Results 10,681-10,700 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland’s telecommunications market is fully liberalised and is regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), in accordance with an EU Regulatory Framework. It has been liberalised since 1999 and has developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Schemes (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Homes Scheme under the Better Energy Programme. Better Energy Homes provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Exports (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Earlier this year a Memorandum of Understanding on energy co-operation between the UK and Ireland was signed which will result in completion of consideration of how Irish renewable energy resources, onshore and offshore, might be developed to the mutual benefit of Ireland and the United Kingdom. This will determine whether it is beneficial for both countries to enter into an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government has published Guidelines related to Wind Energy Planning. These are available on that Department’s website at . The Wind Energy Guidelines offer advice to planning authorities on planning for wind energy through the development plan process and in determining applications for planning permission. The Guidelines are also...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Media Ownership (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 382 together. As the Deputy will be aware, Section 25 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 requires that the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) endeavour to ensure that the broadcasting services made available serve the diverse needs of the people of the island of Ireland, and that both programming and control of both commercial and community...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Collection (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Value for Money (VFM) Policy Review Group on the introduction of a Public Service Broadcasting Charge held its first meeting on 4 September 2012. The objective of the Review is to analyse whether an alternative funding model to the traditional TV licence fee model would provide a more stable source of funding for public service broadcasting into the future by being more efficient and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Sector (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In line with my responsibilities for the broadcasting sector, I confirm that I have met with the representative body, Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI), on three occasions (8 June 2011, 3 July 2012 and on 16 January 2013) since my appointment as Minister and that these meetings included discussion of the IBI’s proposals regarding public funding. As I have stated previously in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In 2009, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) initiated a pilot microgeneration programme. This involved 42 installations of various microgeneration technologies. A final monitoring report on the performance of the installations and learning from the programme is awaited from SEAI. This will inform future policy development. Electric Ireland has been offering a 9c/kwh feed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Speeds (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Considerable progress has been made in recent years in both the coverage and speeds of national broadband infrastructure, with a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. The Government has also undertaken a number of initiatives, including the National Broadband Scheme and the Rural Broadband Scheme, to bring basic broadband...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: A proposal to register all customers of mobile phone services was considered previously by my Department which identified many complex legal, technical, data protection and practical issues to be considered. It was concluded at that time that the proposal would be of limited benefit in that it would not solve the illegal and inappropriate use of mobile phones and was not practical. There...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mining Industry (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: For the information of the Deputy, I am advised that the remediated area of the tailings management facility at Gortmore, Silvermines, Nenagh, County Tipperary, comprises a substantial cover including geogrid membrane, a rock layer and soil overlaid by vegetation. I understand that there would not appear to be a risk of immediate or irreversible damage to the property. In the circumstances,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (13 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Considerable progress has been made in recent years in both the coverage and speeds of national broadband infrastructure, with a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. The Government, through the National Broadband Plan, which I published on 30th August last year, has recognised that the key imperative now is to ensure high...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Social Media (13 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy will be aware, Social Media have not to date been subject to a formal regulatory regime akin to that used to ‘regulate’ traditional radio and television broadcast media, either in Ireland or in other jurisdictions. There are a range of reasons for this, not least the rapidly evolving nature of the technologies involved, the sensitivities around regulating media...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (13 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together. There is no Metropolitan Area Network (MANS) in Boyle nor are there plans for a new Metropolitan Area Network in this area. The Government however recognises the need to ensure that high speed broadband is available in all parts of Ireland, including towns such as Boyle, to underpin economic growth, enable eCommerce and greater...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Irish Music Industry (14 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The policy approach in regard to the imposition of programming obligations on broadcasters is set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009, which also sets out the objects of our national public service broadcasters. In pursuit of these objects RTÉ and TG4 are charged, inter-alia, with ensuring that programmes reflect the varied elements, which make up the culture of the people of Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (14 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Electricity suppliers are not required to offer a feed-in-tariff for microgenerators. Currently Electric Ireland, on a commercial basis, is the only electricity supplier to offer a feed-in-tariff to microgenerators. They offer a tariff of 9 cent per kilowatt hour for electricity exported to the grid to domestic customers under specified conditions. The Commission for Energy Regulation, in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Regulation (20 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market, including disconnections, is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory regulator. I have no statutory function in the matter of disconnections of electricity or gas customers regardless of the supply company involved. The CER provides quarterly and annual updates on the electricity...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (20 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: ESB operates a mixed portfolio of generation using both renewable and fossil fuels to generate power. ESB’s hydroelectric power stations are Ardnacrusha (86MW), Inishcarra Dam (19MW), Carrigadrohid (8MW), Golden Falls (4MW), Clady (4MW), Poulaphouca, County Wicklow (15MW), Leixlip (4MW), Cliff (20MW), Cathleen’s Falls (45MW), Curramore <1MW and Parteen <1MW. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (20 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The provision of mobile phone networks and services is undertaken by telecommunications service providers operating in a fully liberalised market. The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is responsible for issuing licences to mobile phone operators and for monitoring compliance with the conditions attached to the licences. ComReg concluded a spectrum allocation process in late...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Charities Regulation (20 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Under the 2010 Premium Rate Services Act, the provision of premium rate services, including services for the benefit of charitable organisations, is subject to a licensing requirement administered by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). There is no charge imposed on charitable organisations involved in this process and it may be done electronically online for convenience. ...