Results 12,001-12,020 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Prospecting Licences (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: No prospecting licences for minerals in this area have either been sought or granted under the Minerals Development Acts, 1940 to 1999. Under the statutes, a prospecting licence only entitles the holder to explore for mineral deposits and does not authorise mining of any minerals.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mining Licences (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The exclusive right to work minerals, regardless of ownership, vests in the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources under the Minerals Development Acts 1940 to 1999, with a few specific exceptions. The Acts cover a wide range of minerals but exclude stone, sand, gravel and clay, peat, and petroleum/ natural gas. Mineral exploration (prospecting) and mining are regulated...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Salmon Hardship Scheme (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I assume the Deputy is referring to the Salmon Hardship Scheme which was introduced following a decision to stop the commercial mixed stock salmon fishery in the sea. Under the scheme fishermen active in the fishery could opt to cease the activity and undertake not to seek a licence in the future. In excess of €25m was allocated to the scheme to facilitate payments to fishermen with a...

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

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland's telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The State can only intervene to ensure access to broadband services in areas where the competitive market fails to deliver such services, as in the case of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). My Department entered into a contract in late 2008 with Hutchison...

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

Pat Rabbitte: The peak demand for electricity varies across the year, but is approximately 3,000 megawatts (MWs) in summer and 5,000 MWs in winter. 1,880 MWs of wind generation capacity is connected in Ireland and its output varies according to wind conditions. On 5 December this year, a new record high for wind generation output of 1,588 MW was reached, and in 2012, an average of 15.5% of power was...

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

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The State can only intervene to ensure access to broadband services in areas where the competitive market fails to deliver such services, as in the case of the fibre Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) initiative. The Government’s National...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Decentralisation Programme Expenditure (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: All or part of the following Divisions of my Department have decentralised to Cavan town: Information Systems Division; Corporate Services Division; Finance and Corporate Affairs Division; Inland Fisheries; and Internal Audit Unit. The total number of staff in my Department is 245 of which 42 are based in Cavan. The annual cost incurred in 2012 and 2013 for staff travelling from Cavan to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Pension Provisions (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In general, all civil servants are eligible for superannuation benefits on reaching minimum retirement age provided they satisfy the qualifying conditions outlined in the Superannuation Schemes. My Department is responsible for payment of these benefits in respect of civil servants who resigned from the former Department of Post and Telegraphs on or after 1 June 1973 and before 1 January 1984...

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

Pat Rabbitte: The transition to a sustainable, low carbon, energy system is central to Government energy policy. Implementation of this policy, as well as delivering substantial environmental benefits, is securing significant economic benefits for the State and our citizens. For example, the wind energy sector employs around 3,400 people in Ireland. In addition, the SEAI estimates that €255 million...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mining Industry (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The information set out below relates only to minerals within the meaning of the Minerals Development Acts 1940 to 1999, for which I have statutory responsibility. The definition of minerals in those Acts specifically excludes stone, sand, gravel and clay, so I have no remit in relation to stone quarrying. Financial terms for State Mining Facilities are set in accordance with Section 26 of...

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

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 361 to 363, inclusive, together. The Government has committed to retaining the electricity networks in State ownership and to retaining ESB as a vertically integrated utility as a strong strategic player in the all island energy market and in due course in the integrated European Market. In January 2009, a new legal entity charged with the operation and...

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

Pat Rabbitte: The regulation of the electricity and gas markets is the statutory responsibility of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). The Electricity Regulation Act 1999 provided for the establishment of the CER as an independent statutory regulator. Competition in electricity generation has been facilitated by European legislation and transposed into Irish law. The EU adopted its first package...

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

Pat Rabbitte: The regulation of the electricity and gas market is the responsibility of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). The Electricity Regulation Act 1999 provided for the establishment of the CER as an independent statutory regulator. On 1 November 2007 the Single Electricity Market (SEM) went live, commencing the trading of wholesale electricity in Ireland and Northern Ireland on an...

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

Pat Rabbitte: Responsibility for the regulation of the retail electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), an independent statutory body, and is a matter in which I, as Minister, have no role of function. On 1 November 2007 the Single Electricity Market (SEM), the all-island arrangements for the trading of wholesale electricity, was implemented. The SEM is a gross...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: EirGrid and the System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) have embarked on a multi-year programme "Delivering a Secure, Sustainable Electricity System" (DS3) which is designed to ensure that we can securely operate the power system with increasing amounts of variable non-synchronous renewable generation. Together with the on-going work on infrastructure development (Grid25 in Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: No proposals have been made to me to extend the powers of EirGrid in the manner outlined in the question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Grid Connection Fees (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The transmission grid provides a vital link between all generators and the users of electricity. It provides physical access for all generators to a central market and it enables all users to avail of electricity from the central market at the most economic rates. EirGrid's Grid 25 Programme is a Government endorsed strategy to develop the transmission network to ensure nationwide safe,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 370 and 371 together. The Government established the statutory agency, EirGrid, to deliver a safe, secure and affordable electricity supply. EirGrid's Grid25 national programme is vital for future socioeconomic progress in Ireland. Grid25 represents an investment in the transmission system of €3.2 billion over approximately 15 to 20 years, and is...

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

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 375 together. My Department has not incurred any expenditure on external IT consultants in the years in question. The Information Systems Services Division of my Department does, however, have contracts with five IT companies for the provision of ICT personnel, who are classed as contractors rather than consultants. The amount spent under this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Legal Costs (17 Dec 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Payments by my Department arising from legal action including third party costs in the period 2011 to date in 2013 was €480,613.28 broken down as follows: 2011 2012 2013 €326,596.51 Nil €154,016.77