Results 8,041-8,060 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

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

Alex White: The General Employees Superannuation Scheme (GESS) and associated Spouses' and Children's Contribution Pension Scheme are defined benefit schemes. The Schemes cover certain employees of Bord na Móna, mainly clerical, administrative and middle managerial staff. The schemes currently have a significant deficit. I understand that it has been agreed in principle between the company and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (25 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: Postal Codes (25 Mar 2015)

Alex White: Section 66 (3) of the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011 provides for the terms and conditions relating to the development, implementation and maintenance of the national postcode system and in particular the following: (a) The conditions subject to which the Eircodes will be made available. Organisations that plan to use Eircodes can buy a user licence whereby they pay a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Contracts (25 Mar 2015)

Alex White: I am not in a position to provide the Deputy with the information sought as the details provided are not sufficient to enable my Department to provide an accurate and complete reply.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Bodies Data (25 Mar 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 200 together. There are 18 State Bodies, including Regulatory Authorities, under the aegis of my Department, the majority of which are not funded directly by the taxpayer as they are either commercial semi-State companies or are funded by industry levies. Some bodies also generate their own revenue in addition to being funded by the Exchequer. I am,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Legislative Process (26 Mar 2015)

Alex White: To date there have been no Bills initiated in my Department that have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutinyprocedure in the Oireachtas, which was introduced with effect from November, 2013. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications will be meeting with my Department in April to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny in relation to the Minerals Development Bill. There...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies (26 Mar 2015)

Alex White: As I indicated in my reply to Questions 185 and 186 of 20 February last, these are operational matters for Ervia and not an area in which I have any role or function. I understand that the company has written to the Deputy in recent days to arrange a meeting in order to provide a comprehensive briefing on the pay model and exactly how it is applied in the company.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Efficiency (26 Mar 2015)

Alex White: Improving energy efficiency in the public sector offers a key opportunity to reduce both public expenditure and harmful emissions, while improving value for money and public service delivery. This is why a target of improving public sector energy efficiency by 33% by 2020 has been set as part of Ireland's National Energy Efficiency Action Plan. Public lighting is one of the larger areas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Cyber Security Policy (26 Mar 2015)

Alex White: As with other countries, Ireland's information society increasingly relies upon the Internet and Internet based services to conduct everyday business. The State, critical infrastructure, businesses and citizens depend upon the reliable functioning of information and communication technologies and of the Internet. Any significant disruption to these systems, regardless of the cause, poses a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: North-South Interconnector (26 Mar 2015)

Alex White: I am advised that in June 2014 EirGrid provided the Independent Expert Panel with a description of the comparative analysis carried out by EirGrid of the underground cable and the overhead line options considered for the North South project. This description included information specifically requested by the Panel in respect of EirGrid's consideration of the suitability of public roads as a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Contracts Data (26 Mar 2015)

Alex White: My Department has not awarded any contracts to the company referred to in the Deputy's question since the establishment of the Department in 2007. It is not possible from the information supplied to fully confirm whether a contract was awarded to a joint bid or consortium including the said company. Only the lead contractor in such a case would appear on the Department's financial records...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Warmer Homes Scheme Eligibility (31 Mar 2015)

Alex White: I refer to the reply to Question No 927 of 24 March, 2015. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme Administration (31 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The Deputy will have noted in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 190 of 1 October 2014 that the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Programme on behalf of my Department and that I have no function in relation to individual grant applications or appeals. Queries in relation to individual applications are an operational matter for the SEAI and a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Tax Reliefs Availability (31 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. The schemes operate by guaranteeing a minimum price for renewable energy generation over a 15 year period. The technologies supported include onshore wind energy, hydroelectricity, landfill gas, waste-to-energy and biomass...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (31 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The 2012 EU Energy Efficiency Directive imposes an obligation on Member States to achieve energy savings each year from 2014 to 2020 of 1.5% of the amount of energy sold annually to final customers. The Directive also requires the involvement of energy distributors and retailers in meeting this obligation In Ireland's case, achieving this target requires annual energy savings of 1,102...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Services (31 Mar 2015)

Alex White: Operational matters, including the automation of post offices, are a matter for the Board and Management of An Post. However, it is Government policy that An Post is in a position to provide a high quality postal service and while changes in technology and customer preferences present significant challenges, they also provide opportunities to innovate. Post offices were fully computerised...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Efficiency (31 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The EU has set a target of a 20% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020. While the target is not binding, implementation of a comprehensive range of measures set out in the 2012 Energy Efficiency Directive is obligatory and supports the rationale for a national energy improvement target of 20%. This target is equivalent to 31,925 Gigawatt hours (GWh) and includes a target of 33% for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Internet Safety (31 Mar 2015)

Alex White: This Government is committed to our citizens’ safety both on and offline. It is important that there is a cohesive Government response to coordinating this regulatory function and my Department is at the forefront of this response. In late 2013, an independent, expert Internet Content Governance Advisory Group (the ICGA Group) was established to report to the then Minister on a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (31 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The EirGrid Smart Grid Strategy addresses the power system challenges of the large scale deployment of new technologies – both new energy sources and new energy uses - and is not broken down into individual county initiatives. In developing the electricity grid, EirGrid works to ensure that the latest Smart Grid technologies are deployed to enhance the overall efficiency and capability...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Gas Grid (31 Mar 2015)

Alex White: The development and expansion of the natural gas network is in the first instance a commercial matter for Gaslink, which is mandated under Section 8 of the Gas Act 1976, as amended, to develop and maintain a national system for the supply of natural gas that is both economical and efficient. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), is statutorily responsible for all aspects of the...