Written Answers Nos. 116-144
116. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach the details of each time his Department, or public bodies under the aegis of his Department, enlisted the services of consultants in 2022; and the purpose and value of each contract [18740/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a public procurement process on the e-tenders and OJEU websites in early 2022, the Department of the Taoiseach, with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, awarded a contract for data strategy services to support the implementation of the Housing for All plan to Ernst & Young Chartered Accountants. Expenditure under the contract is a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
No other consultancy contracts have been awarded by the Department of the Taoiseach or by the National Economic and Social Development Office which is the only body under the aegis of the Department.
117. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Taoiseach if he will provide the attendance list at the State dinner for President Biden. [19204/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe official dinner held in Dublin Castle in honour of the President of the United States, the Honourable Joseph R. Biden Jr., on 13 April, included a diverse range of attendees. Invited guests, across the Irish and US side, included current and retired senior political representatives, public servants, and a broad range of representatives from sectors such as arts and culture, education and social advocacy, business, and sport, as well as close family of the key Principals. In accordance with the spirit of GDPR, it would not be appropriate to release the attendance list, which included personal guests of President Biden.
118. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Taoiseach if an application (details supplied) will be banned on the phones of all Ministers, Government advisers and Government officials phones following the decisions of the European Parliament, European Commission and the EU Council, to ban the application on staff devices, citing cybersecurity concerns. [19273/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will appreciate that it is not the practice to detail in public the measures that are taken to protect the security of official and office holders’ communications, including those measures taken regarding mobile devices. This is a long-standing practice adopted for sound reasons of security.
In general, all users of official devices have a responsibility to exercise appropriate care and discretion in their use, and in the use of relevant communications services in line with the strong acceptable usage policies that are in place across all Government Departments.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provides guidance on an ongoing basis to Government Departments on cyber security and the security of mobile devices. This guidance is based on risk assessments appropriate to the users’ circumstances and also to the circumstances in which the devices are used. This guidance is kept under active review by the NCSC.
The NCSC has recently advised Departments that official devices should not carry the application to which the Deputy refers except in circumstances where there is a business case for doing so. This is in line with the pre-existing acceptable usage policies with regard to the use of non-work related applications.
119. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the dates in 2022, and to date in 2023, that the Irish ambassador to France has visited Marseille, France; and the purpose of each visit, in tabular form. [18959/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraTravel to the different regions of France represents an important aspect of the work of our Ambassador to France, Niall Burgess, and his team at our Embassy in Paris and has been identified as a priority activity under the Government's strategy for strengthening our bilateral relations with France. During 2022, the focus of the Ambassador's travel programme was heavily influenced by France's EU Presidency in the first half of the year and the extensive list of Ministerial level visits undertaken to attend informal Council and other Presidency-related meetings in France. There were also a number of visits by the Ambassador to Lyon, where Ireland opened a Consulate General in September 2022, as well as visits to Ireland’s Honorary Consul network and France’s northern port towns which now offer a substantially increased number of direct ferry connections between Ireland and France and represent key gateways for Irish trade within the European Single Market.
The Deputy Head of Mission visited Marseille in February 2022 accompanying the then Tánaiste on a EU Presidency- and trade-related visit. A visit to Marseilles by Ambassador Burgess is foreseen in the coming months.
120. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he plans to invite his Australian counterpart to Dublin later in 2023. [18960/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 663 and 664 together.
The Department recently announced details of the 2023 Summer Programme on 9 February 2023. All schools will have an opportunity to run a programme for those children that need it the most.
The central theme for this year’s programme is, ‘Building Confidence and Connections’. The primary aim of this theme is to help our children and young people to realise their potential, to be resilient in dealing with the normal stresses of their lives, to take care of their physical wellbeing and to have a sense of purpose, connection and belonging to their school community.
The main priority in 2023 is that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme.
The terms and conditions for the 2023 Summer Programme are being implemented following a comprehensive review and engagement with education partners and stakeholders since last summer, including the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Autism.
The Department has engaged with management bodies, schools and parents with a view to encouraging more schools to participate in the 2023 programme.
This year, the Department has introduced a new Special School Programme as a pilot initiative to ensure there is a real focus on supporting special schools. This programme has been designed and developed to ensure supports and funding are targeted to enhance the availability of a school-based programme for pupils in special schools.
As part of this pilot, a National Coordinator has been appointed to liaise with special schools to help facilitate them run a programme. This person has also taken a regional focus to support schools who previously didn’t provide the programme to participate this year. This new role will be developed over the coming years to help increase the number of schools to run a programme for children who need it the most.
A series of live recorded webinars directed specifically at encouraging as well as addressing any concerns of Special Schools have recently taken place and are available to view on www.gov.ie/summerprogramme.
In addition, there are two in-school schemes at mainstream primary level and one at post primary.
(a) The Primary School Scheme for pupils in all primary mainstream schools, which provides one cohesive scheme combining the Inclusion programme and special classes from last year, and;
The DEIS expanded literacy and numeracy summer camp/campaí samhraidh for pupils in DEIS schools. This is available to all schools in the DEIS scheme, including those that received their new DEIS status in September 2022.
(b) The Post-Primary Scheme for students with complex special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage. Allocations for the Post-Primary Scheme have been aligned to that of the Primary School Scheme, so that schools have the certainty of the same allocations for special class students as during the regular school year
The following are the key additional supports that will be in place for both schools and teachers/SNAs involved in the operation of the 2023 Summer Programme:
• School Organiser Role - In 2023, instead of preparation hours, there will be a dedicated role of School Organiser in each school offering the summer programme. The School Organiser will receive additional remuneration for their role. This is envisaged to be a key leadership role that will offer development opportunities for staff in schools.
• Summer Programme Manager - In all schools (mainstream and special), the role that was previously called the Overseer will now be called the Summer Programme Manager. This can be the same person as the School Organiser.
• Staff training – This year there will information and training session provided to all schools, including special schools, which will provided guidance and training to School Organisers. This will be facilitated through an online forum by an Education Centre.
• Length of school day - For special schools, the length of the day is being reduced from the full school day to 10am – 2pm but the same daily rate will be paid to staff taking part. This again recognises the challenges associated with running the programme in a special school.
• Flexibility in Weeks - The weeks schools run a programme do not have to be consecutive, the scheme is flexible to allow schools choose weeks which best suit their needs and staff availability.
• Continuation of 2022 supports - Other enhanced measures from last year will continue to encourage schools’ participation, including a Centralised Application Process to reduce admin burden on schools, earlier payment of school staff and an additional capitation to cover the running costs of the scheme, as well as enhanced capitation for special schools.
• Helpline support has been available to schools since the launch of the programme. The online registration portals for Primary, Post-Primary and Special Schools opened on 01 March 2023. Participating schools can request additional resources from the Department to run their programme.
The registration process for schools is currently open until early May, while the home based scheme will be available again and this will be published later in April.
Schools are given flexibility to engage staff that are not currently employed in their schools to support their summer programme. A portal is available for teachers and SNAs to register their interest in working on a school based programme in a special school. This portal is currently live on www.educationposts.ie. An advertisement campaign aimed at recruiting student teachers and students in relevant disciplines such as therapy, social care and nursing and others, including early childcare workers and carers, for the role of SNA is currently being promoted in Third Level Colleges. These students will also be able to register their interest in working on this year’s Programme on www.educationposts.ie.
Another key support being introduced in 2023 is, where a child’s special school is not running a school based programme, a new portal will be available. This portal will allow parents to register their child’s details so that if a place is available in another location, their participation in a program may be organised. This portal is currently in final stages of development by the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) and, when developed, will also be accessible on www.educationposts.ie.
121. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will expedite an application for foreign birth registration for a person (details supplied). [18969/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application was approved by the Passport Service on 19 April 2023. The Passport Service will issue a Foreign Birth Registration certificate to the applicant in the coming days.
122. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he is taking to help stop the violence which has broken out in Sudan; if he will add to Ireland’s calls for a cessation of the violence in the country and end to the killing of civilians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18987/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 665 and 666 together.
My Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential.
Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of the Department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector.
In March last year, I announced the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme benefiting 347 schools. The programme now includes over 1,200 schools and supports approximately 240,000 students. This means 1 in 4 of all students are now supported in the programme.
This recent expansion will add an additional €32million to my Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the overall Department of Education allocation for the programme to €180million.
Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics based model and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie at www.gov.ie/en/publication/a3c9e-extension-of-deis-to-further-schools/#how-schools-were-selected-for-inclusion-in-deis
The DEIS identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage and the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school. The DEIS identification model aimed to identify those schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage or the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school using the school's enrolment data and national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index which is publicly available.
The Pobal HP Deprivation index provides a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a small geographical area, using data compiled from the National Census. It is used by several State agencies for the identification of disadvantage, for example, in order to target resources to communities most in need. The HP index is based on the combination of three components of demographic profile, social class composition and labour market situation. More specifically, measures that are combined in the HP Index are related to demographic growth, dependency ratios, education levels, single parent rate, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. This data is combined with student enrolment data supplied by schools on the school enrolment databases (POD and PPOD), anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools. Eircodes allow for greater accuracy in identifying the relevant small area where individual students reside and therefore, the HP deprivation index associated with that small area. However the eircode itself is not an indicator; the data is taken from the Census.
The adoption of the HP index for the identification of schools for inclusion in the DEIS programme allows for a consistent approach in the allocation of resources across Departments to combat the consequences of deprivation, whether through education, health or other resourcing models of service provision. A census-based approach to resourcing schools and providing targeted funding to those most in need is used in many other OECD countries. The OECD has noted in its paper “Towards equity in school funding policies” that internationally, the use of census based approaches, provides integrity to the system and reduces the reporting burden on schools.
I am very conscious of the benefits of the DEIS programme. Analysis has shown that since the programme began in 2006, it has helped to close the gap in achievement between schools serving the highest levels of educational disadvantage and those serving populations with little or no disadvantage. It has provided children who come to education at a disadvantage with an equitable opportunity to achieve their potential in education.
The extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one component of work in my vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, I also recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Since June 2020, and over the past three budgets, I have secured funding to provide measures to support children in this regard. As part of Budget 2023, I announced over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from next September. The new free primary schoolbook scheme will eliminate the cost of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for parents. I have also further improved the staffing schedule for all primary schools to 23:1, the lowest it has ever been.
Following the National Census 2022 held on the 3rd April last, it is envisaged that an updated HP Deprivation Index will be generated by Pobal and will be available in Q3 of 2023. My Department will engage with Pobal in relation to this process. The updated HP Deprivation Index, when available, will be considered by my Department to help inform future resource allocation to tackle educational disadvantage.
The next phase of work will consider all schools, within and outside the DEIS programme and explore the overall allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with relevant stakeholders over the coming months.
123. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that a passport is processed on time for a child (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19015/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application was received by the Passport Service on 9 March 2023. The turnaround time for paper based applications is 8 weeks. This application is within the turnaround time and has not yet reached its issue by date.
124. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will address an anomaly regarding having passports re-issued in birth names (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19046/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll passport applications are subject to the requirements of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (the 2008 Act).
In accordance with Section 10(3) of the 2008 Act, if an applicant for a passport applies to have a passport issued in a name other than the name entered in their most recent passport, the Minister shall require the applicant to produce such evidence as appears to him or her to be satisfactory of the use by the applicant of the new name before a passport may be issued to the applicant in that name.
In the case of an applicant whose previous passport was issued in their married name, but who wants their new passport issued in their birth surname, they are required to submit a judicial separation court order, separation agreement, or divorce decree as part of the supporting documents for their application.
If a separation or divorce document cannot be produced the person will be required to submit two years proof of usage of the name they now wish to have on their new passport.
With regard to the specific applicant to which the Deputy refers, the Passport Service will contact the applicant directly to advise on the requirements for their application.
125. Deputy James Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on an application to register a foreign birth (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19166/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application has been approved by the Passport Service and a Foreign Birth Registration certificate has been issued to the applicant.
126. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the process in place for the foreign birth registration of a child born to a mother born in the US who is an Irish citizen and a US-citizen father where the parents want to apply for an Irish passport for their child. [19198/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.
It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my department will spend over €2.6 billion providing supports to children and young people with special educational needs and their schools.
This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.
This includes funding to support children with SEN in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers and special needs assistants.
The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.
My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class and special school places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements, consideration of school accommodation capacity and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
If the recent growth in the need for special classes continues, it is expected that a similar level of new special classes will be needed at primary level over the next three years as have been provided over the last three years. At post-primary level however, it is expected that we will need to double the number of new special classes being provided over the next three years as compared to the last three years.
As both Minister Foley and I announced last week, the NCSE has sanctioned 218 new special classes nationwide at primary and post-primary level for the coming school year 2023/2024. Of these new classes, 29 are in within the Dublin area. These new classes will bring the total number of special classes in Dublin to 494, 376 at primary and 118 at post-primary. Additional special classes will be sanctioned in the coming weeks.
Information on the list of schools with special classes (including new classes for 2023/2023), the types and locations of these classes are available on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.
My Department is committed, in conjunction with the NCSE, to continue to work with parents, schools, patrons and all stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places for students with additional needs and to support all students to achieve their potential.
127. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to help repatriate a person (details supplied) from the UAE. [19254/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs) and reviews. The school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
The SNA scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
In relation to the school in question the NCSE have confirmed that an SNA Exceptional Review was carried out for this school, from 15th to 19th of September 2022.
The NCSE state that the outcome of the review was that the mainstream SNA allocation to the school was increased from 1.75 to 2.33 SNA posts.
Detailed information on the NCSE Exceptional Review process is published on the NCSE website. ncse.ie/application-for-sna-exceptional-review.
The Exceptional Review process for mainstream allocations is available to schools throughout the 2022/23 school year.
128. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when an FBR application by a person (details supplied) will be completed, considering that the supporting documents were received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19300/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Passport Service has been unable to identify a Foreign Birth Registration application for the applicant using the application number provided. The Passport Service has contacted the Deputy's office directly for further details.
129. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when an FBR application (details supplied) will be completed, considering that the supporting documents were received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19301/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen in 2022.
FBR applications are currently being processed within the normal turnaround time of between 6 and 9 months from receipt of supporting documents. Applications which require further supporting documents will take longer to process.
Foreign Birth Registration, by its nature, is a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation relating to three generations and issued by several jurisdictions. Such documents take considerable time to validate.
With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application was registered on 7 June 2022. The Passport Service requested further supporting documents from the applicant on 3 March 2023. The application cannot proceed until the further documents are received.
130. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the current situation in Sudan will be discussed at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. [19337/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD, is participating in a discussion on the crisis in Sudan at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 24 April.
We are seriously concerned at the situation in Sudan, as heavy fighting continues between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Over 300 civilians have been killed and over 3,200 injured. There has been damage to critical infrastructure across the country, bombing of hospitals and airports, airspace closed and shortages of food. The violence is further magnifying an already severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Almost 16 million people, one third of population, were already in need of humanitarian assistance before the conflict broke out.
The Tánaiste has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and facilitation of humanitarian access. He has also condemned the shocking attack by armed elements on the residence of Irish diplomat Aidan O’Hara, the EU Ambassador to Sudan.
On 21 April, my officials met with the Ambassador of Sudan to Ireland to discuss the crisis, the need for an urgent ceasefire, and convey our concern about the safety and security of our citizens. The Irish Embassy in Nairobi, which is accredited to Sudan, is in ongoing contact with Irish citizens in Sudan, and is providing consular assistance. The Department of Foreign Affairs is engaged in intensive contingency planning for a range of scenarios in light of the deteriorating situation.
The EU is actively engaging with regional and international partners to coordinate efforts to end hostilities. The EU has strongly condemned the fighting and called on all actors to comply with international humanitarian law and implement an immediate cessation of hostilities without pre-conditions. The EU also urged third countries to refrain from fuelling the conflict.
We will continue to work with EU and international partners for an immediate end to the conflict and a return to the democratic transition in Sudan.
131. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has intervened in the case of a person (details supplied) with the Greek government or through any other diplomatic channel, given that criminal charges brought against them and 23 other volunteers and aid workers by the Greek government, have been condemned by several human rights organisations as politically motivated, and carry severe prison sentences if upheld; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19466/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is the understanding of my Department that Mr. Binder was arrested in Greece in 2018 and was charged in relation to a number of offences. On 13 January 2023, the case concerning the misdemeanour charges against Mr. Binder was annulled, while a separate felony case remains at an investigative stage.
As Mr. Binder is a German citizen, consular assistance is being provided by the German Embassy in Athens, and has been since his initial arrest and period of pre-trial detention in 2018. However, given Mr. Binder’s very strong ties to Ireland, Irish officials have been in contact with both Mr. Binder and the German Embassy in regard to the case.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Embassy of Ireland in Athens, will continue to follow any developments as they arise.
132. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when an application for a foreign birth registration will be processed (details supplied); the reason for the delay in processing the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19491/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has approved this application and a Foreign Birth Registration certificate has been issued to the applicant.
133. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when a foreign birth registration will be completed for a person (details supplied), considering that the supporting documents were received by his Department on 7 December 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19532/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has approved this application and will be in contact with the applicant in this regard.
134. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and total value of contracts his Department has had over the past 12 months with KPMG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20030/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFrom time to time, the Department of Foreign Affairs contracts companies to provide audit, tax and related advisory services, most frequently to Embassies managing significant development cooperation programmes.
In the past 12 months, one contract was in place with KPMG Uganda, managed by the Embassy of Ireland to Uganda. The contract was for the audit of a grant partner project and the total amount paid was €19,700.
135. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his attention has been drawn to a request for engagement with all relevant agencies, including his Department by a west Offaly community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18912/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe correspondence submitted by the deputy refers to one of a series of actions underway to ensure the security of our electricity supply over the coming winters, as per the programme being overseen by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, which has statutory responsibility to ensure security of supply, has the duty to monitor electricity supplies and to take sure measures as it considers necessary to protect the security of supply.
I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this matter for my attention which was not submitted to the planning process and I will ask my officials to request the project team responsible for this development to engage with those referred to in the correspondence.
136. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on potential funding for a feasibility study and environmental study in relation to the proposed boardwalk in Lanesboro, County Longford, and Ballyleague, County Roscommon. [18936/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Just Transition Fund is a key pillar of the Government’s plan for the Midlands region. This fund was made available in 2020 to support the transition to a decarbonised economy.
56 National Just Transition Fund Projects are scheduled to continue delivery until 2024. The total value of projects is approximately €30 million, with a total of €22 million committed in Exchequer funding under the National Just Transition Fund to these projects.
The National Just Transition Fund has provided €43,450 to fund a feasibility Study for a proposed board walk along Lough Ree at Ballyleague. This study was completed in Q2 2022. The Feasibility Report confirmed a boardwalk on Lough Ree at Ballyleague is viable and recommended that it should progress if the significant additional funding is sourced to take the project forward to the design, statutory consent and land acquisition phases.
The Mid-Shannon Wilderness Park (Lanesboro board walk) which incorporates the Ballyleague/ Lanesboro to Termonbarry/Strokestown/Roosky greenway, is being progressed in line with Transport Infrastructure Ireland guidelines and has received approval to progress from phase 0 to phase 1. Roscommon County Council is progressing this work.
Phase 1 - Concept and Feasibility on the Roscommon element of the project will be complete in Q2 2023. Funding of €102,000 has been approved from the Just Transition Fund for this study. It is expected that Longford County Council will progress their element of the project to appoint consultants in Q4 2023.
It is noted that the EU Just Transition Fund Programme will deliver an additional €169 million in investment to the region to 2027, which will support the ongoing economic transition of the Midlands region. The programme will be formally launched on 28 April and will be managed by the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly. Further information is available at emra.ie/eu-jtf/.
137. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress that has been made under the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy to extend brown bin collections to all parts of rural Ireland; and the timelines he envisages for the roll-out of same. [18990/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently drafting legislation which will require every household in the State on a waste collection service to be provided with a separate organic waste collection service. This is in line with commitments given in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy and will also satisfy the requirements of the Waste Framework Directive for Member States to ensure that, by 31 December 2023, bio-waste (organic waste) is either separated and recycled at source, or is collected separately and is not mixed with other types of waste.
138. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a grant is available for pre-1940s houses (details supplied). [18992/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy 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. As the retrofit industry transforms to accommodate much higher levels of output in line with our national targets, quality must be maintained at a high level to ensure value for money for the tax-payers and to sustain consumer confidence and demand.
Contractors operating under any scheme supported by an SEAI grant must carry out the works in line with the Domestic Technical Standards and Specifications as well as best practice and technical guidance documents including:
• NSAI S.R. 54:2014 Code of practice for the energy efficient retrofit of dwellings
• Building Regulations Technical Guidance Documents
• The System Supplier/Product Manufacturer Guidelines
• NSAI Agrément certificates
• Irish, British or European Standards Guides
• Codes of Practice for the programmes
Older stone-build buildings (generally those built up until around the 1940s) and constructed in stone, single-leaf masonry or composite wall construction usually fall into the category of traditionally built buildings. However, there are some examples of concrete-built homes dating from the early 20th century.
The SEAI advise that it does not exclude pre-1940 homes from applying to any of its grant supported schemes. However, all of the SEAI approaches are determined by the Building Regulations, incorporating NSAI S.R.54: 2014 Code of practice for the energy efficient retrofit of dwellings. This means that wall insulation is not recommended under any of its residential energy efficiency schemes on dwellings built before 1940 which are constructed in stone, single-leaf masonry or composite wall construction. That being said SEAI will assess applicant homes under the various residential energy efficiency schemes for other measures outside wall insulation which may be possible.
With specific regard to pre-1940s stone-built dwellings, all eligible homes are assessed and where they comprise stone, SEAI will not recommend insulation of the stone walls, but will assess, for example, a post-1940 extension present, which may be deemed appropriate for insulation.
The rationale for this approach is that stone-built (traditional built) structures were designed to be vapour permeable. Therefore, the materials and techniques used in energy efficiency upgrades of such buildings must be suitable for the buildings in question including for use with vapour permeable construction where applicable. For example, a stone wall with lime-based mortar will need a lime-based plaster render to remain vapour permeable. Otherwise vapour becomes trapped leading to problems which can cause harm to the building and its occupants.
SEAI support the insulation of buildings using materials and products which are appropriate and have been determined fit for use in the Irish climate by National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). SEAI has no role in the certification of products used in Ireland but is aware that very old homes which are constructed using stone and lime-based mortar are more complicated to insulate for the reasons outlined above.
To support the proper upgrade of traditional buildings a new technical Guidance Document - “Energy Efficiency in Traditional Buildings” is being developed by the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage. My Department and the SEAI are participating in the steering group overseeing the project. The objective is to finalise the guidance having regard to submissions received in the public consultation with a view to publishing it this year. Once available this guidance will be an important resource to support contractors in the appropriate energy efficiency upgrade and renovation of older stone-build buildings while ensuring compliance with the appropriate building regulations.
139. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has consulted with experts and his European counterparts in respect of lithium ion battery energy storage systems regarding international guidelines such as NFPA 855 2020. [18996/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Climate Action Plan 2023, my Department has committed to developing an Electricity Storage Policy Framework by Q3 2023. My Department recently held a consultation to inform the final framework. As part of the consultation process, my Department held an industry stakeholder event to further discuss the key issues/questions raised within the consultation. This included safety standards for electricity storage projects. The event was also attended by representatives from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, EirGrid, ESBN and SEAI. The consultation closed on the 27th of January and the responses are currently being analysed. My Department is now in the process of preparing the final Framework and is engaging closely with key stakeholders including Government Departments, State agencies and industry experts regarding the issues raised during the consultation process, including safety standards for electricity storage projects. The Framework will reflect any relevant European and international standards and requirements.
140. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his recent comments regarding commercially owned LNG terminals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19039/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra141. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what motivated his recent comments regarding commercially owned LNGs (details supplied); if this was predominantly driven by economic considerations; how this was influenced by the consultation period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19040/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra142. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the consultation period regarding commercially owned LNG terminals, and how this influenced his recent comments regarding commercially owned LNG terminals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19041/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra143. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his recently comments regarding LNG terminals (details supplied) and how he believes this will impact achieving emissions targets; the steps, if any, that will be taken to mitigate this impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19042/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 140 to 143, inclusive, together.
The Government's Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas sets out that pending the outcome of the review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems, it would not be appropriate for Ireland to permit or proceed with the development of any LNG terminals.
The review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and gas systems is focused on the period to 2030, but in the context of ensuring a sustainable transition up to 2050. A range of measures to mitigate the risks identified as part of the review were examined in the technical analysis accompanying the Department's consultation document published in September 2022. The Department received over 450 submissions from a broad range of individuals and organisations in response to the consultation. The consultation responses were reviewed and analysed, and they have provided important insights on a number of aspects such as risks, mitigation options and policy measures. I will bring recommendations arising from the review to Government in the coming months.
144. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide his response to a local authority (details supplied) concerning a motion to support local post offices. [19181/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe correspondence referred to was passed to my colleague, Minister of State for Transport (with responsibility also for Postal Policy) Jack Chambers TD to respond directly to the local authority. I understand that a detailed response was issued by Minister of State Chambers to the local authority on 13 April 2023.
