Results 8,841-8,860 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Seanad: Commencement Matters: North-South Interconnector (22 Oct 2015)

Alex White: The 400kV North-South interconnection project which is part of EirGrid's Grid25 plan to upgrade the national transmission system between now and 2025 is a critical and strategically urgent transmission reinforcement. It will remove restrictions limiting cross-Border power flows between Ireland and Northern Ireland, which will enhance cross-Border support in the event of a shortage of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: North-South Interconnector (22 Oct 2015)

Alex White: The position is that the project is at planning stage and before An Bord Pleanála. As the Senator is aware, the project has a long history. From as far back as 2007, there have been a number of processes involving and providing for consultation. When my predecessor, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, held this ministerial portfolio, he set up an expert panel to advise and to report to him and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: My Department is in regular contact with Phillips 66, the company operating the refinery at Whitegate, and officials have met recently with both management and union representatives. In the last year I have met with Irish and US executives of Phillips 66 and I visited the refinery in November 2014. My most recent engagement with union representatives was a fortnight ago. In 2013 Phillips...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Budgets (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I refer the Deputy to the tables hereunder which provide details broken down by sector of: 1. total estimated 2015 expenditure in my Department at the beginning of this year; 2. actual 2015 expenditure in my Department to the end of Q3 2015; and 3. total estimated 2016 expenditure It is not possible to provide the Deputy with a precise estimate of end year expenditure in 2015 at this point,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Lansdowne Road Agreement (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The 2016 allocation for my Department and its Agencies to meet the pay and pension increases from the Lansdowne Road Agreement is €72,000. In addition, appropriation-in-aid receipts for my Department will be reduced by €885,000 reflecting lower Pension Related (Pension Levy) deductions from salaries. The overall allocation for my Department in 2016 has increased by 4.2% compared...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: There have been 174 appointments to State Boards under the aegis of my Department in the period 7 March 2011 to date. 34 of these were from among individuals who submitted Expressions of Interest or who applied under the revised arrangements set out in the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards which were published in November 2014. It should be noted that some 48% of the appointments...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Biofuel Obligation Scheme (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1124 and 1126 together. The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all Member States a binding target that at least 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland aims to meet this target mainly through the use of sustainable biofuels with electric vehicles also making a contribution. In this regard, biofuels...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The most comprehensive address database available in the country is the postal address database, which is owned by GeoDirectory, a subsidiary company of An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland. Eircode uses the addresses from this database in the Eircode finder and used the postal address to ensure delivery of the Eircode letter. Eircode does not have the right to change postal address data on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Emergency Services Personnel (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1128 and 1129 together. BT Ireland has operated the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) on behalf of my Department under a concession agreement since July 2010 and is responsible for the conditions and resourcing of the Service. BT employ a third party contractor, Conduit Ireland Ltd, to provide operators to answer calls. Operators at ECAS call answering...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The Post Office Network Business Development Group, whose remit is to examine the potential from existing and new Government and commercial business that could be transacted through the post office network, presented its initial report to me in May 2015. In summary, the initial report outlined that the future of the post office network would be best secured by seeking out opportunities in the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Security of the Elderly (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The provision of fixed line electronic communications networks connections is undertaken on a commercial basis by competing networks providers. The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has intervened in the market and designated eir as a universal service provider of basic electronic communications connections at any fixed location, if requested. Eir is also obliged to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is a Government initiative which aims to deliver high speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland. This is being achieved through a combination of accelerated commercial investment by telecoms operators, and a proposed State intervention to provide high speed broadband to those parts of the country where the commercial sector will not invest....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bioenergy Strategy (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1133 and 1134 together. The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to achieving this target through meeting 40% of electricity demand, 12% of heat and 10% of transport from renewable sources of energy. In 2014, 8.6% of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: Eircodes are an essential piece of the national postal infrastructure, which was successfully rolled out in July 2015 with the assistance of An Post, amongst others. An Post, as universal service provider, was engaged in the design phase of the national postcode project and the Eircodes are fully integrated with An Post mails sortation systems. An Post were also heavily involved in the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: Eircode, the National Postcode System for Ireland was launched on 13 July 2015. The Eircode system is a vital piece of national infrastructure and before its introduction Ireland was the only country within the OECD that did not have a National Postcode System. A successful national information campaign was completed over the summer to inform the public about Eircodes and promote their usage....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The cost of the contract with Capita who were awarded a ten year licence to develop and maintain the postcode system is €27m. Taking consultancy costs, staffing costs and VAT the total cost of the project is estimated to be €38m over its lifetime. The total cost of the project covers design of the eircode, encoding public sector databases, accessing the GeoDirectory database,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: Section 45 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002, as amended, among other things, prohibits telecommunications services providers from imposing charges on customers for services not provided. In addition, there are more detailed consumer protection measures set out in the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Universal Service and Users’ Rights)...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I am unaware of any such reports being submitted to me or my Department.Local Authorities can play a significant role in terms of promoting and facilitating broadband investment across all of the various technology platforms. Consequently, my officials have liaised very closely with local authorities in order to keep them fully informed in relation to the development of the strategy for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Speeds (3 Nov 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: Broadband Service Provision (3 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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.On 29 September the Government approved an allocation...