That is not the case. Of the 77 responses from the consultation on the move to E10, more than 60 were received from classic car owners or enthusiasts in classic vehicle clubs. Many of the respondents were supportive of the move to E10. There probably are issues. In this regard, I mentioned possible corrosion. There is still an opportunity owing to there still being a limited supply of E5. Additives can be put in fuel to mitigate the potential impact. There is no longer-term damage to-----

There is an additive that can be used, and there is a public awareness campaign. It is important to engage. The experience in other countries has not been negative.

I thank the Senator for the opportunity to discuss this issue on behalf of the Minister for Transport. The safeguarding of environment and natural habitats is a hugely important issue. The Government is conscious of fulfilling our statutory obligations in this regard, as well as being committed to the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030. As set out in the strategy for the future development of the national and regional greenways, greenway routes require environmental assessment in their planning and design and are co…

I reassure the Senator that he is correct. We cannot have one project that will deliver an environmental benefit but could potentially be injurious to another environmental objective, namely, our habitats. It is critical that a rigorous process is in place to support projects as they move forward. They must go through rigorous screening, environmental impact assessment and appropriate assessment before their applications are determined by An Bord Pleanála. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage an…

A small number of housing estates nationally rely on developer-provided water services infrastructure, commonly referred to as DPI, for their water services. The infrastructure concerned mainly consists of wastewater treatment facilities, with a small number providing drinking water services for the estate. The majority of estates with DPI are legacy issues from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s. The infrastructure was generally provided by the developer of the estate and is not connected to the public water network o…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist seo. The household benefits package comprises the electricity or gas allowance and the free television licence. The Department of Social Protection will spend approximately €285 million this year on the household benefits package for more than 510,000 customers and their households. The household benefits package is available to those aged 70 or over, regardless of means and household composition and subject to one package per household. It is also available as a supple…

I thank Deputies Murphy, Boyd Barrett, Smith, Canney and Barry for bringing forward this Bill. The Government opposes the Bill. Aside from its technical, practical and operational shortcomings, it would in all likelihood face a significant risk of legal challenge and is highly likely to have a severely detrimental effect on the supply of rental property in an already constrained market. The Government is working to safeguard and grow the supply of rental accommodation. I note People Before Profit-Solidarity’s Bill …

I thank Senators Garvey, Martin and Pauline O'Reilly for bringing forward this important motion. It is great to see universal support for it in the House. I will try to address some of the points raised by Senators. There is no doubt that the roll-out of water refill stations across the country is very popular, especially with young people. Buying bottled water is hugely expensive, particularly during the summer months. Young people are demanding and leading change on this issue. I met with primary school pupils fr…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." Is mór an onóir domsa Bille na hOidhreachta Stairiúla agus Seandálaíochta, 2023 a cur faoi bhráid na Dála. I am pleased and honoured to bring the Historical and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023 before the House today. This important Bill provides a new framework to modernise and bolster the law that provides for the protection of our archaeological and related heritage. I look forward to the deliberations of the House over the coming days. l am certain everybody p…

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, agus go raibh maith ag an Teachta Ó Cuív. The Deputy will be aware that the staff of the NPWS has been working closely with Galway County Council on this project. The development of the Oughterard-to-Maam Cross section was approved by An Bord Pleanála, as the Deputy said, in December 2013. A condition of the consent was that prior to the commencement of the construction, the construction stage erosion and sediment control plan, and all method statements, would be finali…

If it is of use to the Deputy, we might provide a more detailed briefing for him. I cannot give him the full response regarding the information he is seeking from me this morning but it might be useful to give him a detailed briefing by NPWS staff regarding the project, and that might be of assistance in providing where we are on the timeline. Regarding the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2021, we are progressing it, and it is on the Order Paper. I hope we will make progress on that this year.

I am not sure whether the prepared reply I am going to outline will give any further assurances to the Deputy but it is the response of the Department. The VAT treatment of goods and services is subject to EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply. In accordance with the EU VAT directive, farmers can elect whether to register for VAT in respect of their farming business. Farmers who register for VAT have an entitlement to reclaim VAT on costs incurred in respect of the agricultural business. A farmer who has…

As I outlined, in accordance with the EU VAT directive, farmers can elect whether to register for VAT in respect of their farming business. I take on board the point the Deputy made about larger farms being more inclined towards VAT registration, but for many small farmers, registering for VAT is an unnecessary complexity that is not possible to justify given the small-scale nature of their business. The farmer's flat-rate scheme, therefore, provided by the EU VAT directive is key to supporting such farmers. It is …

I thank the Deputies. Before I respond, I should point out that this matter was raised in the Chamber last night in the context of the Sinn Féin Private Members' motion. Deputy Harkin also raised it in relation to the north west. The Government is cognisant and mindful of the challenges facing local authorities and people and families across the country, not just in the greater Dublin area and larger urban centres. We are conscious of that. A homelessness prevention workshop was held by the Housing Agency in 2022 f…

I reassure the Deputies that we are providing housing. It is not an issue of passing the buck to local authorities. There is collective responsibility and the Government is mindful of that. Resources and funding are not obstacles to the urgent efforts required. More than €215 million has been allocated to homeless services, including homeless prevention in 2023. This funding will ensure local authorities across the country can provide homelessness prevention services, emergency accommodation and other services to h…

In relation to proposed amendment No. 22, section 33(6) provides for the publishing of screening determinations for environmental impact assessments, including publishing notices on the Department's website. I can explore with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, OPC, as to whether subsection (6) could be rephrased so as to make it clear that the publishing of notices on the Department's website is a mandatory requirement. I can assure the Senator, however, that this will be the case. There are a range of repor…

No.

Amendment No. 27 proposes the addition of a new paragraph in section 40(2). Under section 40, the Minister may exempt proposed works from EIA requirements, as provided for under sections 32 to 39, subject to certain conditions. Subsection (2) relates to the consultation that must be undertaken before a determination on an EIA exemption request. A relevant local authority must be consulted in respect of the request and any submission made by that local authority must then be considered by the Minister. I do not disa…

Section 41 provides that notices relating to EIAs must inform the public that decisions may be questioned by way of judicial review. The intention behind amendment No. 28 is to delete subsection (2) of section 41. However, this is a very important provision that makes it explicitly clear that an act done by the Minister under Chapter 6 of Part 2 relating to EIA or AA or a licence granted under Chapter 6 relating to a matter for which an EIA or an AA is required can be questioned by way of judicial review. This prov…

On amendment No. 28, I have committed that we will raise the issue with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to make sure it is as clear as possible. The Senator is correct regarding the necessary modifications required in order to apply for the relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011. It is as the Senator says.