Written Answers Nos. 160-174
160. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2019 BPS payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45638/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has fully processed the transfer of entitlements with land for the person named and his 2019 BPS payment has issued.
161. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the stage at which his attention was drawn to the fact that a company (details supplied) was not under the remit of an organisation and would not be affected by agreements reached following negotiations; if his attention was drawn to the fact before or after the agreement was reached between stakeholders in the beef industry on 15 September 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45647/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra162. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention was drawn to the fact that a company (details supplied) was not linked to an organisation prior to the agreement being reached on 15 September 2019; if so, the reason he did not notify farm organisation representatives at the talks that the injunctions held over farmers by the company would not be lifted as a result of a deal struck with the organisation before the negotiations ended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45648/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together.
The parties to the agreement were Meat Industry Ireland and the farm bodies represented at the talks.
Meat Industry Ireland (MII) have confirmed that the company named is not a member of MII, and that this company does not buy or process cattle.
The independent chair of the Beef Taskforce is currently working with all stakeholders to progress the commitments in the agreement of 15th September.
As I have previously stated, it is in the interest of all involved in the beef sector that the work of the Taskforce be allowed to progress.
163. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when applicants under the TAMS scheme will be notified of the outcome of their applications and amounts of grant being approved; and if an application under TAMS by persons (details supplied) will be expedited. [45752/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe persons named have submitted an application for grant aid under tranche 15 of the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme which closed for applications on 4 October 2019. All applications received in any given tranche of TAMS II are subject to an initial administrative check. All of the applications that pass this initial check, are then subject to the ranking and selection process as provided for in the terms and conditions pertaining to each of the seven measures available under the scheme.
The administrative checking of the tranche 15 applications is currently proceeding and it is expected that the ranking and selection process will commence shortly. The persons named will be informed directly, in writing, of the outcome of their application.
164. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to introduce additional electric vehicle stations in west County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45743/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Climate Action Plan, which set a target of 936,000 electric vehicles to be on the road in Ireland by 2030, includes a range of actions to support the uptake of electric vehicles. These actions include developing the charging network to stay sufficiently ahead of demand.
There are currently over 650 standard public charge points and 96 fast chargers (the majority of which are operated by the ESB) in Ireland. A real-time map showing the ESB charge point locations, including the status and availability of these charge points, is available on the ESB's website at www.esb.ie/ecars.
Under the first call for applications from the Climate Action Fund, I approved funding of up to €10 million which will support the ESB to develop a nationwide, state-of-the-art electric vehicle fast charging network, with the ESB also investing €10 million. This project includes the installation of 140 fast chargers consisting of 90 150kW chargers (each of which will be capable of charging two vehicles simultaneously) and upgrading 50 existing standard chargers to 50kW chargers The project will also involve replacing over 500 existing standard charge points with next generation high reliability models.
This is a multi-annual project and is expected to be fully completed by 2022. The locations of the chargers that will be installed as part of this project have not been finalised. However, a provisional map of the planned network, showing indicative locations, was developed by the ESB and has been published on my Department’s website.
Budget 2020 provided €36 million in funding to my Department to support the uptake of electric vehicles and supporting charging infrastructure. In August, I announced funding to support the rollout of on-street public charge points for electric vehicles. A total of €2 million has been provided in Budget 2020 to support the installation of up to 400 on-street chargers in 2020. All Local Authorities can now apply for funding to the SEAI for this support to develop on-street charging infrastructure.
165. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the inconsistency in two responses (details supplied) on the position regarding the conferring of preferred bidder status and the ability to end the tender for the national broadband plan without signing a contract. [45778/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra174. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the inconsistency in two responses (details supplied) on the position regarding the conferring of preferred bidder status and the ability to end the tender for the national broadband plan without signing a contract. [45777/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 174 together.
The two engagements with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment referenced by the Deputy reflect the position set out in the National Broadband Plan procurement documents, most notably the Project Information Memorandum (PIM) published by my Department. The PIM states clearly that there is no obligation to reimburse any Bidder, regardless of whether or not the procurement results in the award of a contract. The procurement process is ongoing and continues until contract award.
The Government Decision of 7 May 2019 means that it is intended to award the State Intervention contract for the NBP to the Bidder. This award is subject to the completion of the final stage of the procurement process, including finalisation of financial and legal documents.
I understand my officials, in the course of their detailed and comprehensive engagements with the Joint Oireachtas Committee, sought to provide the maximum amount of information, including with regard to the status of the preferred bidder.
166. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the implications and impact of the roll-out of 5G networks on the national broadband plan. [45620/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe roll out of 5G services across Ireland will be important to meeting the country’s future connectivity needs; 5G will offer improvements in services and unlock new opportunities to businesses, communities and citizens across the State.
Ireland is a front runner in supporting the adoption of 5G services and exploring its potential capabilities. The State’s early allocation of the 3.6Ghz spectrum in 2017, (the first in Europe) and the actions to remove commercial barriers to 5G rollouts, undertaken through the Government’s Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce are both key enablers to ensuring 5G becomes a reality in Ireland at the earliest opportunity. The recent announcements by a number of commercial operators to launch 5G services is therefore a welcome development.
The future connectivity needs of citizens will be met by a combination of solutions, that will include 5G along with a range of complementary services including 4G and 3G, together with fixed high speed broadband services, such as those that will be provided under National Broadband Plan. ComReg's report on Meeting Consumers' Connectivity Needs (https://www.comreg.ie/improving-connectivity-in-ireland-challenges-solutions-and-actions/) highlights this point.
167. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has independently evaluated future scenarios for the delivery of green energy by EirGrid by 2030 and 2040, respectively. [45621/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to deliver on the ambition set out in the Climate Action Plan, my Department is developing the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). The RESS has been designed within a competitive auction-based, cost effective framework and the scheme will provide for a renewable electricity (RES-E) ambition of 70% by 2030. The draft National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 (NECP) sets out contributions, targets and objectives at national level in emissions and energy including renewable energy to 2030 and the planned policies and measures to achieve these based on the actions set out in the Climate Action Plan. The final NECP will be published before the end of 2019.
EirGrid has recently published its Tomorrow's Energy Scenarios 2019 which sets out a range of pathways for delivering Ireland's energy transition, with specific focus on the electricity system over the next twenty years. This document is framed against government targets at national and European level for decarbonisation of the energy sector and a large increase in electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030.
The Tomorrow's Energy Scenarios are a matter for EirGrid as transmission system operator and the Minister has no function in their evaluation.
168. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the mapping of areas to be afforded state aid was identified and confirmed at the time preferred bidder status was conferred with regard to the National Broadband Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45643/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra175. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which he conferred preferred bidder status on a company (details supplied) for such premises in the context of the announcement of a third party provider that it planned to provide a broadband service in the intervention area of the national broadband plan in February 2019 and further announcements that another third party provider would roll out fibre broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45779/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra176. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which he conferred preferred bidder status on a company (details supplied) for such premises in the context of the provision of a service to 24,000 premises by third party providers in the intervention area of the national broadband plan and further roll-outs by another third party provider; if the preferred bidder will roll out fibre to these premises and-or receive payment or compensation for these premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45781/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 168, 175 and 176 together.
As a State intervention, the NBP must comply with the requirements of the European Commission’s Guidelines on the application of the State aid rules on broadband. The Guidelines require, amongst other things, that Member States carry out a detailed mapping exercise to identify as far as reasonably possible those areas where intervention is required.
Since July 2013, the Department has engaged in an extensive process of mapping broadband availability in Ireland in order to identify premises requiring State intervention. The mapping exercise has been supported by a number of public consultations which have elicited significant response from industry and the public. The most significant changes to the NBP Map took place in 2017. The Department added a further 84,500 premises to the Intervention Area where commercial investment plans previously provided to the Department had failed to materialise. The update also removed 300,000 premises from the intervention area on the basis of what was then a planned infrastructure build, that eir entered into a Commitment Agreement in respect of. An updated NBP Map was then published in April 2017 encompassing 540,000 premises in the intervention area for the purposes of the NBP procurement.
A further consultation on the NBP Map was held in January 2018. Responses from industry were limited and the NBP Map remained unchanged for the purposes of Final Tender in September 2018.
My Department recently conducted a public consultation to close the ongoing mapping exercise, seeking submissions from operators who wish to have their existing high speed broadband networks, or who have developed plans to invest in high speed broadband networks over the next 7 years, to be included on the Department’s High Speed Broadband Map. That consultation was extended twice at the request of operators, resulting in a total nine week period for submissions and it closed on 30th September 2019.
As part of the consultation, over 180 submissions were received from a variety of stakeholders, including 30 from large and small commercial telecommunications operators, with the remainder from local authority broadband officers and members of the public.
Operator submissions are assessed against the Department’s published assessment criteria. Operators submitting planned investments are required to sign a declaration that they will enter into a Commitment Agreement with the Department if their plans satisfy the assessment criteria and are accepted by the Department as being concrete and credible.
The findings of the consultation, which will be available in the coming weeks, will ensure that the State Intervention Area is up to date and that it reflects commercial operators’ plans and the responses from householders and businesses, in advance of a contract being signed later this year. This will be an important element in concluding the State Aid approval process with the European Commission.
169. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the State is liable to pay compensation to the preferred bidder with regard the national broadband plan in the event the mapping area ends up being smaller than the original mapping area indicated to the bidder at the time preferred bidder status was awarded; if so, the amount of compensation in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45702/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra170. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of premises served by a company (details supplied) in the intervention area of the national broadband plan; the number that will be served by the end of 2019; if the preferred bidder will be provided with compensation for these premises if the national broadband plan contract is signed through an encroachment contingency; if the preferred bidder has been assured of these payments in the event that the contract is signed; the actions taken to ensure this is within state aid rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45722/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra171. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a subsidy in the context of a conditional and contingency subsidy for the national broadband plan will be paid to a company (details supplied) in the event that a commercial operator encroaches into the intervention area; the method by which encroachment will be deemed to have taken place; the amount within the €480 million which has been set aside for this purpose; if such payments are limited to the contingency only; and when these payments will be made. [45723/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 169 to 171, inclusive, together.
My Department recently conducted a public consultation to close the ongoing mapping exercise, seeking submissions from operators who wish to have their existing high speed broadband networks, or who have developed plans to invest in high speed broadband networks over the next 7 years, to be included on the Department’s High Speed Broadband Map.That consultation was extended twice at the request of operators, resulting in a total nine week period for submissions and it closed on 30th September 2019.
My Department received over 180 responses from a variety of stakeholders, including 30 from large and small telecoms operators, with the remainder from local authority broadband officers and members of the public.
Operator submissions are assessed against the Department’s published assessment criteria. Operators submitting planned investments are required to sign a declaration that they will enter into a Commitment Agreement with my Department if their plans satisfy the assessment criteria and are accepted as being concrete and credible.
The findings of the consultation, which will be available in the coming weeks, will ensure that the State Intervention Area is up to date and that it reflects commercial operators’ plans and the responses from householders and businesses, in advance of a contract being signed later this year. This is an important element in concluding the State Aid approval process with the EU Commission.
The NBP contract provides a mechanism for National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to apply for compensation for encroachment where other commercial operators have deployed a future proofed high speed broadband service in advance of NBI's own deployment in the intervention area.
This subsidy is capped and can only be applied for where my Department determines a commercial deployment of high speed broadband meets the requirements set out in the NBP contract, specifically a deployment of a fibre or equivalent high speed broadband technology, and that this deployment has had a negative impact on NBI's business case. The mapping consultation, which will confirm the intervention area prior to contract award, will reduce the risk of this element of contingency subsidy being required.
The specific capped subsidy for such operator encroachment, should it arise, forms part of contingency funding of €480 million (excluding VAT).
172. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when high-speed broadband will be rolled out at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45738/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra173. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when high-speed broadband will be rolled out at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45739/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together.
According to my Department’s high speed broadband map, available at www.broadband.gov.ie, the premises referred to by the Deputy are ones which are in the BLUE area.
BLUE areas are parts of the country where commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. The Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload.
Where a citizen living in a Blue area is unable to obtain a high speed broadband service, I would encourage them to email my Department at broadband@dccae.gov.ie with their Eircode and details of the service providers they have contacted and the issues encountered in respect of accessing high speed broadband.
