Results 26,561-26,580 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Seanad: Proposed Postcodes: Statements (21 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I am very pleased to be here for statements on what I believe to be a very important part of the modern infrastructure needed in our country. This proposal for a postcode goes back to the working group on postcodes which published a proposal in 2005. It recommended the introduction of postcodes on the basis that we needed an efficient system for our postal sector that would improve national...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (20 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: In designing the National Broadband Scheme (NBS), which was approved by the EU Commission, it was necessary to strike a balance between reaching as many unserved areas as possible and minimising the impact of the scheme on businesses already providing broadband services in rural areas, thereby minimising market distortion in accordance with EU State Aid and competition rules. Accordingly, a...

Written Answers — Television Licences: Television Licences (20 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: My Department has carried out a detailed review of RTÉ's performance each year, which has formed the basis of any adjustments that have been applied to the television licence fee. My Department is completing the reviews of RTÉ's performance in respect of 2007 and 2008. When I receive the completed reviews I will consider if a change to the licence fee is warranted. The Broadcasting Act,...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I can confirm that the number of officials at principal officer level or higher who are expected to be working in the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources following full implementation of the incentivised early retirement scheme is 33. This represents 11.73% of total staff in my Department.

Written Answers — Electricity Interconnector: Electricity Interconnector (20 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Ireland and Northern Ireland are currently interconnected through the Louth – Tandragee tie–line (interconnector). EirGrid and Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE), respectively, will apply for planning permission for a second North/South interconnector, which will run between Meath and Tyrone, shortly. As part of its pre-planning consultation and preparation process for An Bord Pleanála,...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (20 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The arrangements in regard to booking accommodation, travel arrangements and hospitality at home or abroad are a day-to-day operational issue for the bodies themselves. I can advise the Deputy that my Department liaises with Bodies under our remit in relation to their responsibilities under the various Department of Finance guidelines, circulars and instructions relating to such matters. It...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Deployment Programme, currently operated by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) provides information and support to those interested in pursuing the use of CHP, including financial support for feasibility studies. Capital support is available to those installing Biomass fired CHP plants, or CHP plants based on Anaerobic Digestion (or AD), or small scale fossil...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (20 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The position remains that any future broadband investment decisions, including investment in any further phases of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) Programme, will be guided by (i) the policy paper on Next Generation Broadband, which was published in June 2009 (ii) the Value for Money and Policy Review of Phase I of the MANs Programme, which was published in July 2008 and (iii) the...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (20 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Neither my Department nor Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) has undertaken any such study to date. The timing of summertime daylight hours (which has impacts over and above energy needs) is one of very many factors influencing energy usage among consumers and it is the case that daylight savings have both positive and negative impacts on energy usage. SEI is engaged in ongoing general...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy. (20 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: As a representative for Dublin South, I want to mark the tremendous work that Nuala Fennell did, for that constituency but also for the country, particularly in what was called the women's movement. No doubt there were women who were more strident or more noteworthy at the time, but when historians look back asking who was the most effective in terms of making changes, many will answer that...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (15 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Government has set a target of achieving 20% energy efficiency savings across the economy in 2020. Recognising the opportunity for the public sector to fulfil an exemplary role in this context, we have set a further, ambitious target of achieving 33% savings on energy use across this sector, also in 2020. On 8 May this year I published the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP)...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: There are no costs incurred by my Department in relation to leaflet design, production and delivery for my constituency office or constituency offices of the Ministers of State for the years 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009. Costs incurred in this regard are reimbursed from the One-Stop-Shop in the Houses of the Oireachtas. Full details are available from the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (15 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The expenses related to overseas travel paid by my Department to my Ministers of State and I since the establishment of the Department in June 2007 are detailed in the following table. Please note that Minister of State Lenihan was assigned to my Department on 22nd April 2009 and has not incurred expenditure in respect of foreign travel to date. Minister 2007 2008 2009 Total Eamon Ryan...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (15 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: In the time available it has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy. The information will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (14 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Government is committed to developing both domestic and commercial scale renewable technologies and has introduced a range of measures designed to increase market penetration of renewable energy in the heat, transport and electricity sectors. The grant programmes are not specific to any one county but are open to anyone who can fulfil the required criteria. The Deputy will also be aware...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (14 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Decisions on the use and effectiveness of smart repeaters and on their deployment in the provision of broadband are a matter for service providers. I have no function in the matter.

Written Answers — Electricity Transmission Network: Electricity Transmission Network (13 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The North West is particularly rich in renewable energy resources. Facing on to the Atlantic Ocean, the peninsula has probably the best wind energy and ocean energy potential anywhere in Europe. Developing the electricity grid infrastructure in the North West, in an economically viable and environmentally acceptable way, is the key to harvesting these rich natural resources to the benefit of...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (13 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I welcome the "Broadband Quality Score" report published jointly by the Universities of Oxford (England) and Oviedo (Spain) on October 1st last. The report is the second annual global study on the quality of broadband connections which provides useful comparisons of quality and penetration indicators between the countries studied in each year and a measurement of progress achieved in the...

Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (13 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: For any developed country, a postcode system is a key piece of national infrastructure that can deliver economic and social benefits across the whole economy. Ireland is the only country in the EU that does not have such a code in place. Consultations conducted by the National Postcode Project Board's advisors revealed an overwhelming support for the introduction of postcodes across public,...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (13 Oct 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Applications for grid connections are made to ESB Networks and/or EirGrid, in the first instance and the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is responsible for oversight of the grid connection process. I have no statutory role in the Gate 3 process, which is established and actively under way. The Government has set targets to increase the contribution from renewable energy sources to...