Results 9,221-9,240 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 601 to 606, inclusive, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Speeds (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan aims to deliver high quality, high speed broadband to every citizen and business, regardless of location. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment by telecoms operators, and a State led intervention in those parts of the country where commercial services will not be provided. Last November I published a national high speed coverage map...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Properties (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: All properties occupied by my Department are either owned by or leased by the Office of Public Works and as such my Department does not have any ground rent liability. In relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department, this is an operational matter for each body. My Department will ask the bodies in question to supply the information directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The Whitegate refinery was privatised as a result of its sale by the State in 2001. Under the terms of the sale, the owners are obliged to continue to operate the refinery for a minimum of fifteen years, a commitment which remains in place until July 2016. That commitment is not affected by the planned sale. The owners of the refinery, Phillips 66, advised my Department in October that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Policy (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 613 and 620 together. The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy, as set out in the White Paper on Energy Policy which I will publish tomorrow, is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers as our energy system undergoes the fundamental transformation required to meet our climate policy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The provision of electronic communications infrastructure, including the significant investment required to make high speed telecommunication services publicly available, occurs within a fully liberalised market. It is a matter for the competing networks providers to decide those areas which can be served on a commercial basis, in the first instance. Intervention by the State is limited to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (15 Dec 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 plays an important role in serving the needs of business and domestic customers alike. However, the postal sector is undergoing systemic change, with...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Corrib Gas Field (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: Following completion of the construction of the Corrib gas pipeline, Shell E&P Ireland Limited, on behalf of the Corrib Gas partners, submitted an application on 18 August, 2015, under Section 40 of the Gas Act 1976, as amended, for consent to operate the pipeline. This consent is required by the developer before production of gas can commence. A public consultation process in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bioenergy Strategy (15 Dec 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 small contribution. The Biofuels Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 as the primary...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The Government’s 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 is being achieved through a combination of the commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. Currently approximately 1.2m premises in Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (16 Dec 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 increased use of sustainable biofuels with electric vehicles also making a small contribution. The Biofuels Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 as the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Rural Broadband Scheme (16 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I refer the Deputy to my response to Question No. 597 of 15 December 2015. The National Broadband Scheme (NBS) expired on 25 August 2014, in line with State aid clearance for the Scheme. Subsequent to its expiry, the specified NBS broadband service is no longer being provided by "3" in its capacity as the NBS service provider. I have no role in relation to the provision of retail services...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mining Industry (16 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The Minerals Development Act 1979, vested in the Minister the exclusive right of working minerals in the State save for “excepted minerals”. The Mining Board is a Statutory Body established pursuant to Section 33 (1) of the Minerals Development Act 1940 and is independent in the exercise of its functions. Therefore, neither I as Minister nor my Department have any function in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: North-South Interconnector (16 Dec 2015)

Alex White: As the Deputy will be aware, EirGrid made a formal application for the North-South Transmission Line 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 Line project is part of EirGrid’s plans to upgrade the national electricity...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (17 Dec 2015)

Alex White: Capita Business Support Services Ireland was awarded a 10 year contract in December 2013 to develop and implement the National Postcode System " Eircode". The case referred to by the Deputy is one for Capita to review and resolve if an issue exists. The person concerned can contact Eircode by e-mailing , by post to Block C, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, W23 F854 or using...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Freedom of Information Fees (17 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Year Upfront Fees Search and Retrieval Fees Internal Review Fees Total 2014 €640 Nil €150 €790 2015 to date Nil €244 €180 €424

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Staff (17 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The information requested by the Deputy is as follows: one Special Advisor to the Minister is employed with a Gross Salary of €91,624 and another Special Advisor to the Minister is employed with a Gross Salary of €82,587. Special Adviser appointments are undertaken in accordance with the Instructions on Ministerial Appointments for the 31st Dáil (July 2014) and the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Legislative Process RIA (17 Dec 2015)

Alex White: Since March 2011, there have been eight Bills published by my Department of which seven Bills have been brought through to completion. My Department undertakes Regulatory Impact Assessments in accordance with the procedures set out in the RIA Guidelines published by the Department of the Taoiseach. The following is a list of the eight Bills which have been published to date: - The...