Results 7,841-7,860 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.The national high-speed coverage map which I published on the 24th November...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies Remuneration (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: All directions issued by the Government in relation to remuneration of CEOs in Semi State Companies have been brought to the attention of the relevant State Companies. While the information sought by the Deputy regarding payments made to CEOs in Semi State Companies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each company, I will ask the bodies to provide this information...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Broadband Service Provision (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The Government's national broadband plan, NBP, will ensure that high-speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses in Ireland through a combination of commercial investment and State intervention. We have created the conditions in which the commercial sector is now investing €2.5 billion. This accelerated pace of investment is hugely encouraging. It is delivering...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Broadband Service Provision (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I understand the Senator's views and agree with them very much. I also agree with his general points on what is often known as the digital divide. This is an equity issue as much as anything else; it is a matter relevant to business, education, families and the efficient administration of public services. In Dingle - as in other locations around the country - broadband is an important and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Scheme ("NBS") was designed to provide access to basic broadband in parts of rural Ireland where no broadband services were available. In accordance with the EU State Aid clearance for the Scheme, the NBS contract was for a 5 year period and it expired in August 2014. The expiry of the NBS contract has not resulted in any switch-off of services and there are now...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The Government recognises the need for access to high speed broadband to be provided on a nationwide basis. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: Work is being advanced by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in conjunction with my Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, on the review of the 2006 Wind Energy Guidelines in relation to noise, proximity and shadow flicker. It is proposed to update the relevant sections of the existing Guidelines on these specific issues. It is intended...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. In order to meet this target, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: Oil in Ireland is primarily used in the transport sector and the heating sector. Oil use in electricity generation is negligible at less than 1 %. The oil market in Ireland is completely liberalised, privatised and deregulated. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission monitors the oil market to ensure that the market is functioning well and that consumers are not being...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The provision of electronic communications networks and services occurs within a fully liberalised market, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg regulates in accordance with an EU regulatory framework establishing a competitive internal EU electronic communications market. It is allowed to intervene in the competitive market to ensure at least one...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (5 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Scheme ("NBS") was designed to provide access to basic broadband in parts of rural Ireland where broadband services were deemed to be insufficient. Contrary to the assertion in the Deputy's Question, neither I nor the Government decided to cut or terminate the NBS. In accordance with the EU State Aid clearance for the Scheme, the NBS contract was for a 68 month period...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Data (5 Feb 2015)

Alex White: There are no staff from my Department or any of the agencies under the aegis of my Department working out of the building referred to in the Question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Service Obligation Levy (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy has been in place since 2001 and is the overall support mechanism for generation constructed for security of supply purposes, including peat generation, and for the development of renewable electricity. It is designed to compensate electricity suppliers for the additional costs they incur by purchasing electricity generated by these producers. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The State can only become active in the telecommunications market in cases of clear market failure. The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband and fibre optic backhaul cables are a matter, in the first instance, for the commercial players who operate in the Irish market. The Government's intervention under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: In October last year, I published a Draft Bioenergy Plan which is available on my Department’s website (www.dcenr.gov.ie). The draft Plan will undergo Strategic Environmental and Appropriate Assessments, including public consultation, which will inform the content of the finalised Plan. The analysis underpinning the draft Plan is that an additional bioenergy focused measure in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Natural Gas Grid (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is the statutory independent body charged with the assessment and licensing of prospective operators seeking to develop and operate a gas distribution system within the State. In 2006, the CER approved a new network connections policy which enabled assessment of the feasibility of connecting certain towns to the gas network. In order for any town...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: Bord na Móna is a commercial semi-state company established under Section 7 of the Turf Development Act, 1946 to produce, market and foster the production and use of turf and turf products. The company also provides products and services in the environmental, renewable energy, electricity generation and waste management business sectors. Under its “New Contract with Nature”...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Economic Data (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: My Department has an Economic Unit which is responsible for the provision of economic analysis across the Department. It retains and has access to all relevant data, including energy data, required for that purpose. Where information requests are made by way of Parliamentary Question or otherwise and where the information sought is publically available, the policy and practise of Departments...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Alex White: No, Chairman, I am happy to proceed.