Results 2,161-2,180 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Grid (2 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 483 to 485, inclusive, together. Supervision of the grid connection process is vested in the Commission for Energy Regulation. The Gate 3 Direction to System Operators (CER/08/260), published in December 2008, sets out the list of projects to receive grid connection offers. As explained in the Direction, Gate 3 was designed to ensure the 40% target for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Speeds (2 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The broadband service contracted under National Broadband Scheme (NBS) was designed as a basic, affordable, scalable product in keeping with EU State Aid clearance for the Scheme. Under the terms of the contract which my Department has in place with “3”, the NBS service provider, the NBS mobile wireless service is required to offer minimum download and upload speeds of 2.3Mbps...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Speeds (2 Jul 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The study undertaken as part of the EU Commission report was competed in March 2012. The report was published in June last. It compares marketed headline speeds for broadband services compared to the speeds experienced by users over cable, fibre and fixed lines in the EU 28, Iceland and Norway. The comparison across the 30 countries surveyed demonstrates, as a general rule, a common...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Numbers (27 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables. This information relates to the Shorter Working Year Scheme which replaced term time in 2009. Year Number of Staff who Availed of Shorter Working Year Average 2012 31 6 weeks Year Number of Staff who Applied for Shorter Working Year (to date) Average 2013 (to date) 30 6 weeks

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Agencies Staff Numbers (27 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 179 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the information sought regarding staff in the agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each Agency. I have notified the agencies under the aegis of the Department of the questions and have requested them to respond directly to the Deputy with their replies.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Numbers (27 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Year Study Leave Applications Average Full pay & benefits 2012 7 5 days Yes 2013 (to date) 5 3.5 days Yes

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Secondments (27 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Grade No. of Grade Seconded Seconded To Date Seconded from Secondment Period Date Seconded to Principal Officer 1 ComReg 1/11/11 4 years 31/10/15 Assistant Principal 3 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 24/08/09 4/10/10 22/07/11 5 years 4 years 4 years 31/7/14 31/10/14 31/7/15 HEO 1 Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postcode Implementation (27 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Government is strongly committed to introducing postcodes here in Ireland. The procurement process to select a postcode management licence holder to implement a National Postcode System began in 2011 with the publication of a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire on . Since then, intensive work has taken place on what it an extremely complex national project with many different...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fishing Vessel Licences (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The annual allocation of public licences for commercial draft nets is governed by the provisions of the relevant Control of Fishing for Salmon Order. The issuing of licences is administered by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the decision on licence allocations were made in advance of the season which commenced on the 12 May. Any person over the age of 18 is entitled to apply for a public...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Natural Gas Grid (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The development and expansion of the natural gas network within the State is in the first instance a commercial matter for Gaslink - a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE) - which is mandated under Section 8 of the Gas Act 1976, as amended, to develop and maintain a system for the supply of natural gas that is both economical and efficient. The Commission for Energy Regulation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland's telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available in each County can be found on ComReg's...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 to 170, inclusive, together. The 2013 Administration provisions are allocated across the programme areas of my Department based on a number of factors including outturn from previous years, staff numbers, equipment purchases and, in 2013, anticipated level of involvement in EU Presidency activities. These allocations represent a best estimate of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Industry Data (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The term “oil or gas field” is generally associated with a hydrocarbon prospect that has been declared commercial. As such there have been four gas field discoveries since exploration began offshore Ireland in the early 1970s, namely the Kinsale, Ballycotton and Seven Heads (Kinsale area) producing gas fields off the coast of Cork and the Corrib gas field off the coast of Mayo....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Properties (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The bulk of the GPO complex is occupied by An Post on foot of a licence agreement and is used as its headquarters. The remainder consists of the GPO Arcade which is leased to Arcade Property Company Limited, a company owned by An Post, which in turn are sublet as individual units for commercial retail activities. In addition a number of properties along Henry Street are held under...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Kelvin direct international telecoms connectivity has been operational since August 2010, when the Kelvin network was completed. The Kelvin project is a joint North-South project with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland and provides direct international telecoms connectivity between the North West of Ireland and the border regions and North America (New...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Offices (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Up to early 2012, SEAI operated an outsourced service based in County Cork known as the Renewable Energy Information Office, REIO. The office delivered a range of information services including a contact centre for queries on renewable energy, organising training and awareness events and collating information resources for a range of stakeholders. In order to achieve budgetary savings this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As stated in my earlier replies on this issue the information requested by the Deputy is not held in my Department. As advised in my reply to parliamentary Questions No. 279 of 11 December 2012 and No. 257 of 7 May 2013, I have passed the Deputy’s question to An Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, which is under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and the Loughs Agency,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electric Vehicle Grants (26 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 178, inclusive, together. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, which operates the electric vehicle grant scheme has to date received a total of 356 electric vehicle grant applications. I understand that 250 grants have been paid to date and that a further two are awaiting payment. Some 257 electric vehicles have been registered in...

Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ask Deputy Micheál Martin.

Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: It was the cause of it. That is why we are in the mess we are in.