Results 13,021-13,040 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. The booking of photographers is managed by the Department's Press Office in each case. Photography Costs - Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Company Event Date-March 2011-May 2014 Event Cost Maxwell Photography 13/06/2011 Government convenes Next Generation Broadband Taskforce 340.92 Maxwell...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Contracts (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: My Departmental remit includes complex policy areas, oversight of State regulation and service provision across key strategic services such as energy and public broadcasting, and regulation of sectors such as mining and hydrocarbon exploration. Given the technical complexity, economic significance and community interest in these areas, there is a requirement to disseminate information and to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department has not incurred any expenditure on external IT consultants in the years in question. The Information Systems Services Division of my Department does, however, have contracts with 6 IT companies for the provision of ICT personnel, who are classed as contractors rather than consultants. The amount spent under this heading is as follows: Company 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Contracts (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department has not incurred any expenditure on external IT consultants since March 2011. The Information Systems Services Division of my Department does, however, have contracts with 6 IT companies for the provision of ICT personnel, who are classed as contractors rather than consultants. All contracts entered into follow Public Procurement guidelines and, when completed, are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: This Government has made changes in relation to appointments to State Boards and bodies with new arrangements involving advertisement of vacancies for applications from suitably qualified candidates and, in accordance with the government Decision of 12 April 2011, I have, each year, on my Department's website, invited Expressions of Interest from persons wishing to be considered for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Legislative Programme (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Since March 2011 there have been five Bills initiated by me and brought through the legislative process to completion as follows: - The Access to Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011, enacted on the 23rdof November 2011. No Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) was required for this Bill - a full RIA was undertaken for the related Petroleum (Exploration and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department has not engaged the services of any debt collection agencies and there are no guidelines in place for hiring such agencies. The information 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: Departmental Funding (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Question No. 130 of 26 June 2014. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Funding (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department does not provide any funding specifically for library services for persons with a visual impairment as my Department does not manage any library services with the one exception of the library of the Geological Survey of Ireland (G.S.I.). The G.S.I. Library is a small specialised library and currently does not facilitate those with a visual impairment.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department requested sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to appoint my Special Advisers, Mr Finbarr O' Malley and Mr Simon Nugent, at salary rates commensurate with their previous remuneration. Sanction was granted to appoint Mr. O'Malley at a salary rate of €83,337 per annum and Mr. Nugent at a salary rate of €97,200 per annum. Both salaries have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme Administration (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme on behalf of my Department. The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to low-income households who meet the defined eligibility criteria and are vulnerable to energy poverty. Recipients of the scheme do not receive grants but have measures installed free of charge....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Communications Market Regulation (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The regulation of the electronic communications market is an EU competency to ensure harmonised regulatory rules in the provision of such services and the associated electronic communications infrastructure within a fully liberalised internal EU electronic communications market. There is currently no legal impediment to operators throttling or blocking access to internet content or for them...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: This matter is an operational one for the company concerned, in accordance with appropriate planning provisions, and not one in which I, as Minister, have any role or function.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I am not aware of any need to alter the arrangements currently in place under the relevant provisions of the Electricity (Supply) Amendment Act 1927 in relation to works carried out by ESB Networks Limited as outlined by the Deputy. Accordingly, I do not have any plans to amend the Act. The existing arrangements as implemented by the company concerned are operational matters for the company...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Remuneration (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. - 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 No. of Staff in receipt of Increment 225 189 171 158 121 113 65 Average number of staff employed in Dept. 323 310 289 282 265 268 272 (staff numbers as at 31/5/14) Increments are paid in line with the approved rates of pay at the time as outlined on the website of the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Rehiring (8 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Retired public and civil servants are engaged from time to time by my Department in areas where specific expertise is required for a short fixed period. These staff provide a level of knowledge, experience and background compatible with such requirements. Details of such engagements from 2011 to date are outlined in the following table. Year Number Associated cost 2011 3 €12,425...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Road Projects (9 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: While this is a matter for the company and not one in which I, as Minister, have any role or function, the Deputy may wish to contact EirGrid directly on the matter. EirGrid has published a number of substantial reports on the matter of optimal routing for the North South Transmission Line Project and can be contacted at or by telephone at “lo-call” 1890 25 26 90.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Payments (9 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 298 and 299 together. The licence fee is distributed in accordance with Section 123 of the Broadcasting Act 2009, to both RTÉ and TG4 in order to facilitate the pursuit of their public service objectives which are also set out in the 2009 Act. An Post pays the Department all TV licence revenues collected from sales and the Department of Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Natural Resources (9 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: In May 2013 I initiated a debate in Dáil Éireann on the Report on Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration published in May 2012 by the former Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture. At the conclusion of the Dáil debate, I stated my intention to seek further independent expert advice on the “fitness-for-purpose” of Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Metropolitan Area Networks Programme (9 Jul 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) consist of fibre optic rings around 94 regional cities and towns designed to enhance connectivity in these areas. The MANs are playing an important part in driving competition in the regions and have facilitated operators to provide services that benefit both business and residential customers. The MANs are managed, operated and maintained on behalf of...