Results 12,881-12,900 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Service Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: RTÉ is funded through both a Grant-In-Aid for a proportion of television licence fee receipts and through the commercial revenue it generates. TG4 is funded by way of a combination of direct exchequer Grant-In-Aid, television licence fee receipts and commercial revenue. Both Public Service Broadcasters are funded on an annual basis. In regard to the actual mechanism for helping to...

Topical Issue Debate: PSO Levy Review (18 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I apologise to Deputy Penrose and the House for missing my slot. I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The PSO is charged to all domestic and business customers and is designed to compensate suppliers for the additional costs they incur by meeting obligations to purchase electricity from indigenous, sustainable and renewable sources, and to ensure security of supply. Its...

Topical Issue Debate: PSO Levy Review (18 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I share the Deputy's concerns, and I expressed them at a meeting with the regulator and subsequently put them in writing. When one considers the three elements of the PSO, the largest element of cost is attributable to the peat stations in the midlands. It would not be viable to maintain employment in the midlands, such as among Bord na Móna workers, without the PSO. Deputy Penrose...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (18 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to advise the Deputy that there were no settlements made by my Department during the period in question which had confidentiality agreements or clauses included.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (18 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: This Government has made changes in relation to appointments to State Boards and bodies with new arrangements involving advertisement, seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates, for appointment to these Boards/bodies. In accordance with this Government Decision, I have, since 2011, on my Department's website, invited Expressions of Interest from persons wishing to be...

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy knows, having come through an extremely difficult period of recession in the past six years, it has, more recently, been an especially good time for farming and agriculture generally in this country. The Deputy is absolutely correct that there is an immediate problem in the beef sector, and he understands the reasons for it, particularly in respect of bull beef. He also...

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It seems to me that the difficulty as to whether a beast is Irish or Northern Irish has its roots deep in Irish history. For the Deputy to say that, relatively speaking, it has not been a good time for Irish farming is simply incorrect. Ever since we held the Presidency of the European Union, when the Minister, Deputy Coveney, used that opportunity to bring the budgetary situation and...

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: In fairness, that is a pretty hackneyed cliché. Sometimes I am completely taken aback by how conservative Sinn Féin is. It seems to want to retain the status quo. For the period of time I have been in government, I have heard Deputies opposite, including, prominently, Sinn Féin, whingeing about the housing rental supplement and how it assists poverty traps and prevented...

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: They will not.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not think Deputy Shortall should enter this. Her decision on the centralisation of medical cards has caused enough difficulties in this country.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy O'Brien is right that it is the most fundamental reform for a generation - a reform for which this House has argued for the past number of years. I am sorry it has taken as long as it has to give effect to it. I know there are different provisions in different local authorities but it is a real measure to assist people who are in receipt of this housing supplement to go back to work...

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: There is no basis in the legislation being passed for the charges being made by Deputy O'Brien.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Frankly, I am surprised-----

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Frankly, I am surprised that people who argued for the change that has been brought in by the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, now want to scaremonger against it. I am especially surprised that it is coming from the normally mild-mannered Deputy O'Brien who does not customarily go in for the prima donna performances given from those benches.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It is a very good reform and we should agree to welcome it.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It is unusual to get an Opposition question that is balanced and that acknowledges that on the one hand the provision of community services in the State are comparable to anything in any member state in Europe and on the other hand-----

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: -----as Deputy O'Sullivan said, that community development has been a focus of public policy under successive Governments in this country for a very long time. A decision has not been made to privatise community development in Ireland.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: There is a very limited area where for reasons of efficiency and value for money a minor aspect of the fabric of community development in this country will be procured from outside. The existing programmes will continue, including the programme to which Deputy O'Sullivan referred - the drugs task forces which I established 20 years ago -that have contributed significantly in the areas worst...

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Fine, Mattie, I will.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: At the moment I would like to hear from the questioner what particular programmes she is concerned about.