Results 2,681-2,700 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (14 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Electricity suppliers are not required to offer a feed-in-tariff for microgenerators. Currently Electric Ireland, on a commercial basis, is the only electricity supplier to offer a feed-in-tariff to microgenerators. They offer a tariff of 9 cent per kilowatt hour for electricity exported to the grid to domestic customers under specified conditions. The Commission for Energy Regulation, in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (13 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Considerable progress has been made in recent years in both the coverage and speeds of national broadband infrastructure, with a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. The Government, through the National Broadband Plan, which I published on 30th August last year, has recognised that the key imperative now is to ensure high...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Social Media (13 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy will be aware, Social Media have not to date been subject to a formal regulatory regime akin to that used to ‘regulate’ traditional radio and television broadcast media, either in Ireland or in other jurisdictions. There are a range of reasons for this, not least the rapidly evolving nature of the technologies involved, the sensitivities around regulating media...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (13 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together. There is no Metropolitan Area Network (MANS) in Boyle nor are there plans for a new Metropolitan Area Network in this area. The Government however recognises the need to ensure that high speed broadband is available in all parts of Ireland, including towns such as Boyle, to underpin economic growth, enable eCommerce and greater...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I can confirm that two of the three companies granted onshore licensing options in February 2011 have submitted applications for a follow-on exploration licence. My Department will shortly commence its evaluation, focussing on the technical rationale underpinning the applications, along with the corporate information provided. Where the outcome of this stage of the evaluation is positive,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that Lough Swilly is located within a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). As the exploitation of these fisheries is by means of dredging, an “Appropriate Assessment” against predetermined conservation objectives is required. These assessments are undertaken by the Marine Institute an Agency within the aegis of the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 369 to 373, inclusive, together. Details of all hardware provided by my Department to my home are as follows: One PC and one scanner at a total cost of €325.00. No Departmental equipment has been provided to the Minister of State, Deputy O’Dowd’s home and there was no software procured for use by myself or the Minister of State. I...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The information requested by the Deputy on costs from March 2011 to date is outlined in the tables following. Minister’s Car Cost of Drivers to date ( Includes Employer’s PRSI and expenses) Mileage and other costs €165,497 €23,272 Minister of State’s Car Cost of Drivers to date ( Includes Employer’s PRSI and expenses) Mileage and other costs ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In total, there are three credit cards held in my Department since March 2011. The cards are held by the Minister, Private Secretary to the Minister and the Private Secretary to the Minister of State. The use of cards provides for the efficient management of payments, but all use is subject to the overriding objective of economy and efficiency, full compliance with travel and subsistence...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Strategy (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I intend to finalise the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on the draft Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP), on which a public consultation has been held, in the coming months and to publish the final OREDP, including appropriate assessment decision and SEA Statement at that time. EirGrid has undertaken and published an SEA on the implementation plans for Grid 25, and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland’s telecommunications market is fully liberalised and is regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), in accordance with an EU Regulatory Framework. It has been liberalised since 1999 and has developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Schemes (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Homes Scheme under the Better Energy Programme. Better Energy Homes provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Exports (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Earlier this year a Memorandum of Understanding on energy co-operation between the UK and Ireland was signed which will result in completion of consideration of how Irish renewable energy resources, onshore and offshore, might be developed to the mutual benefit of Ireland and the United Kingdom. This will determine whether it is beneficial for both countries to enter into an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government has published Guidelines related to Wind Energy Planning. These are available on that Department’s website at . The Wind Energy Guidelines offer advice to planning authorities on planning for wind energy through the development plan process and in determining applications for planning permission. The Guidelines are also...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Media Ownership (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 382 together. As the Deputy will be aware, Section 25 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 requires that the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) endeavour to ensure that the broadcasting services made available serve the diverse needs of the people of the island of Ireland, and that both programming and control of both commercial and community...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Collection (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Value for Money (VFM) Policy Review Group on the introduction of a Public Service Broadcasting Charge held its first meeting on 4 September 2012. The objective of the Review is to analyse whether an alternative funding model to the traditional TV licence fee model would provide a more stable source of funding for public service broadcasting into the future by being more efficient and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Sector (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In line with my responsibilities for the broadcasting sector, I confirm that I have met with the representative body, Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI), on three occasions (8 June 2011, 3 July 2012 and on 16 January 2013) since my appointment as Minister and that these meetings included discussion of the IBI’s proposals regarding public funding. As I have stated previously in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In 2009, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) initiated a pilot microgeneration programme. This involved 42 installations of various microgeneration technologies. A final monitoring report on the performance of the installations and learning from the programme is awaited from SEAI. This will inform future policy development. Electric Ireland has been offering a 9c/kwh feed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Speeds (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Considerable progress has been made in recent years in both the coverage and speeds of national broadband infrastructure, with a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. The Government has also undertaken a number of initiatives, including the National Broadband Scheme and the Rural Broadband Scheme, to bring basic broadband...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony (12 Mar 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: A proposal to register all customers of mobile phone services was considered previously by my Department which identified many complex legal, technical, data protection and practical issues to be considered. It was concluded at that time that the proposal would be of limited benefit in that it would not solve the illegal and inappropriate use of mobile phones and was not practical. There...