Results 4,641-4,660 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: We received various correspondence from the EU, some of which questioned the nature of the regulations made. However, we are confident there is a precedent for this measure in other European jurisdictions and that it is within the European legal framework. We examined the matter in detail because it was a contentious issue. We would not have proposed it if we did not believe it was...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Members. The Bill started in the Seanad with a good debate and amendments from Senators O'Reilly, O'Toole and others. It has been a rather long but fruitful process and one hopes it will lead to real benefits. It is an important area and the quality of our broadcasting is crucial to our democracy and to the republic. Sometimes it is difficult for politicians to intervene or to...

Written Answers — Postal Service: Postal Service (1 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: One of the cornerstones of the EU Directives that set out the regulatory framework for the postal sector is that Member States establish independent national regulatory authorities. The Directives also require independent performance monitoring of universal service providers in relation to quality of service. In Ireland, ComReg is the independent regulatory authority responsible for the...

Written Answers — Postal Service: Postal Service (1 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Office of the Ombudsman, which falls under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Finance, investigates complaints about the administrative actions of Government Departments and other public bodies, including An Post and its role is set out in the Ombudsman Act of 1980. The Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, which was established under the Communications Regulation Act...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (1 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together. Broadband services are provided by private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e over the telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile , cable, satellite and fibre. In order to address a lack of broadband in areas where it was not commercially viable for the private sector to operate my Department entered into a...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Records available to my Department indicate that we have one member of staff awaiting transfer within the Laois/Offaly area. The moratorium on recruitment does not allow Departments to fill posts by recruitment or promotion but does not prevent the filling of posts by lateral transfers within Departments, or between different Departments, where this can be arranged.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (2 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Value for Money and Policy Review of Phase I of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) Programme was published on Friday, 4 July, 2008. The review is available on my Department's website at www.dcenr.gov.ie.

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Over the past six months I have had a number of meetings with the developers of the Corrib Gas Project, along with a wide range of groups with an interest in the project.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy will be aware I was appointed as Minister in June 2007 and costs for my Departmental mobile phone since then are set out in the table: June - Dec 2007 â'¬1,920.43 2008 â'¬1,169.55 to date 2009 â'¬867.52 The network operator engaged by the Department has confirmed that in the period May 2008 to June 2009 some 60% of costs relates to roaming charges and 29% to data...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Under the Communications Infrastructure Programme of the National Development Plan 2000-2006, ESB Telecom (ESBT), and other service providers, responded to an open call for proposals for the roll out of electronic communications infrastructure. On 19 January 2001, the then Department of Public Enterprise entered into an Agreement with ESBT for the deployment of 1,300 kilometres of optical...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The identification of records prior to January 2007 cannot be facilitated without undue commitment of staff resources and administrative cost. However, if the Deputy has a question in relation to a specific item I will make appropriate enquiries. I can advise the Deputy that there are no accumulated costs in respect of court cases taken by my Department from January 2007 to date.

Written Answers — Disability Act: Disability Act (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Disability Act 2005 provides, under Section 31 (4), that a Sectoral Plan shall contain a statement of the intervals at which reports shall be prepared relating to the progress made in the implementation of the plan, being at intervals of not more than 3 years from the date of publication of the plan. The Sectoral Plan for my Department was published in July 2006 and contained a...

Written Answers — Departmental Property: Departmental Property (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy will be aware the Office of Public Works (OPW) is largely responsible for the renting of properties used by Government Departments. In the time available, it has not been possible to identify and assemble the information requested. The OPW is compiling the relevant material and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: EirGrid recently completed the purchase of the Northern Ireland Transmission System Operator (SONI) from Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE). In consideration of this transaction, I decided to expand the membership of the Board of EirGrid to ensure that the board duly reflects the interests of Northern Ireland transmission system, SONI and Northern Ireland customers. The European Communities...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The total amount of money spent on paying delegates allowance to officials of my Department since its formation in June 2007 is €72,638.81. The amount paid per year is set out in the table. Year Amount € 2007 (June to Dec) 20,148.60 2008 37,372.84 2009 (to end June) 15,117.37 All the above payments were made in accordance with the relevant Department of Finance guidelines.

Written Answers — Television Licence Fee: Television Licence Fee (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Department of Social and Family Affairs operates a Household Benefits Package and those who qualify to receive this package are entitled to a free television licence. The Department of Social and Family Affairs pays the cost of these free licences to my Department. The following table sets out the amounts that the Department of Social and Family Affairs paid to my Department for each of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: My Department did not have any print jobs being carried out by companies based outside the Republic of Ireland.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: 78 schools have been selected to participate in a 100 Mbps to post primary schools pilot project. The pilot project will guide a wider roll out of broadband to post primary schools in due course and will ensure value for money is maximised. A Request for Tender (RFT) for the access element of the project (connection from the school to HEAnet's Schools Network via an appropriate service...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Policy Paper 'Next Generation Broadband – Gateway to a Knowledge Ireland', which was published on my Department's website on 22 June 2009 has, as one of its actions, the establishment of a one-stop-shop to provide service providers with flexible and open-access to existing and future State owned infrastructure suitable for telecoms services. Leveraging publicly owned ducting has the...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (7 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: My Department compiled 24 reports in the past eighteen months at a cost of €1,198,706.74. Details of the reports are in the table. It should be noted that The Grid Study and the All-Island Renewables Grid Study updated to include Demand Side Management reports were jointly commissioned by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment, Northern Ireland and the Department for...