Results 8,261-8,280 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (6 May 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan is delivering high speed broadband to every home and business in Ireland regardless of its location. This is being achieved through a partnership between Government and commercial telecommunications companies. A key element of the National Broadband Plan is the creation of a policy and regulatory environment that helps stimulate commercial investment. In 2014, the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (6 May 2015)

Alex White: Wave energy is still at the research, development and demonstration stage globally, and while promising experimental devices have been developed, further work is required to bring wave energy technology to commercial viability. Policy action across a range of areas is required to support developers in bringing ocean energy devices from prototype to full scale commerciality. This action is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Natural Gas Grid (6 May 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (6 May 2015)

Alex White: Analysis of the potential of microgeneration technologies such as small scale wind, solar (including photovoltaic) and small scale hydro, has been carried out by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The SEAI's findings, along with responses to the recent consultation on the Green Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland, will inform future policy on the provision of any market support...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (6 May 2015)

Alex White: The choice of fuel used in the plant at Moneypoint is ultimately a matter for the operator and I have no role or function in this regard. No studies have been undertaken by my Department on the potential or otherwise of converting the plant to use biomass. Furthermore, I understand that there are a number of important issues that would demand further consideration before biomass could be used...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (6 May 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: Public Sector Pensions (7 May 2015)

Alex White: The ESB General Employees’ Superannuation Scheme is the scheme through which pensions for the majority of employees in the electricity business are funded. The fund is vested in trustees nominated by ESB and its members for the sole benefit of employees and their dependents. The Scheme is a defined benefit scheme and is registered as such with the Pensions Authority (formerly the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (7 May 2015)

Alex White: Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016 as part of the National Broadband Plan. This map is available at . The areas marked BLUE represent those areas that will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end of 2016 and represents 70% of the premises in Ireland. The AMBER areas show the target areas for the State intervention and represents 30%...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (7 May 2015)

Alex White: The Government is fully committed to introducing Eircodes, the national postcode system for Ireland. The Eircode project is currently in the implementation phase and is on target to be launched this summer. Every Irish address, residential and business, will be sent a notification by post this summer with the eircode enclosed. Eircode is a major new development for Ireland and priority has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies (7 May 2015)

Alex White: Bord na Móna is facing significant business challenges in the context of the deregulation of the energy market and increasingly competitive and challenging environments across all its business areas. I understand that in order to ensure its continued success, the company is implementing a programme to transform all areas of its operations and structure, the key objective of which is to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (7 May 2015)

Alex White: Matters relating to the post office network are an operational matter for the Board and management of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (7 May 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan is delivering high speed broadband to every home and business in Ireland regardless of its location. This is being achieved through a partnership between Government and commercial telecommunications companies. The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services with...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Incentives (7 May 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. In the context of the forthcoming energy policy paper, my Department is considering the optimal fuel mix, including the role of renewable energy, for Ireland. The Green Paper on Energy Policy, inter alia, sought feedback on the role...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Policy (7 May 2015)

Alex White: The Green Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland was published in May 2014 and sets out six energy policy priorities as follows: empowering energy citizens; markets and regulation; planning and implementing essential energy infrastructure; ensuring a balanced and secure energy mix; putting the energy system on a sustainable pathway; and driving economic opportunity. The publication of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Sector Staff Increment Payments (7 May 2015)

Alex White: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. In relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department, this is an operational matter for each body. My Department will ask the relevant bodies to supply the information directly to the Deputy.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Cyberbullying Issues (7 May 2015)

Alex White: I thank Senator Lorraine Higgins for raising this matter. The pervasive use of social media together with the rise of connected mobile devices has created a new and unique set of challenges for individuals and Government. The issues are complex. The Internet is difficult to regulate and a balance must be struck between preserving freedom of expression online and protecting all our citizens...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Cyberbullying Issues (7 May 2015)

Alex White: I do not disagree with the Senator. We need to find the most appropriate instruments, which requires consideration and care as to how we proceed. I can always understand frustration over the time it can take for decisions to be made. I again draw the Senator's attention to the extensive recommendations in the ICGAG report, which is a very strong report in many respects. It requires me to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (12 May 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan is delivering high speed broadband to every home and business in Ireland regardless of its location. This is being achieved through a partnership between Government and commercial telecommunications companies.The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services with approximately...

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

Alex White: The EU's 2020 targets for emissions reduction, renewable energy and energy efficiency form a cornerstone of EU energy policy. The EU aims to deliver a 20% improvement in energy efficiency, a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions and 20% of our energy coming from renewable sources by 2020. The Government’s 2020 strategy is set firmly in the global and European contexts. Our objectives...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Bodies (12 May 2015)

Alex White: The Government, on completion of a wide ranging review of State Bodies, published its decision on the rationalisation of such Bodies in November 2012. In relation to my Department, the Ordnance Survey of Ireland (OSI) will be merged with the Property Registration Authority and the Valuation Office which will, this year, see it transfer to the Department of Justice and Equality, who are...