Results 24,861-24,880 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56, 58 and 63 together. As the Deputy is aware, the BAI's commercial digital terrestrial television (DTT) process did not lead to the licensing of a commercial DTT operator. This result was disappointing and it is now expected that a commercial DTT operator will not materialise until sometime after analogue switch off in 2012. Further consideration of the...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 59 together. Section 101(1) of the Broadcasting Act, 2009 provides that RTÉ, following a public consultation, shall prepare not later than 12 July 2010 (12 months after the passing of the Act) a five-year public service statement setting out the principles to be observed and activities to be undertaken by it in order to fulfil its public service...

Written Answers — Ministerial Engagements: Ministerial Engagements (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I have attended all the meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security to date. No meetings have been held to date in 2010. Meetings were held on 23 January, 5 March, 28 May, 2 July, 10 September and 5 November 2008; on 29 April and 7 October 2009. I also attended the Cabinet Committee on Environment, Energy and Climate Change twice, on 12 September and 14 November...

Written Answers — Electricity and Gas Disconnections: Electricity and Gas Disconnections (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I am deeply concerned at the number of electricity and gas disconnections that have taken place in 2010. All options to improve the situation need to be explored and I welcome the fact that the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has agreed to review regulatory policy on disconnections. This review will specifically look at how the costs of disconnection are allocated across business and...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The provisions in relation to the submission of the Authority's three-year estimates and expenditure proposals and their publication are set out in Section 37 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. In relation to the estimates for the period 2011-2013, which were due to be submitted by the Authority no later than 30 September, I can confirm that these estimates have not yet been received in my...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64, 74, 77, 90 and 100 together. Government policy on the development of the electronic communications market, including next generation broadband services, is set out in "Next Generation Broadband – Gateway to a Knowledge Ireland", which I published in June 2009. The policy paper was developed in accordance with various key principles, which are crucial to...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Broadcasting Act 2009 made provision for the development of a commercial digital terrestrial television (DTT) service in Ireland. In this regard, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) was given the role of providing for commercial DTT service providers. In particular, Section 131 of the legislation provides the BAI with the function and associated powers to arrange for the...

Written Answers — Energy Efficiency: Energy Efficiency (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: My Department recently concluded a consultation process on the National Retrofit Programme, setting out a proposed framework and details of how it will operate over the next three years. The programme will be launched in 2011 and will entail the transition of the existing energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes over the course of the year. Whilst expenditure on these schemes to...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Question Nos. 67 and 98 together. The objective of the one-stop-shop commitment in the Next Generation Broadband policy paper "Gateway to a Knowledge Ireland", is to facilitate telecoms network operators in gaining access to ducting that exists along publicly-owned energy, transport and other infrastructure so as to facilitate access to backhaul networks in a cost effective...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 84 together. In May 2010, I announced a set of new Renewable Energy Feed In Tariffs (REFITs) for electricity generated from biomass, ranging from 8.5 cent per kilowatt hour to 15 cent per kilowatt hour depending on the technology deployed. These tariffs include support for electricity generated from biomass co fired with peat in the three peat fired...

Written Answers — Energy Prices: Energy Prices (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Government recognises that the cost of energy in Ireland is a competitiveness issue facing the enterprise sector during this difficult period for the economy. The provision of secure, sustainable and competitive energy supplies is critical for the economy. Ireland's higher energy costs over recent years, by comparison with EU average prices, have been primarily due to significant...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: EirGrid applied for planning consent for the Meath Tyrone 400kV Interconnection Development Project in December 2009, under the Planning and Development Act 2000 as inserted by the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006. An Bord Pleanála convened an oral hearing on the matter on the 10th of May 2010. On Wednesday 23rd June, it was drawn to EirGrid's and the inspector's...

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Staff, including chief executive officers, of commercial State Sponsored Bodies do not come within the provisions of the legislation provided for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. With the exception of chief executives, the Minister for Finance or I do not control the pay of staff of these bodies. However, the Minister for Finance has brought proposals to...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: As I outlined to the House in a written reply on the 29th September I have received a detailed written submission from National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) on a number of matters of concern to them. I met with representatives of NNI on the 13th of October when they gave me a comprehensive briefing on the issues facing their industry. As the Deputy will be aware, the Broadcasting Act 2009...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Communications Regulation (Premium Rate Services and Electronic Communications Infrastructure) Act, 2010 provides for the National Roads Authority (NRA) to allow the use of its ducts on national roads, including motorways, for telecoms purposes. It also appoints the NRA as the authority responsible for processing road opening licences by network owners to install equipment in national...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: In July 2010, the Government gave its approval for the submission of the draft general scheme for the Geothermal Energy Development Bill to the Office of the Attorney General for detailed drafting. It was also decided to publish both the general scheme together with the Regulatory Impact Assessment. Both these documents were subsequently made available on the Department's website. The...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The European Commission has set aside a portion of the European Economic Recovery Programme (EERP) funding for rural broadband initiatives. Using this funding, which will be augmented by an Exchequer contribution, I intend to formally launch a Rural Broadband Scheme before the end of this year. This scheme will provide a basic broadband service to individual un-served rural premises outside...

Written Answers — Energy Efficiency: Energy Efficiency (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Budget 2010 allocated €40 million for Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's energy efficiency programmes in the domestic business and public sectors, with an additional €50 million, from carbon tax revenues, for the creation of the National Retrofit Programme. Under the 2010 Social Housing Retrofitting Programme, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government was...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Government's policy objective is to ensure that energy is consistently available with minimal risk of supply disruption and as competitively priced as possible to meet the needs of businesses and domestic consumers. EirGrid, as the national transmission system operator, is responsible for developing and upgrading the transmission system in order to meet ongoing and future electricity...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (20 Oct 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The financial statements of the Central Fisheries Board for 2008 have been signed off by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, approved by Government and arrangements are in train for these to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The financial statements will then be published on the website of Inland Fisheries Ireland.