Results 3,381-3,400 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: As I stated earlier, the telecommunications market in Ireland is fully liberalised and open. Statutory responsibility for the regulation of the electronic communication sector rests with the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, under the Communications Regulation Act 2002 and the regulations transposing the EU Regulatory Framework for Electronic...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The Deputy falls into the trap, which the Labour Party and others always fall into, of taking everything printed in a newspaper as gospel. I said nothing about rushing emergency legislation on this matter through the House.

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I said that the matter would be dealt with in consultation with ComReg and if legislation was deemed to be necessary, we would introduce it.

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: This is slightly different from the Deputy's breathless description of rushing emergency legislation through the House, which I never stated.

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I agree with the Deputy that the situation that emerged on 2 October, whether it is addressed by legislation or regulation, should not happen. I am not sure whether a 24-hour notice would do much good in similar circumstances and, therefore, I will maximise the notice customers will receive of being cut off. Everybody following the telecommunications industry knew there had been signs for...

Electricity Generation. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 34 and 83 together. 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 into the wider European market. The...

Electricity Generation. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I am reluctant to give a figure for the ultimate cost of the interconnector before the groundwork has been done on specific routes and so on. I have heard a ballpark figure of €500 million on a number of occasions but I would not go to the wall on that. The cost could be higher or considerably lower than that when the necessary works at each end are taken into account. Until I have more...

Electricity Generation. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The interconnector will be completely State-owned through EirGrid, which will have complete control of it. There is one North-South interconnector, there will be a second North-South interconnector and there will be a third interconnector which will run east-west. These projects will be completed at the latest by 2012. I envisage a need for one more interconnector at that stage. As I...

Electricity Generation. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Yes, it is the consumers. There is an argument that taxpayers are consumers. I am open to discussion as to whether they should pay directly or through taxes. Deputy Durkan referred to a private company. The Department received correspondence from that company but, so far as I know, it has not approached CER, which would be the first port of call. I understand the company has not contacted...

Electricity Generation. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I missed the first question.

Electricity Generation. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: This is one of the dilemmas we in Government must always face. If the Deputy ever happens to be on this side of the House, he will probably realise this.

Electricity Generation. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Sometimes we get accused of moving too fast on a project, of not thinking matters through and not foreseeing all of the difficulties. In other cases, as the Deputy rightly states, matters go on for a long time before we get from the concept to the project. I cannot give the Deputy a date but it was probably four years ago that a decision was made that there should be an interconnector. We...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: 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, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, the independent regulator. One of my key priorities is to increase competition through the provision of broadband infrastructure so that consumers and...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I have made no secret of my impatience and frustration at the slow commencement of a broadband roll-out throughout the country. We were left behind in 2002. There is no doubt about that and the Government recognised that fact at that stage. It introduced the MANS programme, the schools broadband programme and the group broadband scheme to try to roll out and provide broadband in regional...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: We had 56,000 subscribers in Ireland at that stage and I set a target of 400,000 by the end of this year. We had 410,000 subscribers as at September of this year and 17,000 new subscribers are coming on the system per month. We have the fastest growing broadband increase of anywhere in Europe. It looks as if we have turned the corner.

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: That is very welcome but as the Deputy pointed out, no matter how fast it is rolled out, there are still areas of the country that will not get broadband access unless the State intervenes. The estimate varies but we are talking about approximately 10% to 15% of the country without coverage.

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: We are discussing a scheme that will enable us to resolve that difficulty. I understand that Eircom is making an announcement today which will be helpful in facilitating a further roll-out of broadband with regard to enabling exchanges and so on. After a very slow start, we are now accelerating. Over the coming months we can reach even higher targets than those we have set. I hope we will...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I cannot help it if the statistics do not suit the Deputy. I have taken this issue very seriously. The statistics show that we are below the average cost in Europe for broadband. If the statistics do not suit the Deputy, I cannot help that. We are very well placed with regard to price because of the policies pursued with MANS, the group and school broadband schemes and the drive that I...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Deputy Broughan asked if I was talking directly to Eircom, Babcock & Brown or the industry. I am talking directly to everybody I can in the industry. I addressed the TIF conference today and took the opportunity to speak to a number of other providers. Every opportunity I get I speak to people on the issue. I have had a number of meetings with Mr. Rex Comb and Mr. Pierre Danone, including...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Oct 2006)

Noel Dempsey: No, we will look for proposals to ensure that the last 10% to 15% of the country will be able to avail of broadband and there will be broadband coverage. The Department will see what is the industry's response. In reply to Deputy Eamon Ryan, despite my best efforts over the past two or three years in this area, we are not going to get the private commercial sector to fork out money to...