Results 161-180 of 1,034,960 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Hildegarde Naughton OR speaker:Emer Higgins OR speaker:Martin Kenny OR speaker:Eamon Ryan) in 'Committee meetings'

Pre-European Council: Statements (26 Jun 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: The Taoiseach will participate in the June meeting of the European Council taking place in Brussels tomorrow and Friday. The agenda will cover Ukraine, the Middle East, security and defence, competitiveness, and the next institutional cycle. The meeting is also expected to adopt the EU's next strategic agenda and agree a roadmap for future EU internal reforms. There will also be...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach very much for the opportunity to present the 2024 Further Revised Estimate for the connectivity and communications delivery programme of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. This Further Revised Estimate was required due to the recent transfer of marine planning-related functions to my Department from the Department of...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Martin Kenny: Issues involving Eir and the problems regarding ensuring the various companies that provide services stay within the regulations have come to light recently. Is the level of funding we provide to the regulator enough to deal with the enhanced role it will have?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I believe we have seen real success and progress in the area of communications. The investment by Eir and other operators like SIRO, Liberty Global and Virgin Media is very significant. That competition has delivered for the Irish people, particularly the universal aspect of that given that the national broadband plan is covering areas that would not otherwise be reached. The investment by...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Martin Kenny: The Minister is correct in saying that competition can deliver good outcomes. However, there are still a lot of people who have been left behind, not just in rural areas but also in our towns, especially whole housing estates that do not have ducted access. They are being left behind by all the providers. There are towns where perhaps delivery has been provided to 70% of the houses but 20%...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: What the Deputy said is true. Some of the most significant connectivity issues are in cities. Many estates in south Dublin that might have been built in the 1980s do not have the ducting. It can be difficult to roll out high-speed gigabit broadband in these estates. The Department and ComReg are looking at working with local authorities to facilitate support for that specific problem and,...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Martin Kenny: What is the timescale for that?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: It will be a number of years but we do need to start now and we are starting to work with local authorities and the companies to see how we might make that possible.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Martin Kenny: Regarding the National Cyber Security Centre, will there be issues regarding the level and quality of staff required to make that efficient and effective?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The point the Deputy makes is a good one. It is not just in the National Cyber Security Centre. It also involves those bodies that will have the responsibility for overseeing the NIS directive. Many people will be looking in the same pool of talent. There is a very significant private sector in our country with an interest in cybersecurity so it is a competitive market for a relatively...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Martin Kenny: Is there a possibility that some of the skills that are required might need to be hired from the private sector, that they would have to be subcontracted in?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: That is already the case. Going back to the major attack on the HSE, there was very significant use of consultancy and international agencies to support us. You do not just rely on in-house resources. The skill involved in running the National Cyber Security Centre involves being able to have safe access to data and analysis from other agencies, so the answer to the Deputy's question is "Yes".

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Martin Kenny: Regarding international co-operation around that, which is probably key to the effective ring-fencing of the security elements of it, is the Minister satisfied he is getting enough traction there and that there is enough co-operation not just across Europe but globally? Many of these actors are well outside the countries we would consider to have democratic norms?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Yes. It goes both ways. We also feed our data in and share information so we are not just relying on other agencies to provide expertise. We can also feed back. We have very explicitly scaled up that sharing of data and information as a security priority. The Commission on the Defence Forces report and others recognised cyber as one of our most important security issues. The Defence...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Martin Kenny: Has the Minister's Department recognised any recent attempted attacks on critical infrastructure in the State, or have there been any close calls in respect of that?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: There were, and I am trying to remember how even a few weeks ago, there was a significant attack on some of the Government networks - during the local and European elections, as I recall. It was mostly commercial, it would seem, and similar to what we saw in the attack on the HSE or the Munster Technological University about a year or two ago, if members recall. A lot of it is still ransom...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I think we should look at it, and I would not rule out that option of aggregating a number of different projects. It tends to be estate-specific and site-specific so how exactly you might do that might be slightly difficult. However, I would not rule that out. I agree with the Deputy. This is not anything like the scale of the national broadband plan. It tends to be very specific...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: It is built into the contract and in a sense, success here benefits everyone. It is successful in the volume of connections and the increase of revenue to NBI and, obviously, the householders themselves. It also reduces the overall cost of the programme. My understanding is that the level of connections has actually exceeded what was expected. I understand the question the Deputy asked...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: No. The contract is quite sophisticated in reducing the subsidy by the State in instances where there is greater uptake and success in roll-out.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: With regard to more detail on the project, a request for tender was published on 26 April of this year, with a tender deadline of 12 June last. A number of compliance submissions were received so the evaluation committee is due to meet shortly. We expect the contract to be in place in early September, and by December of this year, we will see the implementation of the project plan by...