Results 9,961-9,980 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (17 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Biofuel Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 as the primary means to meet the target of at least 10% renewable energy in transport by 2020, which was mandated to all EU Member States by the Renewable Energy Directive. The obligation currently requires that the amount of biofuel brought to the market is not less than 4.166% of the relevant disposal of petroleum road transport...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Incentives (17 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), under the Renewable Energy Research, Demonstration & Development (RERD&D) Programme, supports research and development of renewable energy technologies and systems. Applications for funding under the scheme are invited on a regular basis. Information can be found at . I understand also that Enterprise Ireland operates a range...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Consultancy Contracts (17 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The table below outlines details of fees paid for professional services by my Department over the past 12 months. My Department administers a very diverse and complex brief. The Department has a small cohort of permanent staff, some 245 full time equivalents at present. Its remit includes oversight of very complex policy areas and direct procurement of major services where protection of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (17 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The State is not a provider of telecommunication services, except in instances of clear market failure such as in the cases of both the National and Rural Broadband Schemes. Such interventions are always subject to EU State Aid clearance to ensure no unacceptable level of market distortion takes place. The Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) was launched last year in recognition of the fact that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies Mergers (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: This year’s poor peat harvest has created significant financial challenges for Bord na Móna and emphasises the importance of the company’s ongoing diversification and growth strategy away from its core peat business. The management of Bord na Móna is taking decisive steps to ensure a sustainable future for the company and to secure long-term employment by way of its...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Information and Communications Technology Issues (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: In 2009, with the publication of the Technology Actions to Support the Smart Economy report, my Department identified the possibility of significant economic potential from first mover use of new types of flexible networking technology in a research context. To this end it put in place the first phase of the Exemplar programme, a test bed facility based on one such new and advanced Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: EirGrid have advised that as of October 2012 approx. 1,695MW of wind generation capacity is connected or energised. The maximum potential of wind generated electricity, based on an average yearly 31% capacity factor, if applied to the existing installed capacity could potentially produce 4.6 Terawatt hours over a year. This would translate into approximately 18% of electricity demand. At...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Information on Ireland’s strategic oil reserves planning can be found in the Handbook on Oil Supply Disruption Contingency Measures published on my Department’s website . Ireland is fully compliant with its European Union (EU) obligation to hold 90 days supply of category one, category two and category three oil products for use in the event of an oil supply disruption. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Gas and Electricity Disconnections (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I have no statutory function in the setting of electricity and gas prices, whether in the regulated or non-regulated parts of these markets. Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory body. Since 4 April 2011 prices in the electricity retail market have been fully...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies Mergers (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: This year’s poor peat harvest has created significant financial challenges for Bord na Móna and emphasises the importance of the company’s ongoing diversification and growth strategy away from its core peat business. The management of Bord na Móna is taking decisive steps to ensure a sustainable future for the company and to secure long-term employment by way of its...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Information and Communications Technology Issues (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: In 2009, with the publication of the Technology Actions to Support the Smart Economy report, my Department identified the possibility of significant economic potential from first mover use of new types of flexible networking technology in a research context. To this end it put in place the first phase of the Exemplar programme, a test bed facility based on one such new and advanced Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: EirGrid have advised that as of October 2012 approx. 1,695MW of wind generation capacity is connected or energised. The maximum potential of wind generated electricity, based on an average yearly 31% capacity factor, if applied to the existing installed capacity could potentially produce 4.6 Terawatt hours over a year. This would translate into approximately 18% of electricity demand. At...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Information on Ireland’s strategic oil reserves planning can be found in the Handbook on Oil Supply Disruption Contingency Measures published on my Department’s website . Ireland is fully compliant with its European Union (EU) obligation to hold 90 days supply of category one, category two and category three oil products for use in the event of an oil supply disruption. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Gas and Electricity Disconnections (18 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I have no statutory function in the setting of electricity and gas prices, whether in the regulated or non-regulated parts of these markets. Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory body. Since 4 April 2011 prices in the electricity retail market have been fully...

Leaders' Questions (23 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Does the Deputy remember Bertie?

Leaders' Questions (23 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I cannot wait.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services (23 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391 and 394 together. The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring that all businesses and citizens have access to high-speed, high quality broadband. This commitment is set out in the Government’s recently-published National Broadband Plan. In addition to setting out clear targets in relation to speeds, the Plan also sets ambitious deadlines...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (23 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 393 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that in line with the Government decision of April 2011, which put in place new arrangements for the making of appointments to State Boards and bodies, I invited Expressions of Interest on the 3rd of June 2011 from persons wishing to be considered for appointment to vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony (23 Oct 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 set out the process it has adopted for the award of rights of use for radio frequencies in the 800Mhz, 900Mhz and 1800Mhz bands in its information memorandum and associated documents (ComReg document 12/52)....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services (23 Oct 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The State is not a provider of telecommunication services, except in instances of clear market failure such as in the cases of both the National and Rural Broadband Schemes. Such interventions are always subject to EU State Aid clearance to ensure no unacceptable level of market distortion takes place. The Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) was launched last year in recognition of the fact that...