Results 12,701-12,720 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (1 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high quality, nationwide postal service and maintain a nationwide customer focussed network of post offices in the community. The professionalism of the postmasters and An Post has served the network well down through the years and I do not see any reason why this should not continue to be so...

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

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 to 110, inclusive, together. 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...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: EirGrid’s Grid25 national transmission grid development programme is vital for future socioeconomic progress in Ireland, regional development and to ensure consumers have access to reliable, sustainable and affordable energy. During the course of engagement by EirGrid in its recent public consultation processes a number of key concerns emerged. I have put in place a number of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I understand the panel met as recently as last Friday. According to what I hear, I for one will be surprised if it does not issue its report on the terms of reference before next Friday. That is my expectation but I do not speak for the panel. With regard to health, the Deputy is correct that this matter has been a concern among residents and others during the recent public consultation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I can certainly assure the Deputy that the integrity of the process is being maintained by the expert panel under the chairmanship of the retired Honourable Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness and that it is taking its responsibilities very seriously. Otherwise, it would have opined before now. I take the point that there must be optimum co-operation between my Department and the Department...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Generation (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Last year the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Mr. Ed Davey, MP, and I signed a memorandum of understanding on energy co-operation. The memorandum demonstrated our shared interest in developing the opportunity to export green electricity from Ireland to Britain. An agreed programme of work was put in place, with work-streams across several areas. A key objective was to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Generation (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The contemplated wind export project in the midlands was a discrete and ring-fenced project that had nothing at all to do with our capacity to meet our domestic needs. We are on track to have 40% of our electricity generated from renewables by 2020. By any European standard, that is considered to be at the leading edge in terms of what any transmission system can accommodate. We remain...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Generation (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: At the outset the Deputy said reasonably that he was in favour of renewables to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and accelerate the departure from a reliance on fossil fuels to renewables. He cannot say this, on the one hand, and, on the other, say he wants a moratorium on development of renewables. The planning system is immensely rigorous. Everybody has known for a number of years...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Post Office Network (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company in a position to provide a high quality, nationwide postal service and maintain a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community. The professionalism of the postmasters and An Post has served the network well down through the years and I do not see any reason this should not continue to be the case...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Post Office Network (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The problem is that An Post's mandate is that of a commercial State company. It is not always possible to reconcile that with a mandate to shore up the post office network. The post office network is a combination of private enterprises which are subject to EU competition and procurement law. Deputy Moynihan is correct that there is a dilemma here. The dilemma is best highlighted in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Post Office Network (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: In fairness to An Post and postmasters, they have grown their businesses in recent years and continue to do so. If one looks at the withdrawal of banking services from many villages and towns, it appears that retail banking has gone out of fashion as far as the senior management and boards of banks are concerned. Post offices have stepped in. One of the things I have put to the Cabinet...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Services Provision (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I agree with the Deputy that it is unacceptable that in urban Ireland quality broadband connectivity competes with anything available in any city in Europe but large tracts of rural Ireland have access to a very basic service. The Government’s national broadband plan which I published in August aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring high speed...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Services Provision (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Recently, the Deputy and other colleagues supported a Bill in the House that facilitates the ESB entering into a joint venture with a leading telecommunications operator to use its supply infrastructure to roll out fibre to parts of rural Ireland that could never have hoped to access it. This arrangement is being concluded and the preferred company selected following the submission of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Services Provision (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I would like to think the website does give that information. I have explained the process we must go through. There is no easy telephone solution for a small business in Dromahair that may have poor quality broadband. Without the network being available, there is no short-term solution. There are some parts of Ireland where, for topographical reasons, it is very difficult to deal with...

Other Questions: Postcode Implementation (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: If Deputy Pearse Doherty communicates with my Department, of course, he will receive a reply.

Other Questions: Postcode Implementation (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I launched the Eircode brand for a national postcode system on 28 April. In spring 2015, every Irish address will get a unique code, which will bring many benefits to the daily lives of people, householders and businesses. Since a contract to deliver the project was signed with Capita, considerable progress has been made on design and engagement with public and private sector stakeholders...

Other Questions: Postcode Implementation (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The process, which was a competitive dialogue, was entirely open. Capita was selected on the basis that it was the preferred bidder. Many forecast that An Post would be selected. It was not in the event. Capita has a track record in this general area. It employs approximately 1,000 people in Ireland. At a public presentation last week or the previous week - I cannot recall which - it...

Other Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: To limit the lottery possibilities, I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 129 together. I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 129 together. During the course of engagement by EirGrid in its public consultation processes, and most recently in relation to the Grid Link project, on which 35,000 submissions were received, a number of key concerns emerged. This has necessitated considerable...

Other Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank Deputy Colreavy but that is the purpose of public consultation. That was provided in the arrangements. We are talking about a plan that was settled on in 2006 so nobody can seriously suggest that they have been overtaken by its suddenness. The public consultation phase allowed for this element of participation by the public, and we are responding to that. The Deputy is correct....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (6 May 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) published on 14 April last highlights access to and cost of high quality broadband as one of the most significant challenges faced by rural communities, particularly from a business perspective. It points to the need for significant State investment to ensure delivery of next generation broadband outside of...