Written Answers Nos. 391-406
391. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which the future integrated single energy market will work with existing renewable support schemes for uncompleted REFIT 2 projects; his views on whether projects may have difficulty in obtaining finance from institutions due to uncertainties regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47735/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has committed to updating the Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) schemes so that they are compatible with the new wholesale electricity market design on the island of Ireland, the Integrated-Single Electricity Market (I-SEM) which is due to go live in May 2018.
In May this year, my Department published an information paper which outlined a number of options being considered to adapt the REFIT schemes to the new market arrangements and set out the Department’s emerging thinking on the optimal approach.
Following extensive engagement with industry stakeholders over recent months on foot of this paper, the Department intends to shortly publish a consultation paper on its proposed approach with a view to issuing a final decision as soon as possible thereafter.
The introduction of the new I-SEM arrangements is creating the need to align the support schemes supported by the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy with the structures and rules of the new market. It is not the intention to alter the REFIT schemes in such a way as to undermine investment in the renewable energy sector. However, nor is it the intention to ignore the requirements and principles of the new market design, and introduce a solution that could effectively immunise some 30% of the installed generation portfolio from the new market arrangements, and place disproportionate demands on the PSO levy. The Department is seeking to design a balanced solution to this matter such that the financing arrangements for renewable energy projects are not undermined while at the same time avoiding excessive costs being placed on electricity consumers.
392. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the detail of the proposal made by the CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland regarding the possible leasing of the salmon weir fishery in Galway city to private interests; his views on the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47748/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI met with the Board of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) last week to discuss this and other issues.
I am advised by the Board that they requested the CEO to set out, without prejudice, options for the operation of the Galway Fishery. I understand that the Board's main concern in this regard was that the operation of the fishery would, in as far as possible, be self-financing as regards its full costs.
Three potential options were presented to the Board to assist in focusing on the key issue. No one option was presented to the Board as the preferred choice of the Executive. The options identified were:
1. Maintain existing management/operational arrangements;
2. Consider licensing the operation of the fishery while retaining it in State ownership; and,
3. Explore possibilities to make the fishery self financing, covering its costs on a fully allocated basis.
In its deliberations, the Board chose option three and has directed that the Executive implement that decision.
393. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the situation regarding the operation of the Cong hatchery in County Galway; his plans for its future; if it might close; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47749/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe operation of the Cong Hatchery is a day to day operational matter for the Board of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).
I am advised by IFI that there is no proposal to close the facility and that no proposals as regards its operation have been presented to the Board for consideration nor has any determination been contemplated or made by the Board for its future. As would be the normal practice in such matters, I expect the Board to advise and consult with me, as Minister, and with my Department should it consider any options and recommendations in this regard.
394. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the EU Committee on Petitions is investigating and has asked the European Parliament to investigate the endangerment of salmon, pearl mussel and otter on the Owenriff river in Oughterard, County Galway in view of the proliferation of pike and the alleged failure of Inland Fisheries Ireland to safeguard the river; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47750/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has been advised that a petition has been submitted to the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament in this regard. I am also advised that the petition has been forwarded to the European Commission and the Environment Committee of the European Parliament.
At this stage, I am advised that no official notification has been received from the Commission, however the paper on which the petition is based has been received. This paper is being examined in conjunction with Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) as regards the fisheries issues raised. Issues relating to other species such as freshwater pearl mussel and European otter are a matter for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
When official notification is received my Department will set out a formal response as regards the fisheries issues in line with established procedures in such matters. My Department will also liaise with NPWS as regards issues under its remit.
395. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the date for the roll out of high-speed broadband for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47755/17]
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 of a minimum of 30 Megabits per second 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.
- AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.
- BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering, or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- Light BLUE areas represent eir's commercial rural deployment plans to rollout high speed broadband to 300,000 premises by the end of 2018, as part of an Agreement signed with me in April.
The eircode referenced by the Deputy falls within an AMBER area on the High Speed Broadband Map and will be covered by the State led intervention under the NBP.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now at an advanced stage. “Detailed Solutions” submitted by two bidders on 26th September are being evaluated by the NBP specialist team. The next stage in the procurement process is the receipt of final tenders followed by the appointment of a preferred bidder(s) and contract signature.
As part of this procurement process, the bidder(s) will be required to submit their strategies, including timescales, for the network build and rollout. Delivering connectivity to the 542,000 premises that fall within the State led intervention under the NBP remains a Government priority and my Department will engage with the winning bidder(s) to ensure the most efficient deployment as part of the contract.
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, in July 2016, a Taskforce to identify solutions which can be implemented in the short, medium and long term to alleviate mobile phone and broadband coverage deficits, to identify priority areas for rollout 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 NBP State led intervention.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
396. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount retained by the State from the television licence fee in view of the fact that RTÉ was in receipt of €179.3 million in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47764/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe licence fee is distributed in accordance with Section 123 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 to both RTÉ and TG4 in order to facilitate the pursuit of their public service objectives, which are also set out in the 2009 Act.
An Post pays the Department all TV licence revenues collected from direct sales of TV licences and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) pays a contribution in respect of free TV licences issued under the Household Benefits Scheme. The total receipts from An Post and DEASP in 2016 was €213.7m. The Department deducts commission payable to An Post for their agency role and 7% of the net receipts goes to the Broadcasting Fund, which is operated by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). For 2016, TG4 received €9.2m from the licence fee monies and the remainder was paid to RTÉ.
The following table shows the distribution of licence fee monies for 2016.
|
2016 |
€ |
|
Total receipts |
213.7 |
|
An Post |
11.5 |
|
Broadcasting Fund |
13.7 |
|
TG4 |
9.2 |
|
RTÉ |
179.3 |
397. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the behaviour of companies (details supplied) in the delivery of the previous emergency call answering service contract was taken into consideration when the new contract to the firms was awarded; and his views on whether a firm operating a State contract will deliver the new contract in a similar manner. [47809/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe procurement process for a new Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) Operator is being conducted in an open and transparent basis in accordance with relevant national public procurement policy and the European Union Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC. The successful tenderer will be obliged to comply with all laws applicable in Ireland including employment, health and safety, discrimination and equality legislation. The procurement process has not yet been concluded and the contract has not been awarded. The process is at an advanced stage and I expect the award to be finalised shortly.
In relation to the industrial action at one of the ECAS centres in 2016, I understand that the company contracted by BT Ireland to provide staff to respond to emergency calls has engaged with the Workplace Relations Commission Advisory Service and the Labour Court in relation to the industrial relations issues raised by staff and union representatives. The case is currently on-going before the Labour Court.
401. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the protocols now in place for future status red alert weather warnings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47923/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the declaration of a national status red weather warning by Met Éireann on Sunday 15th October 2017, and on foot of the recommendation of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group, that only essential travel should be undertaken during Storm Ophelia, my Department communicated with employees to inform them that the offices of the Department would remain closed on Monday 16 October 2017.
Only a small number of essential staff worked on the day in question. These staff were designated as essential for the purposes of co-ordinating the Department's response to the storm.
402. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to appoint a television regulator (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47940/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland has an independent regulator for broadcasting. The Broadcasting Act 2009 provided for the establishment of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) as the independent regulator. The BAI assumed the key roles of the former Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) and the Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCC).
The BAI comprises an Authority and two statutory committees dealing with Compliance and Contract Awards. The BAI's mission is to ensure a competitive, sustainable, high quality broadcasting sector in Ireland offering diversity of choice. The Authority regulates the public and commercial broadcasting sectors.
Some of the areas covered by the BAI’s remit include:
- Enforcement, including the power to apply to the courts to impose financial sanctions on broadcasters up to a maximum sanction of €250,000 for serious or repeated breaches of broadcasting standards.
- Licensing of broadcasting services.
- Consumer protection, including the promotion of media literacy; providing information on the availability of digital television services; preparing codes and rules including those relating to advertising, children’s advertising, etc.
- Oversight of public service broadcasting, including requirements to review RTÉ and TG4's performance and making recommendation on their funding.
Further information about BAI role and functions can be found on its website at www.bai.ie or by contacting their offices at 2-5 Warrington Place, Dublin 2 D02 XP29 Tel 01 6441200.
403. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason deeds of transfer, family home declarations and other sworn declarations were excluded from the terms of the Electronic Commerce Act 2000 as set out in section 10(1)(b) and (c); and his plans to apply the terms of section 10(2)(a), (b) and (c) to these types of documents to facilitate a more efficient process of home sales. [48026/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra404. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to amend the Electronic Commerce Act 2000 or amend the regulations related to this Act to allow for documents such as deeds or transfer, family home declarations and other sworn declarations to be signed electronically rather than with a written signature. [48027/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra405. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to undertake a small controlled trial or pilot project to examine the viability of allowing documents such as deeds or transfer, family home declarations and other sworn declarations to be signed electronically rather than with a written signature in order to inform his Department of the merit of a wider amendment of the regulations relating to section 10 of the Electronic Commerce Act 2000. [48028/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 403 to 405, inclusive, together.
At the time of the Electronic Commerce Act, as the Act states, it was decided to exclude deeds of transfer, family home declarations and other sworn declarations, (as technology and the availability of it) were yet not fit for that purpose, adequate procedures and practices had not yet been developed in public registration or other services, and it was not in the public interest to do so at the time.
Any plan to amend legislation to allow eSignatures for property related transactions would require careful consideration, including taking into account relevant legal, tax, business, property and title registration issues, including IT interoperability aspects.
The matter of eConveyancing is of course a matter for the Department of Justice. I understand that while a proposal in relation to eConveyancing received some consideration by a review group convened by the Department of Justice and Equality in early 2016, this proposal was subsequently withdrawn and there is no alternative proposal currently under consideration.
406. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when broadband will be available in Eddoxtown, Rathfeigh, County Meath. [48051/17]
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 under the National Broadband Plan (NBP). The Map is searchable by eircode.
The map shows Ireland with three colours.
- AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.
- BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering, or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- Light BLUE areas represent eir's commercial rural deployment plans to rollout high speed broadband to 300,000 premises by the end of 2018 as part of an Agreement signed with me in April.
The areas of Edoxtown and Rathfeigh, Co Meath referenced by the Deputy in the Question will be realised through a mix of eir’s 300,000 planned rural deployment and the State led Intervention under the NBP. Individuals can access the High Speed Broadband Map www.broadband.gov.ie using their eircode to ascertain the colour code (BLUE/Light BLUE or AMBER) status for their premises.
The map shows that 31% (15 premises) of the townland of Edoxtown and 42% (26 premises) of the townland of Rathfeigh Co Meath will be covered by the State led Intervention under the NBP. The remaining 69% (33 premises) of the townland of Edoxstown and 58% (36 premises) of the townland of Rathfeigh, Co Meath will be covered by eir’s 300,000 planned rural deployment between now and the end of 2018.
Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available from eir at http://fibrerollout.ie/eircode-lookup/. Citizens can access this website to determine the connectivity availability status for their premises using their eircode. The website also provides a list of retail service providers who offer services using the high speed fibre network in the area.
My Department is in a formal procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network in the State intervention area. That procurement process is now at an advanced stage. "Detailed Solutions" submitted by two bidders on 26th September are being evaluated by the NBP specialist team. The next stage in the procurement process is the receipt of final tenders followed by the appointment of a preferred bidder(s) and contract signature.
As part of this procurement process, the bidder(s) will be required to submit their strategies, including timescales, for the network build and rollout. Delivering connectivity to the 542,000 premises that fall within the State led intervention under the NBP remains a Government priority and my Department will engage with the winning bidder(s) to ensure the most efficient deployment as part of the contract.
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, in July 2016, a Taskforce to identify solutions which can be implemented in the short, medium and long term to alleviate mobile phone and broadband coverage deficits, to identify priority areas for rollout 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 NBP State led intervention.
Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
