Results 26,121-26,140 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: My Department and others have been working, and continue to work, on addressing the digital divide with a range of measures to promote digital engagement. One of the issues has been access to the technology and infrastructure – this is being addressed both by the market and in the case of areas where broadband provision remains an issue through the National Broadband Scheme in which my...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: 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 Scheme. Under the NBS contract, all EDs in the NBS...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The broadcasting elements of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, representing its primary provisions, were transposed by the Broadcasting Act 2009 which was enacted on 12th July 2009. The elements of the Directive applicable to on-demand audiovisual media services will be transposed by secondary legislation, the drafting of which is at an advanced stage. I expect that these...

Written Answers — Energy Costs: Energy Costs (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is a highly efficient way of generating onsite 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 — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The current EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which runs until the end of 2012, requires a free allocation of carbon credits to electricity generators. The North/South Single Electricity Market Committee, which is statutorily responsible for the operation of the all-island electricity market on the island of Ireland, decided that from 2008 all electricity generators must include the full...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The OECD report is the most recent in a series of periodic reports on electronic communications markets. The broadband market is a fast moving and dynamic one; this applies to all OECD countries. On this basis annual comparisons of broadband metrics between different countries cannot capture the full extent of market developments. For example, the OECD report is a snapshot of the position...

Written Answers — Energy Costs: Energy Costs (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I welcome the fact that the benefits of competition in electricity supply, which have previously been confined to large industrial and commercial customers, are also now available to domestic consumers. The entry into the domestic electricity market of two new suppliers, Airtricity and Bord Gáis Energy, demonstrates that policy to encourage competition in electricity generation and supply...

Written Answers — Energy Policy: Energy Policy (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Raising awareness across society of energy related issues is a key factor in facilitating the substantive behavioural change that is required of us all to ensure a sustainable energy future. My Department and Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) have undertaken a number of publicity programmes in this regard. I believe that a number of our third level institutions have introduced modular...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: At the Energy Council in Brussels on 7 December, I signed the political declaration on the North Seas Countries Offshore Grid Initiative. This important initiative will spearhead the development of an offshore wind energy grid, or 'supergrid', in the North and North West Seas. The North Seas Initiative involves Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Sweden...

Written Answers — Energy Costs: Energy Costs (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The transportation and supply of domestic gas cylinders which contain liquid petroleum gas (LPG) is not licensed under the Energy Acts and neither my Department nor the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has any role in the regulation of LPG transportation or supply. While the regulation of Bord Gáis Éireann natural gas tariffs is the responsibility of the CER, which is statutorily...

Written Answers — Energy Costs: Energy Costs (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Government is committed to mitigating energy costs for vulnerable households through a combination of institutional supports, investment in improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock and the wide availability of advice. I am working closely with the Ministers for Social and Family Affairs and Environment, Heritage and Local Government to continue to deliver a fully cohesive...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The green economy is set to make a very significant contribution to economic renewal by creating employment in areas such as renewable energy and energy efficiency. The report of the Green Enterprise Group, published in December 2009, indicated that there is potential to create over 80,000 jobs in the green economy over the coming years. At the launch of the Report, I noted that over 15,000...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The Ocean Energy Development Unit (OEDU) was established in Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) in 2008 and full implementation of the Ocean Energy programme commenced in 2009. Government has set an ambitious target of 500MW of ocean energy by 2020. Ocean energy is currently at the research and development stage globally. There is no ocean energy device as yet connected to the Irish grid. SEI...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I have consistently encouraged a debate on nuclear power in Ireland as I believe that informed debate is fundamental to ensuring informed policy making. For my own part, I have stated firmly that I do not see nuclear power as the answer to Ireland's energy needs. Ireland's position on nuclear energy is shared by several EU Member States. Article 194 of the Lisbon Treaty affirms the right of...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: 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. The European Commission has set 2012 as the timeline...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The following table sets out the relevant figures for the Greener Homes Scheme (GHS) from its inception in 2006 to the present date, and also sets out the figures for the Home Energy Savings Scheme (HESS) for 2008 and 2009. The 2008 figures for HESS are for the pilot 'Insulation Scheme', which was used to test principles and processes required to deliver the full-scale HESS programme....

Written Answers — Prospecting Licences: Prospecting Licences (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: The following table details the number of Mineral Prospecting Licences and Petroleum Exploration Licences sought, granted and refused in the period 2005 to date: Licences Years 2005 – 2009 Year Prospecting Licences (Minerals)(See notes 1 & 2) Petroleum Exploration Licences (Oil and Gas) Sought Granted Refused Sought Granted Refused 2005 35 51 1 8 7 1 2006 185 165 2 6 4 2 2007 207 143...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: Under Section 14 (1) of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1999, the Central Fisheries Board is obliged to submit draft annual accounts to the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) no later than three months after the end of each accounting period year. As soon as may be but not later than one month after an audit by the C&AG, the Board is then obliged to submit to the Department a copy of its...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I have been informed by Sustainable Energy Ireland that they have no record of an application for the Warmer Homes Scheme being made by the individual in question. If the Deputy can forward a contact number, my Department will arrange for the relevant community-based organisation to make contact with the individual as soon as possible to assess their suitability for the scheme.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jan 2010)

Eamon Ryan: I am advised that over the last number of days, the company contracted to carry out the work in the area has been in contact with applicants on the Warmer Homes Scheme waiting list and that work will start in the individual's home within the next fortnight.