Results 3,041-3,060 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (22 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I have no statutory function in the setting of gas or electricity prices, whether in the regulated or non-regulated parts of these markets. Responsibility for the regulation of the retail electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory body. Since 4 April 2011 prices in the electricity retail market have been fully deregulated...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Staff (22 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not employ any family members. The restrictions under the terms of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour on civil servants engaging in political activity do not apply to non-Civil Service Ministerial Private Office Staff and they can engage in political activity or join political parties if they wish. These are not matters for which staff are accountable to me under their...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services (22 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I understand that Commissioner Kroes recently indicated that the European Commission would outline plans later this year for a suite of measures to foster competitiveness and innovation for a digital Europe. Ireland looks forward to more detail on these proposals from the Commission. In the interim, I look forward to progressing many of the key areas for the Digital Agenda for Europe...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services (22 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 424 and 425 together. Broadband connectivity, as an enabling infrastructure for economic and social development, is a critical element of future sustainable economic growth and a priority for Government. In terms of telecommunications policy, my Department plays a key role in providing a supportive legislative and regulatory environment within which...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (22 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Question Nos. 426 to 428, inclusive, together. There have been only four commercial petroleum discoveries since exploration began offshore Ireland in the early 1970s. The producing Kinsale, Ballycotton and Seven Heads (Kinsale area) gas fields off the coast of Cork and the Corrib gas field off the coast of Mayo. The three Kinsale area gas fields are nearing depletion and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services (22 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: All post-primary schools will have a 100Mbps broadband connection installed by the end of 2014, through a project jointly funded by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills (DES). In 2009, under the initial pilot phase of this project, a total of 78 post-primary schools, were provided with 100Mbps broadband. Of these, 2 schools were located in the Counties of Carlow and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (22 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to advise the Deputy that for the past two years I have, on the Department’s website, invited Expressions of Interest from persons wishing to be considered for appointment to vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of my Department. In both years, this information has been used to inform decisions for appointments to State Boards. I will shortly be advertising on the website...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff Redeployment (17 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Two members of staff in my Department are currently seeking a transfer to another location. There were two staff transfers from my Department in 2012. Both staff members transferred from the Department’s office in Dublin to the Department of Social Protection in Cavan. Information in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is a day to day matter for those...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and Gas Exploration (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Government policy is to maximise the benefits to Ireland from exploration for and production of our indigenous oil and gas resources, while ensuring that activities are conducted safely and with due regard to their impact on the environment and other land/sea users In recent years there has been some upturn in the level of interest in exploration off our coast, however, the potential of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and Gas Exploration (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I have made it clear on a number of occasions that any application for an exploration licence that proposed the use of hydraulic fracturing as part of an unconventional gas exploration programme would be subject to a full environmental impact assessment. An Environmental Impact Assessment entails consideration of the potential impacts of a project on population, fauna, flora, soil, water,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Regulatory Impact Assessments (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) is a tool used to assess the likely effects of a proposed new regulation or legislative change. I wish to advise the Deputy that given the different stages legislative proposals in the Department are at, that in the past twelve months there have been no RIAs undertaken by my Department. More generally, I would point out that my Department engages in an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 580 and 581 together. Electric Ireland has been offering a 9c/kwh feed in tariff, on a commercial basis, to domestic microgenerators (including in the solar PV category) since February 2009. No other electricity supply company has to date chosen to enter the market and to offer a microgeneration feed-in-tariff on a commercial basis, although the Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Procurement Contracts (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 582 and 583 together. The award of contracts for this project is a day to day operational matter for the Board and management of Bord na Mόna, and I have no function in this matter. I have been advised by Bord na Mόna that contracts for the supply of turbines and other works in respect of the Mount Lucas windfarm project, have been awarded...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Bodies (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to advise the Deputy that I have not abolished any State Bodies since taking office on 9 March 2011. My Department has reviewed the rationalisation proposals for agencies under its aegis as set out in the Public Service Reform Plan. The outcome of this review, which was recently published by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, is that the Digital Hub Development Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 585 and 586 together. The Government is committed, in order to meet our 2020 binding targets, to increase renewable energy to 40% in the electricity sector, 10% in the transport sector and 12% in the heating sector, which together amounts to 16% overall, in line with our target under the EU Renewable Energy Directive. Currently, Ireland imports around 90%...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 587, 598 and 602 together. All citizens are entitled to reasonable access to basic telephone services at fixed locations in accordance with provisions contained in the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Universal Service and User’s Rights) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 337/2011). Any failure by the universal service...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Reception (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In regard to SAORVIEW, as with the analogue terrestrial TV network that it replaces, the new national digital terrestrial TV service operated by RTÉ and which provides access to the national Irish TV channels on a non-subscription basis i.e. free to air covers 98% of the population. This accords with the requirements of the Broadcasting Act 2009. 100% coverage is not possible on a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: A Television Licence is granted under section 143 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 to a person to keep and have possession of a television set in a premises or specified place in the State. In accordance with the television licence regulations made under Section 144 of the 2009 Act, every television licence issued is valid for a full twelve month period. While the timing of the commencement of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland’s telecommunications market has been liberalised since 1999. The delivery of deregulated telecommunications services, which includes the provision of broadband services, and the retail prices charged are decided in the open competitive market by commercial operators. Neither my Department nor the market regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), has any...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Rural Development Programme (16 Jan 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 591 to 595, inclusive, together. The Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) was launched last year in recognition of the fact that despite the widespread availability of broadband throughout Ireland, there still remained individual premises that were unable to receive broadband provision. This Scheme was aimed at making a basic broadband service available to...