Results 25,621-25,640 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

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

Eamon Ryan: The Biofuels Mineral Oil Tax Relief Schemes have resulted in 18 projects being awarded excise relief between 2005 and 2010. Of these projects, four are in the biodiesel category, five are in the pure plant oil category, four are in the bioethanol category and five are in the captive fleets category. Since the excise relief schemes were introduced there has been a steady increase in biofuels...

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

Eamon Ryan: There are currently approximately 1,540 megawatts (MWS) of renewable powered electricity generating plants accessing the electricity grid. Wind powered technology is the dominant renewable technology. There are almost 100 windfarms connected with a combined capacity of around 1,264 MWs, compared to hydro-power with 240 MWs connected and the balance made up of biomass, mainly landfill gas....

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

Eamon Ryan: Estimates of the costs of the introduction of postcodes are contained in the Report of the Postcode Project Board, which was published in 2006 and a Cost Benefit analysis published in 2008. Copies of both reports are available on the website of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The non-recurring initial capital cost of the establishment of postcodes will be...

Written Answers — Television Licence Fee: Television Licence Fee (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Television licence revenue is generated from the sales of television licences and the recoupment of the cost of free television licences from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There is no fund reserve as such because the revenue generated is received and paid out on an ongoing basis. The annual income generated from television licences was €226.2m in 2009. Under Section 123 of...

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

Eamon Ryan: 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 1264MW. There are an additional 100 wind farms with a total contracted capacity of 1415MW which have contracted for grid connections which will be built out over the next number of years. The CER decision on the 'Gate 3' round provides for...

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

Eamon Ryan: The Government's core policy goal for the postal sector is to ensure that Irish customers, both business and residential, enjoy competitively priced, high quality postal services. Legislation is currently being drafted in my Department to transpose the third Postal Services Directive which mandates opening the postal market to full competition from 1 January, 2011 and to provide for a...

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

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services including fixed line and mobile telephony is, in the first instance, a matter for the private sector. The relevant service providers operate in a fully liberalised market. Statutory responsibility for the regulation of the electronic communications sector, including regulatory issues surrounding quality of services is a matter for the Commission...

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

Eamon Ryan: The provision of broadband services is in the first instance a matter for private sector service providers operating in Ireland's fully liberalised telecommunications market. Broadband services are provided by private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e. over the telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, fibre and satellite. Details of broadband services...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The management and recording of complaints received by the regulators operating under the aegis of my Department are day to day operational matters for them in the context of their operations. As my Department does not hold the relevant material, I will request that the regulators reply directly to the Deputy with the information sought.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (27 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The legal, policy and operational frameworks applying to the regulatory procedures operating within the ambit of my Department are subject to ongoing review. This is to ensure that, insofar as is possible, those procedures are fit for purpose. As part of that oversight, account is taken of developments in other sectors, where relevant. The Government Statement on Economic regulation...

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

Eamon Ryan: Under the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009 the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is charged with, inter alia, providing a regulatory environment that is stable and predictable and that will facilitate the development of a broadcasting sector in Ireland that is responsive to audience needs. The BAI is also charged with stimulating the provision of high quality, diverse and...

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

Eamon Ryan: In the context of the development of broadcasting policy in the past three years my officials and I have had cause, on a regular basis, to meet with the various interests that comprise the broadcasting sector including but not limited to commercial broadcasters, public service broadcasters and independent producers. I have also received submissions on a range of issues, including licence...

Energy (Biofuel Obligation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second Stage (22 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to be in a position to present the Energy (Biofuel Obligation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010 for consideration by the Dáil and commend the legislation to the House. This is a critically important Bill for a number of reasons. Bio-fuels will play a central role in meeting our binding European Union targets for 2020...

Energy (Biofuel Obligation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second Stage (22 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: For the Deputy's benefit, I spoke to the Chairman of the committee after its meeting yesterday and was asked whether we would meet the committee to go into some of the details. Perhaps that would be possible prior to Committee Stage. It would allow such a discussion so that Deputies are not facing it blind on Committee Stage.

Written Answers — Information and Communications Technology: Information and Communications Technology (21 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The State owned Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) Galway city and county and the ESBT owned fibre optic network that passes through the county are available to all services providers on an open access basis. Under Phase I of the MANs programme, my Department, in conjunction with Galway City Council, constructed an open access optical fibre network around Galway city. This network has been...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (20 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has statutory responsibility for grid connection offers and for oversight of EirGrid's grid connection process including the Gate process for renewable energy. The EirGrid website contains a list of connected and contracted generators, both wind and non wind generators, and the locations of these throughout the country. EirGrid and ESB Networks...

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

Eamon Ryan: Currently, on an annualised basis, 60% of Ireland's electricity is generated from gas. Overall electricity generation accounts for approximately 65% of our gas demand. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is the independent body with statutory responsibility for monitoring and ensuring security of electricity and gas supply. Recognising the interdependencies between gas and...

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

Eamon Ryan: The Report of the Innovation Taskforce provides a roadmap for one of the five Action Areas in the Smart Economy Framework and complements the progress which has already been made on other aspects of the strategy. Specifically, it endorses the Government's vision for Ireland as a Global Innovation Hub and suggests that we have the potential to achieve this goal. The Report has made a wide...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (20 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 808 and 815 together. The Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme and Warmer Homes Scheme (WHS) are directed at two separate sets of homeowners, namely those who wish to undertake energy efficiency measures and can afford to do so themselves, and those low income households who cannot afford to undertake the measures. For this reason promotion of the two schemes is...

Written Answers — Departmental Equipment: Departmental Equipment (20 Apr 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The number of personal computers and laptops currently deployed in my Department is as follows: Description Count Personal Computers 266 Laptop computers 82 Information technology issues, including the number of computers deployed in State agencies is a day to day operational matter for the agencies concerned.