Results 3,961-3,980 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

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

Noel Dempsey: On 29th September I announced the first tranche of support under the Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff (REFIT) programme to over fifty new renewable powered electricity generating plants. The combined capacity of these projects is over 600 megawatts (MW), with wind-power accounting for most of the new support. The amount of megawatt hours that will be produced by these and other successful...

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

Noel Dempsey: Sustainable Energy Ireland's House of Tomorrow Programme stimulates the widespread uptake of more sustainable energy planning, design, specification and construction practices in both the new home building and the home improvement markets. The House of Tomorrow Programme funds demonstration projects to create a nationwide network of accessible, replicable model examples of more sustainable...

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

Noel Dempsey: Fuel poverty has a major impact on people's lives in terms of affordable comfort, health and the quality of the home and is experienced in private and social housing alike, both urban and rural. Sustainable Energy Ireland's Low-Income Housing Programme (LIH) targets those homes that experience fuel poverty. Low-income householders are unable to afford the capital investment measures that...

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

Noel Dempsey: On 7 June 2006 I launched the Bioheat Programme which is a grant aid scheme of up to €22m for commercial renewable heat technologies. The scheme allows companies and small businesses to obtain grants for the installation of wood chip and wood pellet boilers in large buildings and commercial premises. Grant aid of up to 30% of overall costs is being made available depending on the overall...

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

Noel Dempsey: On 3 August 2006 I launched an €11m grants package for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to encourage industry and commercial users to generate their own electricity and heat. CHP units simultaneously generate heat and electricity in a single process on site. By combining these processes CHP saves around 25% of the energy that would have been required to produce electricity in a conventional...

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

Noel Dempsey: The Sustainable Energy Ireland Public Sector Programme promotes energy efficient design, technologies and services in new and retrofit public sector projects. Under this programme, the energy performance of public sector buildings is enhanced through improved design, investment and management. The programme supports projects that act as examples of good practice. It recognises the diversity...

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

Noel Dempsey: The goal of Sustainable Energy Ireland's Renewable Energy Research, Development and Demonstration (RERDD) Programme is to accelerate the deployment rate of renewable energy technology in the Irish market. This is achieved by providing support for product R&D, market demonstration activity and studies to investigate market barriers. This programme provides support for technologies to harness...

Written Answers — Natural Gas Grid: Natural Gas Grid (5 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: The position is that, since 2002, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is a statutory independent body, has been charged with all aspects of the assessment and licensing of prospective operators who wish to develop and/or operate a gas distribution system within the State under the Gas (Interim) (Regulation) Act 2002. Earlier this year the CER directed Bord Gáis (BGÉ) to...

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

Noel Dempsey: The closure of individual post offices is a matter for the board and management of the company. According to An Post the table contains the information requested in respect of post offices on 1 July 1997 and 1 November 2006. Date Company-staffed Branch Offices Contractor-operated offices Postal Agents 1st July 1997 97 1,818 NIL 1st Nov 2006 84 1,294 169

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

Noel Dempsey: The provision of telecommunications services, including wired broadband, is a matter in the first instance for the private sector companies operating in a fully liberalised market, regulated by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. There are a number of platforms for delivery of broadband, my Department operates a dedicated website, www.broadband.gov.ie where...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (5 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: My Department is particularly mindful of the value for money imperative and the need to develop and deploy in-house skills as far as possible to minimise the requirement for consultancies. The Department seeks to avail of skills and experiences of other Departments or other parts of the public sector where appropriate. It is my Department's policy to engage consultants only in the following...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (5 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: In the time available, it has not been possible to identify the information requested for the 27 State Boards under the aegis of my Department. In the interests of providing the Deputy with a fully accurate response, my Department is investigating the matter and I will revert to the Deputy when I am in a position to issue a final reply.

Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Not half as tiresome as Deputy Kenny.

Written Answers — Gas Prices: Gas Prices (6 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: I am satisfied that Bord Gais Éireann (BGÉ) complies with existing legislation and with Regulations and Orders made by the Revenue Commissioners relating to VAT. The collection of VAT charges on supplies of natural gas is a matter for BGÉ and the Revenue Commissioners. I understand that BGÉ does offer a special package to customers who contract to use a stipulated amount (minimum take)...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (6 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: No projects have been funded by National Lottery moneys through my Department in the last five years.

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (6 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Any decision to grant shareholder approval for ESB investment in a new power generation plant at Aghada would be conditional on agreement on a strategy to address the company's dominance and market power, particularly with regard to mid-merit price-setting plant, along the lines agreed with the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). Any such approval would also be strictly contingent on...

Order of Business. (7 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: It has nothing at all to do with energy prices.

Order of Business. (7 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: It has nothing at all to do with energy prices.

Order of Business. (7 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Is Deputy Durkan giving out about the fact that the prices were reduced?

Financial Resolution No. 6: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2006)

Noel Dempsey: Like Deputy McDowell, I was first elected to the House in 1987, for which reason alone that year's election sticks in my mind. It sticks in my mind for other reasons too. The Minister, Deputy McDowell, clearly described the economic situation in the country, with economic parameters based on inflation and employment levels etc. During the 1987 election campaign no house in the constituency...