Results 12,921-12,940 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Order of Business (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I would be concerned if what Deputy Kirk stated was not a local problem. My understanding is the service level agreements and agreements generally in place between local authorities and Irish Water are working well. There may well be a particular issue with the Deputy's local authority, and I will be glad to examine it, but generally speaking they are working well. The transition is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (19 Jun 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. This will be achieved by providing: - a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial investment; and - a State-led...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Remuneration (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The information sought regarding payments to staff by Semi-State Companies is an operational matter for each Company. All directions issued by the Government in relation to remuneration of staff in Semi State Companies have been brought to the attention of the relevant State Companies.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (24 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 331 and 332 together. The Irish energy market is a liberalised, commercial, regulated market operating in accordance with EU and national legislation. While as Minister I have responsibility for the legislative and policy frameworks, I have no role or function in determining energy market matters, including matters relating to energy supply for the north...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (24 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The primary support mechanisms for renewables, including wind farms, are the Alternative Energy Requirement schemes and the Renewable Energy Feed-In-Tariff (REFIT) schemes. These schemes were introduced to incentivise the development of renewable electricity generation capacity necessary to allow Ireland to meet its target of meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable generation by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Services (24 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Staffing matters at An Post are an operational matter for the management and Board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 335, 340, 342 and 343 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (24 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: A company called Gulf Oil Corporation originally built the oil terminal on Whiddy Island in Bantry Bay to use for international oil transport purposes. In addition to onshore oil storage tanks, the facility had a berth (known as a jetty) capable of accommodating large oil tankers. In 1979 a major accident occurred as oil was being unloaded from a tanker called the Betelgeuse. Fifty persons in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Internet Safety (24 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I established the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group in December 2013 to provide me with expert, independent advice in forming legislative, policy and regulatory recommendations to Government on a range of internet content governance issues for which responsibility is spread across a number of Government Departments. The Group conducted a public consultation on the emerging issues...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Services (24 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Issues relating to the post office network and An Post's commercial products are an operational matter for the management and Board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. I will request An Post to issue a direct reply to the Deputy regarding the correspondence referred to in the Question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (24 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Matters relating to the post office network, including post office closures, are an operational matter for the Board and management of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. I will request An Post to issue a direct reply to the Deputy regarding the matter referred to in the Question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Speeds (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Since market liberalisation, 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 developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Tyre Labelling Regulations (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Tyre Labelling Regulations (S.I. 342 of 2012) set out the national rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No. 1222/2009 on the labelling of tyres. These regulations are in place to ensure consumers are provided with information on the fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise of the tyre. This information is provided in the form of a label which, since 1 November 2012, must be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and Gas Exploration (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Firstly I should make clear that other than in the case of the 1959 agreement relating to the Kinsale Head gas field, the fiscal regime applying to oil and gas production in Ireland is set down in the Finance Acts and is not a matter of individual contracts. In March 2014 international sectoral experts Wood Mackenzie were engaged to provide independent expert advice on the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The 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 incentivising commercial investment; and a State-led intervention for areas where it...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Article 7 of the Energy Efficiency Directive obliges Member States to achieve energy savings each year from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020 of 1.5% of the annual energy sales to final customers. Ireland has chosen to partially meet the requirements of Article 7 via the imposition of an Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme on energy suppliers. Earlier this year I introduced Statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Independent Expert Panel considering the Grid West and Grid Link projects has held five meetings between 10 February 2014 and 10 June 2014. At its meeting on 2 May 2014, the Panel finalised and approved the terms of reference for comprehensive, route specific studies and reports of fully undergrounded and overhead options for each of the Grid West and Grid Link projects, including...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Service Broadcasters (26 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Policy Review (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I launched the public consultation process on the Green Paper on Energy Policy on 12 May 2014 when the Paper was published. It is open to anyone to submit their views electronically via a dedicated mailbox or in writing to the Department's address at 29-31 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2. A number of special topic seminars covering the six policy priorities will be organised over the coming months...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Would the Deputy like it to be privatised?