Results 28,981-29,000 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Under Phase I of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) Programme six MANs have been constructed in the South East region: Carlow, Clonmel, Dungarvan, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. To date €14.7m has been spent on these six MANs. All six MANs are complete and are fully open for business. They have been handed over to the Managed Services Entity, eNet, who manage, market, operate and...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: There are no agency workers employed by my Department. I have no function in relation to State agencies as regards this matter.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of broadband services is, in the first instance, 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 quality...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 655 and 661 together. The purpose of the proposed independent study is to provide expert professional advice on the relative merits of constructing and operating overhead transmission lines compared to underground cables, having regard to technical characteristics, reliability, operation and maintenance factors, environmental impact, possible health issues...

Written Answers — Fishing Licences: Fishing Licences (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: For the record, the change in licence fees introduced from 1 January 2008 increased the cost of an annual salmon angling licence from €128 to €134, which represents an increase of 4.8% from 2007 in line with the consumer price index. 50% of the licence fee income is dedicated by the Fisheries Boards to the rehabilitation of salmon habitats and conservation measures throughout the...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I am advised by the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board that the best way of improving salmon runs according to scientific advice is by native recruitment and not by sourcing artificially reared salmon. The available evidence from fish counters indicates that there is a self-sustaining population of salmon in the River Liffey. The Marine Institute believe that while the exact genetic lineage is...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I have not been informed by any of my agencies that any disks, laptops or memory storage devices containing personal information regarding members of the public have been lost or stolen.

Written Answers — Television Licence Fee: Television Licence Fee (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Television licences are granted under Section 5 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1926, as amended. This Section allows for the grant of a licence to a person to keep and have possession of a television set in a specified place. A hotel or other licensed premises is required to have one television licence per premises even if that hotel or other licensed premises has one or more television sets.

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: System planning, analysis and operation of the electricity network to ensure continuity of electricity supplies to customers, as the capacity of variable generating plants connected increases, is a matter for the system operator, EirGrid, operating under the supervision of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). Energy storage has been developed over the years in Ireland where it can...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: There have been no dismissals of civil servants in my Department since the provisions of the Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Act 2005 were introduced.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (12 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Expenditure incurred by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in respect of travel and subsistence for each of the years 2002 to the end of 2007 is outlined in the following table. Year Amount 2002 2,162,000 2003 2,816,000 2004 2,854,000 2005 2,697,000 2006 2,009,000 2007 1,787,792 The figures in respect of the period up to 2005 include certain maritime...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: In response to recent industry announcements, and developments internationally, my Department is preparing a draft policy paper that will review current communications infrastructure policy and analyse policy options in light of industry developments, in relation to the optimum role for the Government in the planning and roll-out of next generation broadband. I have established an expert...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: A Bill to confer the statutory responsibility for the safety of petroleum exploration and production on the Commission for Energy Regulation, which will implement a key finding of safety studies carried out in relation to the Corrib onshore pipeline is being prepared in my Department. It is planned that this Bill will be published during the Dáil Summer Session 2008.

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (7 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: In line with the commitment made in the Government White Paper, Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland, to increase the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) levy on the consumption of oil products, I have made Regulations under the National Oil Reserves Agency Act, 2007, which provide for an increase in the rate of the levy to 1.00 cent per litre. The increase came into effect on...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (7 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The established minimum targets for 2020 for the renewable energy sector in Ireland are to increase the contribution from renewable energy sources to 10% of transport fuels, 12% of heating fuels and 33% of electricity consumed. The All-Island Grid Study, which was commissioned jointly by my Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Northern Ireland), concludes that...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (7 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I have set out in the following table the usage of electricity, expressed in kilowatt hours, in my Department's building at 29/31 Adelaide Road in Dublin, since July 2005, when the current supplier commenced supplying electricity to the Department. Records for the first half of 2005 are held by a former supplier and are not readily available. Kilowatt Hours consumed 2005 July 321,205...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 239 together. This project was selected for funding under the Broadband Measure of the Economic Infrastructure Operational Programme, 1994-1999. It involved the design and construction, by Chorus Communications, of a hybrid fibre coaxial network in Castlebar, County Mayo during 2000 and 2001 at a total cost of €1.3 million. A technical evaluation...

Written Answers — Energy Research: Energy Research (7 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The Energy Policy White Paper and the Programme for Government underline the Government's priority commitment to energy research in line with EU priorities. The Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy and the National Development Plan both reflect the vital importance of energy research and innovation to underpin the energy sector and the imperative to deliver sustainable, competitive...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (7 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together. The roll out of smart meters, as set out in the Government's Energy Policy Framework and in the Programme for Government, is a key component of the Government's strategy to improve management of demand for electricity and achieve greater energy efficiency through use of the latest technology. The delivery of smart metering requires a...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (7 Feb 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I published the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan for public consultation on 3 October 2007. The draft Action Plan sets out in excess of 60 actions that Government is taking or will take in the period up to 2020 to achieve a 20% reduction in energy demand across our economy and a 33% reduction in the public sector. The draft Plan also outlines how we will begin to achieve our more...