Results 12,581-12,600 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 331 and 332 together. Since market liberalisation in 1999, the provision of telecommunications services, including broadband services are delivered in the first instance through private sector operators who operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). The market has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Digital Television Service Availability (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: In accordance with the Broadcasting Act 2009, RTÉ, through its subsidiary company 2rn, is responsible for the roll-out, coverage and operation of the SAORVIEW digital terrestrial television (DTT) network and I, as Minister, have no function in this matter. Specifically, the Act requires RTÉ to provide digital coverage to the same extent as provided over the previous analogue...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 334 and 338 together. Wind energy developments are undertaken by a number of commercial State companies including ESB (Electricity Supply Board), BGÉ (Bord Gáis Éireann), and Bord na Mona (BnM). I understand Coillte is also active in wind energy initiatives. The decision to undertake such developments are operational matters based on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Exports (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland and the UK have made good progress on both States' joint, innovative and ambitious work in the area of renewable energy trading since my signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey M.P. in January 2013. However, it is recognised that the economic, policy and regulatory complexities involved, and the key decisions yet...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Petroleum and Gas Exploration (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Following a public procurement process, my Department appointed Wood MacKenzie in March of this year to provide expert advice on the fitness for purpose of Ireland's fiscal terms for oil and gas exploration, development and production. It is expected that this work will take two to three months to finalise, will help inform decisions to be taken going forward.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Responsibilities (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together. The Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act, 1993 provides for the primary legislative basis in Ireland for the interception of postal packets and telecommunications messages. By reason of the fact that the Minister for Defence and the Minister for Justice and Equality have a role under the 1993...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank the Vice Chairman and the joint committee for organising a series of hearings on this issue and inviting me to address them on the generation and use of electricity in Ireland and the potential export of surplus electricity to the United Kingdom. First, I need to distinguish between different types of development connected with power generation and supply. These are often rolled up...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Stanley is correct. There is significant concern in his local county about this. I believe a great deal of this concern is due to a misunderstanding, some to misinformation and some due to disinformation. One cannot say that one is concerned about the trend towards nuclear energy in Britain and that one is in favour of renewable energy, but not in his or her county. We cannot do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I noted that Deputy Paudie Coffey made reference to the Green Paper. Did he ask a question on it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: One of the points made in the Green Paper is that we are inviting responses on the biomass issue. The Deputy is right about the conversion at Great Island. In a country that has very few significant building projects left it is a very big building project. I went to look at it and it is immensely impressive. The conversion from using oil to gas is to be welcomed. It is a very big new...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The memorandum of understanding was signed in Dublin by me and the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change as a first step towards an intergovernmental agreement. What I have set out in my opening remarks is the timeframe imposed on us by the European conditions. There is a huge lead time in any major energy project and, from that point of view, as I have said - I announced it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Was it not? I apologise. I am asked what about Wavebob, what about offshore, what about biomass, peat briquettes or whatever. As I have said to Deputy Paudie Coffey, the advice I have is that we do not have the biomass but we do have wind.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Deputy can object away.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: That is in the eye of the beholder. The fact of the matter is that wave and tidal energy is still a twinkle in the research eye of the scientists. That is the first point. The second point is that, yes, we are investing in the research, but if a private company such as Wavebob goes down, it goes down. It is not the job of the State to support private companies. The fact of the matter is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Yes, a community project, where the 32 farmers involved are stakeholders with Tipperary Energy, and there was not a meig of complaint. It is enthusiastically supported and we do support initiatives like that. We will have a look at offshore wind energy in the future. As I said, we have published the offshore renewable energy development plan. I hope that if developers come forward with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: There has been some interaction, and one formal meeting has taken place in London on 10 or 12 March.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It was quite recent. As Zhou Enlai said about the French Revolution, it is too early to say, but one formal meeting has taken place. I agree with a great deal of the thrust of what Deputy Mulherin has said. If the Chairman will permit, I will make a brief comment on the costs issue. The problem is that it is a commercial marketplace - the Deputy understands that - so many of the cost...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Which projects is Deputy Cowen referring to?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I know Deputy Cowen was not able to be here. I dealt with that in my formal remarks and I will give him a copy of them. To repeat, I had made a formal statement in the Seanad a couple of weeks ago - I cannot remember exactly how long ago - before the summit asserting my judgment that given the timeframe imposed on us by the availability, for example, of the supports system - for example,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electricity Generation: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I would like to think-----