Written Answers Nos. 20-35
20. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he plans to provide funding and support for people who, despite being in an area eligible for fibre, cannot access the fibre network due to infrastructural complications impeding their local access, for example, ducts running under a neighbour's property requiring digging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43453/23]
View answerIn 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
These targets will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and through the State investment in National Broadband Ireland (NBI).
Commercial operators’ fibre rollouts are progressing at pace. Eir is in the process of building a FTTP (Fibre To The Premises) network to 1.9 million premises. SIRO recently reaching a milestone of enabling 520,000 premises for full fibre, and is on track to reach 700,000 premises by 2026. Virgin Media recently announced plans to bring 2Gbps services to 345,000 premises, through an upgrade and expansion of their own network, and to bring gigabit broadband upgrades to 1 million premises.
For premises in the State Intervention area, NBI are contractually obligated to make connections and implement design solutions to address any local impediments and therefore they already provide full support in this regard.
In order to provide funding and support for people who, despite being in an area eligible for fibre, cannot access the fibre network due to infrastructural complications impeding their local access, I would like to request that the Deputy provide the Eircodes of the premises to which he is referring, along with as much relevant detail as possible, including the name of the company that has refused to connect the individuals he is referring to. My officials will investigate this matter, and I will respond to the Deputy as soon as possible. Please forward all the details to DCO@decc.gov.ie.
Recent ComReg data shows that Quarter 2, 2023 saw a 7.4% increase in fibre broadband subscriptions compared to the first 3 months of the year, and a 33.7% increase when compared to Quarter 2 of 2022. This demonstrates that take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing massively 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 (576,856) or cable (359,669) infrastructure.
21. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the allocation for all of the different retrofit schemes accounting for any changes post revised estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43463/23]
View answerThe total 2023 allocation for Subhead B.4 Residential /Community Retrofit Programmes within my Department is €356.4 million. This amount is comprised of Voted monies along with additional funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Energy Efficiency National Fund.
The scheme-by-scheme allocations are informed by an initial forecast of expenditure and output for each of the Residential and Community Schemes agreed between the Department and SEAI at the beginning of the year. This forecast is based on a number of factors including expected demand for individual Schemes and the pipeline of works in place for each. In line with proper governance of public monies and ongoing monitoring of performance throughout the year, SEAI undertakes, and submits to the Department, a mid-year capital reforecast setting out any changes in terms of its expected end of year position regarding expenditure and output. This process can result in a reallocation across the Schemes. The figures provided below show the changes in funding at Scheme level this year.
The SEAI has confirmed that the revised allocations are sufficient funding to meet all expected demand for each Scheme this year.
The reallocation of funds, most notably to the Solar PV Scheme, reflect the continued strong levels of demand since the start of this year, in conjunction with Government's decision to reduce the rate of VAT on the supply and installation of solar panels to 0%.
Figures from SEAI show that to the end of September this year over 34,000 home energy upgrades have been supported through the SEAI - up 112% on the same period of last year. Based on this performance it is expected that the 2023 target of 37,000 home energy upgrades will be exceeded.
|
Residential / Community Retrofit Programmes - Subhead B4 |
Capital Allocations 2023 (€000) – Start of year breakdown |
Capital Allocations 2023 (€000) - Post SEAI Mid-year reforecast |
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes |
148,500 |
148,500 |
|
Better Energy Homes |
48,400 |
48,400 |
|
Community Energy Grant Scheme |
68,000 |
66,000 |
|
National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (One Stop Shop Service) |
45,000 |
27,800 |
|
Solar PV Schemes |
36,170 |
57,500 |
|
Community Activation Fund |
5,330 |
3,200 |
|
Deep Retrofit |
2,200 |
2,200 |
|
Building Energy Rating (BER) Supports |
1,800 |
1,800 |
|
Renewable Electricity Support Scheme - Communities |
1,000 |
1,000 |
|
Total |
356,400 |
356,400 |
22. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of prospecting licences that have issued in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43471/23]
View answerInformation on the number of Prospecting Licences issued since 2008 is published in a six monthly report to the Oireachtas on mineral exploration and mining available at www.gov.ie/en/collection/d460d-six-monthly-reports-to-the-oireachtas-on-mineral-exploration-and-mining-in-ireland/.
23. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will consider expanding the SEAI individual upgrade scheme as part of Budget 2024 to include windows and external doors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43473/23]
View answerMy Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.
Grant support for window and door upgrades is not offered as an individual energy upgrade but may be available as part of a suite of upgrades under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme and the Community Energy Grant Scheme. When a homeowner is completing a whole home energy upgrade under these Schemes, the overall fabric of the property is assessed through the home energy survey and assessment. The assessment may recommend particular measures, including windows and doors, to ensure that home achieves a B2 rating or is suitable for installation of a heat pump.
In the Warmer Homes Scheme, poorest performing homes are upgraded and in certain circumstances windows may be recommended following a survey and provided where suitable. Eligibility for the Warmer Homes Scheme requires applicants to be in receipt of certain Department of Social Protection payments.
My officials engage with their counterparts in the SEAI on an ongoing basis in relation to the operation of the schemes and as part of this will continue to ensure that grant rates and measures available under the various grant schemes are kept under review taking account of evolving science, innovation, technology and other relevant factors.
24. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of An Post's transformation programme; when the programme will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43623/23]
View answerAn Post is a commercial State body with a mandate to act commercially. An Post has statutory responsibility for the State’s postal service and the post office network. In addition, Irish post offices are typically independent businesses that are run by postmasters. Decisions relating to the network, including those in relation to the size, distribution and future of the network are operational matters for the Board and management of the company.
The Government is committed to ensuring that An Post continues to play a vital role. Officials in my Department have ongoing engagement with the company, with other Departments and with key stakeholders in line with this commitment.
The transformation programme was agreed with the Irish Postmasters Union in 2018. The status of the programme and any decisions regarding its publication are a matter for the Board and the management of An Post and not one in which I, as Minister, have a statutory function.
25. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of An Post's transformation programme; the status of proposed sorting office closures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43624/23]
View answerAn Post is a commercial State body with a mandate to act commercially. An Post has statutory responsibility for the State’s postal service and the post office network. In addition, Irish post offices are typically independent businesses that are run by postmasters. Decisions relating to the network, including those in relation to the size, distribution and future of the network are operational matters for the Board and management of the company. The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The company fully understands the Government position and a sustainable, viable and customer-focused post office network is a key strategic priority for the company.
The Government recognises the importance of the high value and high quality post office network to our citizens right across the country, as well as the central and trusted role of postmasters in our communities. An Post, including through the post office network provides important services to its customers and it is contracted to provide key Government services to citizens.
The Government is committed to ensuring that An Post continues to play a vital role. Officials in my Department have ongoing engagement with the company, with other Departments and with key stakeholders in line with this commitment.
The transformation programme was agreed with the Irish Postmasters Union in 2018. The status of the programme and that of sorting offices is a matter is a matter for the Board and the management of An Post and not one in which I, as Minister, have a statutory function.
26. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the Commission for Regulation of Utilities owns properties or sites which are vacant or derelict; if so, the number and addresses of such properties; if they are recorded on the vacancy or dereliction registers; and the reason for which they are vacant or derelict, in tabular form. [43704/23]
View answerThe Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not the Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector, following enactment if the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and subsequent legislation.
The CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members at oireachtas@cru.ie , which enables them to raise more specific operational and resourcing matters directly to the CRU.
27. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a timeline on the publication of a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43750/23]
View answerThe independent review by Mr Dermot McCarthy into the circumstances requiring emergency measures to be introduced to secure electricity supply has been received and is under consideration by my Department. Given the progress on related work programmes to address Energy security I decided that I would include the McCarthy review as part of the evidence base informing the Energy Security Package. This review will be brought to Government shortly as an annex to the Energy Security Package, and will be published alongside it in the coming weeks.
28. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the specific conservation limits for the Nore and Suir rivers for 2018-2022, inclusive, in relation to snap net salmon fishing. [43806/23]
View answer29. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total number of salmon recorded by anglers for the Nore and Suir rivers for 2018-2022, inclusive, in relation to snap net salmon fishing. [43807/23]
View answer30. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the allowances that were given for the dry summers of 2018, 2019 and 2022 for the rivers Nore and Suir, inclusive, in relation to snap net salmon fishing. [43808/23]
View answer31. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the allowances that were given for the Covid years of 2020 and 2021 for the rivers Nore and Suir regarding snap net salmon fishing. [43809/23]
View answer32. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the exploitation rates were used to determine the total allowable catch for the Nore and Suir rivers for the years 2018-2022, inclusive, regarding snap net salmon fishing. [43810/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 together.
The management of each of Ireland’s 140 salmon rivers including the calculation of the salmon catchment numbers/allowances/exploitation rates/conservation limits per river are operational matters for Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) in which neither I nor my Department have any role.
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that queries relating to operational matters can be addressed promptly, in line with IFI’s objective to deliver services to the highest standards. The email address is oireachtas@fisheriesireland.ie
In December of each year a suite of secondary legislation – including the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations (WSSTTSRs) – is made by my Department to set out the fisheries management regime for the following year based on individual annual assessments of Ireland's salmon rivers carried out by the independent Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS) in conjunction with IFI.
33. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the Environmental Protection Agency owns properties or sites which are vacant or derelict; if so, the number and addresses of such properties; if they are recorded on the vacancy or dereliction registers; and the reason for which they are vacant or derelict, in tabular form.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43861/23]
View answerThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) owns no vacant or derelict properties or sites.
34. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if ComReg owns properties or sites which are vacant or derelict; if so, the number and addresses of such properties; if they are recorded on the vacancy or dereliction registers; and the reason for which they are vacant or derelict, in tabular form. [43862/23]
View answerThe Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is an independent regulator and the ownership of sites or properties is a matter for them. However, officials in my Department contacted ComReg who confirmed they do not own properties or sites which are vacant or derelict.
35. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide an update with regard to increases to An Post pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43885/23]
View answerI received a recommendation from my officials on 25 August and granted my consent on 28 August to the payment of an increase of 2% to the An Post pensioners with effect from 1 January 2023 and to the payment of separate increase of 5% effective from 1 January 2022 and 1% effective from 1 July 2023 in line with a Labour Court Recommendation.
The consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for the proposal was subsequently provided on 8 September 2023. An Post has been made aware that consent has now been granted.
