Results 2,581-2,600 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Deputy Broughan mentioned that it would take some time before we would be able to pass regulations or perhaps introduce the system of monitoring to which I and Deputy Eamon Ryan referred. This is not necessarily true. I understand that a regulation could be jointly drafted by the Commission and Council, which would have immediate effect and application. In respect of Deputy Perry's question,...

Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I will conclude. One half of these boardings and sightings was composed of Irish vessels, while the other half was composed of vessels from between 12 to 15 EU and non-EU countries.

Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I move amendment No. 17: In page 16, line 14, to delete ", charterer or hirer". These amendments delete words included in error. The comprehensive definition of owner in section 6 already covers charterers and hirers, as well as owners of sea fishing boats.

Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I move amendment No. 22: In page 19, lines 10 and 11, to delete ", charterer or hirer".

Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Amendment No. 23 is newly introduced on Report Stage and I have not had time to read it in detail. I do not have great difficulty with the principles upon which it is based, particularly the concept of inclusiveness and the importance of maintaining and conserving fishing stocks. These are good ideas. I do not want to rake over old coals but it is past time for people in the fishing industry...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Grant aid has been awarded for the provision of broadband in the Ballydehob area under the group broadband scheme administered by my Department and this service is now operational. Ireland's relatively low ranking against other European countries in terms of broadband connections reflects the late launch of competitive, affordable broadband by private broadband service providers and a slow...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The multiannual financial package for renewables announced in budget 2006 includes a grant aid package for the domestic sector which will provide for individual grants to install renewable energy technologies, including solar panels, geothermal heat pumps and wood pellet boilers. My Department, in conjunction with Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, is developing the necessary detailed measures...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 to 230, inclusive, together. Grant aid has been awarded for the provision of broadband in the Borrisokane and Cloughjordan area of County Tipperary under the group broadband scheme administered by my Department. The project is being developed by the Internet service provider in conjunction with the community group.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The Government's decentralisation programme provides for the relocation of 91 posts in my Department's seafood and coastal zone functions to Clonakilty. The 93 posts in An Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, are also to be relocated to Clonakilty. The Public Appointments Service, PAS, has indicated that a total of 176 expressions of interest, from across the public service, have been received for these...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Legislation: Broadcasting Legislation (23 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together. In December 2005 I announced my intention to commence a review of designated events under section 9 of the Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Act 2003. The purpose of the review is to consider whether the list of events designated in 2003 should be amended. As part of the review I initiated a public consultation...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (23 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The issue of ESB meter inspections is a day-to-day operational matter for the ESB and not one in which I have a function. However, in order to be helpful to the Deputy, I wish to point out that the ESB customer complaints arbitrator, ELCOM, deals with unresolved complaints relating to metering. The arbitrator's recommendations are binding on ESB but are not binding on customers, who can take...

Written Answers — Electricity Charges: Electricity Charges (23 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: On foot of recent representations made to me on this specific issue, my Department has already referred the matter for investigation to the Commission for Energy Regulation, which is the statutory body responsible for regulation of the electricity market. I am advised that an investigation is under way and the commission will report back to me as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Natural Gas Grid: Natural Gas Grid (23 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 103 together. The cost of this project is a commercial matter for the company. While any capital expenditure by Bord Gáis Éireann is subject to my approval, given with the consent of the Minister for Finance, the actual cost is commercially sensitive information in a liberalised market. BGE financed this project from its own resources and did not...

Written Answers — Energy Consumption: Energy Consumption (28 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: On foot of recent representations I received on this issue, my Department has referred the matter for investigation to the Commission for Energy Regulation, as the statutory body responsible for regulation of the electricity and gas market. I am advised that an investigation is under way and the commission will report back to me as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (28 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: In the time available, it has not been possible to identify and assemble the information requested. I will revert to the Deputy when I am in a position to issue a final reply.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (28 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter in the first instance for the fully liberalised private sector, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The upgrading of telephone exchanges for the provision of broadband is an operational matter for Eircom, and I do not have any function in the matter.

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (28 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: There is no direct interconnection of electricity networks between Ireland and Scotland. Information supplied to my Department by the Commission for Energy Regulation indicates that in 2005, 75 gigawatt hours approximately of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in Ireland was exported to Northern Ireland via the interconnector. There is no additional breakdown of this figure...

Written Answers — Communications Masts: Communications Masts (28 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 272 together. My Department chairs an interdepartmental committee on the health effects of electromagnetic fields. This committee will provide advice to Government on the appropriate action to be taken on foot of the recommendations contained in the joint committee report on non-ionising radiation from mobile phone handsets and masts, published in June...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Feb 2006)

Noel Dempsey: A total of 25 people on my Department's payroll are not working for the Department. Of these, 16 are former departmental staff who are seconded to the Marine Institute, two are seconded to the Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board, two are seconded to the Office of the Communications Regulator, one is seconded to the Central Fisheries Board, one is seconded to the Marine Casualty Investigations...

Written Answers — Mobile Telephony: Mobile Telephony (1 Mar 2006)

Noel Dempsey: My Department maintains a watching scientific brief on health issues relating to electromagnetic energy, also known as "non-ionising radiation", including those related to mobile phone base stations. Ireland has adopted European Union Council recommendation of 12 July 1999 on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields — 0 Hz to 300 GHz, 1999/519/EC — and...