Alan Kelly
Ceist:22. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Taoiseach when the Commission on the Future of Irish Public Service Broadcasting is expected to report. [27514/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraBroadcasting Sector
Ceisteanna (22)
Freagraí scríofa
In December 2019 the Government agreed the terms of reference for the Commission on the Future of Irish Public Service Broadcasting to be established by the Department of the Taoiseach. The former President of Dublin City University, Professor Brian Mac Craith was appointed as Chair of the Commission.
The Programme for Government has expanded the remit of the Public Service Broadcasting Commission to become a Future of Media Commission to consider the future of print, broadcast, and online media in a platform agnostic fashion. The terms of reference have been amended in light of this expanded remit.
Government approved the terms of reference and membership of the Future of Media Commission on Tuesday 29 September.
The Commission is tasked with:
- proposing how public service broadcasting aims should be delivered in Ireland over the next ten years;
- how this should contribute to supporting Ireland’s cultural and creative sectors;
- how this work can be funded in a way that is sustainable, gives greater security of funding, ensures independent editorial oversight and delivers value for money to the public;
- making recommendations on RTÉ’s role, financing and structure within this framework;
- how this is overseen and regulated, having regard to our EU obligations including the requirements of the revised Audio-visual Media Services Directive.
The members of the Commission have been selected to capture a range of expertise in the areas of public service communications and are as follows:
- Chair of the Commission, Professor Brian Mac Craith, former President of Dublin City University
- Sinead Burke, writer and academic active in social media, and member of the Council of State
- Alan Rusbridger, Chair of the Steering Committee of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, and former Editor-in-Chief of Guardian News and Media
- Lynette Fay, freelance broadcaster with an academic background in applied communications (Gaeilge)
- Nuala O’Connor, co-founder of South Wind Blows, writer and documentary filmmaker in the areas of music and the Arts
- Gillian Doyle, Professor of Media Economics, University of Glasgow
- Mark Little, CEO and co-Founder of Kinzen. Founder of social news agency, Storyful
- Stephen McNamara, Director of Communications, Irish Rugby Football Union
- Dr Finola Doyle-O’Neill, Broadcast Historian, University College Cork
Two further proposed members have agreed to serve, subject to approval by their employers, and their names will be announced once this is obtained.
It is expected that the Commission will engage in wide-ranging consultation with all relevant stakeholders and sectors to ensure that all relevant perspectives are considered in its work.
The Commission is to report within nine months on the necessary measures that need to be taken to ensure that there is a vibrant, independent and sustainable public service media for the next generation.
I want to thank the eminent members of the Commission for their commitment to chart the pathway for public service broadcasting and media, in particular Professor Brian Mac Craith who has been an innovator in education and is a pre-eminent intellectual in Irish public life. I look forward to receiving their recommendations in due course.
Departmental Expenditure
Ceisteanna (23, 25)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:23. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Taoiseach the amount spent on media monitoring services by his Department; and if the role is provided by private contract operators or in-house services. [27572/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:25. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he has engaged a third-party company in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 to conduct media monitoring and-or provide reports on media coverage of his Department; if so, the costs of same and the companies engaged. [27668/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 25 together.
The Department does not engage third part media monitoring services. As part of the press office’s normal operation, both traditional print and social media are monitored for content of relevance to the work of the Department.
Departmental Expenditure
Ceisteanna (24)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:24. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach the amount expended on access to online and hard-copy media publications since May 2020 to date; and the breakdown of online and hard-copy subscriptions, including the publications to which his Department subscribes. [27650/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The total amount spent by my Department on access to online and hardcopy media publications since May 2020 to date is €17,183 and €17,416 respectively.
Question No. 25 answered with Question No. 23.
Trade Agreements
Ceisteanna (26)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:26. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to a report by researchers from the University of Oxford pertaining to the EU-Mercosur trade deal that concluded that mechanisms within the trade agreement to include and protect local communities, track goods and enforce sustainability standards are lacking throughout the proposed terms of the deal; if this report will shape his position on the trade deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27538/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy will be aware, the EU-Mercosur Agreement is the EU’s largest trade deal to date and includes a Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapter, which the European Commission has highlighted, builds on the highest standards found in other modern Agreements – such as those with Mexico or Japan. The TSD chapter promotes sustainable development as part of the trade relationship between the EU and Mercosur through commitments on environmental protection, climate change and labour rights. The basis of the TSD chapter is the premise that increased trade should not come at the expense of the environment or labour conditions.
I welcome that both the EU and Mercosur agreed that strong labour and environmental standards which were seen as vital to the success of securing the Agreement with both parties committed to ensuring that labour and environmental standards are not reduced in order to attract trade and investment.
Critically, the TSD chapter of the EU-Mercosur Agreement is itself subject to a specific dispute settlement procedure. Therefore, should the EU or Mercosur countries consider that the other party is not abiding by the rules, or honouring their commitments, formal government-level consultations can be requested. If the situation is not resolved, an independent panel of experts can be asked to examine the matter and prepare a report with recommendations. This report, including the recommendations, would be made public so that stakeholders and the relevant institutions on both sides can follow up on the relevant issues.
My Department, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has commissioned an independent consultancy firm, after a competitive tender process, to undertake an Economic and Sustainability Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the EU-Mercosur Agreement. The ESIA will consist of two equally important and complementary components, namely a comprehensive analysis of the potential economic benefits as well as a robust sustainability impact assessment (including social, human rights and environmental impacts) that the trade Agreement could have in Ireland and the Mercosur countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Similarly, a wide-ranging consultation process will ensure the engagement of all relevant stakeholders in the conduct of the Impact Assessment.
In line with commitments in the Programme for Government, the ESIA is designed to assist Government in formulating its position on future ratification of the Agreement. Furthermore, the European Commission’s Sustainability Impact Assessment, and other reports such as that published by Oxford University, can form part of the overall analysis work that is being conducted, with a view to informing the Government's approach when the formal legal texts of the Agreement are presented to the Member States by the Commission. In that regard, I have indicated that enforceable guarantees, which strengthen environmental protections, particularly with regard to the Amazon rainforest and climate action, are a priority.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Ceisteanna (27)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:27. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason the restart plus grant is not being made available to persons on the back-to-work enterprise allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27490/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Restart Grant Plus scheme is grant is a contribution towards the cost of re-opening or keeping a business operational and re-connecting with employees and customers. The grant could be used to defray ongoing fixed costs, for example, utilities, insurance, refurbishment or for measures to ensure employee and customer safety.
In order to be eligible for the scheme a business must:
- Be a commercial, trading, entity at the time of application
- Operate from a premises that is commercially rateable by a local authority
- Have 0 - 250 employees
- Have a turnover of less than €100k per employee to a maximum of €25m
- Have suffered a 25%+ loss in turnover between 1 April and 30 June 2020
- Commit to remain open or to reopen if closed; and
- Intend to retain employees that are on The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), now replaced by the Current Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS)
In response to the Deputy's specific query, I would direct you towards the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for information on financial supports available to recipients of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
Microfinance Loan Fund Scheme
Ceisteanna (28)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:28. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 49 of 17 September 2020, the number of Microfinance Ireland loans given repayment holidays until October 2020; and the number of these loans that are now falling due in each week in October 2020. [27491/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Microenterprise Loan Fund, operated by Microfinance Ireland assists businesses with fewer than ten employees. It provides much-needed funding to help microenterprises meet payments for stock, working capital requirements and other overhead expenses through the provision of low-cost lending facilities.
Microfinance Ireland provides vital support to microenterprises by filling the lending gap in the market by lending to business that cannot obtain loans from other commercial lenders. It lends to business that do not meet the conventional risk criteria applied by commercial lenders and applies interest rate charges for its lending which are not reflective of its credit risk.
There were 2,965 loans drawn under the Fund since its inception with a value of €49.5m.
Microfinance Ireland rescheduled 616 Performing Loans during March and April 2020. These loans were rescheduled to commence payments in October 2020. Repayments are collected monthly on the 15th of each month. The terms of the restructure were six months repayment free without any additional interest accruing, and the loan extended by six months.
Microfinance Loan Fund Scheme
Ceisteanna (29)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:29. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 49 of 17 September 2020, the number of businesses with loans through Microfinance Ireland that sought a payment break or extension since the onset of Covid-19; and when the payment breaks and extensions are extended until in tabular form. [27492/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Microenterprise Loan Fund, operated by Microfinance Ireland assists businesses with fewer than ten employees. It provides much-needed funding to help microenterprises meet payments for stock, working capital requirements and other overhead expenses through the provision of low-cost lending facilities.
Microfinance Ireland provides vital support to microenterprises by filling the lending gap in the market by lending to business that cannot obtain loans from other commercial lenders. It lends to business that do not meet the conventional risk criteria applied by commercial lenders and applies interest rate charges for its lending which are not reflective of its credit risk.
There were 2,965 loans drawn under the Fund since its inception with a value of €49.5m.
MFI rescheduled 616 Performing Loans during March and April 2020. These loans were rescheduled to commence payments in October 2020. The terms of the restructure were six months repayment free without any additional interest accruing, and the loan extended by six months.
In addition, a further 97 loan restructures were completed to end June 2020 for Past Due Loans on individual terms, predominantly based on the terms outlined above.
Microfinance Loan Fund Scheme
Ceisteanna (30)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:30. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 49 of 17 September 2020, the breakdown of Microfinance Ireland loans; the number taken out pre-Covid-19 or before March 2020; the value of loans issued pre-Covid-19 or before March 2020; the number on repayment holidays issued on these loans; and the date the repayment holiday extends until in tabular form. [27493/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Microenterprise Loan Fund, operated by Microfinance Ireland assists businesses with fewer than ten employees. It provides much-needed funding to help microenterprises meet payments for stock, working capital requirements and other overhead expenses through the provision of low-cost lending facilities.
Microfinance Ireland provides vital support to microenterprises by filling the lending gap in the market by lending to business that cannot obtain loans from other commercial lenders. It lends to business that do not meet the conventional risk criteria applied by commercial lenders and applies interest rate charges for its lending which are not reflective of its credit risk.
A total of 2,221 loans with a value of €30.8m were drawn under the Fund from its inception up until 31 March 2020.
MFI rescheduled 616 Performing Loans during March and April 2020. These loans were rescheduled to commence payments in October 2020. The terms of the restructure were six months repayment free without any additional interest accruing, and the loan extended by six months.
In addition, a further 97 loan restructures were completed to end June 2020 for Past Due Loans on individual terms, predominantly based on the terms outlined above.
Microfinance Loan Fund Scheme
Ceisteanna (31)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:31. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 49 of 17 September 2020, the breakdown of Microfinance Ireland loans; the number taken out post-Covid-19 or before March 2020; the value of loans issued post-Covid-19 or before March 2020; the number on repayment holidays issued on these loans; and the date the repayment holiday extends until in tabular form. [27494/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Microfinance [MFI] Ireland Loan Fund assists businesses with fewer than ten employees. It provides much-needed funding to help microenterprises meet payments for stock, working capital requirements and other overhead expenses through the provision of low-cost lending facilities.
The MFI COVID-19 Loan Scheme assists businesses which have been impacted negatively by COVID-19 an includes a six-month repayment free moratorium and the equivalent of one-year interest free (subject to terms and conditions), with rates as low as 4.5% for the remaining period of the loan.
The COVID-19 Loan scheme has seen a very strong uptake in recent months, with €17.3 million in loans drawn by 659 businesses up to 24th September 2020.
A further 85 standard MFI loans with a value of €1.2m were drawn from 1st April up to 24th September 2020.
All COVID-19 loans are on six-month repayment holidays with repayments commencing in month 7 post drawdown.
Table – Breakdown of the number COVID-19 loans on payment holiday
|
Month loans drawn |
Number of COVID-19 loans drawn |
Month repayments commence |
|
April 2020 |
95 |
October 2020 |
|
May 2020 |
156 |
November 2020 |
|
June 2020 |
213 |
December 2020 |
|
July 2020 |
99 |
January 2021 |
|
August 2020 |
55 |
February 2021 |
|
September 2020 |
41 |
March 2021 |
|
Total |
659 |
- |
Departmental Meetings
Ceisteanna (32)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:32. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the meetings held by him and-or his officials from assistant principal level upwards with trade unions since his appointment as Minister; the dates, attendees and matters that were discussed at each meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27525/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Details of meetings with trade unions that I, or officials from my Department, have had with trade unions since my appointment as Minister are set out in the table below.
|
Date |
Trade Unions Met |
Attendance |
Purpose of Meeting |
|
16/07/20 |
Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) |
Department Officials ICTU Representatives |
Remote working guidance consultation |
|
16/07/20 |
Fórsa |
Department Officials Fórsa Representatives |
Remote working guidance consultation |
|
22/07/20 |
Mandate |
Tánaiste Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy TD Representative from Mandate Debenhams workers Department officials |
Meeting was held at Mandate’s request to discuss the Debenham’s liquidation. |
|
23/07/20 |
Fórsa Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants (AHCPS) |
Department Officials Fórsa and AHCPS representatives |
DBEI Departmental Council - regular meeting attended by Department officials and representative of staff unions to discuss a range of issues relevant to Department staff |
|
24/07/20 |
Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Irish Midwives and Nurses Organisation (INMO) Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) |
Tánaiste Tánaiste’s advisers Department Officials. Ms. Patricia King, General Secretary, ICTU Ms. Phil Ní Sheaghdha, INMO Mr. Joe Cunningham, SIPTU |
To discuss the issue of notifiable illnesses/diseases being reportable to the Health and Safety Authority. |
|
29/07/20 |
Fórsa |
Department HR officials Fórsa representatives |
Staffing matters |
|
03/09/20 |
Fórsa Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants (AHCPS |
Department Officials Fórsa and AHCPS representatives |
DBEI Departmental Council - regular meeting attended by Department officials and representative of staff unions to discuss a range of issues relevant to Department staff |
Departmental Expenditure
Ceisteanna (33)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:33. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount spent on media monitoring services by his Department; if the role is provided by private contract operators or in-house services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27555/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
A media monitoring service is provided to my Department by a private contractor, Truehawk Media.
My Department has spent €13,038, inclusive of VAT, from January 2020 to date on the provision of this service.
Departmental Expenditure
Ceisteanna (34)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:34. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount expended on access to online and hard-copy media publications since May 2020 to date; and the breakdown of online and hard-copy subscriptions, including the publications to which his Department subscribes. [27640/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The table below sets out the total expenditure on hardcopy and online media publications by my Department and its Offices from May 2020 to date. A breakdown of costs and details as requested is provided in the attached Table.
Hardcopy & Online Media Publications from May 2020 to Date
|
Title of Media Publication/Subscription |
Number of hard copy publications / subscriptions |
Total cost of hard copy publications / subscriptions Incl. of VAT € |
Number of online media publications / subscriptions |
Total cost of online media publications / subscriptions Incl. of VAT € |
|
Politico |
18 Users |
24,371 |
||
|
Inside Washington |
1 user |
1618 |
||
|
Currency Media |
1 user |
200 |
||
|
JStor – Business & Economic Collection |
10 – 15 users |
4663 |
||
|
Industrial Relations News |
33 users |
5636 |
||
|
Harvard Business Review |
I user |
120 |
||
|
Decisis |
1 user |
736 |
||
|
Thomson Reuters UK |
14 users |
5773 |
||
|
Irish Times |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
|||
|
Irish Independent |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
|||
|
Financial Times |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
€100 for all three hard copy subscriptions including delivery |
||
|
Justis One, European Union Core |
3 users |
1,241 |
||
|
Justis One, Irish Reports & Digest |
3 users |
379 |
||
|
Justis One, Ireland Core |
3 users |
1,241 |
||
|
Lexis Library UK and Irish Cases |
3 users |
5,045 |
||
|
Commonwealth Law |
3 users |
1,578 |
||
|
Courts News |
3 users |
363 |
||
|
Irish Times |
3 per day, 5 days per week |
196 |
||
|
Irish Independent |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
73 |
||
|
Examiner |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
76 |
||
|
The Sun |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
36 |
||
|
The Star |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
56 |
||
|
The Mirror |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
50 |
||
|
Daily Mail |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
59 |
||
|
The Herald |
1 per day, 5 days per week |
43 |
||
|
Anglo Celt |
Weekly publication, I per week |
17 |
||
|
Farmers Journal |
Weekly publication, I per week |
22 |
||
|
Northern Standard |
Weekly publication, I per week |
14 |
||
|
Phoenix & The Economist magazines |
8 users for the Economist per week and 3 users for Phoenix per fortnight |
575 |
Departmental Contracts
Ceisteanna (35)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:35. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has engaged a third-party company in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 to conduct media monitoring and-or provide reports on media coverage of his Department; if so, the costs of same; and the companies engaged. [27658/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement have engaged third party companies to provide media monitoring services over the years 2017 to date. The details of the companies engaged and the costs involved are set out in the Table below.
Media Monitoring and or Reports on Media Coverage
|
Year |
Service |
Company |
Cost Incl of VAT |
|
2017 Jan – May November 2018 |
Media Monitoring for the Department Final Payment |
News Access |
4,997 2489 |
|
2017 |
Media Monitoring for the ODCE |
NLA Media Access Limited |
1,385 |
|
2018 |
Media Monitoring for the Department |
TRUEHAWK |
12,884 |
|
2018 |
Media Monitoring for the ODCE |
Media Watch Ltd. T/A Kantar Media |
2,350 |
|
2019 |
Media Monitoring for the Department |
TRUEHAWK |
19,557 |
|
2019 |
Media Monitoring for the ODCE |
Media Watch Ltd. T/A Kantar Media |
2,917 |
|
Year to Date 2020 |
Media Monitoring for the Department |
TRUEHAWK |
13,038 |
|
Year to Date 2020 |
Media Monitoring for the ODCE |
Media Watch Ltd. T/A Kantar Media |
138 |
IDA Ireland
Ceisteanna (36)
Gerald Nash
Ceist:36. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the IDA is working to identify a client company to occupy a plant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27682/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department has been informed by IDA Ireland that the Agency does not own the former NEC Plant. In April 2019, the IDA's Property Division met with the owners of the site to view the property as a potential location for foreign direct investment (FDI). The facility is included in an IDA Ireland database of marketable properties and it is being actively marketed by the Agency to prospective investors looking to invest or expand in County Meath.
County Meath continues to be a strong performer in terms of attracting FDI. There are 19 IDA client companies in the County employing over 1,900 people with 250 net new jobs added in 2019. County Meath is also home to a number of prominent multinationals - such as Facebook, International Fund Services and Arcroyal- that continue to perform well.
Electric Vehicles
Ceisteanna (37, 38)
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:37. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the cost breakdown to the ESB of installing a standard electric vehicle charge point and a fast charging electric vehicle charge point; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27455/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraDarren O'Rourke
Ceist:38. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the number of public charging points for electric vehicles that have been constructed; the number currently in operation; the number of new charging points planned for the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27456/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 38 together.
The Government is fully committed to supporting an expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle charging network which stays ahead of demand over the coming years.
There are currently circa 650 standard public charge points and over 100 fast charge stations (the majority of which are operated by the ESB) in Ireland. An interactive map showing ESB charger locations and their status can be found at www.esb.ie/ecars.
€10 million has been committed from the Climate Action Fund to promote the charging network and this has leveraged a further €10 million investment from ESB. This intervention alone will result in:
- 90 additional high power chargers (150kW), each capable of charging two vehicles
- 52 additional fast chargers (50kW), which may replace existing 22 kW standard chargers
- 264 replacement standard chargers (22kW) with more modern technology and with each consisting of two charge points
Since the delivery stage of the project commenced in October 2019, 159 22kW chargers, each with two charge points, have been replaced bringing the total number of these chargers nationally to 318.
In addition to the new replacements for 22kW chargers, three multi charger sites have also been delivered, one each in Galway (M6), Kildare (M9) and Laois, while the programme to upgrade 22kW chargers to 50kW has already commenced with 10 installations now in place.
ESB is continuing to assess other suitable sites on motorways and national road networks, with the aim of delivering over fifty high power (50-150kW) charging hubs. These hubs can provide up to 100km of driving range in as little as six minutes. Final sites are based on a range of factors including current charge point usage, traffic volume, accessibility, amenities and grid capacity. More site locations will be announced in the coming months. The current project will run until 2023.
Further information can be found at https://esb.ie/ecars/our-network/high-power-charging-hubs.
My Department, via the SEAI, also provides a grant of up to €5,000 to support local authorities in the installation of on-street public chargers. With regard to this scheme applications are currently being assessed in respect of 24 charge points to be installed across 2 local authorities with the expectation that demand for support under this scheme will grow significantly in 2021 and thereafter.
Combined with an effective public charging network, Ireland's home charging policy will help sustain and service the expected growth of electric vehicles on Irish roads. Charging while at home accounts for around 80% of electric vehicle charging in Ireland and it is best practice, internationally, to promote home charging as the most common and cheapest form of charging. To support home charging, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department, administers an EV home charger grant of up to €600 towards the purchase and installation of an EV home charger unit.
The cost of installing a charger varies from site to site depending on grid capacity, required civil and electrical works and type of charger. There are a number of charge points installers providing this service throughout Ireland and in this regard ESB ecars procures civil and electrical works and supply of chargers from third parties. Any projected or actual costs are therefore commercially sensitive and ESB ecars does not disclose this information.
National Broadband Plan
Ceisteanna (39)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:39. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the progress made and the steps he will take to address the concerns of the residents and school in an area (details supplied) about the serious issues with Eir and its provision of broadband, which was the subject of a complaint that has subsequently been progressed by the residents to the Commission for Communications Regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27508/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Adelaide Street, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie.
BLUE areas were not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators were either providing high speed broadband or had indicated future plans to do so. My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard.
As it has been highlighted that high speed broadband is not being provided to some premises on Adelaide Street, enquiries have been made to eir, to determine why this is the case. On receipt of a reply from eir, an update will be sent to the Deputy.
National Broadband Plan
Ceisteanna (40)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:40. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the areas in County Monaghan that will be serviced by the national broadband plan in 2020 and 2021; the number of dwellings that will be encompassed in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27539/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed last November to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the nearly 540,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools.
The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract. The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years. Design work is complete or ongoing in target townlands across 23 counties and steady progress is being made with over 98,000 premises surveyed as of the 29 September. This activity is increasing week on week and by year end, NBI expects to have completed some 120,000 surveys. This survey work is feeding into detailed designs for each deployment area and laying fibre should commence shortly with the first fibre to the home connections expected around December. The number of premises surveyed in Monaghan to date is 4,355 with surveyors working in areas such as Cornacassa, Cortolvin, Ballybay, and Stranooden. Other areas which will be surveyed shortly include Mullinahinch, Bellanode, Drumhilock, Tydavnet, Cloughnart, Scotstown and Killymarley. Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. Some 155 BCP sites have been installed by NBI to date and the high speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through 'service provider' contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development for publicly available sites and by the Department of Education and Skills for schools. In Monaghan, Drumcorrin and Drumgossatt National School will be connected for educational access as part of this initiative, while the public will be able to benefit from this service at locations across the county such as Corduff, Corcaghan, Mullyash, Saint Alphonsus Community Centre, Monaghan GAA centre of Excellence as well as Geraldines GAA Club, Carn and Latton Resource Centre. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/. While substantial progress has been made to date, the Covid 19 pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of the fibre network. The extent of this impact is currently being assessed and NBI has committed to put in place measures to mitigate the impact in as far as possible. The Covid 19 pandemic has also highlighted the importance of good reliable broadband to ensure that citizens across Ireland can avail of remote working, education and other essential online facilities. This is reflected in the commitments in the Programme for Government where delivery of the National Broadband Plan will be a key enabler to many of the policies envisaged particularly around increased levels of remote working. The Programme for Government has committed to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. In this regard, my Department continues to engage with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of this rollout to establish the possibility of bringing forward premises which are currently scheduled in years 6 and 7 of the current plan to an earlier date. Exploring the potential to accelerate the network rollout is being undertaken in parallel with the measures required to mitigate delays arising as a result of Covid-19.
Departmental Expenditure
Ceisteanna (41, 43)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:41. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the amount spent on media monitoring services by his Department; if the role is provided by private contract operators or in-house services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27556/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraCatherine Murphy
Ceist:43. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if he has engaged a third-party company in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 to conduct media monitoring and-or provide reports on media coverage of his Department; if so, the costs of same; and the companies engaged. [27654/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 43 together.
My Department is provided with a media monitoring service by Mediawatch Ltd., trading as Kantar. A collation of news coverage (both online and print) which is relevant to the Department’s remit and associated industries/stakeholders is received twice daily (morning and evening). In addition, two emails per day are received with details of broadcast coverage for relevant areas of the Department’s core remit. The costs of these service is set out in the following table:
|
Year |
Cost (€) |
|
2017 |
22,730.40 |
|
2018 |
22,730.40 |
|
2019 |
26,863.20 |
|
2020 to date |
16,531.20 |
|
Total |
88,855.20 |