Results 1,721-1,740 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Electricity Network. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I am informed there is no benefit in going to 1,000 MW in terms of the construction costs. It is more debatable whether it makes sense in terms of energy. The analysis carried out by the Department showed that a phased introduction to interconnection was a better way of doing it. Care must be taken to develop our own market systems here by encouraging generation and not to undermine this...

Electricity Network. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I am informed from the consultants' reports that there is no cost loss to the State by choosing this option and it may well be more cost effective. With regard to the difference in electricity prices on either side of the Irish Sea, the Government is concerned about the cost of electricity but it underlines that we must be careful to deliver those renewable electricity sources which will be...

Electricity Network. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: We need to introduce renewables to keep the costs down.

Telecommunications Services. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter for the private sector. Broadband service providers operate in a fully liberalised market regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. Nevertheless, the widespread provision of broadband services is a major priority for the Government. In this context, the...

Telecommunications Services. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The figures are OECD figures, which are used most commonly, although many people would criticise them as not providing an accurate picture. However, there are various distortions with whatever statistics one uses. In general, we must aim to be at the top of the international league, regardless of the measures, and we should not concentrate only on narrow percentages. We should aim to have...

Telecommunications Services. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: Deputy Coveney is incorrect. The Government is following through on financing the group broadband scheme. All grant applications are set out——

Telecommunications Services. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: We will deal with that in the debate next week on the Supplementary Estimate.

Telecommunications Services. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I was in the process of answering.

Telecommunications Services. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: It is coming from the multi-annual programme in the telecommunications area, particularly from the MANs and other development. The funds were not fixed on any year, which allows us flexibility in terms of payment. That allowed us to transfer funds.

Fuel Prices. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The Irish oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated. There is free entry into the market. The Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, is the independent body statutorily responsible for overseeing and regulating Ireland's electricity and gas sectors. The CER has no role in regard to the oil industry. The Competition Authority is a statutory independent body with a...

Fuel Prices. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: If there is evidence, even a suspicion, that a cartel is operating, the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency, a statutory body established last May to defend consumer rights, can investigate and bring to book anybody in the industry who is engaging in cartel practices. In Dublin, where property prices are high, the availability and expense of sites are issues. However, it...

Fuel Prices. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I understand from people in the sector that the margins in the fuel delivery business are incredibly tight, probably because it is an open and competitive market. The Deputy sees a suspicion of price fixing where prices move up and down in tandem. Perhaps she is right, and her deep suspicions or widespread concerns are based on fact. Alternatively, however, perhaps the fluctuations in the...

Fuel Prices. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: If evidence is presented to show regional or other competition issues which must be addressed and investigated I will happily pursue them. To answer Deputy Coveney, the difference between the mobile phone market and the petrol station market is that one is regulated and has a licensing system and the other is a free and open market which one can enter and exit easily. Deputy Coveney's point...

Fuel Prices. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: If a station is cheaper and the sign outside the door states clearly the rate per litre, one is free to purchase the petrol. It is slightly different with mobile phone operators, who could improve transparency on real prices because one is contractually obliged to use the phone unless one changes operator. It is different from stopping one's car and choosing one petrol station over another.

Corrib Gas Pipeline. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 11, 47 and 66 together. The Corrib gas project is an infrastructural development of major national importance. The developers of the field have completed the majority of the sub-sea construction work to prepare the Corrib field for production of gas. Construction work has begun on the terminal. Last month, consultants engaged by the developers of the...

Corrib Gas Pipeline. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The November deadline relates to the EPA which was due to make a presentation on the final clearance it must give on the terminal building. This decision was deferred until November when the EPA will deal with a variety of environmental licensing issues with regard to the terminal building. Later this year the developer will announce its preferred pipeline route option.

Corrib Gas Pipeline. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: Yes, this year. This is subject to its work programme and technical issues which may arise. The timeline is not ours and the initiative is with the development company rather than the Department or any other body. A complicated evaluation process will follow this, including public consultation involving An Bord Pleanála under the new Planning and Development (Critical Infrastructure) Act,...

Corrib Gas Pipeline. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The timeframe will begin when a preferred route option is proposed and the process will continue into next year. It will not be a short timeframe. It will take several months rather than weeks as it must engage An Bord Pleanála as well as the Department. The timeframe is difficult to quantify in advance and the Planning and Development (Critical Infrastructure) Bill means we are in new...

Corrib Gas Pipeline. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: Bord Gais made clear that its involvement does not extend beyond the internal gas transmission pipeline. It constructed the pipeline connection to the terminal building but is not engaged in the offshore pipeline section.

Energy Resources. (11 Oct 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The energy White Paper was published on 12 March 2007. It sets out a comprehensive range of policy actions designed to deliver on our strategic goals for security of supply, sustainability and competitiveness over the period to 2020. There is no doubt that we need to make fundamental changes to the way we provide and use energy. Ireland's sustainable energy future depends on it. The...