Results 27,921-27,940 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110, 121 and 128 together. One of the main proposals of the consultation paper on next generation broadband is to facilitate private sector investment in next generation broadband networks. As the consultation paper indicates, major investment is already under way by the private sector, amounting to more than €400 million per annum, facilitated by a...

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I take Deputy Coveney's point that the reply, in going into the issue of overground-underground cabling, possibly extends the intent of the original questions. Apologies for that. On the issue of timing, that first audit is only one part of the series of work that must be carried out. That will be carried out quickly, I would hope within a short period before the end of this year. There...

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: It should include local authorities. It should also include sewage pipes, water mains and other State infrastructure, particularly where the ducting can be installed during construction. For example, in this year's budget a major increase in funding was made available to local authorities for water infrastructure investment. I see no reason such water networks should not include ducting.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The task of my Department is to pull together the various diverse bodies into a single State resource under which ducting can be made available on an open-access basis to any commercial company.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The first arrangement is with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which will work through the local authorities on a co-ordinated basis to implement the proposal.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: It is working with my Department on the proposal.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: We have a backhaul network throughout the country. The difficulty is the cost, particularly in isolated rural locations. There are regulatory systems in place that allow a company backhaul access if it wants to provide a service. The difficulty is that the cost is very high because the volume of business, having regard to the distance, is very low. Thus, it is expensive to build networks...

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: There is regulated access and there are regulated charges in terms of how broadband access works.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: What I want to do is to assist companies on an equal-access basis, where we do have ducting, in providing the backhaul network for whatever operator wants to use it.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Different models apply in the market. Certain wholesale providers of backhaul do it on the basis the Deputy is talking about in that they provide access to the unlit fibre and the client has full use of that ducting in their infrastructure to deliver it. Other operators will go on a wholesale basis. We are not talking about changing the market conditions for every different supplier in...

Television Licence Fee. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The amount of revenue collected from television licences to date in 2008 is just under €186 million. This revenue is made up of €141 million in respect of direct sales by An Post and €45 million paid by the Department of Social and Family Affairs for the issuing of free lifetime licences. In negotiating the annual target sales to be reached by An Post, my Department factors in a...

Television Licence Fee. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I accept the Deputy's assertion that it is important to ensure we collect all television licence fees which are due. All broadcasters are about to experience a difficult time. I will assist the House by mentioning some figures I have to hand which make it clear that the number of licences being sold has increased recently. In 2007, An Post's number of direct sales increased by 45,300. The...

Television Licence Fee. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I am speaking specifically about 2007.

Television Licence Fee. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I have given the figure available to me in respect of additional An Post direct sales in that year. Perhaps the increase can be partly accounted for by the increase in the number of social welfare recipients. Some properties which were purchased are not being lived in. We have to investigate and pursue the extent to which evasion is taking place in that context. That is why the...

Television Licence Fee. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: We must be careful as to how such an alternative process on mobile devices or a charge on data communications could have potential adverse effects regarding the development and encouragement of some new mobile technologies. I want us to be an early adopter of many of the new internet technologies. I would be nervous about immediately adopting a charge on them as an alternative to the...

Television Licence Fee. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: There is a cost attached to that but it is a guaranteed model. When RTE was asked, in the joint Oireachtas committee on this issue in recent years, about its preferred development, it said that despite its statements on the level of evasion it wanted to hold on to the current system because it at least gave certainty on the revenue available to broadcasters.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: In July 2008 I published a consultation paper on next generation broadband. The introduction of a regulation to require the installation of open access fibre connection in new premises, where practicable, was one of the proposed policy actions. I am keen to progress this quickly and I have set up a working group comprising officials from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local...

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The key is to get it right, whether it is December this year or January next year. I would have wanted it earlier rather than later but above everything else one needs to get it right. There are significant cost implications and technical issues that must be got right so builders going into buildings know exactly what they are doing and users, telecom operators and the householders get...

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The industry has seen the demand or sales of broadband double in the approximate year and half that I have been in office.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Decisions I have taken, difficult in some cases, contrary to what Deputy Coveney has advised in many instances, have created a more secure environment for the industry to invest over €730 million this year and introduce new broadband packages offering up to 50 megabit connectivity that did not exist before I came into office. I am happy to stand over the record and see an industry which is...