Results 25,581-25,600 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Fuel Poverty: Fuel Poverty (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Fuel Poverty Action Research Report involved an ex-post assessment of the energy, environmental, thermal comfort and health benefits of the Warmer Homes Scheme, which retrofits low income private homes with insulation and other energy saving measures. The research was carried out between 2007 and 2009 and predates the increased funding and activity under the Scheme. The study was based...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Home Energy Saving (HES) Scheme, which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), was launched in March 2009. The scheme provides grant assistance to homeowners for energy efficiency retro-fitting measures including attic and wall insulation, very high-efficiency boilers, heating controls and Building Energy Rating (BER) assessments. The scheme is open to...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Section 33 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for the making of a levy order by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) for the purposes of meeting the expenses of the Authority and its Committees in undertaking the performance of its statutory functions. The BAI has reviewed its initial budget of €7.632 million for 2010 and has set a revised budget at €6.020 million. Following a...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: My Department in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General has been working to progress a scheme to provide for the recovery of carbon windfall gains from electricity generators to the end of the current EU Emissions Trading Scheme in 2012. The Single Electricity Market Committee has statutory responsibility for the operation of the all island electricity market. The Committee...

Written Answers — Fuel Poverty: Fuel Poverty (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 100 together. I am working closely with the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, to ensure a fully cohesive approach to energy affordability. The Inter-Departmental/Agency Group on Affordable Energy was established in the summer of 2008 to coordinate the cross-Government and cross-industry...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 67 together. Part 8 of the Broadcasting Act, 2009 provides for RTÉ to develop a "free-to-view" digital broadcasting service as a replacement for the national analogue TV service currently offering access to RTÉ 1, RTÉ2, TV3 and TG4 and for the subsequent closure of the national analogue TV service. The Act also provides opportunities for the...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Deployment Programme. The programme was expanded in 2008 to include dedicated support for Biomass and Anaerobic Digestion powered CHP. The Renewable Heat Deployment Programme (ReHeat), which is also administered by SEAI, incentivises the installation of biomass boilers. Both programmes have...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for the development of digital radio in Ireland. Under this Act, RTÉ is given the right to operate a multiplex for the purposes of providing a digital sound broadcasting service. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is responsible for the development of commercial digital sound broadcasting services. The Commission for Communications Regulation...

Written Answers — Energy Prices: Energy Prices (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Government is firmly committed to increasing competition as the best means of exerting downward pressure on electricity prices and also to ensuring diversity of energy supplies, with a particular focus on renewable energy, in order to reduce our exposure to volatile external fuel prices. The Government supports continued significant investment in Ireland's electricity and gas networks to...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The International Energy Agency (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2009 notes that the unexpected boom in North American unconventional gas production, together with the current recession's depressive impact on demand, is expected to contribute to a glut of gas supply in the next few years. This new gas supply has driven down US prices and reduced LNG imports to the U.S., which in turn have become...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Government's Energy Policy Framework 2007 sets out a target for co-firing in peat stations of 30% by 2015. Both ESB and Bord na Móna have been conducting a programme of research and development, including large scale co-firing trials with a variety of materials. The trials have also encompassed laboratory tests on the chemical and physical properties of various materials. Decisions by...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 87 and 96 together. The Micro Generation Programme is being operated by ESB Customer Supply and supported by ESB Networks. The programme has the potential to provide up to 4,000 domestic customers investing in micro-scale projects with a financial payment for electricity exported back to the grid. The ESB advises that, to date, 240 customers have signed...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The recently published decision by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) on the road map for electricity price deregulation is an important step on the path to developing a fully competitive electricity market in Ireland. This decision demonstrates that Government and regulatory policy to encourage competition is paying dividends through lower prices and greater choice for Irish homes...

Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: An invitation to tender was issued on 29th January, 2010 for consultants to assist in selecting a body to implement and maintain a postcode system. The tender competition closed on the 12th March, 2010. Subsequently, a technical issue arose relating to the consistency of the Request for Tenders with the requirements of the Public Procurement Regulations. Bidders were notified by letter of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Foreshore & Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Act 2009, provided for the transfer of certain functions relating to the foreshore from the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Following on from the transfer of functions, which took place in January 2010, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Under Phase I of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) Programme there were 27 MANs constructed in conjunction with the Local and Regional Authorities. These have been managed by e|net under a concession agreement since July 2004. 24 of these towns currently have a backhaul connection but 3 towns do not. They are Gweedore, Carrickmacross and Kingscourt. A further 59 networks across 65...

Written Answers — Energy Prices: Energy Prices (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Government recognises that the cost of energy in Ireland is a serious 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 high energy costs, by comparison with much of Europe, are primarily due to significant dependence on volatile...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is a highly efficient way of generating on-site heat and electricity simultaneously. It can offer significantly reduced energy bills for the end user and is a particularly efficient form of energy generation as it minimises any transmission losses involved in getting power to the site. Traditionally, CHP plants were only used in large industrial units with a...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: EirGrid publishes comprehensive and regularly updated lists of connected wind farms and contracted wind farms throughout the country on its website. EirGrid's most recent report of 8 February advises that there are just over 100 wind farms connected to the grid with an installed wind capacity of 1264MW. There are an additional 100 wind farms with a total contracted capacity of 1415MW which...

Written Answers — Electricity Transmission Network: Electricity Transmission Network (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Meath-Tyrone 400 kV Interconnection Development Project comprises an 80km, 400kV Interconnector between Cavan and Tyrone, and a 58km, 400kV Power Line between Meath and Cavan. This project will deliver enhanced cross-border transmission of electricity and further strengthen links between Ireland and Northern Ireland as part of the all-island electricity market. It will facilitate the...