Results 1,521-1,540 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: When we look at the cost-benefit figures for all of the different energy sources - wind, biomass, solar, etc. - we include in our analysis everything the Deputy has mentioned, including the cost of infrastructure. We do not just look at the cost to the State of the support mechanisms, the REFIT system and the incentives. Even when we factor in the grid and all of the infrastructure - the...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: We are not always comparing like with like. The Deputy may look at another country that has moved beyond the position here and has decided it has gone far enough. We must look at what stage other countries have reached. Wind cannot be their sole energy source. I expect we will reach a stage where we decide we have reached the maximum we can get from wind and must look at other sources....

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: That is right. We have targets in terms of renewable energy to achieve by 2020 and we have made commitments as a country. We must decarbonise our economy. We have come through a traumatic economic crisis which has had an impact on what we have been able to do, but we are back on our feet. I believe the country should contribute to the broader global agenda on combating climate change. I...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: We want to encourage micro generation. We also want to encourage the involvement of individuals and communities in improving the way we manage our energy and develop energy projects. The Deputy will agree with me that one of the advantages of micro generation and community energy projects is that people in local areas see energy, energy production, energy use and efficiency as something...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: That is what we want to do. I will try to answer some of the other questions. The Deputy asked a good question in respect of expertise. He asked whether the Department and the CER have a sufficient number of technical experts. I do not believe we have had enough, but in this year's provision we have clearance to employ new experts in the area of energy and energy economics and all of the...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: It is quite considerable. In 2011 it was €14.50 per tonne, while in 2013 it was €4.50 per tonne. That is a substantial reduction. I think that would account for the figures the Deputy raised.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I may have missed some other points, but if the Deputy tells me I will try to assist him.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: There has been a fall this year in the provision for works under the better energy programmes. Last year, under the Government stimulus programme, we got additional funding of the order of €30 million for 2014, which we put to very good use. That one-off stimulus of €30 million is gone, and even though we got an additional €10 million, if I am not mistaken, the...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: My first point will not endear me to the Deputy, but to achieve the targets that we regard as important, in order to decarbonise our economy, irrespective of which energy sources we use to replace it, there will be a cost. It will not be possible to do it for nothing. The approach we have taken is to do it through refit incentives and support schemes. The Deputy is correct if he is saying...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I will take note of the Deputy's point and revert to him on it.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I will ask my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, to address those issues.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: We have done a lot of work arising from Corrib. If there are particular towns, villages or cities which the Deputy would like to raise with us in terms of the flow to them, I am happy to speak with him. It might be easier if we did it off-line, but I will make myself available to speak to the Deputy about this.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: It is accounted for in two different areas. One relates to Corrib, where there is a drop of €51,000, and the other relates to the petroleum affairs division, PAD, data sales, essentially the surveys, which is down by €451,000.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: There are. The Deputy is correct to raise it. I am very keen on ensuring it happens, and we have clearance to do it. For example, there is a need for petroleum exploration specialists and for senior telecommunications analysts and engineers in respect of the broadband roll-out we discussed. We need a head of cyber security to lead in the protection of critical national infrastructure, and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Economic Data (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: My Department has an Economic Unit which is responsible for the provision of economic analysis across the Department. It retains and has access to all relevant data, including energy data, required for that purpose. Where information requests are made by way of Parliamentary Question or otherwise and where the information sought is publically available, the policy and practise of Departments...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan 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 commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Service Obligation Levy (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy has been in place since 2001 and is the overall support mechanism for generation constructed for security of supply purposes, including peat generation, and for the development of renewable electricity. It is designed to compensate electricity suppliers for the additional costs they incur by purchasing electricity generated by these producers. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The State can only become active in the telecommunications market in cases of clear market failure. The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband and fibre optic backhaul cables are a matter, in the first instance, for the commercial players who operate in the Irish market. The Government's intervention under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: In October last year, I published a Draft Bioenergy Plan which is available on my Department’s website (www.dcenr.gov.ie). The draft Plan will undergo Strategic Environmental and Appropriate Assessments, including public consultation, which will inform the content of the finalised Plan. The analysis underpinning the draft Plan is that an additional bioenergy focused measure in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Natural Gas Grid (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is the statutory independent body charged with the assessment and licensing of prospective operators seeking to develop and operate a gas distribution system within the State. In 2006, the CER approved a new network connections policy which enabled assessment of the feasibility of connecting certain towns to the gas network. In order for any town...