Results 11,381-11,400 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for the post office network are a matter for the management and Board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. As shareholder, however, I have a strong concern in relation to the ongoing commercial position of the Company and I regularly liaise with the Company in this regard. An Post has many strengths...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for the post office network are a matter for the management and Board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. As shareholder, however, I have a strong concern in relation to the ongoing commercial position of the Company and I regularly liaise with the Company in this regard. An Post has many strengths...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Fuel Scheme (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: There are forty-eight actions identified in the Affordable Energy Strategy, aimed at making energy more affordable for low-income households. This includes the following five priority measures: a commitment to review the National Fuel Scheme in the context of examining the feasibility of aligning income supports with the energy efficiency and income of the home, the phased introduction of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Speeds (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Government's National Broadband Plan, which I published in August last, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses, in advance of the EU's target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible. The Plan aims to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bioenergy Strategy Publication (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department, along with the a number of other Departments and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), is currently finalising a Bioenergy Strategy, which will be published in the next few months. This will set out in detail the actions required to optimise the bioenergy sector’s contribution to the 2020 renewable energy targets. Policy options are being assessed by a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Service Broadcasting Household Charge (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department recently carried out a Value for Money Review on the proposal to introduce a Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) Household Charge. The independently chaired Review Group considered a range of issues in relation to the proposal, including the various options for the collection of the charge. The Group submitted its final report to me recently and I am...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I can inform the Deputy that this is a European wide shared eel stock where the sexually maturing eels leave European shores to spawn in the Saragossa Sea and the new generation return as glass eels to the European coastline. The International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) indicated that the European Eel stock is at an all-time historic low and continues to decline. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 to 170, inclusive, together. The Digital Agenda for Europe set out specific targets for the achievement of high speed broadband services across all Member States. Ireland’s National Broadband Plan which I published in August last, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of 30Mbps are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony Services Provision (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The provision of telecommunications services in Ireland generally occurs within a competitive liberalised market. The provision of mobile telecommunications networks within that market is also subject to a requirement to secure the necessary wireless telegraphy licence to access the required radio spectrum. The terms and conditions of the required wireless telegraphy licences and the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bullying of Children (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 180 together. As the Deputies will be aware, Social Media are online platforms that allow people create, share and exchange information, and to comment amongst themselves in virtual communities and networks. To date, these media have not been subject to a formal regulatory regime akin to that used to ‘regulate’ traditional radio and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Services (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for the post office network are a matter for the management and Board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. As shareholder, however, I have a strong concern in relation to the ongoing commercial position of the Company and I regularly liaise with the Company in this regard. An Post has many strengths...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: There are no explicit EU fossil fuel reduction targets. However, there are a number of obligations on Ireland that will lead to a reduction in our reliance on fossil fuels. Under the Renewable Energy Directive, Ireland is required to increase renewable energy to 16% in 2020, with a minimum target of 10% in the transport sector. Energy is consumed across the transport, heating and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a binding target where at least 16% of our energy requirements should come from renewable sources by 2020. In order to meet our overall 16% requirement, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources. Though these targets are challenging, I am confident that they can be met. My Department's Strategy for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Responsibility for the regulation of the retail electricity market 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. Customers can therefore avail of competitive offerings from electricity suppliers. Prices are set by suppliers and are commercial and operational matters for them....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department administers a very diverse and complex brief. This reality necessarily requires my Department to procure specialist external professional advice and it is imperative to have recourse to a certain amount of external professional services in the area of natural resources. In procuring these specialised services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and that these...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies Dividends (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 183 together. My attention has been drawn to the legal challenge regarding ESB's payment of dividend. A representative from my Department attended the AGM of the company, on my behalf. At the AGM the Board Chairman advised the meeting that the accounts were compliant with all statutory and accounting rules. The dividend payment, €74.5m of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Rehiring (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Retired public sector workers are engaged from time to time by my Department in areas where specific expertise is required for a short fixed period, and these persons provide a level of knowledge, experience and background compatible with such requirements. In general the abatement principle, which ensures that the fee paid plus pension does not exceed the rate of pay the pensioner would...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Haddington Road Agreement Savings (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The measures applying to my Department and agencies under the aegis of my Department, are set out in the relevant sectoral elements under the Haddington Road agreement, in this case the civil service and NCSSBs element. As stated by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the Haddington Road Agreement wil facilitate a reduction of €1bn in the public service pay and pensions...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: RTE Expenditure (17 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy is aware, RTÉ is an independent national public service broadcaster whose remit and obligations are set out in Section 114 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. The company's mandate in regard to the area referred to by the Deputy is set out in subsection (1)(c) of that section and states that one of the principle objects of Raidió Teilifís Éireann is “to...

Leaders' Questions (18 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: It is simple, all right.