Results 2,341-2,360 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (30 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: A survey conducted in the first quarter of 2007, in conjunction with the National Disability Authority, showed that 3.1% of staff in the former Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (DCMNR) were classified as having a disability. My Department, primarily through our Disability Liaison Officer, continues to work with the Department of Finance, the Department of Justice,...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1468 and 1472 together. As part of the Government's decentralisation programme, the headquarters of my Department is scheduled to relocate to Cavan at the end of 2009. This will involve the relocation of approximately 300 posts. 19 staff members transferred as an advance party to Cavan prior to 31st December 2006, with a further 26 transferring during 2007...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (30 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1469 and 1470 together. The Biofuels Mineral Oil Tax Relief Schemes were publicly advertised as competitive calls for proposals from producers meeting the criteria laid out in the Guidance Notes relating to the schemes. Under EU State Aids Rules preference could not be given to any participants within the competitive process by virtue of the origin of...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: As part of the Government's decentralisation programme, the headquarters of my Department is scheduled to relocate to Cavan at the end of 2009. An advance party of 45 is currently in situ in Cavan of which 40 were Dublin based and five were non-Dublin based. Current plans envisage this figure being augmented by approximately a further nine staff in 2008, the majority of whom will be...

Written Answers — Energy Rate Assessors: Energy Rate Assessors (31 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) has been designated as issuing authority under Statutory Instrument No. 666 of 2006, European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006. In respect of registration of Building Energy Rating (BER) assessors, among the responsibilities for the issuing authority are: In considering an application for registration as a BER assessor, the...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (31 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: ESB owns and operates the pumped water power station with an installed electricity generating capacity of 292 megawatts at Turlough Hill, County Wicklow. National Surveys for suitable pumped storage sites were carried out many years ago. Apart from Turlough Hill, the only other economically viable site was at Camlough in Northern Ireland. However, that site was never commissioned. It is...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (31 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy is aware, the primary motivation in aligning the future management of the wild salmon fishery with the scientific advice and the introduction of the appropriate regulations to cease mixed stock fishing is the conservation of the wild salmon stocks. It is vital to afford every protection to the remaining salmon stocks and to clearly prioritise conservation over catch. We must...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (31 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter for the private sector. Broadband service providers operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. I have no function in the matter of the enabling of exchanges owned by private companies. However it is hoped that the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (31 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: In Budget 2008, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance announced the requirement for all Government Departments to examine all administrative spending under their aegis with a view to producing efficiency savings. The review covers all spending with no area being regarded as exempt from critical scrutiny with a view to realising efficiencies. All non-commercial State Bodies under the aegis...

Seanad: Climate Change and Energy Security: Statements (31 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I welcome this opportunity to make a further statement on recent developments on the climate change issue, which are of crucial significance for this country. The Taoiseach was right last week when he said that the proposed changes present a huge challenge for Irish society and our economy. As the Taoiseach also said, these developments present us with an opportunity to address the...

Seanad: Climate Change and Energy Security: Statements (31 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Increasingly, the response focuses on the cost factor and the economic consequences. I acknowledge there will be cost implications. The EU has estimated that the proposed measures could cost up to €90 billion. However, from an energy policy viewpoint the cost of not making these changes is huge. Leaving aside the environmental aspect, the over-reliance by the EU on fossil fuels is the...

Seanad: Climate Change and Energy Security: Statements (31 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: No, it is right on top.

Seanad: Climate Change and Energy Security: Statements (31 Jan 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I am pleased to conclude this very useful debate. At a debate some days ago I made the point that there had hardly been a frost all year, but my wife pointed out that night that it was freezing. Looking out the windows of the House during this debate, I saw a few flakes of snow falling, so one must be careful when speaking on this issue. I want to return to one other point I made in that...

Garda Equipment. (5 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Government is committed to ensure that the Garda Commissioner has the necessary resources available to him in his fight against crime. In addition to increasing the strength of the force, this includes the resources to provide a range of support services. Chief among the latter is the provision of a new digital radio service for the force....

Electricity Interconnector. (5 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the four Deputies for raising this issue, which is rightly the subject of extensive debate, both here and in the Oireachtas committee where the discussion has already started. It is part a broader discussion which is of vital national importance. This is the need to ensure our electricity transmission system is adequate to meet current and future electricity demand and how we can...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (5 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 706 and 707 together. The Statutory Bodies, including establishment dates, for which I have responsibility, are detailed in the following table. The annual operating cost for each of the past five years of each statutory body can be found in the annual reports and accounts published by each of these bodies, which should be available through the library of...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (5 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The procurement process for a National Broadband Scheme (NBS) is under way. The NBS will provide broadband services to areas that are currently unserved and will ensure that all reasonable requests for broadband in unserved areas are met. The first phase of the procurement process (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)) is now complete, and four candidates pre-qualified to enter the next...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (5 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: There are no task forces operating in my Department at this time.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (5 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 710 and 711 together. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources was established in June 2007. The majority of current Departmental functions arise from significant transfer of responsibilities between Departments in 2002, 2006 and again in 2007. The identification of records prior to January 2006 cannot be facilitated without undue...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The total non-property costs incurred by the Department in respect of the Government's decentralisation programme and reported to date to the Department of Finance are €104,538. This expenditure relates to advance moves of functions and staff resources to Cavan and Clonakilty. The majority of costs relates to the relocation of the entire seafood functions to Clonakilty and as the Deputy...