Results 6,121-6,140 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Seanad: Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The rate of 65% as set out in the legislation is included for a reason. Setting the rate at this level allows the Government to recover a substantial portion of the windfall gains from generators but also to ensure it avoids over-recovery of funds. The latter is a real risk because the levy is only an approximate figure of the windfall gains electricity generators are earning. The easiest...

Seanad: Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Given the legislation is limited to two and a half years, by definition I do not think it would be an annual review. It is not a multi-annual approach in the sense it is coming to an end. I imagine once a year would be reasonable in that timeframe.

Seanad: Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I thank both Senators very much indeed. I thank the Seanad for its assistance. We must have put five pieces of legislation through the Houses in the past year. That is not an insignificant number of Bills from a Department which is relatively small in Government terms. It is a large output. The Seanad had a key role to play in respect of many of them. I thank my officials for their...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (30 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of broadband services is in the first instance a matter for private sector service providers operating in Ireland's fully liberalised telecommunications market. Broadband services are provided by private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e. over telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, fibre and satellite. In cases of market failure the...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (30 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: There is no scheme called the greenhouse home energy scheme but rather two separate schemes – the Home Energy Saving (HES) Scheme and the Greener Homes Scheme (GHS). Both are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The HES Scheme, which has a capital budget allocation of €24.3 million this year, provides grant assistance to homeowners for retrofit energy...

Written Answers — Tax Audits: Tax Audits (1 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Question Nos. 258 to 260, inclusive, together. Since the establishment of my Department in 2007 there have been no: settlements with the Revenue Commissioners under Section 985B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, unprompted voluntary tax disclosures, or tax audits carried out by the Revenue Commissioners.

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (1 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not received any National Lottery funding in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jul 2010)

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. The table contains details of legal costs incurred by my Department from January 2007 to date. Any such expenditure by the bodies under the aegis...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Window replacement works are not eligible for support under the Home Energy Saving (HES) Scheme or the Warmer Homes Scheme, both administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), on behalf of my Department. The HES Scheme is open to all home owners and provides grant assistance of up to 40% for energy efficiency measures such as attic and wall insulation, very high...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Prior to the commencement of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) a detailed mapping exercise was carried out to help determine those areas that would be included in the scheme and those which, by virtue of being already substantially served by existing broadband suppliers, could not be included. EU State aid and competition rules govern how states can intervene in areas where there are...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: My Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the National Broadband Scheme ("NBS") in late December 2008. Since then, 3 has progressed its network rollout and NBS broadband services are now available in more than two-thirds of the 1,028 designated Electoral Divisions ("ED") to be covered under the Scheme. Details of all the areas to be...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The case in question concerns a specific provision in a Polish law of 2004 that prohibits a telecommunications operator with significant power from obliging an end user to subscribe to services which that end user does not require. There is no corresponding provision in Irish national legislation and therefore the Court's ruling has no implications for Ireland. Under the provisions of the...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) offers an independent complaints handling procedure for customers of telecommunications service providers. I understand from ComReg that 92% of all issues logged with its consumer care team were closed within 10 days or less in 2009. The first point of contact for any consumer complaint is the service provider. ComReg requires each...

Written Answers — Strategy Statements: Strategy Statements (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is the independent national regulatory authority for the electronic communications market in Ireland. ComReg is required by the Communications Regulation Act 2002 to adopt and publish a Strategy Statement every two years and conducts a public consultation process prior to each publication. The promotion of consumers' interests is...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I can inform the Deputy that the State Boards, agencies, regulators or other bodies under the remit of my Department are as follows: · An Post · Bord Gáis Éireann · Bord na Móna · Broadcasting Authority of Ireland · Inland Fisheries Ireland · Commission for Communications Regulation · Commission for Energy Regulation · Digital Hub Development Agency · EirGrid ·...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Codes: Broadcasting Codes (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Under the Broadcasting Act, 2009, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), which is an independent statutory organisation, has responsibility for the preparation of broadcasting codes to be observed by broadcasters, including those referred to by the Deputy. The BAI is required to present a copy of any code to the Minister as soon as may be after it is made. I have not received a copy of...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: In December 2008, my Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). The company is required to provide services, using a mix of technologies, to all fixed residences and businesses that are located within the NBS Coverage Area and who seek a service. 3 continue to progress its network rollout and NBS...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Micro-generation is currently being supported through the pilot micro-generation scheme being run by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and a domestic feed-in tariff offered by ESB under certain terms and conditions. The principal objective of the SEAI pilot programme is to investigate and test technical, market and regulatory issues associated with the installation, network...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Home Energy Saving Scheme commenced in March 2009. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland operated a limited pilot phase of the scheme in operation in 2008, but this was restricted to a few small areas, not including Cork. Based on the information provided by the Deputy, it would seem that the works were carried out long before the scheme came into operation. The rules of the...

Written Answers — Communications Regulation: Communications Regulation (6 Jul 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is responsible for monitoring emissions from telecommunications masts to ensure compliance by Electronic Communications Network operators with various conditions attached to licences issued by ComReg.