Results 11,641-11,660 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Senator said he acknowledges that we cannot have economic development without energy and power and I agree with him but he seemed to say we cannot run lines near areas of tourist beauty or across farmland where cattle or horses might graze. Where will we run them? The Senator cannot have it both ways. He cannot say we have to have power lines but not in my backyard. What is going on...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: No, but I suspect that they are being stoked up by guys like the Senator to cause them to fear. He even dragged in health issues. We have had power lines in the country since the late 1940s. My colleagues and I, especially me because of my equable personality, tend to agree with Sinn Féin too often and let the party away with things. The Senator cannot come into the House opposing...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: We have established in respect of the North-South grid that it is approximately three and a half times as expensive to put the lines underground. If we were not here in an adversarial context in this very reflective Chamber and we were outside the House, the Senator would agree it is difficult to find investors to put €500 million into this project, never mind to invest three and a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bord na Móna Operations (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: This is a matter for Bórd na Mona and one in which I, as Minister, have no function.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Internet Access (23 Oct 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 to bring broadband to those parts of the country where commercial operators have been unable to offer...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Strategic Environmental Assessment (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: A Renewable Energy Export Policy and Development Framework (with a spatial dimension) is currently being prepared by my Department and will facilitate An Bord Pleanála in making planning decisions on individual proposed renewable energy developments, regardless of location, of significant scale for export. It will be underpinned by a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) which is a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electromagnetic Fields Studies (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department has no function in respect of any aspect of the matter of potential health effects of EMF. Responsibilities previously held by the then Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in relation to such effects of EMF became the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 1 May 2007, with a view to non-ionising radiation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: ESB Pension Scheme Issues (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In late 2008, the Trustees of the ESB Superannuation Scheme brought forward the Tri-Annual Valuation of the Scheme by one year to assess the financial health of the Scheme. The Actuarial Valuation to 31 December 2008 showed an ongoing valuation deficit of €1.9 billion and a Minimum Funding Standard deficit of €1.8 billion. As required by the Scheme rules, ESB and the ESB Group...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in conjunction with my Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, is undertaking a review of the Wind Energy Guidelines which will address the key issues of noise (including separation distance) and shadow flicker. Draft guidelines will be published for public consultation by end-November 2013 with a view to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bioenergy Strategy Publication (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. In order to meet this target, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand, 12% of heating and 10% of transport power from renewable sources, with the transport target also being legally binding. There are already a number of...

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I am grateful to Deputy Cowen for allowing me to answer this question. The credibility of the Government is very high in his constituency. I have just returned from there having announced measures to bring additional employment to various parts of the midlands, including in the Deputy's constituency. When he talks about the commitments given to Lanesborough and Shannonbridge in 2005 and...

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: It is a while since I have seen anyone in the House with the bullish attitude of Deputy Cowen without having any-----

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: -----facts to back him up. I can start with his last question on Bord na Móna. Bord na Móna is a commercial State company and if it wants to bid for these assets it is free to do so. However, given that the whole purpose of what we have been forced into is disposal of State assets, it would be very odd to have another State company buy the assets.

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As recently as in the debate on the Gas Regulation Bill, I took the opportunity to put on the record of the House the origins of this issue, which are in the 2010 bailout agreement when the then Fianna Fáil-led Government agreed to the sale of State assets.

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: At the first meeting the incoming Government had with the troika when it advised us of the €5 billion commitment, we started negotiations. They continued for six months and instead of €5 billion, we agreed a figure of €3 billion.

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Instead of the €5 billion being used to write down debt, we got a commitment that 50% of whatever proceeds were realised would go towards the creation of employment and reinvestment for productive purposes. That, unfortunately, is the history and Deputy Cowen is now trying to rewrite history.

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I will deal with the Minister, Deputy Howlin, also. What is being discussed this evening is nothing new. I have mentioned it in this House and outside it time out of number - not in naming the two stations, but naming the Government decision to dispose of the energy business of Bord Gáis Éireann and some power generation plants in the ESB. That is as old as the lifetime of the...

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As I said in my original answer, we are required to produce up to €400 million in special dividends from the ESB before the end of 2014.

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Deputy has quoted a letter of the Minister, Deputy Noonan, completely out of context. On whose behalf does Deputy Cowen think the Minister, Deputy Noonan, could write other than on behalf of the Government, of which he is a member? The reason he was writing was the agreement entered into in 2010.

Topical Issue Debate: Semi-State Bodies Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: It is very fortunate-----