Results 7,981-8,000 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (5 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I wrote to the Chairpersons of each of the commercial Semi State bodies under my aegis on 13th May stating my view that payments of Performance Related Bonuses to CEOs should cease immediately. The Chief Executive of Bord na Móna has written to the Chairman of Bord na Móna, voluntarily waiving any performance related pay for the year 2010/2011. The CEO of Bord na Móna received a...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (5 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 401 and 402 together. The operation of the fishery in question is governed by the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations (No. 2) of 2010 and the Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout (Draft Nets and Snap Nets) Bye Law No. 882, 2011. I understand that the only licensed fishing engine for commercial salmon fishing for the Ballyshannon District...

Written Answers — Ministerial Meetings: Ministerial Meetings (5 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Since my appointment on 9th March 2011, I have held seven formal meetings with the Management Advisory Committee of my Department. These took place on the following dates: - 15th of April - 29th of April - 6th of May - 13th of May - 30th of May - 10th of June - 1st of July In addition, I continuously meet with senior officials in my Department on an ongoing basis.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (5 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The matter of office rental paid, the location of offices and their landlords is a day-to-day operational issue for the agencies and sub-agencies concerned. I will have contact made with the Agencies concerned to establish if the information sought by the Deputy can be compiled after which I will be in touch with him again.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Secretary General of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources does not sit on any State agency boards.

Order of Business (6 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Deputy looked well on "Tonight with Vincent Browne". I enjoyed the programme.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (6 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The independent analysis in relation to the electricity transmission assets was carried out by Frontier Economics Limited, which was appointed to carry out the analysis following a public procurement process. The cost of the analysis was €178,500, excluding VAT. The cost was shared equally by the ESB and EirGrid and was not funded by my Department.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Provisions relating to the introduction of postcodes have been included in the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill, 2010 which is currently at Dáil Committee Stage.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The procurement process to select an organisation to implement a national postcode system is being managed by my Department on a ring-fenced basis. The extent to which the project will be drawing on capital funding in 2011 is a function of the progress of the procurement and the nature of the proposal made by the tender selected by my Department and approved by Government. As I indicated in...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (7 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department has been working with the OPW since 2008 on an energy efficiency programme in my Department's two main buildings at Adelaide Road and Tom Johnson House on Haddington Road. Among other things this has involved the installation of a new Building Management System which offers greater control over consumption of energy. As part of the project, energy awareness presentations were...

Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32 (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Would you run him yourself?

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: 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. In line with contractual obligations, services have been available in all of the 1,028 designated Electoral Divisions (ED) covered under the Scheme since October 2010. My Department has put in place robust monitoring arrangements to...

Written Answers — Prospecting Licences: Prospecting Licences (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I can inform the Deputy that my Department has not licensed hydraulic fracturing in the Upper Shannon catchment area. In February of this year, following an open competition, my Department awarded two year onshore Petroleum Licensing Options to two companies over parts of the North West Carboniferous or Lough Allen Basin. The Licensing Options are designed to allow the companies assess the...

Written Answers — Prospecting Licences: Prospecting Licences (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland's fiscal and non fiscal licensing terms for oil and gas exploration and production were last reviewed in 2007. The review, which was underpinned by independent economic analysis, considered the appropriateness of Ireland's licensing terms in comparison to other European countries that Ireland competes with for exploration investment. The outcome of that review was the introduction...

Written Answers — Natural Gas Grid: Natural Gas Grid (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The negotiation of gas contracts is a day to day operational matter for Bord Gáis Éireann and not one in which I have a function. Bord Gáis Éireann has advised me that, as set out in its annual report, it has entered into Gas Supply Contracts with the Corrib partners with the aim of securing competitive supplies for Irish customers. The terms and conditions of commercially negotiated...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 284 to 286, inclusive, together. RTÉ is responsible for the rollout and operation of the Saorview TV network. Part 8 of the Broadcasting Act 2009, sets out RTÉ's powers and responsibilities in this regard. The Act provides that RTÉ must roll out a national digital TV network to the same extent as its existing analogue network. In this regard, I...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 287 to 290, inclusive, together. The Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) has been open for applications since 9th May last and will remain open until 29th July next. An official notice regarding the launch of the Scheme was placed in the Government Notices section of the Irish Independent on the morning of the launch. In addition, a Press Release was issued to all...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy programme on behalf of my Department. The energy poverty strand of Better Energy aims to provide energy efficiency improvements to low-income homes unable to afford the cost of implementing such measures. An additional €10 million was provided for low-income housing retrofits in the recent Jobs Initiative....

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy will be aware, the performance of salmon rivers is assessed on an annual basis by the Salmon Standing Scientific Committee (SSC). The estimated number of one-sea-winter adult salmon spawners in the River Suir from 2005 to 2010 is described in the annual assessments of the SSC. Copies of the annual reports are available on the Department's website. The estimate for 2005 was...

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (12 Jul 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Chief Executive of Bord Gáis Éireann has voluntarily waived any performance related pay for the year 2010 and for the following two years, 2011 and 2012. Details of performance related payments to the Chief Executive for 2008 and 2009 are published in the company's Annual Report and Accounts for each respective year and are available on the company's website. The payment of...