Results 6,381-6,400 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 465 and 466 together. The 78 schools chosen to participate in the 100 mbps Pilot Project have by now all received their enhanced bandwidth and have successfully migrated onto HEAnet's network. My Department, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills will now undertake both a technical and pedagogical evaluation of the Pilot Project. In line...

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Fixed line telecommunication services are provided to my Department by Eircom plc. The contract for the provision of mobile voice and data communications for the Department has been held by Vodafone since 2008. A new tender competition under the National Procurement Agencies Framework Agreement has recently been held and my Department expects to announce the results of that competition...

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Energy Services are provided to my Department by 3 energy providers. Bord Gáis provides gas to the Department's Headquarters at Adelaide Road. Energia supplies electricity to the Department's sites at Adelaide Road, Tom Johnson House in Beggars Bush and Sandyford. The ESB supplies electricity to the Department's decentralised office in Cavan. Energia, a supplier of renewable power, were...

Written Answers — Energy Bills: Energy Bills (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The primary responsibility for managing energy customer debt resides with the energy suppliers. The use of pre-payment meters facilitates better management by the customer of gas bills and thus reduces the risk of disconnection. Over the last three years, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has been working with the gas industry to make pre-payment meters more accessible for customers...

Written Answers — Trade in Conflict Minerals: Trade in Conflict Minerals (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I presume that the legislation in the United States of America to which the Deputy refers is the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act which, I understand, is a federal statute that was signed into law by President Obama on July 21, 2010. While this act is mainly concerned with the financial regulatory reform agenda of the United States Government, I understand it also...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Government policy pertaining to the electronic communications market in Ireland is set out in "Next Generation Broadband – Gateway to a Knowledge Ireland", which I published in June 2009. The policy paper sets out the Government's position that investment in broadband infrastructure is primarily a matter for the private sector, facilitated, where appropriate and possible, by Government. ...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The number of bodies under the remit of my Department that have been established since 2007 is 2. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland was established under the Broadcasting Act 2009 and replaced the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and the Broadcasting Complaints Commission. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland will be fully funded by an industry levy as set out in the Broadcasting...

Written Answers — State Companies: State Companies (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I can inform the Deputy that no new state-owned companies have been established or have come under the aegis of my Department since 2007.

Written Answers — Energy Regeneration: Energy Regeneration (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: My Department, together with Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, is completing analysis of the micro-generation and small commercial scale renewable technologies sector to evaluate options around the introduction of a Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) scheme. The purpose of the analysis is to inform the development of such a scheme by analysing tariff options, scheme terms and conditions, potential...

Written Answers — Energy Regeneration: Energy Regeneration (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: In May 2010, I announced new Renewable Energy Feed In Tariffs (REFIT) for electricity generated from biomass, ranging from 8.5 cent per kilowatt hour to 15 cent per kilowatt hour depending on the technology deployed. These tariffs include support for electricity generated from biomass co fired with peat in the three peat fired power stations. The types of biomass likely to be used for this...

Written Answers — Post Office Services: Post Office Services (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The regulation of telecommunications operators, including regulatory issues surrounding bill collection and billing by operators, is the responsibility of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) in accordance with its functions under the Communications Regulation Act 2002, as amended. Eircom has indicated to ComReg that it is in ongoing discussions with An Post on issues arising...

Written Answers — Post Office Services: Post Office Services (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The regulation of telecommunications operators, including regulatory issues surrounding bill collection and billing by operators, is the responsibility of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) in accordance with its functions under the Communications Regulation Act 2002, as amended. I understand that ComReg advised O2 that it has serious reservations about the decision by O2...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The matter referred to by the Deputy relates to the assignment of spectrum, which is a matter for the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg is the statutory body responsible for the management of spectrum in Ireland, including that used by TV services as referred to in the Deputy's question, under the Communications Regulation Act 2002. ComReg is also responsible for...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I would like to inform the Deputy that there are currently 12 civil servants e-working in my Department under the 2009-2010 e-working scheme. This represents approximately 4.5% of our overall Departmental numbers. My Department has been very proactive in the area of e-working and introduced our first e-working scheme in 2004. It is the aim of the scheme to ensure that e-working is effective...

PSO Levy (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Ireland currently has 1,459 MW of installed wind capacity which is estimated to rise to 1,703 MW by the end of the year. We are on track to reach our 2010 renewable electricity target. Ireland's target of 40% renewable electricity target by 2020 will be largely met through onshore wind under the Gate 3 process. There are three offshore wind projects totalling 800 MW of capacity in the Gate...

PSO Levy (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I am very glad to hear the Deputy's comments on the sense behind our onshore programme. Would he not agree, on that basis, to change what he has said in terms of stopping the PSO for onshore wind - concerning which he issued a statement in August - and which could create enormous devastation for the wind industry, if put into practice? I ask him to come back to me on that. As regards...

PSO Levy (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I am afraid I must disagree with the Deputy's claim because it is important in the context of the wider discussion. It is not true that we are going soft on the utility companies. We have taken around €500 million away from the profits of the ESB to bring down transmission prices and therefore prices for all energy users.

PSO Levy (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: No, for all energy users. It is important for large users in particular because that is where the jobs are and, yes, we want to support jobs. That is what we have done - not what the Deputy said. Crucially, the Deputy's proposal to stop PSOs for wind - even, as the Deputy said, on an interim basis - would have the same effect as a similar moratorium earlier in the last decade, which sent a...

PSO Levy (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: This debate is about PSO assistance.

PSO Levy (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is proposing that we stop it.