Results 27,641-27,660 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Financial supports are available to homeowners under two schemes funded by my Department to improve the energy efficiency of existing houses. For households on low incomes, such as those in receipt of fuel allowance, invalidity or disability benefit, the Warmer Homes Scheme managed by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) will install cavity wall insulation, attic insulation, a boiler lagging...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) operates a number of grant schemes in this area, these include the Renewable Energy Research Development and Demonstration programme, which provides grant support for the development of new renewables energy technologies, including the development of advanced biomass energy systems. In support of the commercial deployment of biomass heating systems, for the...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I am assuming the Deputy's question relates to those staff who had indicated a wish to relocate to Cavan but who are unable to do so at present as a result of the recent Government Decision to suspend the relocation of my Department's headquarters to Cavan, pending a formal review in 2011. There are approximately 10 staff in my Department who are Dublin-based but who had applied through the...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The Government is fully committed to the EU position in the international negotiations on a global climate agreement. The EU position is that developed countries should take the lead in action to address climate change by committing to collectively reducing their emissions in the order of 30% by 2020 compared to 1990. In this context, the European Council has endorsed an EU objective of a...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Ireland's position, under successive Governments, on the mandatory hypothecation of Exchequer revenues in EU legislation is well known. It is a matter for the EU Member States to determine the use of such revenues. In this context, the Government will determine, in accordance with the relevant legislative and budgetary framework, the use of the revenues generated from the auctioning of...

Written Answers — Departmental Travel: Departmental Travel (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The Department of Finance guidelines on foreign travel are made available to all staff in my Department and certification of any claim for payment is contingent on it being in compliance with these guidelines. My Department has recently re-circulated these guidelines to the non-commercial agencies under my remit requesting a report on the matter of their implementation. The guidelines will...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: There is only one Minister of State assigned to my Department. The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Office Number of Staff Current Salary Cost Private 5 (including 2 Civilian Drivers) 196,533 Constituency 1 43,989 While there is only one staff member located in the Minister of State's constituency office, two members of staff located in the Minister...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter, in the first instance, for the private sector. Broadband service providers operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated where appropriate by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The role of the Government is to formulate regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter, in the first instance, for the private sector. Broadband service providers operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated where appropriate by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The role of the Government is to formulate regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter, in the first instance, for the private sector. Broadband service providers operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated where appropriate by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The role of the Government is to formulate regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the...

Seanad: Regional Fisheries Boards: Motion (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I welcome the opportunity to outline to the House the rationale behind the motion. Responsibility for the management and development of the inland fisheries sector resides with the Central Fisheries Board and the seven regional boards. Members will be aware that elections to the regional fisheries boards are due to take place on 16 December following an extension agreed by the Oireachtas...

Seanad: Regional Fisheries Boards: Motion (9 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Senators who contributed for the opinions they expressed. I assure the Seanad that the Government attaches the greatest importance to the development of inland fisheries and it is intended the motion before us will be the last time any such extension would apply. The difference between this extension and the previous ones is that in this case we have a clear path and timeline for a...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (3 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter for the private sector. Broadband service providers operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The role of the Government is to formulate regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the provision of high...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (3 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 to 227, inclusive, together. The Department agrees the detail of exploration programmes to be undertaken by the holders of exploration licences and then monitors delivery of those work programmes. Licensees are required to submit detailed reports of the exploration activity undertaken. This enables the Department to ensure that exploration commitments...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (3 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: On the 25 November 2008 I announced that 3, a Hutchison Whampoa company, has been selected as the preferred tenderer for the National Broadband Scheme (NBS), following the conclusion of a comprehensive competitive procurement process. The NBS contract is expected to be signed with 3 by mid-December. 3 will be required to complete the roll out of services within 22 months of the contract...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (3 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter for the private sector. Broadband service providers operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The role of the Government is to formulate regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the provision of high...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (2 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 89 together. The rollout of a national smart meter programme is progressing in line with the commitment in the Government's Energy Policy Framework and in the Programme for Government. The Smart Meter programme is a central component of the strategy to significantly enhance management of energy demand and to achieve greater energy efficiency through...

Written Answers — Energy Prices: Energy Prices (2 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The regulation of ESB electricity tariffs and Bord Gáis Éireann (BGÉ) gas tariffs is the statutory responsibility of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). I also note that the CER made the decision to end tariff regulation for large electricity users in September 2006. It concluded that there is a sufficient level of generation capacity in the upper end of the market to allow...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The Power of One electronic campaign consists of a suite of three complementary websites — PowerOfOne.ie, PowerOfOneStreet.ie and PowerOfOneAtWork.ie — each targeting a specific segment of society. In 2008, €220,000 has been spent on developing and maintaining the websites. My colleague, the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has informed me that €450,000 has...

Written Answers — Windfall Profits: Windfall Profits (2 Dec 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The Single Electricity Market Committee, which is statutorily responsible for the operation of the all-island electricity market on the island of Ireland, have determined that all electricity generators must include the full opportunity cost of carbon when bidding into the gross mandatory pool of the Single Electricity Market. This raises the wholesale cost of electricity and gives rise to...