Results 10,841-10,860 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (23 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available in each County, including County...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (23 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I understand that there are early indications that methane hydrates may be present offshore of the west of Ireland, in particular in the area of the Rockall Basin. However, this is unproven and would require data acquisition, particularly core drilling, in order to establish any existence of hydrates offshore Ireland. Whilst methane hydrates may represent a future source of hydrocarbons,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (24 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Question Nos. 177 and 178 together. I can confirm for the Deputy that none of my Department’s 2012 capital allocation was used for current expenditure purposes last year. In relation to my Department’s 2013 capital allocation, a month by month profile of the allocation is provided in the following table. The profile includes a €10.4m capital carryover...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Bodies (24 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In January of this year I signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with my UK counterpart, Mr. Edward Davey M.P., to explore the potential for exporting wind based renewable energy from Ireland to the UK. Intensive discussions are being progressed by my Department and its UK counterpart on this matter. Whilst the signing of the MOU indicates a strong statement of intent on the part of...

Order of Business (25 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Not even Deputy Martin is that naïve.

Order of Business (25 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I see the new pope has taken on the mantle of Francis of Assisi. Deputy Martin can no longer go around pretending he is Francis of Assisi.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Collection (25 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The number of licences issued in any particular year is a combination of direct sales by An Post and ‘free licences’ issued by the Department of Social Protection. The number of TV licences issued on behalf of Social Welfare recipients varies according to the number of people eligible for the Household Benefits Package, and this can change from month to month. The table below...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Remuneration (25 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The information requested by the Deputy, in respect of my Department, is outlined below: Salary Band Number of Staff 0 - 30K 47 30K - 40K 47 40K - 60K 95 60K - 80K 41 80K - 100K 28 100K - 150K 9 150K - 200K 1 No member of staff in my Department is paid a salary greater than €200,000. Information in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephone Charges (25 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: EU Regulation No. 531/2012 of the European Parliament and the Council of 13 June 2012 on roaming on public mobile communications networks within the Union regulates the maximum retail charges which can be imposed for mobile roaming services in the EU. It is the third in a series of such Regulations, each of which has reduced the maximum permitted roaming charges. The current EU...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadcasting Legislation (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy is aware, the Broadcasting Act 2009 was enacted in July 2009 and served to consolidate the vast majority of all previous forms of broadcasting legislation in the State. While it is the case that I have no immediate plans currently to introduce broadcasting legislation, the continuing development and ultimate implementation of various policy positions in my Department will give...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadcasting Legislation (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: My latest advice is that I will receive the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland report within the coming four weeks. The Bill on media mergers legislation is being brought through the House by my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Given it is on the A list of legislation and because, as Deputy Moynihan noted, it has been promised for some time, my understanding is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadcasting Legislation (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Perhaps I should tell the House, first, that it is not my intention that the charge will be greater than the existing television licence and, second, subject to study it is not the intention that the categories of people to whom Deputy Moynihan refers, who currently have free television licences, will change. I do not envisage they will.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Development in the renewable energy sector in Ireland is underpinned by a clear policy framework. Under the renewable energy directive, Ireland is required to increase renewable energy from 3.1% in 2005 to 16% in 2020, with a minimum target of 10% in the transport sector. Energy is consumed across the transport, heating and electricity sectors. Our intention is to reach our overall target...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Fleming is right about this country being overly reliant on imports of fossil fuels. As an island and as the most isolated of the 27 EU member states, Ireland is vulnerable as long as 100% of its oil and 90% of its gas must be imported. Of course, gas is used to a large degree in the generation of electricity. It is not something which keeps the citizens of Ireland awake at night...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Deputy is right, in that we are uniquely endowed in terms of our renewable energy prospects. We have propitious wind resources, for example. The Deputy referred to the onshore performance in that regard. Wave and tidal energy is still at research stage. It could be an important element for Ireland down the line. The extent to which renewables can be integrated into the system is an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Prices (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Responsibility for the regulation of the retail electricity and gas markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, which is an independent statutory body. Prices in the electricity retail market are fully deregulated and similarly for gas, except in the case of Bord Gáis Electricity, BGE, tariffs for domestic consumers. Customers can therefore avail of competitive...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Prices (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The matter goes back to the previous question from Deputy Tom Fleming, in that if we are to exploit our indigenous renewable resources, which will make a contribution in the area about which Deputy Moynihan is concerned, then we must generate the investment capital as best we can or ensure that we can remunerate the capital that is borrowed in the market in the normal way by, for example, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Prices (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: That is a layman's description with which I agree. The regulator observes a model that has been laid down from the outset and it makes its own call on these matters. I accept Deputy Moynihan's contention that in circumstances where some consumers are under pressure in terms of energy prices it is difficult to reconcile this with seemingly very high profits. However, I have no doubt that the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Policy (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Development in the renewable energy sector in Ireland is underpinned by a clear policy framework. Under the Renewable Energy Directive, Ireland is required to increase renewable energy from 3.1% in 2005 to 16% in 2020, with a minimum target of 10% in the transport sector. Energy is consumed across the transport, heating and electricity sectors. At the end of 2012, we had reached 6.4% of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Policy (30 Apr 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: To some degree there is a dialogue of the deaf between Deputy Colreavy and me. I would argue that five of the Deputy's six conditions are included in the strategy, and the impact on human health and animals is emphatically included. There are rigorous planning hurdles that must be complied with, including environmental impact assessments. The relative contribution of developing an energy...