Results 29,761-29,780 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (4 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The following major capital projects, which exceed the total cost of €30 million, are ongoing in my Department: Sector Capital Project Project Manager Comment Natural Resources INFOMAR (i.e.Phase 2 of the Seabed Survey) Mr. John Evans (Marine Institute), Mr. Koen Verbruggen (Geological Survey of Ireland) Communications Metropolitan Area Network Phase I (Programme) Mr. Kieran Duffy...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (4 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: All staff of the Department currently located in Cavan are situated in temporary offices and additional office capacity is available to meet future Departmental requirements. Site purchase in respect of the permanent building has been concluded by the OPW who are responsible for planning and construction operations at that site.

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (4 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 203 together. The Groundwater Programme is one of the priority programmes of the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI). In recent years it has necessarily devoted considerable resources to supporting the implementation of groundwater aspects of the EU Water Framework Directive and this has resulted in the deferment of some of its work for local...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The National Geoscience Programme sets out a sectoral vision for geoscience over the period 2007-2013 and covers research, services, education and outreach on an all-island basis. It was published jointly by the Royal Irish Academy and the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), a division of my Department, and can be viewed at www.gsi.ie. Geoscience was recognised as a priority theme in the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (4 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: A large number of boreholes are drilled every year in Ireland to provide water supplies for private and public water schemes. Such groundwater accounts nationally for about 25% of our water supplies and in some counties this percentage exceeds 80%. Drilling of water boreholes is not regulated and it is important that the services of reputable drilling contractors and geological expertise...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (4 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) maintains extensive databases, including some which contain borehole records. Boreholes are drilled for a variety of reasons, including water supply, geotechnical investigations (for construction), exploration and geological investigation. Exploration borehole logs are submitted to my Department under the Minerals Development Acts. Records for other...

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: Would Fine Gael have gone in with Sinn Féin to make it happen?

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: Fine Gael had the opportunity. It could have happened.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I refer the Deputy to Question No. 78 regarding Decentralisation in this instance, which was answered by the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen on Tuesday 26th June 2007. In respect of my Department, I would refer the Deputy to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 785 of 26th June 2007.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter for the companies operating in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The role of the Government is to implement regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the provision of high quality telecommunications services, by...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government confirms that we will transfer ownership of the transmission assets from ESB to EirGrid by end 2008. High oil and gas prices worldwide are a reality with which Ireland, as price taker, has to contend. About 70% of the costs of generating electricity here are driven by international trends, our location and transportation costs. However, the remaining 30% of...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The current national target is to increase the contribution from all renewable energy sources from 3.6% of electricity consumed in 1997, the benchmark year applied in EU Directive 2001/77/EC to address national targets for 2010 to each Member State, up to 15% by 2010 and to further increase that target to 33% for 2020. The Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff (REFIT) support programme replaces...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: District heating can play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gases and promoting sustainable development. It is influenced by a range of factors, including environmental conditions, availability of heat sources and suitable markets. The systems used to provide district heating fall into two broad categories — dedicated central boilers or power stations using Combined Heat and Power...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 597 and 601 together. My Department is compiling the material requested by the Deputy and I shall forward it to him later this week.

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: Authorisation of ESB's construction of a 430MW Combine Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant at Aghada was granted by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), in the context of the CER-ESB Asset Management Strategy Agreement of 29 November 2006 on reducing ESB's dominance in power generation. Ministerial approval for Capital Expenditure was considered by my predecessor, Minister Noel Dempsey...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter for the companies operating in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The role of the Government is to implement regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the provision of high quality telecommunications services, by...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The provision of telecommunications services, including broadband, is a matter for the companies operating in a fully liberalised market, regulated, where appropriate, by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The role of the Government is to implement regulatory and infrastructure policies to facilitate the provision of high quality telecommunications services, by...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The question as tabled is unmanageably broad, covering as it does everything from telephone conversations, emails and informal discussions in the margins of conferences to formal correspondence and meetings. I propose to confine my answer to the period of time since the date of my appointment as Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and to details of meetings attended....

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: Since my appointment as Minister I have met the developers of the project and have also had some informal discussions with individuals who are interested in the project. This is an ongoing process as I read myself into my brief.

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (3 Jul 2007)

Eamon Ryan: Since my appointment I have met with BT Ireland in order to familiarise myself with the communications sector and issues of interest to service providers. This is part of an ongoing series of meetings with all the major players in the sector. In addition I also attended a social function to mark the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Commission for Communications Regulation.