Results 9,701-9,720 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Media Mergers (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: From long years of experience, I am unlikely to dip my toe into organising who should sit in the Press Gallery. Detailed matters such as that might be best avoided. Undue concentration of media ownership in Ireland would be unacceptable. I hope the legislation, when published, will reflect that. The media has a powerful influence in reporting and analysing current affairs. It is...

Sale of State Assets (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Government has decided to dispose of Bord Gáis Éireann's energy business and some of the ESB's non-strategic power generation capacity as part of the State assets disposal programme. The Government has also reiterated its commitment to retaining the electricity and gas networks, as well as the two gas interconnectors in State ownership as national strategic infrastructure, critical for...

Sale of State Assets (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Deputy has acknowledged that no private company has a right to expect to retain any given contract. I presume he also accepts that it is not my job to micromanage matters in respect of contractors which might be recruited by Bod Gáis, as it is currently configured, or by a new privatised Bord Gáis Energy. Management make these calls and companies sometimes win contracts, while at...

Energy Resources (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Corrib gas field will strengthen Ireland's security of energy supply and at peak production will provide approximately 60% of Ireland's annual gas needs. Completion of the Corrib field development works by the developer is the principal factor that will determine the date for first gas. Pending such completion, it is not possible to definitely state when gas from the Corrib field will...

Energy Resources (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I published a major Government policy statement yesterday on the delivery of energy infrastructure. A significant part of what is envisaged in this regard involves setting down principles of both community engagement and community gain. Both of those principles are equally relevant in this case. At the beginning of the Corrib project, a good relationship was fostered with the local...

Energy Resources (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Compared to similar circumstances, it took approximately three times as long to bring it ashore in this jurisdiction from discovery of the field to the likely date of 2014. That is not justifiable because a great deal of cost can be written down by the company, a great deal of tax is forgone by the State and a huge bill is incurred by the State in providing security in the form of the Garda...

Renewable Energy (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: While offshore wind is already being deployed in a number of EU member states, it is still a very expensive technology to deploy. Offshore wind currently costs in the region of €3 million per MW to deploy compared to the cost of onshore wind which is about half of that. Wave energy technology is still very much at the research and development stage and the commercial and technical...

Renewable Energy (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Daly is confusing many things in that peroration and, in the process, misrepresenting the policy of the Labour Party then and of the Government now. This matter is attracting enormous concentrated attention. We will proudly deliver on our extraordinarily ambitious target of 40% generation of electricity from renewables by 2020. As I said in my reply, I am in negotiations with the...

Renewable Energy (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I commend Deputy Clare Daly on her reading matter. I recommend, however, that at least for the month of August she might apply a more eclectic test to her reading by moving beyond Labour Party policy documents.

Renewable Energy (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I am delighted to hear it. I do not know why the Deputy is complaining about what we are doing in the area of wave energy technology, given that she acknowledges it is in its infancy and is only at the research stage. I do not see how I am supposed to pull a switch and work wonders until such time as the technology is proven. In the interim, we are supporting research in this area by the...

Renewable Energy (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Yes, it has. It is only possible to obtain EIB loans for projects which the bank approves and where matching or better State financing is being put up. We are not remotely in that space. We should bear in mind that there is no template here and no intergovernmental agreement in place. If something emerges from our negotiations with Britain, it will be the first such agreement as between...

Renewable Energy (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I am very aware of it. As recently as yesterday, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and I met Senator Kelly and some of his colleagues about his Bill. His Bill has certainly attracted a great deal of support, which I acknowledge. He raised an issue which is a matter of concern for some residents. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and her officials are engaged in further...

Radio Spectrum (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The management of the radio spectrum is a statutory function of the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, under the Communications Regulation Act 2002, as amended. ComReg is independent in the exercise of this spectrum management function. In accordance with its statutory functions, ComReg has consulted extensively on its proposals for the release of spectrum rights of use in...

Radio Spectrum (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Yes, there has. As Deputy Durkan suggested, it is of varying quality. There are still pockets where calls are dropped and so on, as he suggested. However, immensely valuable quality spectrum is being released for the first time which will greatly enhance broadband and mobile services and it will make a considerable contribution to improving connectivity generally. Obviously, there are...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: While offshore wind is already being deployed in a number of EU Member states, it is still a very expensive technology to deploy. Offshore wind currently costs in the region of €3 million per MW to deploy compared to the cost of onshore wind which is about half of that. Wave energy technology is still very much at the research and development stage and the commercial and technical...

Written Answers — Mobile Telephony: Mobile Telephony (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The management of the radio spectrum is a statutory function of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) under the Communications Regulation Act 2002, as amended. ComReg is independent in the exercise of this spectrum management function. In accordance with its statutory functions, ComReg has consulted extensively on its proposals for the release of spectrum rights of use in the...

Written Answers — Broadband Services: Broadband Services (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to co-invest with the private sector and commercial Semi State sector to provide Next Generation Broadband customer access and associated fast speeds to every home and business in the State. The Next Generation Broadband Taskforce (NGBT) report, which I launched on the second of May last, will have an important role to play in this regard....

Written Answers — Renewable Energy: Renewable Energy (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The EU Renewable Energy Directive requires Member states to meet a target of 10% of renewable energy in transport by 2020. The Government intends to meet the obligation through progressively increasing biofuel penetration and an ambition that 10% of all vehicles will be powered by electricity by 2020. Though very challenging, I believe that this target can be achieved. Uptake over the next...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The International Energy Agency's (IEA) Review of Ireland's Energy Policy was launched and published on the 11th July 2012. The IEA reviews the energy policy of every member country every five years and last reviewed Ireland in 2007. The 2012 Review is a comprehensive analysis and critique of Ireland's energy policy directions. The Review incorporates the independent assessment of the...

Written Answers — Renewable Energy: Renewable Energy (19 Jul 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of ensuring that 16% of all energy consumption is to be from renewable sources by 2020. This target has to be achieved across the transport, heating and electricity sectors. This target, like all targets assigned to other Member States is challenging and the Government's priority is to meet these 2020 targets in the...