Results 8,941-8,960 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Schemes (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: A wide range of policy initiatives to promote an awareness of energy use and energy efficiency in the commercial sector, including the hotel and hospitality sector, have been implemented in recent years. These measures are focused on addressing the barriers identified to undertaking energy efficiency activity in the commercial sector rather than providing direct grant assistance to business....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Incentives (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: On 31 July last, I launched a consultation on the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) to incentivise larger heat users in the industrial and commercial sector to change to heating solutions that produce heat from renewable sources. While the initial phase of the consultation closed on 18 September 2015, there will be two further opportunities to contribute at key stages in the design of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The EU's 2020 targets for emissions reductions, renewable energy and energy efficiency form a cornerstone of EU energy policy. The EU aims to deliver a 20% improvement in energy efficiency, a 20% reduction in Green House Gas emissions and 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020. In addition, the 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The increasing use of renewable generation technologies on the electricity power system presents a range of operational challenges - challenges that can only be overcome through effective and ongoing research and innovation. A number of research initiatives are underway to facilitate the use of different types of renewable technologies on the system and are worth noting. First, a Smart...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020 and in order to meet this target, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources, 12% renewables in the heating sector and 10% in transport. Ireland has made good progress with regard to renewable energy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 570 to 573, inclusive, and 575 together. Government policy in the area of telecommunications and broadband is aimed at delivering high speed broadband and general telecommunications access across the country by creating an environment conducive to commercial investment and by using State assets where appropriate. The State itself is not a player in this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high quality postal service and maintain a nationwide network of customer focused post offices in the community. The post office network faces significant challenges given the impact of the economic downturn over the last few years, changes in technology and customer retail preferences....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Speeds (10 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 Generation (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: EirGrid and SONI periodically publish an All Island Generation Capacity Statement. In February of this year, the All Island Generation Capacity Statement 2015-2024 was published. The report examines the generation adequacy over a number of economic scenarios. These projections are based on economic forecasts published by the ESRI, namely the Quarterly Economic Commentary, published in October...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Investment Projects (11 Nov 2015)

Alex White: My Department’s capital estimate for 2015 is €93.6 million. While this funding is not specifically allocated at county level, it does include a sum of €3.85m for multimedia development projects in the Digital Hub Development Agency and the National Digital Research Council, both of which are Dublin-based projects.The most significant component of my Department's capital...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (12 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 67 of 10 November 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The Post Office Network Business Development Group, the remit of which 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: An Post is keen to explore new business opportunities for the post office network. The company has the largest retail nework in the country and was fully computerised some years ago. As a result, the post office network can fill a vital role in the nationwide provision of over-the-counter services to the public, state services and other financial and commercial transactions. With regard...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The Renewable Electricity Feed-in-Tariff (REFIT) schemes are the principal means of supporting renewable electricity generators for renewable energy exported to the grid. These schemes support electricity generated from a range of renewable sources, including small scale hydro, biomass and wind. Small scale renewable generation is eligible to apply for support under the REFIT schemes....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Internet Safety (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The Report of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group was presented to Government in June 2014. The Government established a cross-departmental implementation group in July 2014, chaired by my Department and attended by representatives from a number of other Departments, including the Departments of Justice and Equality and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The purpose of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The primary support mechanisms for renewable energy, including wind energy, are the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) schemes and the Renewable Energy Feed-In-Tariff (REFIT) schemes. These schemes incentivise the development of the renewable electricity generation capacity necessary to allow Ireland to meet its target of 40% of electricity demand from renewable generation by 2020. This...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Policy (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: My Department is currently in the process of finalising a new Energy White Paper which will set out Ireland’s energy policy to 2030. This follows a period of extensive consultation including a written consultation process in summer 2014 which garnered 1,240 responses and a period of intensive stakeholder engagement covering 7 themed seminars and 4 regional seminars, one of which was...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The development of Ireland's abundant offshore renewable energy resource will be an increasingly important element of Ireland's future energy policies. Offshore renewable energy has the potential to generate carbon free renewable electricity, reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels, enhance our security of energy supply, and deliver green growth and jobs to the economy. The 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (17 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: Electricity Transmission Network (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: EirGrid made a formal application for the North South Transmission Link Project to An Bord Pleanála on 9 June 2015. I am constrained, therefore, in what I can say in relation to the project other than the provision of factual information. The North South Transmission Link project is part of EirGrid’s plans to upgrade the national electricity transmission system. It is a...