Results 8,001-8,020 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Collection (11 Mar 2015)

Alex White: An Post is charged with the role of “issuing agent” in respect of the collection and administration of television licence fees in accordance with the provisions of section 145 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. An Post receives a portion of licence fee as commission in exchange for its activities as the Minister's issuing and collecting agent for TV licences. The amount paid to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Projects (11 Mar 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 deployment of biomass for renewable electricity support is primarily supported through the REFIT 3 scheme. The scheme includes a higher rate for the use of biomass in a combined heat and power facility (CHP) which is a generator that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (11 Mar 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 152 together. The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020, to be achieved through 40% renewables in electricity, 12% in heat and 10% in transport. In 2013, 7.8% of Ireland’s overall energy requirement was met by renewable energy. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Nuclear Plants (11 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The 2014 Green Paper on Energy Policy covers a broad range of energy issues, including an exploration of all possible fuel options, for securing a balanced, sustainable and secure energy mix. It is in this context that the current discussions on Ireland's future energy policy and fuel mix are taking place. The use of nuclear fission for the generation of nuclear power is statutorily...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: There are a number of sources of European Union funding that could be available for renewable energy projects led by commercial sector developers, including commercial semi-State companies. These sources include the Connecting Europe Facility, European Structural and Investment Funds, and the recently announced European Fund for Strategic Investment. These funds are available to major...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Internet Safety (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: As Minister for Communications, I fully support an open Internet that ensures equal access to all content and applications, free from discriminatory practices based on price. At present there is currently no legal impediment to operators blocking access to internet content. However, this, however, is being addressed at EU level, where net neutrality provisions form part of the proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: Investment in telecommunications technology is primarily a matter for industry, which operates in a liberalised market. The provision of mobile telephony services, is subject to a requirement to secure access to the required radio spectrum by way of licence. The management of the radio spectrum is a statutory function of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) under the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Implementation (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The Renewable Electricity Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) schemes are the principal means of supporting renewable electricity generators for renewable energy exported to the grid. These schemes support electricity generated from a range of renewable sources, including small scale hydro, biomass and wind. Based around Power Purchase Agreements between generators and electricity suppliers, REFIT schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (12 Mar 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (12 Mar 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The overarching objective of Ireland's energy policy is to ensure secure, sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. As a State we have ambitious targets for 16% of our energy from renewable sources by 2020 through meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources, with 10% renewables in transport and 12% in heat. In 2013, 7.8% of Ireland’s overall...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (12 Mar 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The management of the radio spectrum is a statutory function of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) under the Communications Regulation Act, 2002 as amended. Licences issued by ComReg apply terms and conditions on Mobile Network Operators, such as quality of service and minimum population coverage obligations. As Minister for Communications, one of my key objectives is to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Production (12 Mar 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 Government’s strategy for the exploitation of the State’s natural hydrocarbon resources aims to maximise the level of exploration activity and increase the level of production activity, while ensuring a fair return to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources, with 10% for transport and 12% for heat. In 2013, 5.7% of heat demand was met by energy from renewable sources. There are a number of renewable heat technologies...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The information sought by the Deputy is available in the public domain. The EirGrid Smart Grid Dashboard (publicly available on EirGrid’s smart grid dashboard website at ) sets out the System Generation fuel mix and net imports across the power system in the all-island wholesale electricity market (SEM). It shows the average fuel mix for the last 24 hours, the last week and the last...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The fall in oil and gas prices on international markets, although referenced at recent meetings between energy ministers, has not been a specific topic of discussion. One of the main ways that competitiveness is addressed at a European level is through ensuring that the EU has well-functioning, liberalised energy markets. This is seen as the most effective means to deliver energy to consumers...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (12 Mar 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 294 together. It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high quality postal service and maintain a nationwide network of customer focused post offices in the community. Under the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011, An Post is statutorily required, as the designated...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Warmer Homes Scheme Eligibility (24 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to deliver energy efficiency measures to low income home owners experiencing energy poverty. Measures available include draught proofing, attic insulation, lagging jackets for hot water tanks, low energy light bulbs and cavity wall insulation. These energy efficient upgrades are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Policy (24 Mar 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 928 and 934 together. The Whitegate Refinery is operated by a private company, Phillips 66. The company recently sold the Whiddy Island oil storage facilities in Bantry to Zenith Energy Ireland Limited but continue to operate the refinery at Whitegate. The company has confirmed that no decision has yet been taken in respect of its future. In July 2013, a...