Written Answers Nos. 169-182
170. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there are plans to install fibre optic internet in Ballylanders, County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16192/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:
• all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028
• all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and
• digital connectivity will be delivered to all schools and broadband connection points by 2023
NBI reports that all 955 Strategic Connection Points (SCPs) sites have been installed before the end of 2023, of which 283 are publicly accessible Broadband Connection Point sites now connected with high-speed broadband service through a service provider contract with Vodafone. The remaining 672 installed SCPs are part of the SCP Schools Programme.
The remaining targets will be achieved through commercial operators investing in their networks, complemented by the State’s National Broadband Plan intervention. When taken together, all premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband in every part of the country no matter how remote.
The vast majority of premises in Ballylanders are in the BLUE area of the broadband map and have been fibre enabled as part of open eir’s 300k fibre network since 2019.
The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The 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 the Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. There may be a choice of operators offering this service in any given area. Further information in this regard is available at www.comreg.ie/compare/#/services.
If a person lives in the BLUE area and after contacting their Retail Service Provider are told they cannot get access to greater than 30Mbps, they should raise a query via the DECC webform at secure.dccae.gov.ie/forms/NBP-Customer-Service.aspx and DECC will escalate with open eir to investigate this matter further.
The Question refers to an area that also covers a number of premises located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention.
The latest information on when high-speed broadband will become available to these premises can be found on National Broadband Ireland’s (NBI) website at Network Map - NBI. This website is regularly updated providing the expected timeline for delivery and status of any works that are initiated at any point in time. NBI also has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
In order to ensure that we are meeting the "Gigabit" targets as mentioned in the Digital Connectivity Strategy, my officials are continuously evaluating opportunities for adding premises to the Intervention Area, where appropriate. Alternatively, where it is not feasible for premises to be recategorised, we are addressing the issues through the Mobile Phone and Broadband Task Force (the Taskforce).
The Taskforce comprises State actors and industry representatives and is tasked with identifying and overcoming barriers to improved connectivity. The Taskforce was originally established in 2016 to identify immediate solutions to mobile phone and broadband coverage deficits, and to investigate how better services could be provided to consumers prior to full build and roll-out of the network planned under the National Broadband Plan State intervention (NBP).
Commercial operators’ fibre roll-out are progressing at pace. Open eir have already passed over 1.1 million homes. SIRO has recently reached a milestone of enabling over 560,000 premises for full fibre and is on track to reach 700,000 premises by 2026. Virgin Media recently announced a €200 million investment plan to upgrade its cable network to bring full fibre to up to 1 million premises over the next three years, to date it has passed 252,000 premises with full fibre.
Recent ComReg data shows that Quarter 4 of 2023, saw a 7.51% increase in fibre broadband subscriptions compared to Quarter 3 , 2023, and a 33.33% increase when compared to Quarter 4 of 2022. This demonstrates that the take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing greatly as the services are deployed to areas where they had previously been unavailable. This demonstrates that take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing substantially as it is deployed to areas where it had previously been unavailable. The same ComReg data also indicates that c. 40% of homes and business throughout the State now have access to gigabit services through either fibre (667,771) or cable (348,251) infrastructure.
171. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the supports available, in addition to the solar PV grant scheme, to specifically assist people with a disability to avail of solar panels on their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16199/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraResidential solar PV is supported by the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS), which is targeting 380MW of new renewable generation capacity under the Climate Action Plan. Grants are available through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for domestic installations, up to a maximum of €2,100 in 2024.
A new targeted Solar PV scheme for vulnerable customers registered as being dependent on electrically powered assistive devices, is currently underway. This €20m scheme is targeted to provide direct support to over 3,000 medically vulnerable customers who have a dependence on electrically powered medical equipment, life protecting devices or assistive technologies such as dialysis machines, respirators, chairlifts and elevators etc; and who therefore may have limited opportunity to reduce their electricity demand. The scheme will provide households with a 2 KW solar PV system, in order to meet some of their electricity requirements. This includes survey/design, supply, installation, and the post works BER.
The scheme is operational and installations have already been completed, though not all Energy Suppliers are signed up. The scheme is wholly managed by the Energy Suppliers and each of the registered Energy Suppliers are contacting their own eligible customers directly.
Although there is currently no specific scheme for persons with a disability to avail of solar panels, along with existing schemes, my Department are also working closely together, along with SEAI; on further potential targeted solar PV and smart energy solutions for vulnerable consumers in 2024 and beyond.
173. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the percentage of the Capital Budget for his Department that has been spent in Quarter 1 of 2024. [16288/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn Quarter 1 of this year, capital expenditure in my Department amounted to €176 million, which was €3.8 million ahead of target. This represents 17.8% of my Department's annual capital budget.
The most significant capital expenditure in Quarter 1 was attributed to the Residential/Community Retrofit programme (€80.6m) and the National Broadband Plan (€77.8m)
174. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of WTE principal geologists employed by his Department in the years 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and the civil service grade in which this post is normally filled. [16416/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy can be found in the table below. Principal Geologists are Assistant Principal (AP) equivalent.
|
2022 |
3 |
|
2023 |
8 |
|
2024 |
8 |
175. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of submissions that were received in the public consultation on the Climate Action Plan 2024; the expected timeline for the review of these submissions, and any revisions/additions to the plan; when he expects to finalise the plan for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16450/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe public consultation on Climate Action Plan 2024 (CAP24), along with the associated Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment, closed on 5 April, having run for a period of six weeks. A total of 112 submissions were received from a range of organisations and individuals, and included specific feedback on particular chapters or themes, as well as general observations on the overall plan. The submissions are currently being reviewed with a view to finalising the CAP24 in May.
176. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of community-led projects successful under RESS 1 which have energised to-date; the number that remain in the process but are still due to energise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16511/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra177. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of community-led projects that remain in RESS 2; for a breakdown of the number of these which are wind projects and the number which are solar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16512/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra178. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide details of the community-led projects in RESS 1 that have to-date received the enabling grant and the amount of grant funding received by each project, in tabular form; the details of the community-led projects in RESS 2 that have to-date received the enabling grant and the amount of grant funding received by each project, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16513/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 178, inclusive, together.
Through the first two Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auctions, my Department has provided pathways and supports for communities to participate in renewable energy projects through the application of a community projects category. The supports include a set of technical and financial supports for community projects through the RESS Community Enabling Framework.
Regarding financial supports, RESS includes grant funding of potentially up to €180,000, offered from SEAI to community renewable energy projects,. To date, two community projects (both under RESS 1) have received €40,000 each in grant funding.
Currently there are two community solar projects energised under RESS 1 which generate an estimated 8.6 GWh of renewable energy annually in addition to other community projects operating outside the scheme. 10 community projects (8 solar projects, 2 wind projects) were successful in the RESS 2 auction, with some of these proceeding through the scheme and others expected to develop through alternative routes to market.
There is evidence of significant challenges that Renewable Energy Community projects may face with the competitive, auction based nature of RESS, along with grid and other barriers to project delivery. Therefore, Community projects will now transition to the non-competitive Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS).
The export tariff phase of SRESS, to support small scale and community renewable projects, is due to be launched in the coming months and will be a major step forward in supporting the community energy sector. It will include similar community enabling technical and financial supports that are currently provided under RESS.
179. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has engaged with the CRU regarding the opening of a second annual application window for renewable energy projects to connect to the electricity grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16552/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CRU held a public consultation, which closed on 16 February 2024, on the successor to ECP (‘the ‘Electricity Generation and System Services Connection’ Policy), the responses to which will inform the introduction of a new policy framework to connect onshore generators, storage and other systems services technology projects to the grid. Among other matters, the paper sought responses on the potential for more frequent grid connection application batches, locational signals, hybrid generation projects and repowering.
Delivery of this task is a matter for the CRU, which is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not me as Minister. However, I am aware of the CRU’s ‘minded-to’ approach to introduce a bi-annual batch application process without caps for renewable generators as set out in the public consultation. In addition, my officials have been engaging with CRU on the development of this important new policy in relation to compliance with Article 16 of the Renewable Energy Directive which provides for mandatory permitting deadlines and must be transposed by 1 July 2024. My officials look forward to their continued engagement with CRU ahead of the publication of this critical policy which will be published in Q2 this year.
180. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a property owner (details supplied) will be able to avail of high-speed broadband; and the company that will provide same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16555/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:
• all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028
• all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and
• digital connectivity will be delivered to all schools and broadband connection points by 2023
NBI reports that all 955 Strategic Connection Points (SCPs) sites have been installed before the end of 2023, of which 283 are publicly accessible Broadband Connection Point sites now connected with high-speed broadband service through a service provider contract with Vodafone. The remaining 672 installed SCPs are part of the SCP Schools Programme.
The remaining targets will be achieved through commercial operators investing in their networks, complemented by the State’s National Broadband Plan intervention. When taken together, all premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband in every part of the country no matter how remote.
The premises in question is in the BLUE area on the broadband map. The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The 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 the Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. There may be a choice of operators offering this service in any given area. Further information in this regard is available at www.comreg.ie/compare/#/services.
If a person lives in the BLUE area and after contacting their Retail Service Provider are told they cannot get access to greater than 30Mbps, they should raise a query via the DECC webform at secure.dccae.gov.ie/forms/NBP-Customer-Service.aspx and DECC will escalate with open eir to investigate this matter further.
This premises was escalated into open eir in December 2022. Open eir committed to serve them by the second half of 2023. The latest update from open eir in March 2024 was that a licence was granted to erect poles and open eir have engaged a contractor to complete this work. This would indicate that infrastructure build has now commenced on providing fibre to this premises.
In order to ensure that we are meeting the "Gigabit" targets as mentioned in the Digital Connectivity Strategy, my officials are continuously evaluating opportunities for adding premises to the Intervention Area, where appropriate. Alternatively, where it is not feasible for premises to be recategorised, we are addressing the issues through the Mobile Phone and Broadband Task Force (the Taskforce).
The Taskforce comprises State actors and industry representatives and is tasked with identifying and overcoming barriers to improved connectivity. The Taskforce was originally established in 2016 to identify immediate solutions to mobile phone and broadband coverage deficits, and to investigate how better services could be provided to consumers prior to full build and roll-out of the network planned under the National Broadband Plan State intervention (NBP).
Commercial operators’ fibre roll-outs are progressing at pace. Open eir have already passed over 1.1 million homes. SIRO has recently reached a milestone of enabling over 560,000 premises for full fibre and is on track to reach 700,000 premises by 2026. Virgin Media recently announced a €200 million investment plan to upgrade its cable network to bring full fibre to up to 1 million premises over the next three years, to date it has passed 252,000 premises with full fibre.
Recent ComReg data shows that Quarter 4 of 2023, saw a 7.51% increase in fibre broadband subscriptions compared to Quarter 3 , 2023, and a 33.33% increase when compared to Quarter 4 of 2022. This demonstrates that the take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing greatly as the services are deployed to areas where they had previously been unavailable. This demonstrates that take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing substantially as it is deployed to areas where it had previously been unavailable. The same ComReg data also indicates that c. 40% of homes and business throughout the State now have access to gigabit services through either fibre (667,771) or cable (348,251) infrastructure.
181. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how many times EirGrid has issued a demand to large energy users to reduce their consumption to maintain grid stability in each month over the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16556/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are a range of measures and policies being pursued in order to encourage energy demand flexibility across all sectors of society.
Under the Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23), the Government has committed to a new National Energy Demand Strategy being put in place. The aim of this strategy is that 20% to 30% of electricity would be flexible by 2030 (with a 15%-20% requirement by 2025).
Large Energy Users (LEUs) will be expected to make up a higher proportional contribution to the target, as they are making up a high proportion of the increase in electricity demand. The strategy, which is led by the Commission of Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is focused on three areas, Smart Services, Demand Flexibility and Response, and New Demand Connections.
The CRU also has a programme of actions underway to ensure the security of our electricity supply over the coming winters. An update on the Electricity Security of Supply Programme of Actions was published in October which can be found here: www.cru.ie/publications/27004/.
EirGrid and ESB-Networks operate a Mandatory Demand Curtailment (MDC) process that is applicable to all demand customers connected at 110kV and above. A MDC instruction is only issued in the event of a power system emergency to ensure grid stability. The power system did not approach or enter an Emergency State this winter. EirGrid has also confirmed that no MDC instructions were issued in the last year.
Some Large Energy Users do however participate voluntarily in the electricity market by offering demand for reduction on a commercial basis by third-party aggregators, as Demand Side Units (DSUs). These DSUs would have been dispatched at various times throughout the winter by the System Operator as a normal market-based measure to balance demand and supply.
182. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to review a case regarding a unique business (details supplied); if he will provide details on the support available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16571/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Non-Domestic Microgen grant, as part of the wider Microgeneration Support Scheme, commenced in September 2022. The grant is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and provides financial assistance to help businesses and other organisations to install solar PV panels to generate electricity on site.
The initial non-domestic scheme enabled applicants such as businesses, farms, schools, and community buildings to apply for a grant for installations up to 6kW, at the same grant amounts as domestic customers, that is, up to a maximum of €2,400. Extended funding of up to €162,600 was introduced in July 2023 to support non-domestic installation sizes up to 1,000 kWp (1 MW) capacity, on a pilot basis to the end of 2023.
Detailed information regarding eligibility for the non-domestic Microgen scheme is available on the SEAI website: www.seai.ie/
However, it should be noted that as with all SEAI energy grant schemes, eligible technologies and solutions are informed by a number of factors, including ready availability of such solutions and installers in the market, scale of savings achievable, costs to the business/homeowner and typical payback; as well as programme budget availability targeting areas where greatest national impact is likely to be achieved.
