Results 26,721-26,740 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: EirGrid recently completed the purchase of the Northern Ireland Transmission System Operator (SONI) from Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE). In consideration of this transaction, I decided to expand the membership of the Board of EirGrid to ensure that the board duly reflects the interests of Northern Ireland transmission system, SONI and Northern Ireland customers. The European Communities...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The total amount of money spent on paying delegates allowance to officials of my Department since its formation in June 2007 is €72,638.81. The amount paid per year is set out in the table. Year Amount € 2007 (June to Dec) 20,148.60 2008 37,372.84 2009 (to end June) 15,117.37 All the above payments were made in accordance with the relevant Department of Finance guidelines.

Written Answers — Television Licence Fee: Television Licence Fee (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Department of Social and Family Affairs operates a Household Benefits Package and those who qualify to receive this package are entitled to a free television licence. The Department of Social and Family Affairs pays the cost of these free licences to my Department. The following table sets out the amounts that the Department of Social and Family Affairs paid to my Department for each of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: My Department did not have any print jobs being carried out by companies based outside the Republic of Ireland.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: 78 schools have been selected to participate in a 100 Mbps to post primary schools pilot project. The pilot project will guide a wider roll out of broadband to post primary schools in due course and will ensure value for money is maximised. A Request for Tender (RFT) for the access element of the project (connection from the school to HEAnet's Schools Network via an appropriate service...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Policy Paper 'Next Generation Broadband – Gateway to a Knowledge Ireland', which was published on my Department's website on 22 June 2009 has, as one of its actions, the establishment of a one-stop-shop to provide service providers with flexible and open-access to existing and future State owned infrastructure suitable for telecoms services. Leveraging publicly owned ducting has the...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: My Department compiled 24 reports in the past eighteen months at a cost of €1,198,706.74. Details of the reports are in the table. It should be noted that The Grid Study and the All-Island Renewables Grid Study updated to include Demand Side Management reports were jointly commissioned by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment, Northern Ireland and the Department for...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (2 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Value for Money and Policy Review of Phase I of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) Programme was published on Friday, 4 July, 2008. The review is available on my Department's website at www.dcenr.gov.ie.

Written Answers — Postal Service: Postal Service (1 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: One of the cornerstones of the EU Directives that set out the regulatory framework for the postal sector is that Member States establish independent national regulatory authorities. The Directives also require independent performance monitoring of universal service providers in relation to quality of service. In Ireland, ComReg is the independent regulatory authority responsible for the...

Written Answers — Postal Service: Postal Service (1 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Office of the Ombudsman, which falls under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Finance, investigates complaints about the administrative actions of Government Departments and other public bodies, including An Post and its role is set out in the Ombudsman Act of 1980. The Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, which was established under the Communications Regulation Act...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (1 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together. Broadband services are provided by private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e over the telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile , cable, satellite and fibre. In order to address a lack of broadband in areas where it was not commercially viable for the private sector to operate my Department entered into a...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Records available to my Department indicate that we have one member of staff awaiting transfer within the Laois/Offaly area. The moratorium on recruitment does not allow Departments to fill posts by recruitment or promotion but does not prevent the filling of posts by lateral transfers within Departments, or between different Departments, where this can be arranged.

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Legal advice was recently furnished to my Department and the next steps in regard to this case are now being considered in light of this advice. My Department will then progress the matter as speedily as possible.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Schemes: Alternative Energy Schemes (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Warmer Homes Scheme is administered by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) and delivered by community based organisations (CBOs). The CBOs work in partnership with their local network of poverty and community support organisations, including public health nurses, MABS and St. Vincent De Paul, to identify and address the energy needs of vulnerable homes. The scheme provides structural...

Written Answers — Value for Money Reviews: Value for Money Reviews (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The following is the position regarding Value for Money (VFM) reviews carried out by my Department during the past three years: Expenditure review of the Sustainable Energy Priority of the ESIOP -Report published and laid before Oireachtas Committee in July 2006. The Group Broadband Scheme — Report published and laid before Oireachtas Committee in December 2007. Metropolitan Area Networks...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The amount of interest paid to suppliers by my Department under the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act 1997, since the establishment of the Department in June 2007, is detailed in the following table: Year Amount â'¬ 2009 (to date) 435.61 2008 1,725.96 June to Dec 2007 287.46 My Department aims, in its dealings with suppliers of goods and services, to pay all invoices as soon as possible...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) electricity micro-generation programme is supporting a number of micro scale projects including wind turbines that are targeted at resolving technical issues including: defining the requirements for qualification and certification of technologies and defining necessary arrangements for qualification, certification and training of installers. This will be...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Broadband services are provided by private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e over the telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, satellite and fibre. In order to address a lack of broadband in areas where it was not commercially viable for the private sector to operate my Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery...

Written Answers — Natural Gas Grid: Natural Gas Grid (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The development and operation of the natural gas network is, in the first instance, a matter for Gaslink, the gas transmission system operator, which is mandated under Section 8 of the Gas Act 1976, as amended, to develop and maintain a system for the supply of natural gas that is both economical and efficient. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is a statutory, independent...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Responsibility for addressing technical issues with regard to the provision of a broadband service (including split lines, weak lines) is a matter for the private sector which operates in a fully liberalised market, regulated where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Broadband services can be provided over various platforms including DSL (i.e....