Results 7,681-7,700 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Currently, there is a whole-of-Government review under the auspices of the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy exploring the scope for providing additional public services and securing new lines of business through the post office network. At the October meeting of the Cabinet Committee, approval was conveyed for the establishment of a business development group to examine potential...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Sector Staff Redeployment (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: No staff have transferred into my Department from Government Departments in County Waterford or have transferred to other Departments in that county in the past five years. The information sought by the Deputy regarding staff in Agencies under the aegis of the Department is an operational matter for each Agency. I will, therefore, request the relevant Agencies to reply directly to the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postcode Implementation (17 Dec 2014)

Alex White: A National Postcode Project Cost Benefit Analysis was prepared initially in 2006 and updated in 2010 just prior to the commencement of the procurement process. These documents are published on the Department’s website . The Department is putting in place a framework under which costs and benefits associated with the project will continue to be systematically assessed as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: International Agreements (17 Dec 2014)

Alex White: My Department has no direct role in the implementation of the Istanbul Convention. I understand that the Minister for Justice and Equality has written to a number of Departments on this issue; my Department was not amongst those Departments who were contacted.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Cyber Bullying Issues (17 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I refer to the reply to Question No. 25 of 11 December 2014. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Climate Change Negotiations (17 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I had no discussions on hydraulic fracturing during my participation in the recent climate change conference. At a national level the position remains as outlined to the House on a number of occasions, no decisions will be made on any proposal for the use of hydraulic fracturing in exploration drilling as part of an unconventional gas exploration programme, until there has been time to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Reports (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: My Department published its Annual Report for 2013 in July last. The report is available in both Irish and English on my Department's website, .

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 569 together. I and my predecessor have outlined a number of times to this House the important changes in relation to appointments to State Boards which this government made from the outset to widen the opportunity to participate at State Board level. At its meeting of 30 September, the Government announced a revised model for appointments to State...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Programmes (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The Statement of Government Priorities 2014 to 2016 sets out clear and ambitious targets to build on the achievements of the last three years and to broaden and deepen the economic and social recovery and improve the living standards of our citizens. Energy and broadband connectivity are amongst the most strategic sectors of the Irish economy and are clearly reflected in the strategy for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Career Breaks (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Career Break period 0 - 6 Months 6 - 12 months 1 - 2 years 2-3 years 4 - 5 years 5 years plus Number of staff 2 2 2 2 0 0

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Company Event Date Event Cost Mr Kieran Clancy (freelance photographer) 24 November 2014 National Broadband Plan Mapping Consultation, Doolin, Co Clare €282 ex. VAT Photographers are booked for the purpose of recording key events attended by Ministers, such as the launch of schemes and programmes, new...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Relations Contracts Data (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 566 and 578 together. My Departmental remit includes complex policy areas, oversight of State regulation and service provision across key strategic services such as energy and public broadcasting, and regulation of sectors such as mining and hydrocarbon exploration. Given the technical complexity, economic significance and community interest in these areas,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 567 and 568 together. My Department has not incurred any expenditure on external IT consultants in the years in question. The Information Systems Division of my Department, does however, have contracts with six IT companies for the provision of ICT personnel, who are classed as contractors rather than consultants. The amount spent under this heading is as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Freedom of Information Data (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following tables: Number of FOI Requests 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Received 52 55 54 70 39 72 Granted 22 17 9 16 2 *2 Part -Granted 12 22 21 23 13 *27 Refused 9 11 4 22 9 21 While the table includes all requests recieved, those requests withdrawn prior to decision are not included. Hence the variance between the total...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Consultancy Contracts Data (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Details of the external reports commissioned by my Department are set out in tabular form below.My Department administers a very diverse, complex and extremely technical brief across criticical and strategic sectors of the Irish Economy. While it has a total complement of around 250 full time equivalent staff of whom a number are technical personnel, the technical, commercial, legal...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The table below outlines the amount paid in subsistence and taxi payments in my Department from 2011 to date. 2011 (000) 2012 (000) 2013 (000) 2014 (to date) (000) Subsistence payments 197 214 187 191 Taxi payments 24 26 35 30 All travel and subsistence payments made to staff in my Department are made in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Legal Costs (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: My Department administers a very diverse and complex brief. Its remit includes oversight of very complex policy areas and direct procurement of major services where protection of the State’s interest must be paramount. This situation necessarily requires my Department to procure specialist external professional advice in legal areas to enable it to discharge its responsibility to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: While I am aware of the forthcoming changes in relation to the employment status of the Chairman of An Post, I am assured that this will not affect the carrying out by the Chairman of his current role in relation to An Post. The current arrangements will continue to apply and any future practical or operational arrangements will be a matter for the Board and the company to settle if or when...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Oil Reserves Agency (14 Jan 2015)

Alex White: The National Oil Reserves Agency’s (NORA) financial statements (2008-2013) are publicly available at NORA is audited annually by the C&AG. The NORA levy is payable on all disposals of oil, not just on petrol and diesel, with the exception of the specified exemptions. The NORA levy was increased from 1 cent to 2 cent per litre on 1 October 2009. In respect of the period...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (14 Jan 2015)

Alex White: It is Government policy that An Post should remain a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high-quality postal service and maintain a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community. Following a review under the auspices of the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy, a Post Office Network Business Development Group is being established to explore the...