Results 26,681-26,700 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Eamon Ryan: -----we in Government can work out the assets in a way that pays back the taxpayer and gets us good housing? I believe we can. We have grown up as a country in 70 or 80 years. We got it wrong in the past ten or 20 years. We got cheap, easy money after we had been poor for 800 years. We blew it, but we are still a strong and capable country that has grown tremendously in the past 80...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 778 and 779 together. The Programme for Government commits €100m to the Home Energy Saving Scheme (HES), of which €49m has been made available in 2009. The scheme provides grant assistance to homeowners for energy efficiency measures such as attic and wall insulation, efficient boilers, heating controls and Building Energy Rating (BER) assessments. The...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Government's Ocean Energy Strategy includes a programme of grant support to companies developing full scale prototypes and the development of a test site for full scale electricity generation in County Mayo. The Ocean Energy Strategy is being overseen and implemented by the Ocean Energy Development Unit in Sustainable Energy Ireland working in partnership with all key players. A key...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Government has set targets to increase the contribution from renewable energy sources to electricity consumed to 15% by 2010 and 40% by 2020. The All Island Grid Study published jointly by my Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment Northern Ireland in 2008 confirmed that an all island target of 42% for renewable energy was technically feasible. There is ongoing...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: My Department does not employ any staff in County Louth.

Written Answers — Public Service Review: Public Service Review (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: At the commencement of its work, the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes requested all Departments to prepare evaluation papers outlining potential areas for savings in staff numbers and expenditure. Such a paper was prepared in respect of the Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Vote. The Special Group met the Secretary General and officials of my...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 784 and 785 together. Broadband services are provided over various platforms including DSL (i.e. over telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, satellite and fibre by private sector service providers. I understand that broadband is available in Lecklasser, County Sligo from wireless and satellite service providers. It is important to clarify that, in...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: To date, three members of staff in my Department have applied for the incentivised early retirement scheme (ISER). In addition, nine staff have applied for the incentivised career break scheme (ICBS), which closed for applications on 1 July 2009. Two civilian drivers to the former Minister of State at my Department, ceased employment in my Department in 2009, following the recent...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: When considering the exclusion of certain unserved premises from the National Broadband Scheme (NBS), it is important to clarify that, in designing the NBS, which was approved by the EU Commission, a balance had to be struck between reaching as many unserved areas as possible and minimising the impact of the scheme on businesses already providing broadband services in rural areas. EU state...

Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Irish postal market is due to be liberalised from 1st January 2011 as set out in the 3rd EU Postal Directive. My Department is currently developing a framework dealing with the key issues to be decided in transposing the Directive into Irish law by the end of 2010. The initial consultation process has been completed and the views submitted as well as the experiences of other countries...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 789 and 798 together. There are currently over 1,400 megawatts (MWs) of renewable powered electricity generating plants connected to the electricity grid of which in excess of 1,000 MWs is wind-powered plant, followed by hydropower with 240 MWs approximately, and various biomass projects constituting the remainder. There are an additional 1,400 MWs,...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: In December 2008, my Department entered into a contract with "3", a Hutchison Whampoa company, for the delivery of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). 3 will be required to provide services to all residences and businesses that are located within the NBS area and who seek a service. Challenging roll-out targets have been agreed with 3 and NBS services have already been launched in a small...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table: State-sponsored body Exchequer funding provided? Statutory Borrowing limit Debt as detailed in most recently published Annual Report Bord Gáis No €3 billion 2008 - €1.2 billion Bord na Móna No €400 million 2008 - €96 million EirGrid No €750 million 2008 - €37 million ESB No €6 billion 2007 - €1.9 billion...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Expenditure incurred by my Department since its formation in June 2007 on national and international travel is detailed in the following table. Year National â'¬ International â'¬ 2009 (to 7th July 09) 136,068 133,943 2008 392,305 496,869 2007 (June to December) 285,332 379,811 These amounts include all costs associated with travel such as transport, accommodation and subsistence costs.

Written Answers — Television Licence Fee: Television Licence Fee (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I have previously stated my view that in the future we may have to move away from the television licence as a basis for the funding of public service broadcasting. I have, however, no immediate plans in this regard. However, it is also my view that the licence fee has served us well to date, despite its limitations. It has ensured some measure of independence for RTÉ from both political...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Broadband services are provided by private service providers over various platforms including DSL (i.e over the telephone lines), fixed wireless, mobile, cable, satellite and fibre. Details of broadband availability from service providers together with the availability of broadband services in specific areas, including areas in County Leitrim and County Roscommon, are available at...

Written Answers — Smart Economy: Smart Economy (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I have no plans to have an independent assessment of the proposals in the policy document referred to by the Deputy carried out. My views on the proposals contained within the document were articulated during the Dáil debate on 29 April last and are on the record of the House. More generally I am satisfied that the policy issues in my area of responsibility referred to in the document will...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government commits to the introduction of a Biofuel Obligation, which will underpin delivery of the national biofuel target and which will take full account of EU biofuels policy. My Department is currently finalising proposals for the necessary legislation, with a view to the introduction of the Obligation in 2010. The Biofuels Obligation will also integrate the EU...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Under the Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007, RTÉ, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) and the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) have obligations to provide for the rollout of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and to assist in the development of a plan for analogue switch off. There is no requirement on RTÉ to roll out a full DTT infrastructure by end 2009. I am...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (9 Jul 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Wales is set to switch off its analogue television services in autumn 2009. As the Deputy will realise this is a development over which I have no control. It is likely to impact viewers along the South East of the country who currently receive overspill of the UK television signals. Viewers on cable and satellite will not be affected. The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) has...