Results 9,601-9,620 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (26 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) advise that renewable/alternative energy electricity generation contributed 17.6% of the gross final consumption of electricity in 2011. 17.6% of gross final consumption represents over 5,000 GWh of electricity in the Irish market in 2011. The latest analysis from the SEAI shows that these alternative energy sources replaced over 12,000 GWh...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (26 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: There are a total of 152 windfarms connected to the national grid with a total installed capacity of 1,628 MW approximately. This information is publicly available on the Eirgrid and ESB Network websites at www.eirgrid.ie and www.esb.ie/esbnetworks . Planning applications are decided under planning legislation on an individual basis by each planning authority and details regarding number...

Written Answers — Security Systems: Security Systems (26 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The provision of burglar alarm or other intruder alert systems is a matter for the private marketplace. Neither my Department nor the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has any role in monitoring the benefits of technologies deployed in the alarm industry.

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (26 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: There have been no redundancy payments in my Department over the period of the Croke Park agreement. Over the period of the Agreement, a number of staff retired from the Department. Details of the lump sum payments will be forwarded directly to the Deputy. Information in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is a day to day matter for those organisations and my...

Leaders' Questions (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Macho, with an altar boy's face.

Leaders' Questions (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: We are all agreed on that.

Written Answers — Fuel Prices: Fuel Prices (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I have no statutory function in relation to the setting of diesel and petrol fuel prices. The oil market is fully liberalised and deregulated. Prices at the pump reflect global market price which is highly volatile, transportation costs, Euro/Dollar exchange rate fluctuations, operating costs as well as taxes. As the Deputy will be aware the taxation of diesel and petrol is a matter for my...

Written Answers — Warmer Homes Scheme: Warmer Homes Scheme (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 420 from him of 19 June 2012. There has been no change in the matter since then.

Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the table below: 2009 2010 2011 Minister's Office 0 0 €63,580 Minister of State's Office €40,687* 0 €63,370 *This relates to the period of 1st January 2009 up until 24th April 2009. The Minister of State after this period did not claim mileage in my Department. During 2009 and 2010 all Government Ministers were provided with a...

Seanad: Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration: Statements (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank Senators for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the report of the Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture on offshore oil and gas exploration. The report focuses on an interesting and topical area of public policy and a range of diverse subjects and issues. The joint committee invested considerable time in the preparation of the...

Seanad: Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration: Statements (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: He needs a bite of an eel at this stage.

Seanad: Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration: Statements (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: At an eel.

Seanad: Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration: Statements (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank the Members of the House who contributed and repeat my appreciation of the Members of this House who were members of the committee that compiled the report. I regret that one Member of the House seems to consider that I ought to have come in to the debate today with decisions already made on the report before the debate on the report commences. That is not a reasonable position....

Seanad: Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration: Statements (27 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I stand corrected. If Senator Landy does not mind, I will give the eels a miss. On the LNG matter he raised, I can inform him that I sincerely hope and expect the regulator will announce a decision before the end of the month. It was delayed again, as the House will be aware because I was here recently, as a result of complaints lodged with Brussels but the expectation is that it will make...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (28 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: RTÉ has developed a series of tariff models for carriage on the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) service and these have been available to broadcasters for several years. In 2011, RTÉ contracted with TV3 and TG4 for inclusion on the SAORVIEW DTT service during the simulcast period i.e. the period when both the analogue and DTT networks are operating together. Section 130 of the...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (28 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 to 149, inclusive, together. As I made clear on 21st June at the special digital switchover briefing session to which all Oireachtas members were invited, the date of analogue switch off will not be changed. On Wednesday, October 24th this year, 118 days from now, the analogue system will cease to operate. The Broadcasting Act 2009 requires RTÉ to...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (28 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Last week, building on the June 2011 British Irish Council agreement on developing an all islands energy approach, I had the latest in a series of bilateral meetings with UK Energy Minister Charles Hendry on plans to develop renewable electricity trade between the two countries. Both sides agreed to work towards concluding a Memorandum of Understanding by the end of the year. This will be a...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (28 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Following scientific research conducted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) indicating that the European eel stocks are in a critical state, the EU introduced Council Regulation 1100/2007, the objective of which is to achieve recovery of the stocks to previous high levels. The Regulation required that all Member States prepare a national Eel Management Plan...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Jun 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department manages sick leave in accordance with its Attendance Management Policy which is based on Department of Finance Circular 09/2010 which sets out sick leave entitlements of civil servants. In 2011 a combined (certified and uncertified) total of 2,383 sick leave days were taken by staff in my Department at a total cost of €430,640. This is a reduction of 29% in days taken and a...

Written Answers — Energy Prices: Energy Prices (3 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 402 and 409 together. Responsibility for the regulation of natural gas prices is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory body. Bord Gáis Energy's (BGE) gas tariffs for domestic customers continue to be regulated by the CER and reviewed each year. I have no function in the matter. The largest component of...