Results 11,741-11,760 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Cyber Security Policy (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Online media are not 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' onlinemedia and the multi-jurisdictional nature of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Regulation of the electronic communications market, including the gathering of market data and publication of national statistical reports, is the responsibility of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg, has established a callcosts website which provides information to the public on the alternative broadband services marketed by competing service providers on a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Services (24 Oct 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: Natural Gas Grid (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Completion of the Corrib gas field development works, by the developer, is the principal factor that will determine the date for first gas. Pending such completion, it is not possible to state a date for when gas from the Corrib gas field will become available. It is estimated that construction of the onshore section of the pipeline, which began last year, including the construction of a 5...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony Services Provision (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: An EU Commission comparison of “3G” mobile telephony coverage across the EU member states for 2010, the most recent such study available, ranks Ireland 6th highest for coverage at 99.5% compared to an EU average of 89.9%. The provision of mobile telephony services is subject to the award of spectrum licences by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). In late...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Government's National Broadband Plan, which I published in August 2012, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses. This will be achieved by providing: a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial investment, and a State-led investment for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. Ireland is currently heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels to meet our energy needs. While it is acknowledged that fossil fuels will remain part of the energy mix for some time to come, progress is being made towards increasing the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Biofuel Obligation Scheme Implementation (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Renewable Energy Directive requires that all Member States must ensure that, by 2020, 10% of energy in transport comes from renewable sources. Ireland plans to meet the transport target primarily by mandating the use of biofuels through the Biofuel Obligation Scheme. The scheme works by obligating road transport fuel suppliers to bring a certain amount of sustainable biofuel to the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fuel Prices (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Irish oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated and there is free entry to the market. There is no price control and it is Government policy to encourage price competition and consumer choice. Neither I nor the Commission for Energy Regulation has a statutory function in the regulation of petrol and diesel prices. The upward trend in petrol and diesel prices arises...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Research and Development Funding (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The procurement of software by agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each agency. All of these agencies are aware of the necessity to comply with national and EU legislation and procurement rules to achieve efficiency and value for money in the procurement of goods and services. Issues in relation to research policy are a matter for the Department of Jobs,...

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

Pat Rabbitte: The 2014 Expenditure Report estimate for voted expenditure for my Department is €401 million, consisting of €321 million in current and €80 million in capital expenditure. The full year reduction over the 2013 estimate amounts to €14.5 million with €9.5 million current savings and €5 million capital savings identified. Current expenditure sees a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Service Obligation Levy Increase (5 Nov 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy has been in place since 2001 and is the overall support mechanism for peat generation, for certain conventional generation constructed for security of supply purposes, and for the development of renewable electricity. The levy is designed to compensate electricity suppliers for the additional costs they incur by purchasing electricity generated by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (5 Nov 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland operates a model where the State provides the opportunity and private industry bears the risk associated with investing in exploration activity. In addition to offering regular and attractive licensing initiatives and actively promoting the opportunity to invest in exploration in the Irish offshore, my Department works with a range of other State bodies to support the conduct of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (5 Nov 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos 609 to 611, inclusive, together. The "Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure" (July 2012), made it clear that the Government does not seek to direct energy infrastructure developers to particular sites, routes or technologies. These are matters for the developers and for the forward planning...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bord Gáis Privatisation (5 Nov 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Bord Gáis Éireann is in the process of selling its energy business, Bord Gáis Energy. Bord Gáis Éireann and its advisors, working with NewERa, who are advising the Government in relation to the sale, are curently assessing the latest bids received for Bord Gáis Energy. The Deputy will understand that, as the process is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for me to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Incentives (5 Nov 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department, are the main subsidies available for renewable energy. The Better Energy Programme, which principally provides funding for energy efficiency measures, also provides grants for the installation of solar panels. The Renewable Heat Deployment Programme (ReHeat), Greener Homes Scheme and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (5 Nov 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As part of our considerations of the mutual benefits from energy co-operation with the United Kingdom, an agreed programme of work, including a full technical and economic analysis, is underway with the aim of finalising an Inter-Governmental Agreement in early 2014. A key objective, from an Irish Government perspective, is to realise the potential for investment, jobs and growth. The amount...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Exports (5 Nov 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I launched an initial period of public consultation on the renewable energy export policy and development framework in October, inviting all interested parties, including members of the public, to make written submissions or observations on the framework and to assist in the preparation and scoping of the associated Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report and the Habitats...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Appointments (5 Nov 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The information requested is set out in the following table: Name Position Current Salary / Salary Scale Simon Nugent Special Advisor to Minister €91,425 Finbarr O’Malley Special Advisor to Minister €75,647 - €87,258 Linda Brien Personal Assistant to Minister €43,715 - €56,060 Colm Lawless Personal Secretary to Minister €23,820 -...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (5 Nov 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. That valuation showed an ongoing valuation deficit of €1.9 billion and a Minimum Funding Standard deficit of €1.8 billion. Consequently, the ESB and the ESB Group of Unions formed a working group to assess how best to address the reported deficit and to...