Results 10,381-10,400 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I agree broadly with what the Deputy says. I have read some incredible nonsense since the memorandum of understanding was agreed. Some of the commentary has been trite and uninformed. Some of the commentary from outside the State has been very odd. In fact, the deal has the potential to be a win-win for Britain and Ireland. I am interested in what Ireland Inc. gets from the deal, whose...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The commercial and technical operations of the east-west interconnector are an operational matter for EirGrid, which is a commercial State company. I have no role or function in that regard. EirGrid is the independent statutory body responsible for the development and maintenance of the national electricity transmission system. As with any major complex project using purpose-built...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: My understanding is that the system will be shut down for two to three weeks to enable whatever technical remedial works are necessary to allow the interconnector to function as intended. I can assure the Deputy that I was not trying to say anything. Whatever I wanted to say, I said. I am not trying to say anything and I am not trying to conceal anything. There is nothing unusual about a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I have some difficulty in understanding Deputy Daly's indignation about it being shut down for a period. She tried to shut it down altogether and organised and motivated people to go to the High Court to do precisely that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: She opposed it from day one and now she professes to be indignant about necessary engineering works to be carried out for a period of between two to three weeks as I am advised.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: EirGrid contracted professional companies to do the job to the highest specification and will ensure that the project is completed to the highest specification. I have no doubt that this will be the case and I have every confidence in the technical and other competence of EirGrid to ensure that it is done to the highest specification.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gas and Electricity Disconnections (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Responsibility for the regulation of the gas market, including disconnections, is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, which is an independent statutory regulator. In line with the CER's code of practice on disconnection, electricity and gas suppliers must facilitate payment options or plans for domestic customers experiencing genuine hardship and, where appropriate,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gas and Electricity Disconnections (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: It is important to record that the number of electricity disconnections is down. The problem is in the gas area. The latest figures I have suggest that the increase is 64% year on year. It is very difficult to get figures that strip out vacant houses and seasonal lets. There is also an apparent tendency in some summer months to switch off gas. None of these factors denies the Deputy's...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gas and Electricity Disconnections (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: There is a great deal of validity in what the Deputy says. There are people who are unaware of the existence of the protocol to which I refer. Communicating to them can be a challenge. Some of the work done by some of the charity organisations in this regard is very significant. These organisations include the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and State organisations like the money advice...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gas Pipelines (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The matters raised by the Deputy are operational matters for Bord Gáis Éireann, BGE. The company operates in accordance with the safety framework established by the CER, which has statutory responsibility for gas safety. In addition, in accordance with section 39A of the Gas Act 1976, as amended, the CER has responsibility for the assessment of applications to construct...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gas Pipelines (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I am somewhat puzzled by Deputy Wallace's comments. I am told by my technical people that the Deputy has experience of this area but the clear advice is that the project is being done to standard. I cited the relevant standard and the code of practice for gas transmission pipelines and pipeline installation. The standard requires infrastructure to be laid at a depth of 1.2 m and, where...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gas Pipelines (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Is the Deputy referring to a particular area?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gas Pipelines (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I will do precisely that and will communicate the reply to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Energy Schemes (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 22 and 37 together. I intend to publish the national energy efficiency action plan in the next four weeks. This second action plan reaffirms Ireland’s commitment to a 20% energy savings target in 2020 in pursuit of our EU obligations. This is equivalent to 31,925 GWh or a reduction in annual CO2 emissions of 7.7 Mt. The actions outlined in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Energy Schemes (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I can entirely agree with Deputy Murphy about the necessity for cross-departmental supervision of implementation of the plan's 97 actions, and that is being provided for. In fairness, the SEAI has essentially had that function and has been carrying it out very effectively. The unit in my Department, to which I referred, has for some months been involved in intensive preparations in regard...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Energy Schemes (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Theoretically, I am told, there are 1 million homes that would benefit from retrofit, in that the quality of the housing stock in this county is so poor that there are some 1 million homes that could be productively retrofitted. The objective here is that we are committed to making the transition from the grants-based scheme to a pay-as-you-save model by 1 January. Therefore, the scheme...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Energy Schemes (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Money is still spent on the warmer homes side of the scheme from which local authority tenants would benefit. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government does not work as well in this regard. Deputy Humphreys is right, however, that the pay-as-you-save model will be aimed at home owners by definition because they are the ones who must go for the product in the belief...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Energy Schemes (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Indeed.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Energy Schemes (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: If one gets €4,000 in the grant the odds are approximately 2:1 that one is expected to put up €8,000. Perhaps that is prohibitive. Perhaps householders who are not purchasing elsewhere in the consumer economy are not doing this work. That may be the bigger part of the explanation. There is also a danger that those who are minded to take the energy efficiency argument on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (31 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland’s electricity system is made up of larger electrical lines (the transmission grid) and smaller electrical lines (the distribution grid). Small area renewable energy projects feed into the distribution network. The Distribution System Operator (DSO) and owner in Ireland is ESB Networks. ESB Networks has a webpage which explains to the public how to connect a microgenerator,...