Tag Archives: Minister for Communications

The Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman today (Thursday) launched their annual report for 2016. The report highlighted that the Office of the Press Ombudsman received 261 complaints in 2016, down from 278 in the previous year. The complaints related to articles published in national and local newspapers, magazines and online-only news publications. In 2016 the Press Ombudsman made 23 decisions, down from 34 the previous year. Nine complaints were upheld in 2016. Speaking at the launch at the Maldron Hotel in Dublin, the Press Ombudsman, Peter Feeney, said, “Member publications are providing a service to their readers which is largely compliant with the requirements found in the Code of Practice”. Seán Donlon, the chair of the Press Council, welcomed the review of the Defamation Act, which is currently taking place. He said that “reforms suggested by the Press Council and others would result in the possibility of lesser financial court settlements and more frequent …

THE Minister for Communications and the Environment, Denis Naughten, will visit the ESB Moneypoint powerstation on Wednesday next. Clare TD Michael Harty, who has arranged the visit, said it is an important one, as the future of Moneypoint is uncertain. “This is a very important visit as the programme for a partnership government has outlined that in anticipation of Moneypoint coming to the end of its operating life in its current configuration, the Department of Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources will identify, as soon as possible, the most suitable replacement low carbon generation technology,” Dr Harty said. “To achieve this ambitious goal, all State bodies will need to engage positively with local communities to manage the transition to a low carbon future. The partnership government has committed to develop a low carbon transition and mitigation plan, within six months, which will examine specific measures to reduce emissions in electricity generation and will outline how new technologies can be ready …

Online national and county maps that identify the homes, businesses and schools where commercial providers will deliver high-speed broadband access by the end of 2016, have been published today (Monday). At the launch in Doolin, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White said that the State would invest in all the remaining areas to ensure that every home, school and business in Ireland has access to high-speed broadband, regardless of where it is located. The maps, which allow the public to identify their own premises to see whether their high-speed broadband will be provided by a commercial operator or through State intervention, can be accessed at www.broadband.gov.ie. The website also carries county-by-county statistics on planned broadband coverage. Minister White said, “The delivery of high quality broadband is about ensuring that our citizens in rural Ireland have the same life chances, and the same access to information, culture, ideas, social interaction and opportunity that people in urban areas can enjoy.” …

Fine Gael Senator, Tony Mulcahy has said an announcement next week regarding the future roll-out of broadband in Clare will give clarity to rural communities still without access to an affordable high speed internet service. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White will be Doolin on Monday to launch the next phase of the National Broadband Plan. This will include the launch of a map that will show in detail the locations across Ireland that will have access to high-quality broadband by the end of 2016, and the remaining locations, which will require state intervention to provide access to high speed broadband. Senator Mulcahy said the absence of high speed broadband has been a “significant problem” for many rural areas of Clare, and is “hampering job creation”. Senator Mulcahy commented, “Since the announcement of the National Broadband Plan in 2012, the number of companies, such as Eircom, UPC and Sky, offering high speed internet access has increased significantly. …