Results 11,981-12,000 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Incentives (10 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 314 together. Electric Ireland has been offering a feed in tariff for domestic microgeneration since February 2009. No other electricity supply company has to date chosen to enter the domestic market and to offer a microgeneration feed-in-tariff on a commercial basis, although the Commission for Energy Regulation invited them to do so. In addition,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Capital Programme Expenditure (10 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I can confirm that there is an Capital underspend of €22 million against expenditure profile to the end of November. Profiled expenditure including capital carryover was €79.631m against actual expenditure of €57.675 million. This is mainly due to lower than anticipated expenditure in a number of programme areas as set out in the following table. The figures to which I...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Warmer Homes Scheme Issues (10 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme. The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to homeowners who are vulnerable to energy poverty free of charge to the customer. Since commencement of the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme in 2000, the technical specifications have been amended and improved upon on a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Service Provision (10 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is the statutory independent body responsible for regulation of the broadcasting sector, which includes regulation of the community radio sector, and as such, I, as Minister have no role in this matter. The role of the BAI includes the provision of funding for the sector, by way of the Sound and Vision II Scheme. In addition, through the Sectoral...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (10 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Academic and industry research suggest that there is a potentially significant role for biogas in meeting our renewable energy requirements as well as contributing to wider Government policy in agriculture, waste management and air and water quality. However, the technologies underpinning the sector are at a relatively early stage of development with the result that there is uncertainty...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (10 Dec 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 can be found on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Irish Language Issues (10 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: On foot of the Government’s response to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s Five Year Review of Public Service Broadcasting earlier this year, the Board of TG4 was requested, with the assistance of my Department and the Authority, to review its 5-year Strategic Plan on the basis of present revenue allocations. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Board continually strives to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Charities Regulation (10 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The funding of Irish Charities is not a direct function of my Department. However there are a number of bodies that engage in research or support social and community initiatives in areas such as e-inclusion which have qualified for charitable tax exemption under Section 207, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 and such organisations have provided services or carried out research work for my...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: International Agreements (11 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland has the capability to achieve its national targets for renewable electricity from onshore renewable generation alone, with capacity to spare. This means that, under the co-operation mechanisms outlined in Directive 2009/28/EC, there is potential for projects of scale both onshore and offshore that are aimed at export markets. It is in this context that the United Kingdom Secretary of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (11 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 101 together. Ireland has one of the best offshore renewable energy resources in Europe. Cost effective harnessing of the potential of this sector will be crucial to reducing our dependence on expensive fossil fuel imports, creating a low carbon energy system and delivering jobs in the green economy. My Department is currently finalising an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (11 Dec 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 and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: International Agreements (11 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 102 together. Under Directive 2009/28/EC (the “Renewables Directive”), each Member State has been assigned a legally binding individual target for the development of renewable energy that they must achieve by 2020. The Directive provides a mechanism whereby renewable energy produced in one country cannot only be exported to another but...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: EU Directives (11 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: There are three infringement cases in my Department concerning transposition of EU Directives. Transposition of the Third Energy Package, designed to facilitate completion of the internal market in electricity and gas, is a complex process. The European Commission has issued two Reasoned Opinions to Ireland in regard to its transposition of certain electricity related aspects of the package....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Legal Costs (11 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to advise the Deputy that there have been no such costs incurred by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Food Security (12 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Question No. 301 (53056/13) of 10 December 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Funding (12 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department has not provided funding to East Clare Community Co-Op Society Limited in the years referenced by the Deputy.

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

Pat Rabbitte: The Irish industrial relations legislative and institutional industrial relations system is framed in the particular context of, on the one hand, maintaining industrial peace and providing the State machinery to help that happen while, on the other, recognising our citizen’s rights to freedom of association, trade union membership and, with the singular exceptions of those charged with...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Industrial Relations Issues (12 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Since taking office I have met with the Group Secretary and members of the ESB Group of Unions on two occasions. Officials in my Department have, together with officials from other Government Departments, met with representatives of the ESB pension forum, including the Group Secretary of the ESB Group of Unions, on two other occasions. My special adviser was present on each occasion.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Digital Strategy Implementation (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As part of the Government's National Digital Strategy (NDS) which was published in July, my Department engaged Indecon to establish the precise contribution that digital is making to the Irish economy. That research showed that Irish consumers spent almost €4bn online in 2012. However, 70% of this online business is going out of Ireland. The research also showed that the amount of...