Results 26,881-26,900 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Consumer Protection. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: I cannot discuss the Bill until it is through Cabinet, after which we can publish it in the House and then go through its full details.

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: In 2006 the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, ended the regulation of tariffs for large energy users. Some 90% of large energy users have now switched to independent suppliers. The CER has signalled that it intends to cease regulating ESB public electricity supply prices when sufficient competition has taken hold in the domestic and small and medium enterprise market. This is in line...

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: We have a competitive market in electricity for many users - the big users, the business customers-----

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: These users have at least four large international suppliers competing fiercely for their business.

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Such competition is the best way to bring down prices. The way we do that is through proper regulation and that is what we are doing, similarly, in the residential sector.

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Anyone seeking a 10% or 13% reduction in his or her electricity bill can make a phone call today and switch supplier, which brings down the price. This is a highly competitive situation which has been delivered by the regulated market. That regulatory market works. It is bringing about the price reductions that anyone can see are available.

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Yes. They are available and 200,000 people have picked up the phone and made the call.

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: There is nothing stopping any one of them from making a transfer in the morning without the slightest difficulty. It only takes a single phone call. We have a successful, competitive market that is delivering lower prices because we are forcing competition through. That is what works. Once we start moving away from that we are doing customers a disservice because we are going back to a...

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Or Airtricity.

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: Bord Gáis will not leave the market when the ESB reduces its prices. That is what happens when the proper regulatory system is applied.

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The regulator will assess the ESB's costs and set the conditions again for October. That is the regulatory process that works effectively here and in every other liberalised market. We are delivering competition and lower prices.

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: It is the regulatory model which brings down prices and it is working in the large business and residential market-----

Energy Prices. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: -----because we are sticking to a good competitive policy that is delivering price reductions.

Telecommunications Services. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The consultation paper on next generation broadband, which I launched in July 2008, proposed the establishment of a one-stop shop to provide service providers with flexible and open access to existing and future State-owned infrastructure for telecommunications services. Trade over digital networks is becoming increasingly important and access to high-speed broadband networks will be...

Telecommunications Services. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The report will be published within days. As I said, the work has been done and the crucial issue now is how to use the information. We are all agreed on the concept of providing access to State infrastructure. One option is to go for a public private partnership model whereby an external body would be brought in to manage the variety of different assets available in a single one-stop...

Telecommunications Services. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: While we have had difficulties arising from lack of investment in some of our networks, we enjoy certain advantages in some of the mobile technologies that have developed here. We also have an advantage in terms of the fibre optic under State ownership which we can use to help companies provide the bandwidths we require.

Housing Grants. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The home energy saving, HES, scheme, which opened for applications on 25 March, provides grant assistance for a range of energy efficiency applications. These include roof insulation, as well as specific internal and external wall insulation, and boilers and heating controls. Grant assistance is also provided for the assessment of energy upgrade requirements, through a building energy...

Housing Grants. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: It makes sense to replace existing windows with energy efficient ones. Many people live in the same house for 20 or 30 years and it is only logical that energy efficient improvements should be as effective as possible. The reason we selected certain insulation technologies and control systems for inclusion in the HES scheme was their very short payback period of typically three, four or...

Electricity Generation. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: EirGrid, with the approval of the Government, is developing, on schedule, the east-west interconnector. The Government is fully committed to the cost effective delivery of the interconnector as a key strategic energy infrastructure project. There are several benefits for the economy, the energy market and consumers from this development. It will enhance security of energy supply by...

Electricity Generation. (18 Jun 2009)

Eamon Ryan: The first point is that it is a hard market in which to buy cables because demand is outstripping supply. In view of the small number of companies producing the relevant technology and the demand therefor, it is extremely difficult to obtain even a booking with a factory to have a cable produced. Transbay Cable in California would have charged $500 million to produce a cable that would have...