Results 3,201-3,220 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I was wondering who took down our posters.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Capital Expenditure (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Capital spending is below profile for the period in question due to a combination of timing issues and lower demand than anticipated in relation to certain schemes. My Department has made a number of adjustments over the year to ensure productive spend in certain areas through the transfer of funds from areas where demand has been less than envisaged. Nonetheless savings for the full year...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Homes scheme under the Better Energy Programme. Better Energy Homes provides financial assistance to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland that catchment wide electro-fishing is undertaken in juvenile salmon habitat close to shallow spawning redds and that this technique can only be undertaken in shallow spawning and nursery areas. No sampling sites are located in the lower reaches of the Barrow main channel as this habitat is not suitable for spawning and salmon fry will not be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I am advised by Inland Fishers Ireland (IFI) that the River Barrow has been identified as a priority river for a fish counter. In this regard IFI has recently secured funding from the Salmon Conservation Fund to undertake preliminary feasibility and planning work to identify the most appropriate site and identifying the necessary works that would be required to install a counter. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland has a challenging 2020 renewable energy target to meet and the bulk of the target is expected to be met in the electricity sector, given the challenges in transport and heating. Gate 3 and the implementation of Grid 25 (including the North South Interconnector, Grid West and Grid Link) are essential elements in ensuring that we can deliver on our target. Any delays in building out...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to advise that my Department’s officials have been engaged in ongoing contact with “3”, the National Broadband Scheme (“NBS”) service provider since it was made aware of recent service performance problems being experienced by some NBS customers in Co. Kerry. I understand that these NBS customers in the Ballyferriter area experienced intermittent...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Pension Provisions (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Human Resources Division of my Department has been in contact with this person in an effort to locate a record of his service in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. This information is required in order to establish if he has superannuation entitlements on reaching age 65 in 2 years’ time. Unfortunately, with the limited information supplied by him, it has not been possible to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Cross-Border Co-operation (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Geological Survey of Ireland is a project partner in Tellus Border, a geo-environmental mapping project of six counties in the border region of Ireland. This cross-border initiative between the Geological Surveys of Ireland and Northern Ireland will produce detailed geo-environmental data of the border region and join these with data in Northern Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The National Renewable Energy Action Plan was a requirement under Directive 2009/28/EC and was compiled on the basis of a European Commission template. It sets out at a national level how our legally binding 2020 target under the Directive will be achieved across the transport, heat and electricity sectors. As it is a national plan, it does not go into any specifics at county level. Each...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services (4 Dec 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Since market liberalisation in 1999, broadband services are delivered in the first instance through private sector operators. The State only becomes involved in the provision of services in instances of clear market failure. The National Broadband Scheme (NBS) and the more recent Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) are examples of such interventions. Prior to the launch of the NBS my Department...

Other Questions: Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I hear what Deputy Moynihan says about the exhortation he would offer to State companies in terms of an expectation that they could play a more significant role than they are playing. I had representations earlier this week from my party colleague, Senator Heffernan, and Deputies Neville and O'Donovan about a company in west Limerick, which may well have prompted the Deputy's question. It...

Other Questions: Semi-State Companies (29 Nov 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department and I have actively engaged with Bord na Móna on the challenges the company faces and its future strategy. I am strongly supportive of the company, which provides valuable employment in the midlands and is an important producer of energy and other services. The challenges include environmental constraints on the use of peat in power generation and horticultural products...

Other Questions: Semi-State Companies (29 Nov 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not believe Bord na Móna is lined up in the State assets disposal programme, nor should it be. It is true, however, that the company is running out of turf and that diversification is, therefore, the way forward. In this regard, the company has been very successful in some of its operations. The Deputy put his finger on an aspect that was not successful thus far, namely, the...

Other Questions: Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 13 and 16 together. In order to meet our 2020 binding targets, the Government is committed to increasing renewable energy to 40% in the electricity sector, 10% in the transport sector and 12% in the heating sector, which together amount to 16% overall, in line with our target under the EU renewable energy directive. A number of organisations are...

Other Questions: Telecommunications Services (29 Nov 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: That will depend on the plans put in place by the four successful companies. They have made significant investment. Obviously it is their intention to be remunerated on that investment. I am aware that their planning is already far advanced. I should not promote one company over another but I am aware of one company that already has its plans on exhibition. It will take them some time to...

Other Questions: Telecommunications Services (29 Nov 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: That is a good question and one that has preoccupied me for some time. The national accounts had pencilled in a figure of €178 million which goes directly into the maw of the Exchequer. It is a very valuable national resource, after all. However, when I was progressing the national broadband plan I took care to get commitments that the €350 million investment envisaged will be...

Other Questions: Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: A joint modelling study entitled, Impact of Wind Generation on Wholesale Electricity Costs in 2011, was undertaken by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and EirGrid. The study looked at the impact of wind on the electricity market, including the impact on the operational requirements of the thermal generation. It shows that wind did not add any additional cost to the price of...

Other Questions: Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I welcome the content of the Deputy's remarks and his broad support for the build out of greater renewable capacity in this economy. He is correct that it is an issue of security of supply. It would be sensible to use a valuable indigenous resource capable of contributing to energy generation. We are moving towards our 2020 targets which is 40% electricity generated from renewables. It is...

Other Questions: Telecommunications Services (29 Nov 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 8, 19 and 32 together. In accordance with its statutory functions the Commission for Energy Regulation, ComReg, recently concluded an intensive process for the release, through an auction, of spectrum rights of use in the 800, 900 and 1800 Mhz frequency bands. The outcome of the auction for this spectrum was announced by ComReg on Thursday, 15 November....