Results 9,161-9,180 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: White Paper on Energy Policy (10 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I intend to publish the White Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland on 16 December. The White paper will discuss the role that micro-generation can play in transforming and enhancing the way homes, businesses, communities and citizens use energy. In addition, on 31 July, 2015 the Department launched a consultation on a new support scheme for renewable electricity. As part of the emerging design...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Rehiring (10 Dec 2015)

Alex White: My Department has granted no re-instatements since its establishment in June 2007.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 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...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: There is an absolute commitment to doing this and it is not just a commitment; we are delivering on the plan I outlined to the Dáil as a new Minister in July 2014. As I reminded the Deputy before and will do so again, I stated there would be three key events between July 2014 and December 2015. The first was the publication of the map, splitting the country into areas that the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The operators, including Eir, have put forward plans and proposals for the period 2016 to 2020. My Department and I have assessed those proposals and particularly their credibility from a financial, deployment, legal and technical perspective. When I make my announcement in the coming days, I will indicate whether we intend to change the map published in respect of the configuration between...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I also thank the Deputy for his comments and wish him well. My engagement with him has been always very satisfactory and I thank him for his unfailing courtesy. He has always addressed the issue, not the man, for which I thank him. The Government has supported a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of renewable energy, many of which have been successful in encouraging...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The Deputy is right. The ambition underlying the Paris agreement calls for considerable change across the world, including Ireland. We have made decisions and are required to make more to ensure we can credibly decarbonise the economy, which is the objective. The issue of community energy co-operatives will be addressed in the White Paper. I agree with the Deputy that there is enormous...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: It sounds as if the Deputy has already had a sneak preview of the White Paper because the role of the education sector, research institutions and the universities will be critical in the energy transition. We need excellent research in order that we can direct and have a plan in place to decarbonise the economy that will involve the State at its best in giving leadership and the funding of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy for all consumers. A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and price volatility is essential for Irish consumers. Fossil fuels will remain part of the energy mix as we transition to a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The ESB would and does keep me informed of its thinking. It is a decision for it. The White Paper will be published tomorrow but in the context of the transition we are embarked upon and that we must deliver to achieve a low carbon economy the fuel mix is an important policy question for the State and will have to be dealt with. Decisions will have to be made on Moneypoint within the next...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The supports for the peat stations will cease in 2019. Decisions have been made about those subsidies. This will be a transition. It will not happen in one fell swoop because there are people whose livelihoods and jobs depend on many of these generating stations. We have to ensure that the transition also serves people who have worked for many years with these old technologies and show...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Funding (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The renewable electricity feed-in tariff, REFIT, schemes are the principal means of supporting renewable electricity generators for energy exported to the grid. Based on power purchase agreements between generators and electricity suppliers, REFIT schemes assure a minimum price for each unit of electricity exported to the grid over a 15 year period. Projects seeking support under REFIT must...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Funding (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The €156 million is the cost for overall renewable generation, not specifically wind. Of course it would be great if we could achieve our objectives without any State subsidy. It would be highly desirable not to have to subsidise the sector at all. However, it has been demonstrated that to bring forward the new renewable technologies and investments, that subsidy is required. Other...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Funding (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: There are periodic reviews of the regulators. If it is determined or believed at any stage that the legislative environment is not adequate, of course, the Government can review it. If the Deputy has a view of a particular aspect of the legislation that he thinks is deficient, I am keen to hear what it is in order that we can debate the issue. However, I have no reason to believe the...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 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...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: On the last issue the Deputy raised, I again emphasise it will be a minimum of 30 Mbps. The Deputy is correct. Given the exponential improvement in the technology and what is now possible, this sector is expanding and enhancing its services at a very high rate. What we expect of operators, and what we will do in the procurement process, is to understand from them how they will future-proof...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I have already given the House information on the timescale. This is not step 1; this is step 3, as I have indicated. Step 1 was the publication of the map a year ago. Step 2 was the strategy in July of this year and step 3 is now the procurement process, which is about to begin. It will take three to five years to build the entire project.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: We expect to cover 85% by 2018.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I take the Deputy's point about fibre. However, we cannot specify a technology. We have to be technology-neutral.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: Under state aid rules, we cannot do that. I agree with the Deputy that fibre is likely to be the technology we need to deliver these services but we cannot specify it. I have already told the House that we will go to procurement by the end of December. We hope to have a bidder or bidders in place by the middle of 2016. I have told them that it will take between three and five years to...