Results 2,021-2,040 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Question 93: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on introducing an emergency alert system, using mobile phone mast infrastructure, to allow for direct contact to be made with the public on a targeted regional basis in response to emergencies in order to improve direct communication between the national emergency centre and the public; and if he will...
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: The Minister may see this as a slightly unusual question because it is quite general in terms of what it requests, but the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has responsibility for communications. He will agree that the technical infrastructure now exists for the Government to provide a communications channel in the case of emergencies directly from Government and the emergency infrastructure which it...
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I am trying to be helpful because this is not an issue on which we should be political. I have two proposals, both of which are highly credible, on how we can use the existing mobile phone mast infrastructure to alert people in regional specific areas. Nobody is suggesting that if there is going to be significant flooding in Cork that 4 million people get a text message to say that a mini...
- Electricity Generation. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I would like to hear answers to Deputy Stanton's questions because we did not receive them in the Minister's reply. Going back to the ESB to ask it why there has not been more take-up on this scheme is not necessarily the way forward. For a start, it is not in the interests of the ESB to facilitate large-scale decentralisation of power generation. I reiterate a specific question that was...
- Electricity Generation. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Question 96: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to introduce legislation to facilitate the development of offshore wind energy; the timescale for same. [3358/10]
- Electricity Generation. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I am glad the Minister is thinking in terms of the super grid that was proposed in the past by people such as Eddie O'Connor and others, whereby countries would agree to work together to build very large scale offshore generation capacity that would interconnect electricity grids of different European countries with a view to providing green energy and security of supply. I encourage the...
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: If the Minister is continually highlighting the issue of open access, one must inquire as to why he is not making it happen. The Minister has been in office for a number of years and he understands the telecommunications market quite well. He refers to the need for open access to infrastructure but on each occasion he is asked this question he states that ComReg, in the context of its...
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: The specific question here is-----
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I am entitled to take some time.
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I am entitled to take some time.
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I did not inquire about that matter. Will the Minister answer my question?
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Will he require open access to infrastructure?
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I asked what the Minister is doing.
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: The one-stop shop was supposed to have been established six months ago. However, there is still no sign of it.
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I have a specific question. Will the Minister instruct the regulator to introduce an open-access policy to all ducting infrastructure in order to facilitate those private companies that want to lay fibre to increase and improve broadband speeds?
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: May I ask a question?
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Will the Minister require open access to infrastructure?
- Alternative Energy Projects. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Unlike the answer to the previous question, I welcome the answer to this one. While it is overdue, introducing legislation to facilitate geothermal technology will allow a new and renewable source of district heating systems and energy generation through gas turbine technology. This is quite a substantial industry in other European countries and can also provide a major source of heat and...
- Severe Weather Emergencies: Motion (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I thank my colleague, Deputy Hogan, for bringing forward this motion. This is essentially a debate around learning lessons from the big floods and big freeze, which sums up our weather pattern for the past three months. I am short on time and will for this reason concentrate on two specific issues, the first of which is water management. I am aware that the Minister has in recent days...
- Severe Weather Emergencies: Motion (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Second, I want to ensure that never again will we have elderly people in Cork city waking up to find flood waters lapping against the bottom of their mattresses. We have the technology and telecommunications infrastructure necessary to allow Government, throughout whatever emergency response unit it chooses, to warn people through mobile phones that flood waters are on their way. The...