Results 8,481-8,500 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Order for Report Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I agree with Deputy Moynihan that we must exercise considerable care with regard to the data protection implications of any legislation such as this. I do so, and have done so, and I regard it as being of considerable importance. Section 66C(2) of the Bill clarifies that section 6A of the Data Protection Act 1988, which relates to the processing of personal data which is likely to cause...

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: In relation to the point Deputy Catherine Murphy made on what is happening in the UK, the Eircode system will be of considerable benefit to the emergency services. That has been made very clear to me by them. I understand the Deputy's point about the difficulty in proving damage in any complaints system. When one brings forward a complaint, one must know or at least have a strong suspicion...

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: As we are discussing amendments Nos. 3 to 10, inclusive, together, I will deal with them accordingly. The complaints procedure set out in the Bill refers to the process which owners or occupiers of property can follow in the case of a postcode-related complaint. The complaints procedure is set out in the postcodes contractor's code of practice. The postcode contractor has consulted with...

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I thank the Deputies. There is always a very important debate to be had about which elements of public services, if any, should be outsourced to the private sector, and which should continue to be carried out directly by the public sector. This issue arises in all kinds of areas, as the Deputy rightly says. Education is still principally carried out and funded directly by the State. I...

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I will certainly assist the Deputy. He had asked me this on Committee Stage and I have also given these answers on Second Stage. I do not have all the material available in order to put it on the record again but I will make sure the Deputy gets that information today.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: In March 2014 international sectoral experts Wood Mackenzie were engaged to provide independent expert advice on the "fitness-for-purpose" of Ireland's fiscal terms, such advice to focus on what level of fiscal gain is achievable for the State and its citizens and, equally important, on the mechanisms best suited to produce such a gain. Having received and considered Wood Mackenzie’s...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Postcode System (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: Capita Business Support Services Ireland were awarded a 10 year contract in December 2013 to develop and implement the National Postcode System. The design for the System was approved by Government in April, 2014 and the 'Eircode' brand was also launched at that stage. The project is currently in the implementation phase and due to go live this July. The dissemination phase will then commence...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Postcode System (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258, 259, 266 and 267 together. My Department commenced a procurement process for a National Postcode System in 2011. An open and competitive procurement process was conducted in accordance with Department of Finance and EU procurement frameworks. A pre-qualification questionnaire was issued on on January 2011. This invited interested parties to tender for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Correspondence (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: In accordance with the terms of the Public Service Agreement on the use of shared services my Department currently has the management of its email function outsourced to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has email filtering in place, which deletes incoming emails that are categorised as being viruses, malware or spam. In...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The six point action plan by the Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) aligns with this Government’s consistent message that a strong, modern and commercially viable post office network, that is responsive to changing consumer choices, is essential for urban and rural communities alike. I established the Post Office Network Business Development Group earlier this year, on which the IPU...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: Electricity from biomass, including co-firing with peat, is already supported through the Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) schemes. Furthermore, the Draft Bioenergy Plan, published in October last year and which is available on my Department’s website, recommended the continuation of REFIT 3 and that the scheme would be kept under review to ensure the most cost effective way to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Gas Networks Ireland (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The development and expansion of the natural gas network is in the first instance a commercial matter for Gas Networks Ireland (GNI), formerly 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (24 Jun 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. Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. The map...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Postcode System (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The Postcode Contractor, Capita, who have been awarded the contract to develop and implement the postcodes project, propose to launch eircodes within the next few weeks. My Department have been advised by Capita that they have no plans to launch an alternative code along the lines outlined in the Question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (24 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The design of the Eircode followed a public procurement process. During that process a range of options for the postcode structure were evaluated. That evaluation process, together with stakeholder engagement which preceded the procurement, helped inform the format of the Eircode design. In accordance with the terms of the contract for the development and implementation of the project, a...

Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The HSE has advised-----

Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2015)

Alex White: -----that due to consultant staff shortages, a number of rheumatology outpatient clinics in Galway University Hospital are being postponed during the months of July and August this year. New appointments will be scheduled as soon as possible and urgent patients will continue to be seen. Clinics in Manorhamilton will continue as normal. The hospital has issued a statement, as one would...

Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I echo that. There are currently three consultants in Galway University Hospital covering outpatient clinics, a day ward service in Merlin Park, and an emergency medical intake and a consult service at Galway University Hospital. A locum consultant will take up a post in September, an extra consultant for Galway University Hospital will take up a post in October 2015, and an additional...

Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2015)

Alex White: When extra medical staff are in place, the extra outpatient clinics will have to be held and will be held. Emergency patients will continue to be seen on a case-by-case basis. The national recruitment service is actively recruiting hospital staff and consultant posts are continually being approved for filling. That is what is happening at the moment in terms of the response. The HSE has...