Results 7,881-7,900 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (15 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland remains critically dependent on imported fossil fuels, particularly oil and natural gas. This dependency underlines the immediate and long term imperatives of enhancing energy security, mitigation of price volatility and increasing energy sustainability. National energy policy objectives are in line with overall EU policy objectives and are informed by the ongoing analytical work of...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (15 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 384 together. I receive a report from the ESB under Section 10 of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act 1961 (No 2 of 1961) on an annual basis, which advises me on the management of fisheries under its jurisdiction, including the Ballyshannon Hatchery. As is the case with all ESB Fisheries, the Ballyshannon Hatchery is managed in consultation with...

Written Answers — Onshore Exploration: Onshore Exploration (15 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: In February of this year, following a detailed evaluation of applications received in the 2010 onshore licensing competition, my Department offered onshore Petroleum Licensing Options to three companies over parts of the North West Carboniferous Basin and the Clare Basin. The Licensing Options are designed to allow the companies assess the natural gas potential of their acreage largely based...

Order of Business (16 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Good wishes.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (16 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The proposed REFIT support scheme, which is aimed at supporting the use of biomass in electricity generation and heat production, was submitted to the EU Commission in Brussels for State Aid clearance in November 2010. My Department has been in regular contact with the Commission on this matter and is confident that the final stages of the clearance process by the Commission have been reached.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (16 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: 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. Details of broadband services...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (16 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: 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. Details of broadband services...

Postal Services (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The role of developing commercial strategies for the post office network is a matter for the board and management of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. The legislation establishing An Post, the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 requires the company to provide counter services for its own and Government business, and other uses that the company sees fit. ...

Postal Services (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I agree that anything that enhances the viability of the post office network is worthy of consideration. However, winning Government contracts perhaps ought not be the first focus of An Post from here on out because increasingly more Government business is going online and that will have its own implications. There is no reason An Post ought not be able to win new commercial contracts....

Postal Services (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am all in favour of An Post getting business wherever it can since it has the most extensive retail presence in the country. From memory, it has 1,345 post offices. I can recall no other organisation that has such a network nationwide. As to the matter the Deputy is pursuing, one can already get one's tax online. I am happy to speak to my colleagues about the issue formally. I have...

Broadcasting Legislation (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 30 together. The genesis of the report of the advisory group on media mergers was the establishment of an advisory group by the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in 2008 to review the current legislative framework regarding the public interest aspects of media mergers in Ireland. The advisory group was specifically asked to examine the...

Broadcasting Legislation (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I have had initial discussions on this matter with my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton. While broadcast and related media are the responsibility of the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, print media and mergers are the responsibility of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Deputy Ross referred to the report on...

Broadcasting Legislation (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Ross's question raises broader issues than those which come within my responsibilities in that it encompasses a question in regard to plurality in the media. Deputy Ó Cuív asked how soon the legislation will be brought forward. The legislation will be brought forward by my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton. I imagine it is a technical and...

Broadcasting Legislation (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: We are not talking about the medium or long term in terms of tidying up this area. The Bill will be before the House in a reasonable time. However, if what Deputy Ross fears or anticipates happens, then current powers ought to be adequate if the political will exists to intervene. In my direct experience going back over the years, it is political will that has been absent. Although there...

Energy Exploration (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: In recent years there has been renewed interest in targeting the natural gas resource potential of the onshore north-west carboniferous or Lough Allen basin. This potential had been identified in earlier exploration but was not considered commercially viable at the time. In February of this year, following an open competition, my Department awarded two two-year onshore petroleum licensing...

Energy Exploration (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am aware there are concerns in the United States about the process to which Deputy Ferris refers. When this matter first came to my attention, I did not appreciate that the work going on consisted largely of desktop studies of existing data. Therefore, the notion one could fall into a terrible hole around Lough Allen is not exactly in accord with what is happening. I am also aware that a...

Energy Exploration (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I would be as concerned as the Deputy if the fallout in this case was as he fears. I believe we are a very long way from that and I assure people who live in the area that this is not the case. I am aware there are concerns in the United States and that the French Parliament not long ago banned the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, as Deputy Ferris refers to it. There are...

Telecommunications Services (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am happy to report that thanks to a combination of significant private and public investment in broadband provision, the vast majority of premises here, including many hard-to-reach rural premises, can now avail of at least a basic broadband service. The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband services, is a matter in the first instance for private sector service...

Telecommunications Services (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am aware of the Deputy's interest in the subject because he has been in contact with me on more than one occasion about it. I am fairly convinced that we will have 99% penetration if not by the end of this year, certainly by next year. The problem, as he pointed out, often relates to the last mile and often relates to the bandwidth and speeds rather than the availability of basic...

Telecommunications Services (21 Jun 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: My conversion to the merits of private sector involvement in this area is as nothing compared with the conversion that has befallen the Deputy since he went into opposition. He seems to expect that in 14 weeks I can remedy the mistakes his governments made in 14 years, which is stretching it a bit.