Results 8,861-8,880 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

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

Alex White: I welcome the recent agreement of the European Parliament and the Council of an EU Regulation, which among other things, provides for the abolition of retail roaming charges within the EU from June 2017. This will make a strong statement to EU citizens about a single and unified EU where barriers to trade and travel are minimised. As an interim measure, the Regulation will further reduce...

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

Alex White: The arrangements that apply in relation to career breaks in the Civil Service are outlined in current Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 4/2013 - Career Break Scheme in the Civil Service. Any employees in my Department who have taken a career break or returned to work following a career break have done so in line with the relevant guidelines set out in this Circular. A...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (4 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 (4 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254, 257 and 258 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (4 Nov 2015)

Alex White: 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. The Biofuels Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 as the primary means...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bord na Móna (4 Nov 2015)

Alex White: Bord na Móna is a commercial State company operating under the Turf Development Acts 1946 to 1998. The matter raised by the Deputy is operational in nature and not one in which I, as Minister, have any function. I have noted the decision of the High Court in this matter. Separately, I understand that there are matters before An Bord Pleanála relevant to this issue. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (4 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The High Speed Broadband Map 2016, published on 24th November 2014 () was developed by my Department to establish the National Broadband Plan (NBP) Intervention Areas. This Map shows where access to high speed broadband services provided on a commercial basis are expected to be in place by the end of 2016 and where the Government may intervene to enable access to high speed broadband. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Data (4 Nov 2015)

Alex White: Some 6% of staff in this Department have indicated that they possess Irish language skills. Supports are available should the Department need to improve the level of Irish available. The Department does not have significant direct engagement with the public and therefore, there is no requirement for the provision of other minority languages. If this changes, the requirement for minority...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 262 to 264, inclusive, together. I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland as follows in relation to surveys. The Barrow and Suir Rivers and the Waterford Estuary were examined during a number of surveys in 2009 and 2011. Two locations on the Suir were surveyed in 2009, one upstream of the bridge in Waterford city and one downstream with a total catch of 1,888...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Relocation (5 Nov 2015)

Alex White: My Department does not maintain transfer lists of staff who wish to transfer to other Departments or locations. These lists are maintained by the Departments to which the staff member wishes to transfer. The rules on how these lists are operated is a matter for individual Departments subject to any requirements set out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (5 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 (5 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: Electricity Transmission Network (5 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I understand that under the compensation arrangements which EirGrid has in place, landowners with a 110kV or 220kV line erected through their land are entitled to compensation. As each case is assessed on its own merits, there is no overall standard compensation rate that applies. I also understand that annual mast interference payments are issued to compensate farmers or landowners for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (10 Nov 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. A new energy White Paper, which my Department is currently in the process of finalising, will set out Ireland’s energy policy up to 2030, framed in the context of broader EU energy policy as articulated in both the energy union...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I certainly envisage that solar energy will be an important element of our renewables portfolio into the future. In addition to the White Paper, which is the high-level policy document, we are also in a consultation process in respect of a new REFIT regime and looking at appropriate subsidies for technologies such as solar panels so that we can have a mix. Onshore wind energy generation has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I respectfully refer the Deputy to the response of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, some days ago in the House in respect of the guidelines. The Deputy referred to renewable energy. The options include solar, biomass and offshore wind. A range of technologies are coming down the tracks. Some are at a higher level of development than others...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The Government’s national broadband plan aims to ensure 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 State-led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. Last November, I published a national high-speed coverage map for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: Creating and maintaining employment, as the Deputy has stated, is one of the most important advantages that will accrue from the national broadband plan. I absolutely agree with the Deputy in that regard. I confirm that in Kerry, high-speed broadband services have been rolled out to over 27,500 premises to date, with a further 11,200 premises expected to be served by commercial operators....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I agree with all the points made by the Deputy. He sets out the disadvantage experienced by areas of the country in the absence of adequate and high-speed broadband, particularly with regard to business and access to public and social services, as well as education and ability to interact culturally. All of these are areas of activity and interaction in a modern society and economy to which...