Results 3,101-3,120 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 35, 70, 83 and 120 together. The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter in the first instance for the private sector companies operating in a fully liberalised market, which is regulated by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, using a range of different broadband technologies. The...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 29 together. My Department has ongoing and widespread contacts with both the industry and the sector in general in relation to a wide range of issues. I recently put in motion a review of the licensing regime under which offshore exploration companies operate in this country. My Department will engage the advice of external experts to independently...

Written Answers — Electricity Interconnectors: Electricity Interconnectors (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Security of energy supply is a key imperative for Ireland and the European Union. The relatively small size of the Irish electricity market underlines the need for greater interconnection as a means of enhancing security of supply, promoting competition and integrating the Irish electricity market. In this context, the East-West electricity interconnector project is a key priority for the...

Written Answers — Proposed Pipeline: Proposed Pipeline (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 34 together. As Deputies will be aware, as a result of local concerns over the safety of the Corrib gas pipeline, I commissioned a comprehensive independent safety review last August. Following a detailed review process, including two separate phases of public consultation, Advantica, the international consultants contracted to do the work, provided me...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 38, 54 and 59 together. Future possible directions for the electricity sector, taking into account all relevant considerations including the development of the all-island Single Electricity Market, competition, security of supply, generation adequacy and consumer needs, will be articulated in the forthcoming Energy Policy Green Paper. The Green Paper,...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 49, 50, 93, 104 and 107 together. Biofuels and biomass policies are critical components of overall energy policy objectives to significantly enhance the contribution of renewable energy sources to electricity, heat and transport. The Renewables Directive (2001/77/EC) obliges Ireland to develop and implement a programme capable of increasing the amount of...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The total cost of the Phase One MANs was approximately €85 million. All 27 networks are now complete. They have been handed over to the Management Services Entity, eNet, which was contracted in June 2004 to manage, market and maintain the networks on behalf of the State for a period of fifteen years. All the completed networks are lit and open for business. There were forty-four MAN...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 74, 116, 225, 255 and 274 together. Support programmes put in place by this Government have more than doubled the capacity of renewable energy powered electricity generating plants connected to the electricity target in the last two years. Building on this progress, I also announced recently an ambitious programme to treble the contribution by renewable...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The UK has a schedule to switch off analogue TV in different regions from 2008 to 2012. In the development of a switchover plan, the Irish communications regulator will work closely with the UK to ensure the continued protection of analogue TV in Ireland. Notwithstanding, it should be noted that as the UK switch off analogue TV progresses, reception in Irish homes will be affected because...

Written Answers — Energy Reserves: Energy Reserves (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Under the European Communities (Minimum Stocks of Petroleum Oils) Regulations, 1995, the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) acts as an agent of the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and is responsible for the maintenance of such levels of strategic oil reserves as I, as Minister, determine at least once a year. On 1 May 2006 Ireland's oil stocks reserves were...

Written Answers — Internet Use: Internet Use (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has no function with regard to spam. The development of technology is a matter for the industry itself. My Department and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner are represented on working groups set up by the EU and the OECD to explore the options for controlling spam, the EU in the context of the Member States and the OECD in the...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Under the Public Sector programme, operated by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), energy performance is enhanced through improved design, investment and management in new and refurbishment projects. This programme recognises the diversity of buildings, potential for improvement, impending regulations and directives, and the capacity to influence other sectors of the economy. To date the public...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I accept fully that it is important to modernise the legislation governing the operations of the Geological Survey of Ireland. A certain amount of preparatory work on such legislation has been undertaken in my Department. However, the question of converting the GSI into a non-commercial state agency, as distinct from its current status as a division of the Department, has arisen separately...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The House of Tomorrow programmes of Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) stimulate the widespread take-up of more sustainable energy planning, specification and construction practices in both new home building and the home improvement markets. Among the demonstration projects funded under the House of Tomorrow programme are many featuring condensing boilers which show a higher efficiency in their...

Written Answers — Post Office Network: Post Office Network (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 87 together. The opening, conversion and closure of individual post offices is a matter for the board and management of An Post. With regard to the post office network, as clearly set out in the Programme for Government, this Government and the board of An Post are committed to the objective of securing a viable and sustainable nationwide post office...

Written Answers — Internet Use: Internet Use (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I have no function in these matters. This question is more appropriate for the inclusion Policy Unit in Department of the Taoiseach.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The importation, distribution and retail oil industries are fully privatised and deregulated. Companies make business decisions based on commercial considerations. Under the merger provisions of the Competition Act 2002, parties to mergers and acquisitions must notify the Competition Authority of their proposed merger or acquisition in advance and obtain regulatory clearance before they can...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: There are no specific legislative impediments to commercial broadcasters who wish to broadcast to the Irish community in Britain, or elsewhere in the European Union, on a purely commercial basis. As regards public service broadcasting, RTÉ's statutory mandate, as defined in section 28(1) of the Broadcasting Act, 2001, provides that RTÉ's radio and television services shall be made...

Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56, 66 and 82 together. In order to examine the introduction of a postcode system in Ireland, I established a Working Group comprised of people with experience of the postal sector, together with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which is the lead Department for the Irish Spatial Data Infrastructure Initiative to examine the issue...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (5 Jul 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Within the liberalised, competitive energy market, it is open to any person to apply for the necessary authorisations and permissions to construct a power generating station. Naturally, this would be a commercial decision for the individuals involved. In the event that new generation capacity is necessary to ensure security of supply, Regulation 28 of S.I. 60 of 2005 provides that it is the...