Results 8,661-8,680 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Petroleum Exploration: Petroleum Exploration (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department's goal is to maximise the benefits to Ireland from exploration for and production of our indigenous oil and gas resources, while ensuring that activities are conducted safely and with due regard to their impact on the environment and other land/sea users. Exploration for oil and gas in Ireland, in common with most other jurisdictions, is carried out under licence from the State....

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The policy approach in regard to the imposition of programming obligations on broadcasters is set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009. In the case of commercial radio broadcasters, in submitting their initial licensing applications to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), they put forward commitments in regard to how they will deal with a range of broadcast issues including public...

Written Answers — Energy Prices: Energy Prices (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not have a statutory function in the setting of energy prices, whether in the regulated or unregulated market. Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory body. Prices in the retail electricity market are now fully deregulated since 4 April 2011. Prices in the...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation Schemes: Energy Conservation Schemes (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Better Energy: Warmer Homes delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to households which are vulnerable to energy poverty. The scheme is managed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and delivered through a range of Community Based Organisations (CBOs), augmented by a panel of private contractors. The measures installed include attic and cavity wall insulation, draught...

Written Answers — Electric Vehicles: Electric Vehicles (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 324 together. The ESB has, to date, installed 160 home charge points and 132 public charge points, 9 of which are fast chargers. Its target is to have 201 public charge points, of which 14 will be fast charge points, rolled out by the end of 2011. The overall target of 1,500 public charge points related to progress on sales of electric vehicles,...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I can inform the Deputy that the number of staff employed in my Department for the years requested is shown on the following table: 2008 2009 2010 2011 (to date) Staff Number 298 271 263 262

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: REFIT 3 is designed to support a range of technologies including Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Anaerobic Digestion as well as for co-firing of biomass in the peat power plants. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that earlier this month my Department received the State Aid clearance decision from DG Competition for the REFIT 3 biomass technologies application. Government approval is...

Written Answers — Helpline Numbers: Helpline Numbers (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The European Commission published a decision in February 2007 reserving the number range beginning "116" for harmonised services of social value. The concept of "same number – same service" envisages a specific socially important service accessible through the same 116 number regardless of which Member State the caller is in. The number 116123 has been designated for use for emotional...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Legislation: Broadcasting Legislation (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is established as an independent statutory body under the Broadcasting Act 2009. Part 3 of the 2009 Act also outlines the codes governing standards and practice to be observed by broadcasters. The Compliance Committee of the BAI is charged under the Act with ensuring that all broadcasters, whether public or private, comply with their licence...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: There were twenty-six petroleum exploration licences granted since 2001, of these sixteen are still active. Oil and gas discoveries have been made in respect of four of these licences to date. Three of the discoveries were in the North Celtic Sea Basin and one in the Slyne Basin. None of the discoveries has been declared commercial to date. Applications for lease undertakings in respect of...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 330 and 331 together. The telecommunications market in Ireland has been fully liberalised since 1999 and, since then, has seen the steady growth and development of strong well-regulated competition in the provision of the full range of telecommunications products and services which are broadly capable of meeting the current needs of telecommunications...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Telecommunications services in Ireland including broadband services are provided by private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e. over telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, fibre and satellite. ComReg's website www.callcosts.ie provides detailed information on the various private sector telecommunications products and services available on a county by county...

Written Answers — Mobile Telephony: Mobile Telephony (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The provision of mobile phone networks and services is undertaken by telecommunications service providers who operate in a fully liberalised market. The regulation of telecommunications service providers, including regulatory issues surrounding mobile phone network coverage and quality, is the responsibility of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) in accordance with its...

Written Answers — Social Media: Social Media (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: As Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, I have policy responsibility for certain matters, including, for example, communications infrastructure. However, I should highlight that I do not have responsibility for all activities that use such infrastructure. I have no function in the matter of regulating social media. I understand, however, that the Data Protection...

Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011, which was enacted in August 2011, has put in place a robust and appropriate regulatory framework for the postal services market, which will offer certainty and protection to An Post, the designated universal postal service provider, its competitors, and postal service users. While I have overall responsibility for the postal sector,...

Written Answers — Energy Prices: Energy Prices (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Energy policy objectives for Ireland and the European Union are delivering security of supply and reducing the impact of competitive energy costs for consumers and business, through the development of renewable energy resources, enhanced energy efficiency and greater competition. National and EU energy policy objectives are also informed by the critical work of the International Energy...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Directive 2009/28/EC imposes a legally binding target on Ireland for the share of renewable energy in all energy consumed by 2020. Ireland's target is for 16% of all energy to be from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland has set targets of 40% electricity, 12% heating/cooling and 10% transport fuel to be from renewables by 2020. The combined effect of these sectoral targets is commensurate...

Written Answers — Departmental Legal Costs: Departmental Legal Costs (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy will be aware my Department was established in 2007, and I can advise that my Department made the following settlements, with costs shown where available, from 2007 to date. No confidentiality clauses were attached to the agreements. An out of court settlement in 2007, for a sum of €35,000, was made with a company which carried out a software upgrade for the Department. In...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: In the time available, it has not been possible to identify and assemble the information requested. I can however advise that the information as it relates to Agencies under the aegis of the Department is a day to day operational matter for the agencies themselves. The information in respect of the Department is being identified and assembled and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licences: Aquaculture Licences (30 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: In January of this year the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources issued an instruction to Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to avoid the intensification of the Oyster Fishery until such time as Appropriate Assessments have been carried out in accordance with the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations, SI no 477 of 2011. Under those regulations, such...