Results 3,761-3,780 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Fisheries Protection. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The Deputy may have misunderstood me at the committee. I did not say the €5 million in hardship funding would be spread among State agencies but that I expected it could be used to leverage other funds from other Departments and agencies. This is my intention and I have spoken on a number of occasions in this regard with the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó...

Fisheries Protection. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I have not made a final decision on that, but my aim is that we should act to maximise the fund. The Deputy's other question concerned the €10 million in the Estimates. There was a cross-over between publication of the report and preparation of the Estimates, but whatever money is required within next year's €25 million budget will be provided, either through the Revenue or by way of...

Postal Services. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The European Commission's proposal for a third postal directive envisages that the postal sector across the EU will be fully liberalised on 1 January 2009, subject to political agreement. The proposal is based on a Commission study on the impact on the universal service of the full accomplishment of a liberalised postal market. The study concludes that full market opening is achievable in...

Postal Services. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I was wondering when the Deputy would have another rhetorical tirade.

Postal Services. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: He is usually good at that kind of thing during parliamentary questions, all doom and gloom.

Postal Services. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I was not aware that anyone waved Commissioner McCreevy off at the airport; I was certainly not there.

Postal Services. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I am absolutely sure, and I would not mislead the House as the Deputy did by making that claim.

Postal Services. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Ireland has participated fully in the debate on the liberalisation of postal services in Europe, not only in the last six months but for a longer period. The deadline of 1 January 2009 for the final liberalisation of those services has been in the public domain for a considerable period, before I became Minister. In the course of the labour relations difficulties at An Post a year ago and...

Electricity Generation. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The Government's energy policy Green Paper, Towards a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland, identifies the dominance of the ESB as one of the factors influencing the apparent reluctance of independent generators of scale to enter the market. This dominance arises from the ESB's continued ownership of a large and diverse portfolio of plant and particularly from the company's ability to set...

Electricity Generation. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I have had discussions with the ESB on several occasions, including some, for instance, in the context of the Green Paper and in the aftermath of the Deloitte report. Departmental officials have discussions with the ESB on a regular basis about an entire range of issues relating to energy and electricity markets, security and adequacy of supply and so on. It is my understanding that the ESB...

Electricity Generation. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I have regular contact with EirGrid, BGE, Bord na Móna and the ESB. I had regular contact with the CER, EirGrid and the ESB on the capacity of the grid for this winter. This included two face-to-face meetings with the CER and EirGrid to get their assurances that the system has the required capacity for this winter. The most recent of these meetings took place last Thursday. I have an...

Electricity Generation. (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The Deputy should have listened carefully to what I just said. I was assured by the bodies responsible for security of supply that all matters are in order. When I received that assurance in June, I asked for further assurances. I met the bodies recently to ascertain what extra measures they had taken. Capacity is tight but those are the expert bodies that have advised me. At the last...

Order of Business (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Níl fhios againn.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The telecoms 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 Communications Networks and...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Europe presented by the Commission sets out a very comprehensive range of proposed policies and measures aimed at realising at least 20% savings in EU energy consumption by 2020. Its related objective is to provide EU citizens with the most energy efficient infrastructure, buildings, appliances, processes, transport and energy systems. Energy efficiency...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The Government is committed to supporting the development of Irish language broadcasting, and to the establishment of TG4 as an independent public service broadcaster. In mid 2005 I appointed consultants to assist in the preparation of a detailed implementation plan for the establishment of TG4 as an independent entity. The consultants submitted their final report to my Department by end...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: There is great need to make full use of communications technologies in the monitoring and control of fishing activity. Over the past two years, the Department and the Naval Service have developed new information management systems in the fisheries area which are proving effective in the monitoring, recording, analysis and reporting of fishing activities. An example is the installation of a...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Given that there are a number of important issues facing the Irish aquaculture sector, €2.2m was recently identified within the BIM budget to support a number of technical initiatives. The package will target six projects: Technical Environmental Support Programme, TESP, Resource Development Grant, RDG, Pilot Projects Carrying Capacity Project Technical Aqua Equipment Technology Transfer...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I meet with industry and interested parties on a regular basis in pursuit of my objective to facilitate the widespread availability of competitively priced broadband in Ireland. The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter in the first instance for private sector companies operating in a fully liberalised market, regulated by the independent Commission for...

Written Answers — Post Office Network: Post Office Network (21 Nov 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The future of the post office network and the upgrading of post offices are a matter in the first instance for the board and management of An Post. As set out clearly in the Programme for Government, this Government and the board of An Post, are committed to the objective of ensuring the continuation of a viable and sustainable nationwide post office network. The precise number of post...