by officials in my Department. I expect to be in a position to make an announcement regarding allocations in the coming weeks.
