Results 25,881-25,900 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 88 together. 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. There is currently over 1,500 megawatts (MWs) of renewable generation capacity connected to the electricity grid. Wind powered technology...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 69 together. 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. Under the current Emissions Trading Scheme there is a free allocation of carbon credits...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 99 together. My Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) in late December 2008. Since then, 3 has progressed its network rollout and NBS broadband services are now available in almost half of the 1,028 designated Electoral Divisions (ED) to be covered under the...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (2 Mar 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 high...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 93 together. Following the enactment of the Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Act 2009, responsibility for certain foreshore functions transferred to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government with effect from 15 January last. This includes all energy related developments (including oil, gas, wind, wave and tidal energy) on...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Sector: Telecommunications Sector (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I strongly favour open access to private and public telecoms infrastructure. I believe that such access can increase competition, drive down prices and encourage investment. The question of ensuring access to telecoms infrastructure is a matter for ComReg as part of its function of regulating the telecoms markets in accordance with the requirements of the EU Regulatory Framework for...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 89 together. Part 8 of the Broadcasting Act, 2009 provides for, amongst other things, the closure of the national analogue TV network. My stated policy objective on this is that the earliest possible switch-off of the analogue system needs to be achieved thereby releasing valuable spectrum to enable Ireland to reap the benefits of the digital dividend....

Written Answers — Electric Vehicles: Electric Vehicles (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 70 together. Electric vehicles offer an increasingly realistic solution in terms of reducing the Greenhouse Gas Emissions in transport while at the same time tackling Ireland's dependence on imported fossil fuels. There is very significant global investment under way in research and development in this area. The technology is now maturing to a point...

Written Answers — Digital Terrestrial Television: Digital Terrestrial Television (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 102 together. Part 8 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for the development of free-to-air and commercial digital terrestrial television (DTT) in Ireland and for the closure of the national analogue TV network. On foot of this requirement, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) predecessor, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI), launched...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is charged with the development of a dynamic, efficient and competitive market-place for electronic communications. ComReg is empowered to regulate certain markets at the wholesale level, including the wholesale broadband market. Contention is only one element of many retail broadband products that are available. Other elements would...

Written Answers — Electricity Grid: Electricity Grid (2 Mar 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...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Part 7, Chapter 6 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for the development of an Oireachtas Channel. Part 8 of the Act provides for a right of carriage on the RTÉ digital terrestrial television multiplex in respect of this channel. The Broadcasting Act 2009 provides that the Commission of the Houses of the Oireachtas may establish a public service channel to be made available throughout...

Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Government has now approved the implementation of a postcode system as recommended by the National Postcode Project Board. The model recommended, and since approved by Government, is an alpha-numeric, publicly available and accessible postal sector model. Following the Government's approval of the implementation of a national postcode system for Ireland as recommended by the National...

Written Answers — Energy Regulation: Energy Regulation (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The entry into the domestic electricity market last year of two new suppliers, Airtricity and Bord Gáis Energy, demonstrates that policy to encourage competition in electricity generation and supply is paying dividends for consumers. Bord Gáis Energy and Airtricity are offering discounts of between 10% and 14% on ESB unit rates which are still regulated. They are also offering domestic...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: While the provision of broadband services, particularly in urban areas, is a matter for private sector service providers, my overall policy framework is aimed at encouraging wider availability and higher speed services. Broadband policy is set out in the paper that I launched in June 2009. This paper set out the basic policy framework that investment in broadband, including Next Generation...

Written Answers — Energy Regulation: Energy Regulation (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: While the regulation of natural gas tariffs is the responsibility of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is statutorily independent in the performance of its functions, the Commission has no function in regard to the setting of tariffs for domestic gas cylinders, or LPG, which is a by-product of oil. The Irish oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated and...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Government policy pertaining to the electronic communications market in Ireland 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 the development of the market including (i) competition, at platform and service levels, which drives...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I regret to advise the Deputy that it is not possible to provide a response to her Question at this time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the UK on digital broadcasting on 1 February 2010, it was found that a reference in the joint press release in relation to facilitating the provision of BBC services in Ireland did not accord with the text of the Memorandum. Following agreement between the two administrations, the press release was amended. The text of the...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (2 Mar 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The energy balance figures for 2009 are not yet available. The latest figures available were published by Sustainable Energy Ireland in December 2009 and refer to 2008. The figures show that Ireland's overall import dependency reached 91% in 2006 and has decreased slightly to 89% in 2008. Since the mid-1990s import dependency has grown significantly due to the overall increase in energy use...