Results 12,501-12,520 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Action Plan for Jobs (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Action Plan for Jobs incorporates a wide range of measures to support growth in areas under my remit. Critical among these, are initiatives in relation to the digital economy and improvements to energy efficiency. The National Digital Strategy was published in 2013 and contains a series of actions aimed at stimulating digital engagement. A key initiative in the Action Plan for Jobs,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: At the end of 2013 the total amount of renewable generation capacity connected to the grid was around 2,300 MW. It is estimated that around 4,000 MW of renewable generation capacity will be required to allow Ireland to meet its commitment of 40% of electricity demand being met by electricity generated from renewable resources by 2020. This is necessary to meet our overall target of 16% of our...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Operational matters are an issue 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. I will request An Post to issue a direct reply to the Deputy regarding the future of the Post Office on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Legal Costs (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: There was no expenditure on legal fees by my Department in 2013. The information the Deputy has sought regarding the agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each Agency. I will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisation.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postcode Implementation (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I will consider releasing the material in question directly to the Deputy, subject to consultation with the European Commission and any other third parties named in the correspondence.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: On 28 January last, in response to EirGrid’s recent public consultation process, I announced that I had appointed an Independent Panel of Experts, chaired by Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, to decide the terms of reference for, and to oversee the integrity of a process to be undertaken by EirGrid to report on, comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground options...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 5 on today's order paper.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for the post office network are a matter for the Board and management of An Post and not one in which I have a statutory function. Information provided by the company indicates that the number of post offices closed on an annual basis over the last ten years is as follows: - 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No.1 and to Questions Nos. 11, 17, 31 and 35 on today's Order Paper.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together. Ireland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999. It has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. A report on the “State of Broadband” published by the International...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (11 Mar 2014)

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 share...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 324 and 327 together. Through its membership of the International Energy Agency, Ireland has regular contact with all of the leading countries who are actively promoting electric vehicles and we receive regular updates on technological progress and policies to promote electric vehicles (EVs). Technology advances will continue in the sector, with the biggest...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Corrib Gas Field (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 124 and 125 on 30 January 2014 in which I indicated that first gas from the Corrib gas field cannot be expected sooner than the first half of 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Question No. 18 on today's Order Paper. EirGrid has set out its vision for development of the national transmission system through the Grid25 Strategy which was published in October 2008. In accordance with its statutory and licence responsibilities as the Transmission System Operator (TSO) the company has prepared a Transmission Development Plan (TDP) for the period...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: While the Government will continue to develop policies and actions aimed at increasing our security of supply, addressing our dependence on imported fossil fuels and achieving a more secure energy mix, while capitalising on indigenous renewable energy sources, it would not be realistic to expect that Ireland would become totally energy self-sufficient in the foreseeable future. A...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: This Government adopted a significant innovation in 2011 to widen access for appointment to State Boards by providing that expressions of interest be sought publicly from all those that might be interested in serving on such Boards. Each year, I have invited expressions of Interest from people willing and interested in serving on the Boards of Bodies under the aegis of my Department and to...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wind Energy Generation (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland is fortunate to have very rich wind resources. We can now exploit those renewable resources to generate electricity, reduce our import bills for gas and oil and contribute to decarbonising our energy systems. Thanks to technology, we now have the technical capacity to create a new traded sector in green energy. Last year I signed a memorandum of understanding with my UK...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wind Energy Generation (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Forgive me, but I must be in the other House in two minutes to deal with the ESB Bill. The midlands wind export project was not even contemplated in 2006. The refurbishment of the grid has nothing to do with the wind export project, which is a separate, stand alone ring-fenced project with a different technology sub-sea DC cable and so on. It would be helpful if there was less agitation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (12 Mar 2014)

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 including those in County Cork. This will be achieved by providing: - a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (12 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Phillips 66, the current owners of the infrastructure referred to, confirmed in mid-2013 that they had commenced a process to market their Irish business with the process expected to last for several months, during which time the company would operate on a business as usual basis. This entirely commercial transaction is underway and neither I nor officials at my Department are involved in it....