Written Answers Nos. 50-71
50. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to introduce a universal basic income pilot in the lifetime of the Government, following the publication of a report (details supplied) by the ERSI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5549/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Low Pay Commission submitted its report on piloting Universal Basic Income during 2022. The report was accompanied by a report, authored by ESRI under the terms of the Low Pay Commission / ESRI Research Partnership Agreement, titled ‘A universal basic income for Ireland: Lessons from the international literature’.
It should be noted that the ‘Basic Income for the Arts’ pilot scheme is underway. The Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme will run over a three-year period (2022 – 2025) and is open to eligible artists and creative arts sector workers. The scheme is administered by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
It should also be noted that the Commission on Taxation and Welfare considered the issue of Universal Basic Income. In their 2022 ‘Foundations for the Future’ report they said, “The Commission does not support the development of a Universal Basic Income in Ireland”.
The Commission also noted that “Further, it is noted that resourcing such a pilot project may detract from the State’s ability to fund means-tested welfare schemes, or other targeted measures to address poverty.”
Given the implementation of Basic Income for the Arts scheme, and the comments of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare on the development of Universal Basic Income in Ireland, there are no plans to introduce or further trial Universal Basic Income at this time.
51. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on concerns raised by a small business owner (details supplied) in respect of upcoming sick leave changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5553/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraSick Leave Act 2022 commenced on 1st January 2023, and introduced a new statutory right to employer-paid sick leave.
This Act will provide protection to employees who do not currently have employer-paid sick pay schemes, many of whom are low-paid and cannot afford to miss work. As a starting point, this scheme will cover the three waiting days before eligibility for Illness Benefit from the State. This is a progressive Act and will ensure that employees will have financial protection from day one of a medically certified absence.
Sick pay will be paid by employers at a rate of 70% of an employee’s wage, subject to a daily threshold of €110. The rate of 70% is set to ensure excessive costs are not placed on employers, who in certain sectors also have to deal with the cost of replacing staff who are out sick. The scheme is being introduced on a phased basis in order to take account of the current economic climate and the existing financial pressures on businesses.
For those businesses who are genuinely unable to pay sick leave, Section 10 of the Act details the procedure for requesting exemption status through the The Labour Court.
52. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the percentage of social media videos posted on his Department's social media accounts or the social media accounts of public bodies and agencies that operate under the remit of his Department, that included closed captioning or subtitling and Irish sign language translations between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022, inclusive. [5567/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department and its offices subtitled 93 percent of its social media video content during 2022. There were no videos posted during 2022 that included Irish Sign Language.
Separately, I have requested that the state agencies under the remit of my department provide the information requested and I will forward this to the Deputy once received.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
The response indicated that additional time would be needed to obtain the requested information. This has now been collated and is set out below.
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)
99.5% of the CCPC’s social media videos included captions during 2022. No videos were posted including Irish Sign Language.
Enterprise Ireland
Across Enterprise Ireland’s corporate social media accounts and including 26 international Enterprise Ireland social media accounts 54.9% of videos were posted with closed captioning. There were no videos including Irish Sign Language translations.
Health and Safety Authority (HSA)
The HSA during the period of 1 January to 31 December 2022 posted 4% of its video content with closed captions/ subtitles. None of the videos included Irish Sign Language translations.
IDA Ireland
IDA Ireland posted 55% of its videos to social media with closed captioning/subtitles. None had Irish Sign Language translations.
InterTrade Ireland (ITI)
ITI posted 100% of its social media video content with captioning/subtitling. No videos during 2022 included Irish Sign Language translations.
Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA)
The IAASA posted 60% of its social media videos content in 2022 with captions. No videos during the period included Irish Sign Language translations.
National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI)
NSAI posted 87% of its video content on social media including closed captioning/subtitling. None of these videos included Irish Sign Language translations.
There were no videos posted by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) nor by the Corporate Enforcement Authority CEA to social media during 2022.
53. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if ambulance drivers are governed by the same working time directives as other workers employed to drive vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5734/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Organisation of Working Time Act (OWTA) 1997 transposed the original EU Working Time Directive (Directive 93/104/EC) – now consolidated by EU Directive 2003/88/EC – into Irish law. The EU Working Time Directive is primarily a health and safety directive and its purpose is to lay down common minimum safety and health requirements for organising the working time of employees in all EU Member States.
In relation to your question regarding ambulance drivers, I can confirm that they are indeed within the scope of the OWTA.
However, in accordance with the Organisation of Working Time (General Exemptions) Regulations 1998, the provision of ambulance, fire and civil protection services are exempt from sections 11,12,13 and 16 of the Act.
54. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if an employee on an intra-company transfer work permit, who remains on a contract in their home country, has an entitlement to statutory leave under Irish law, such as annual leave, maternity leave, paternity leave and parent’s leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6023/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit is designed to facilitate the transfer of senior management, key personnel or trainees who are non-EEA nationals from an overseas branch of a multinational corporation to its Irish branch.
The main attraction of this permit is that it facilitates the temporary injection of corporate personnel and also provides for such employees to stay on the foreign payroll. This can be desirable for the employee as it can ensure they retain certain benefits (for example, foreign pension contributions). This type of permit is available on the basis that the employment is temporary. As such, holders do not accrue rights for long-term residency purposes.
Employment permit holders have exactly the same protections under Irish employment law as any other worker in the State. The employment permits system has been designed to ensure that the employment rights of migrants are observed. Many of the criteria associated with the employment permits system are aimed at ensuring that migrant employees are treated in line with Irish labour laws. The issue of eligibility criteria for specific parental leave entitlements is a matter for my colleagues the Ministers for Social Protection, and the Minister of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
Ireland has a comprehensive body of employment legislation, in respect of which the Workplace Relations Commission is mandated to secure compliance.
Ireland’s employment rights legislation protects all employees, including migrant workers, who are legally employed on a contract of service basis. This is specifically set out in Section 20 of the Protection of Employment (Part Time Work) Act 2001.
Where an individual believes they are being deprived of employment rights applicable to employees they may refer a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) where the matter can be dealt with by way of mediation or adjudication leading to a decision that is enforceable through the District Court. WRC inspectors can also be asked to investigate certain breaches. Complaints can be made on a single online complaint form available at the WRC’s website.
Standard rules governing statutory entitlements apply to permit holders as set out in the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997.
55. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has received a request from the Minister for Social Protection to designate long Covid as an occupational illness; the current status of the request; the timeline for responding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6066/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my Departmental colleague, Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, recently received correspondence from the Minister for Social Protection concerning the communication from the EU Commission about the addition of COVID-19 to the list of reportable occupational diseases.
A reply has issued to the Minister for Social Protection outlining that the implications of this EU Commission communication on the occupational safety and health remit of my Department, and that of the Health and Safety Authority, are minimal. This is primarily because COVID-19 has already been recognised as a biological agent under a 2020 EU Commission Directive (2020/739) (relating specifically to SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19) which came into effect in Irish law through the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Biological Agents) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 539 of 2020).
In conjunction with the introduction of the Regulations the Health and Safety Authority introduced the 2020 Biological Agents Code of Practice. Under this Code of Practice an employer who becomes aware of a confirmed case of COVID-19 in an employee, as a result of the employee carrying out direct or deliberate work with coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is required to notify the Health and Safety Authority.
Separately, any decision by the Minister for Social Protection to include COVID-19 in the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme will not impact on the existing provisions of occupational safety and health legislation and is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection in the first instance.
56. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he would support the large energy users who wrongly benefitted from the rebalancing subvention repaying that overpayment to households. [6157/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will understand that the allocation of grid costs to energy customers is a matter for the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU); I do not as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment have a statutory role in that regard. The CRU is the appropriate regulator, and it is empowered and required to ensure that grid tariffs appropriately reflect the cost of providing grid services alongside national policy objectives such as developing a smart grid system and decarbonisation.
The CRU is accountable to the Oireachtas, and I know has recently updated the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action on this matter.
I understand that in in April 2022, the CRU wrote to ESBN and EirGrid notifying them that it would unwind the Large Energy Users rebalancing framework from 1st October 2022. This now results in the reallocation no longer taking place, resulting in a reduction on domestic customer tariffs relative to previous years. This decision has been reflected by the CRU in the allowed network tariffs by the System Operators for 2022/23. I understand from the information provided by the CRU to the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action that an historic error in charging for grid services by ESB Networks was also identified, and that the CRU have engaged with the System Operator to address this matter.
57. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will engage with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in order to broaden the criteria on houses that can qualify for grant aid to fit heat pumps (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5555/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn February 2022, Government announced a range of new measures to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades. The new measures included the provision of increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard (up from 30%-35% grants in 2021). The grant rates for heat pumps increased significantly from €3,500 to €6,500 and the eligible year of construction was broadened out from pre 2011 to houses built and occupied before 2021.
It is important to note that the grants available through SEAI aim to maximise emission reductions and deliver energy savings for the widest range of homeowners possible. The grants which are available, and their respective eligibility criteria, were selected as the most likely to deliver significant energy savings to homeowners as well as the best value for money for the Exchequer. Grants are not targeted at meeting compliance requirements when building a new home.
Recent data from the Central Statistics Office report for Domestic Building Energy Ratings Quarter 4 2022 shows that electricity as the main space heating fuel continues to increase. It shows that 86% of new homes built between 2020-2022 and with a BER Audit reporting have electricity as the main space heating fuel, this is up from 49% for homes built between 2015-2019 with a BER audit.
www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-dber/domesticbuildingenergyratingsquarter42022/
While there are no current plans to amend the current rules around the year of construction for dwellings in order to qualify for grant support for a heat pump, SEAI has commenced a research study to test the efficacy of installing heat pumps in homes with a Heat Loss Indicator of between >2.3 and 3.0 W/K m2. Pending the findings of the study, this could allow heat pumps to be installed in many more homes which are currently ineligible.
58. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will clarify a matter (details suppled) concerning his proposals for electric cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5560/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am happy to clarify the matter for the Deputy.
EirGrid has stated that electric vehicle charging points will not be powered from the national electricity transmission network that they operate. In their statement, they referred to the transmission network as the "national grid". This transmission network is the network of high-capacity electricity lines that safely brings power from generators to the distribution network.
This distribution network is operated by ESB Networks, which is a separate body from EirGrid. The distribution network supplies every home, farm, community and business in Ireland with electricity, and will power the future electric vehicle charging point network.
59. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the percentage of social media videos posted on his Department's social media accounts or the social media accounts of public bodies and agencies that operate under the remit of his Department, that included closed captioning or subtitling and Irish sign language translations between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022, inclusive. [5568/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department ensures, to the greatest extent possible, that our published video content includes closed captioning or subtitling. In 2022, 94.7% of videos posted on Twitter were captioned, while 93% of videos posted on Facebook/Instagram were subtitled. No videos with Irish sign language translations were posted.
The agencies of my Department are responsible for their own social media accounts. I have therefore forwarded the Deputy’s question to the relevant agencies for direct reply.
60. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the adequacy of existing measures to prevent dog fouling at a local authority level; if his Department is considering any further measures to reduce this activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5605/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Litter Pollution Act, 1997, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution lies with local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority to determine the most appropriate public awareness, enforcement, and clean-up actions in relation to litter taking account of local circumstances and priorities.
My Department provides financial support to local authority efforts to tackle litter through the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme. €750,000 was provided under this Scheme in 2022 with a similar amount expected to be made available in 2023.
Funding is also provided annually in support of a number of important anti-litter initiatives such as the National Spring Clean, Picker Pals, the PURE Project and Irish Business against Litter.
The recently enacted Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act advances several legislative provisions which will further support Local Authorities in their anti-litter efforts to tackle enhance efforts, including providing for the GDPR-compliant use of a range of technologies, such as CCTV for litter enforcement purposes and an increase in the level of the on-the-spot fine for littering.
61. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the publication date for the national clean air strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5613/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraA public consultation on the draft Clean Air Strategy was undertaken during the period March to May of last year and over 100 submissions were received. The strategy is now being reviewed and updated to reflect both the outcome of the consultation process and policy developments which have occurred in the intervening period that impact on plans to improve the quality of our air.
Given the health imperative associated with the burning of solid fuels for domestic heating purposes, the introduction of the new solid fuel regulations was prioritised. The Air Pollution Act 1987 (Solid Fuels) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 529 of 2022) have introduced minimum quality standards that apply to all solid fuels distributed throughout the State. This is to ensure that the most polluting can no longer be made available on the Irish market and to assist the public in transitioning to less polluting alternatives. These regulations are a central plank of the Clean Air Strategy, which we are now working towards publishing in Q2 this year.
The strategy will outline how we will enhance and protect the air we breathe, and set out a pathway, based on a comprehensive cross-Government programme of policies and measures, that will tackle all sources of air pollution. As such, it will also need to consider the impact of the forthcoming Climate Action Plan and new proposals at EU level for a revised Ambient Air Quality Directive.
62. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the publication date for the national adaptation framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5614/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe statutory National Adaptation Framework (NAF) was published in January 2018 under Section 5 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 (the Climate Act).
The Climate Act requires that a Minister shall review a NAF approved by the Government not less than once in every period of 5 years, and may, having regard to that review and the requirements of adaptation in relation to the effects of climate change, make and submit to the Government for approval, an updated NAF.
My Department submitted a report to me on the NAF following a comprehensive review undertaken in 2022. The report was informed by input from key stakeholders including the Climate Change Advisory Council, the Environmental Protection Agency and key sectors impacted by climate change. A public consultation was held between 26 May and 20 July, 2022.
I have approved the recommendations of the report, including the key recommendation that a new NAF with a bolder vision be developed. This will integrate advances made under the 2018 NAF, including its related sectoral plans and progress made at local, sectoral and national levels. It will also encompass a considerable body of climate adaptation research completed since the publication of the current NAF. The new NAF will have regard to climate adaptation risk assessment and indicators at all levels.
The development of a new NAF in 2023 will emphasise the increasingly important role of Climate Adaptation policy and action, embody learnings from the previous NAF, up-to-date research and feedback from all sectors received during the review process.
63. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if an organisation (details supplied) can access funding for refurbishment and insulation grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5625/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Energy Grant Scheme is available to community and other organisations wishing to undertake energy upgrades as part of a community project.
The Grant scheme, managed and operated by SEAI, supports cross-sectoral and community-oriented partnership approaches that deliver energy savings to a range of building types including public, commercial and community buildings with a particular focus on using the projects to deliver home retrofits.
The Scheme provides funding for a range of improvements to existing buildings and facilities. These include the installation of insulation, heat pump systems, replacement windows/doors, solar Photo-Voltaic technology, energy-efficient flood lighting to sports facilities, and energy monitors, as well as other energy upgrades.
Under the Community Energy Grant Scheme insulation projects for non-residential buildings, including community-based organisations, can be supported under the Scheme when they are part of a suite of energy efficiency upgrade measures to retrofit a building, for example fabric upgrades or heating measures.
A record €68 million capital funding has been allocated to the Community Energy Grant Scheme for 2023.
The contact details for the Community Energy Grant scheme team are provided below. It may be helpful for the organisation to discuss the specifics of their project with the SEAI Team directly.
www.seai.ie/grants/community-grants/ or SEAI may be contacted directly on 1850 927 000 or by e-mail at bec@seai.ie.
64. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 128 of 18 January 2023, if he will provide an update on the matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5740/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a further extension of the exemption for the burning of agricultural waste for one-year in early 2022 the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine (DAFM) agreed to commission a study to examine the sustainable management of agricultural green waste in Ireland. The completed study, which is available at gov.ie - Climate Change, Bioenergy & Biodiversity (www.gov.ie), was prepared by the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) and submitted to DAFM in November 2022.
In light of the conclusions and recommendations set out in the feasibility study, particularly relating to the fact that many farmers are mid-cycle in their burning process, it was decided that the existing exemption should be extended for a further two-month period until 1 March 2023 and again for a further three month period from 1 September 2023 to 30 November 2023. This will allow time for farmers to complete the current burning cycle, while providing proper wildlife protection during nesting season. It also allows for further engagement between my Department and DAFM to progress a number of the recommendations set out in the feasibility study around messaging, awareness, the further development of alternative means of disposal and the provision of best practice guidance to the farming community. The three-month period in late 2023 will, definitively, be the final extension granted under these Regulations.
The Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 were signed into law on 27 January 2023. The regulations extend the exemption for the burning of green waste generated by agricultural practices, which expired on January 1, 2023, for a further two-month period to March 1, 2023, and then re-opens the exemption for a further three-month period from September 1, 2023, to November 30, 2023.
65. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how the approximately 60 private households in a location (details supplied) can avail of the electricity grant when their landlord is on a commercial account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5819/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraGovernment is acutely aware of the impact that the recent increases in global energy prices is having on households and throughout 2022 introduced a €2.4 billion package of supports and as part of Budget 2023 has introduced a package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion. This includes a new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €550.47 (exclusive of VAT) is being credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €183.49 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - November/December 2022, January/February 2023, and March/April 2023. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.211 billion.
The payment is applied to domestic electricity accounts which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2). This includes accounts with pre-pay meters. The scheme uses the single identifier of the Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN) to ensure that payment can be made to those accounts automatically and without application or means testing.
Despite this advantage, the scheme does have limitations. While one credit is applied per domestic MPRN, there are cohorts such as households on commercial connections that did not receive the payment.
Officials from my Department are examining this matter to determine if a solution can be developed.
66. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will consider providing a grant to small to medium-size businesses, similar to the grant scheme available to farmers to erect solar PV panels on their premises which would offset the high cost of electricity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5879/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) is targeting support for 380MW of installed micro-generation capacity by 2030, including over 60,000 small microgeneration connections less than 6 KW and 10,000 connections between 6 kW and 50 kW.
The first phase of the scheme, consisting of a Domestic solar PV grant, commenced in February 2022.? The second phase of the scheme, announced on 22nd September, saw Solar PV grants being extended to the non-domestic sector, for installations up to and including 6 kW.
This includes small to medium-sized businesses, public organisations and community groups. Both grants are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and are up to a maximum of €2,400.
This new phase of the scheme provides an opportunity for small businesses to reduce their electricity bills. Moreover, with the introduction of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), any residual renewable electricity not consumed on the premises of these microgenerators is now eligible for an export payment; which further supports the investment.
The final phase of the MSS will involve the introduction of a Clean Export Premium (CEP) feed-in tariff, to support non-domestic applicants for installation sizes greater than 6kWp up to 50kWp. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) will consult on an implementation plan for the CEP tariff in 2023.
My Department is also developing the Small-Scale Generation (SSG) scheme for generators above 50kW to support the deployment of rooftop and ground-mounted solar PV in cohorts that are not as suited to other support measures, such as the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). This scheme is expected to be launched in 2023.
67. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the legislative timeframe for the legislation which is being brought forward by the Government to release the financial aid announced in 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5898/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn amendment to the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 is proposed under the Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022. The proposed amendment will provide a statutory base for the provision of funding from the Minister of the Environment, Climate and Communications to the post office network, via An Post. The Bill has completed fifth stage in the Dáil and is now due for consideration in the Seanad on 8 February.
Payments to Postmasters will made as soon as practicable once the enabling legislation is passed, with payments backdated to January 2023.
68. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the average tree cover in the 100 largest towns in Ireland; if he plans to increase tree cover to counteract higher temperatures in the summer months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5905/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not hold data on tree cover in Irish towns. The management of tree cover in public areas in towns and cities in Ireland falls under the remit of the Local Authorities.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 strengthens the role of Local Authorities for effective climate action. It sets out a statutory requirement for each Local Authority to prepare a Climate Action Plan, within 12 months from when I formally issue a request to the sector to begin the preparation of such plans. I will issue this request in the coming weeks. My Department, in collaboration with Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROS) and the Environmental Protection Agency, has developed Guidelines to assist Local Authorities in preparing this plans.
I recognise that Local Authorities will need to be supported in the delivery of their Climate Action Plans and I allocated €3.5 million in 2022 to support the Local Authorities in securing resources to begin the process of developing these plans. I intend to provide further funding to the sector over the coming years.
69. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of current operational constraints on Wicklow harbour due to the siltation of the area, which will impact on the ability of the harbour to deliver on windfarm projects and or businesses; if he has held any discussions with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with regard to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5980/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn my role as Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, I have no function in relation to ports as it is a matter for the local authority concerned, in this case Wicklow County Council.
Local authorities are independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions. Local authorities perform functions across a wide range of sectors which come within the remit of a number of different Departments and central agencies. The Department of Transport has responsibility for National Ports. However, in this case, this is a matter for the local authority itself.
70. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on a matter (details supplied) relating to broadband in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6063/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe schools have been mapped in 2019 as non-commercial and therefore were included in the final tender process and Contract Award to National Broadband Ireland. The forecast cost to deliver a high-speed broadband network to schools in the Intervention Area was included in the tender process and these were reviewed at the time as being reasonable to achieve the network quality standards set out. National Broadband Ireland have many commercial subcontracts in place and is continually running procurement processes to deliver the National Broadband Plan. It would be inappropriate to release specific costing information around schools as this information is commercially sensitive and could interfere with future procurements that NBI will be running. All schools will be connected with fibre direct to the building as the full fibre network reaches those areas. As an interim measure it was agreed to put in place a wireless solution and accelerate the delivery of schools to ensure all schools are connected by June 2023, in a number of cases several years in advance of the full fibre being delivered.
71. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the way the large energy user rebalancing subvention was compliant with EU state aid rules. [6081/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a 2009 Government decision, electricity network tariffs were rebalanced to support Large Energy Users from 1st October 2010. This decision was made by Government at a time when the global financial crisis and domestic banking crisis were both starting to take effect and the competitiveness of large Irish firms, together with the employment implications, were a serious policy issue.
The subvention was in effect from 2010 until its removal in 2022, following a decision by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities. No State Aid issues have arisen during that period relating to the subvention.
