Results 25,261-25,280 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Seanad: Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I am keen to see Endesa investing in our country and in power plants. That is in our interest. When the companies were coming into this country, one of the commitments I gave was that they were coming into a market where there is transparency and non-discriminatory arrangements. This was the crucial centrepiece of the commitment I gave to investors. They were entering a fair and...

Seanad: Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The rate of 65% as set out in the legislation is included for a reason. Setting the rate at this level allows the Government to recover a substantial portion of the windfall gains from generators but also to ensure it avoids over-recovery of funds. The latter is a real risk because the levy is only an approximate figure of the windfall gains electricity generators are earning. The easiest...

Seanad: Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Given the legislation is limited to two and a half years, by definition I do not think it would be an annual review. It is not a multi-annual approach in the sense it is coming to an end. I imagine once a year would be reasonable in that timeframe.

Seanad: Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I thank both Senators very much indeed. I thank the Seanad for its assistance. We must have put five pieces of legislation through the Houses in the past year. That is not an insignificant number of Bills from a Department which is relatively small in Government terms. It is a large output. The Seanad had a key role to play in respect of many of them. I thank my officials for their...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (24 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme provides grants to homeowners who wish to improve the energy efficiency of their home in order to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme, which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is open to all owners of existing houses built before 2006. Assistance is provided by way of fixed grants towards the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I regret to advise the Deputy that it was not possible to compile the information requested in the time allotted. I will write to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I regret to advise the Deputy that it was not possible to compile the information requested in the time allotted. I will write to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Seanad: Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I am sorry I was not present for the earlier contributions, but I have a note of points made by Senators and will respond to them. First, it is not possible to tax retrospectively for the periods before this legislation comes into effect. A development last year was the rebate of more than €300 million provided from the ESB for all consumers on a market-neutral basis which largely...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Question Nos. 425 and 426 together. The Home Energy Saving scheme (HES), which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), has a capital budget allocation of €24.3 million this year. In addition, a further €46 million has been allocated to a national retrofit programme, with a substantial portion assigned to HES. Expenditure of €34.7...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Prior to the commencement of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) a detailed mapping exercise was carried out to help determine those areas that would be included in the scheme and those which, by virtue of being already substantially served by existing broadband suppliers, could not be included. EU State aid and competition rules govern how states can intervene in areas where there are...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is responsible for the administration of the Warmer Homes Scheme (WHS). A dedicated WHS hot line - 1800 250 204 – has been in operation for some time and all queries, from scheme applicants and public representatives, on delivery dates for individual households and/or funding agreements are dealt with immediately. In addition, the WHS...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Prior to the commencement of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) a detailed mapping exercise was carried out to help determine those areas that would be included in the scheme and those which, by virtue of being already substantially served by existing broadband suppliers, could not be included. EU State aid and competition rules govern how states can intervene in areas where there are...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I wish to inform the Deputy that there are two credit cards in use in my Department. The authorised signatories of same are the Private Secretaries to the Minister and the Minister for State. Each card has a credit limit of €10,000. The amount spent on each credit card for the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 to date is set out in the table below. Cardholder 2007 2008 2009 2010 to date...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Payments to staff in semi-State or similar bodies are a day-to-day operational matter for the bodies themselves and I have no function in that regard.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I regret to advise the Deputy that it was not possible to compile the information requested in the time allotted. I will write to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: In December 2008, my Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). The company is required to provide services, using a mix of technologies, to all fixed residences and businesses that are located within the NBS Coverage Area and which seek a service. 3 continues to progress its network roll out and...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: In accordance with my Department's customer service charter 2009-2011, every effort is made to answer correspondence, including representations, within 20 working days. Unfortunately it has not been possible to adhere to this standard during the recent industrial relations difficulties. It is my intention, once these issues have been resolved, that our normal standard of service will...

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I will be brief because we have gone through much of the detail of the Bill on Report Stage. I thank the Deputies for its swift passage through this House. I will bring it to the Seanad for consideration as quickly as possible because we want it implemented to help in the important task of keeping our energy price competitive. I very much thank my officials because this is detailed and...

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I do not propose to accept this amendment, as Deputy McManus predicted. As outlined on Committee Stage, I am committed to the development of evidence-based policy making. Although formal regulatory impact analysis has not been conducted, I am satisfied this Bill stands as an example of good regulatory practice. My officials and I consulted widely with the industry and have held detailed...

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Carbon Revenue Levy) Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (22 Jun 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: " 'CADA' has the same meaning as in the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (Public Service Obligations) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 217 of 2002) (as amended by the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (Public Service Obligations) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2007 (S.I. No. 583 of 2007));". I stated on Committee Stage that I had...