Results 8,681-8,700 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte
- Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (30 Nov 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: The Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff (REFIT) operates by guaranteeing minimum prices for electricity output from various categories of renewable technology over a 15 year period and is funded through the Public Service Obligation levy. Under Directive 2009/28/EC (the Renewable Energy Directive), Ireland has been set a legally binding target for renewable energy as a share of consumption by...
- Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (30 Nov 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: The Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff (REFIT) operates by guaranteeing minimum prices for electricity output from various categories of renewable technology over a 15 year period and is funded from the Public Service Obligation levy. Electricity that is eligible for REFIT payments is exported metered generation as set out in Statutory Instrument 532 of 2010 and defined in section 4.2 of the...
- Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (30 Nov 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: The Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) was a series of 6 competitive tender schemes to support new renewable generation that were run from the mid 1990s to the mid 2000s. AER was subsequently replaced by the feed in tariff scheme known as REFIT. At the time that State Aid clearance was being sought from the European Commission for REFIT 1 in 2007, DG Competition inserted a clause in the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Websites: Departmental Websites (30 Nov 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: My Department maintains the 11 websites that are listed in the table below. The total cost of maintaining these websites including technical maintenance, ongoing development and hosting charges from January 2011 to date, is â¬197,235. Site Name Average number of hits per month www.tellusborder.eu 275 www.mineralsireland.ie 1300 www.gsi.ie 13,700 www.gsishop.ie 350...
- Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (30 Nov 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: The 'Gate' process was established by the Commission for Energy Regulation following extensive public consultation. It is a group processing approach (GPA) towards the processing and issuance of grid connection offers to renewable generators whereby applications for connections are processed in batches rather than individually. Within these Gates, applications are further divided into...
- Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (30 Nov 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: The Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) are a "middle mile" solution meaning that they provide the network connection between the local access delivered in towns by service providers and national backhaul networks, which carry the traffic from the MANs to the central points of international connectivity. In the case of the Skibbereen MAN, e|net (the Management Service Entity for the MANs) has...
- Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (1 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: RTÃ is an independent national public service broadcaster whose remit and obligations are set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009. Section 114 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 states the principal objects and associated powers of RTÃ and Section 98 provides that it shall be independent in the pursuance of these objects, subject to the requirements of the Act. As such I, as Minister, have no...
- Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (1 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to roll out a Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS) energy retrofit scheme after 2013. Such a scheme would substitute Exchequer funding currently being provided to the Better Energy Programme. The PAYS concept is an innovative financing mechanism that would allow consumers to finance upgrades directly through the energy savings generated. My Department...
- Written Answers — National Postcode System: National Postcode System (1 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: The procurement process to select an organisation to implement a National Postcode System was launched in January 2011 with the publication of a pre-qualification Questionnaire on www.etenders.gov.ie. This process is still ongoing. The final decision to proceed with implementation of a national postcode will be one for Government and will be based on appropriate financial, technical and...
- Written Answers — Exploration Licences: Exploration Licences (1 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: Petroleum exploration in Ireland, in common with most other jurisdictions, is carried out by private enterprise under licence from the State. Petroleum exploration authorisations are issued under the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960 and the operational framework is set out in the Licensing Terms for Oil and Gas Exploration, Development & Production 2007. I am aware that...
- Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (1 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: My Department has recently received State Aid clearance in respect of the REFIT (Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff) for electricity from biomass technologies including Anaerobic Digestion. Government approval is currently being sought to open the scheme and once this has been obtained, the scheme will be formally launched and open for applications. ESB has been operating a micro-generation...
- Budget Statement 2012 (6 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: The Deputy is speaking to yesterday's statements.
- Written Answers — Energy Projects: Energy Projects (6 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 49 of 29 November 2011. This matter, currently under consideration by the Commission for Energy Regulation, is a highly complex regulatory question given not least the implications for gas and electricity business and domestic consumers. As I previously advised, the CER's ongoing deliberative process in this regard is at a very advanced stage...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: I can provide the Deputy with information in relation to the Warmer Homes and eInclusion Schemes. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers Better Energy: Warmer Homes on behalf of my Department, which is delivered through a range of Community Based Organisations (CBOs), augmented by a panel of private contractors. The energy poverty strand of Better Energy aims to...
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (6 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: Geothermal energy is a new area of legislative endeavour which will create a legislative framework to facilitate the exploration for and development of geothermal energy resources. It will provide significant support to the geothermal energy sector with considerable security of tenure for potential investors. The Bill sets out an approach to the licensing of exploration for, and...
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (6 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: Natural gas plays a key role in Ireland's economy and fuels around 60 per cent of national power generation. The Government is committed to actions to ensure security of gas supply and the delivery of essential and timely investments in Ireland's energy infrastructure. It is also committed to continuing to actively encourage private sector interest in investing in gas storage. Offshore gas...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (6 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: In the time available, it has not been possible to compile the information requested by the Deputy. Officials within my Department are continuing to compile the data relevant to the request and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (6 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: As VAT is a tax on expenditure incurred it is not possible to accurately predict the effect of a 2% increase in the standard rate. However, based on my Department's standard rate VAT cost for the last twelve month period, a 2% increase would result in an additional cost of â¬36,000 per annum.
- Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (6 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: I believe stakeholder involvement is crucial to ensure the conservation of our salmon stocks. In that context Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) operated a successful pilot scheme in 2011 whereby funds were made available to angling clubs and voluntary organisations for projects to facilitate the rehabilitation of salmon stocks. The scheme has proven to enhance habitat, knowledge and ultimately...
- Written Answers — Electricity Supply: Electricity Supply (6 Dec 2011)
Pat Rabbitte: ESB is an independent commercial State body and the matter referred to by the Deputy arises from ESB operational matters in which I have no function.