Results 1-20 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (5 May 2016)

Alex White: The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The provision of electronic communications...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Administration (5 May 2016)

Alex White: On 22 December 2015, I formally launched the procurement process for the State intervention to provide high quality, high speed broadband to all premises in Ireland that may not be served through commercial investment. The formal procurement process commenced with the publication of the Pre-qualification Questionnaire and Project Information Memorandum. Five responses were...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (5 May 2016)

Alex White: The provision of electronic communications networks and services occurs within a fully liberalised market. The regulation of electronic communications networks providers, including the regulation of wholesale charges imposed by networks operators on other services providers competing in the retail broadband services market, is a statutory function of the Commission for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (5 May 2016)

Alex White: On 22 December 2015, I formally launched the procurement process for the State intervention to provide high quality, high speed broadband to all premises in Ireland that may not be served through commercial investment. The formal procurement process commenced with the publication of the Pre-qualification Questionnaire and Project Information Memorandum. Five responses were received from...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (5 May 2016)

Alex White: The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to achieving this target through meeting 40% of electricity demand, 12% of heat and 10% of transport from renewable sources of energy, with the latter transport target also being legally binding. Figures provided by the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (5 May 2016)

Alex White: The electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, competitive and operate within national and European regulatory and legislative regimes. Responsibility for the regulation of Ireland's electricity and gas markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory body. I have no statutory function in the setting or review...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (5 May 2016)

Alex White: I am acutely aware of the financial challenges faced by consumers from high energy prices. However, it is important to note that the electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive and that they operate within national and European regulatory regimes. I have no statutory function in the setting or review of electricity or gas prices. Responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies Dividends (5 May 2016)

Alex White: There are three commercial State Bodies under the aegis of my Department that pay dividends to the Exchequer. These are: Bord na Móna, EirGrid and ESB. Information regarding reported profits and dividend payments by these companies is contained within their annual reports, which are available online.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Commission for Energy Regulation (5 May 2016)

Alex White: The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is Ireland’s independent energy regulator. The CER was established in 1999 and has a range of economic, customer protection and safety responsibilities in the energy sector. The CER is also Ireland’s economic regulator of the public water and wastewater sector. The development of policy in the water area is the responsibility of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Efficiency (4 May 2016)

Alex White: Provision and maintenance of public lighting is the responsibility of each individual local authority and in the case of motorways Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). In my role as Energy Minister, I have an interest in ensuring that the significant potential of public lighting to deliver energy efficiency is realised in pursuit of the 33% energy efficiency target for all public...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Efficiency (4 May 2016)

Alex White: Since 2009 the Better Energy programme, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department, has provided over €400 million for energy efficiency upgrades in almost 300,000 homes, supporting an average of 2,300 jobs per annum in the construction sector. The aim of the programme is to improve the energy efficiency of homes built prior to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (4 May 2016)

Alex White: The provision of fixed line electronic communications networks connections is undertaken on a commercial basis by competing networks providers. The Commission for Communications Regulations (ComReg), the independent market regulator, has imposed a universal service obligation (USO) on eircom Limited (trading as “eir”) to provide fixed line telephone services at...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan (4 May 2016)

Alex White: The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The Broadband Intervention strategy for Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (4 May 2016)

Alex White: The provision of fixed line electronic communications networks connections and broadband services to users is undertaken on a commercial basis by competing electronic communications networks and services providers. The Commission for Communications Regulation has imposed  a universal service obligation on Eir, which, among other things, obliges it  to provide landline...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan (4 May 2016)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 326 and 327 together. The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan (4 May 2016)

Alex White: The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The commercial telecommunications sector has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (4 May 2016)

Alex White: The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The commercial telecommunications sector has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Communications Market Regulation (28 Apr 2016)

Alex White: The Commission for Communications Regulations (ComReg), the independent market regulator, has imposed a universal service obligation (USO) on eircom Limited (trading as “eir”) to provide a connection to its network, which is  capable of providing basic telephony services, including voice, fax and basic data access, if requested, at any fixed address in Ireland. Any...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Industrial Disputes (27 Apr 2016)

Alex White: BT was awarded a contract in 2009 to operate the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) following a public procurement process. I understand that BT has a contractual arrangement with Conduit Global Ltd. to assist in the delivery of the service.  The issues in question are a matter for Conduit Global in the first instance and it would not be appropriate for me to comment...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme (26 Apr 2016)

Alex White: Since 2009 the Better Energy scheme has provided over €400 million for energy efficiency upgrades in almost 300,000 homes, supporting an average of 2,300 jobs per annum in the construction sector. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) maintains a register of contractors who are authorised to undertake works under the Better Energy scheme. Each contractor on the register is...