Results 38,861-38,880 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney
- Broadcasting Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Question 92: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the progress made in securing commercial digital television services following ongoing negotiations between a consortium (details supplied), RTE and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3893/10]
- Broadcasting Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: The Minister has been saying that for six months.
- Broadcasting Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: This is the third or fourth time we have discussed this issue. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, will know that I and many others have real concern that we will not be able to make the 2012 deadline for analogue switch off, which will have significant consequences. I understand - the Minister can correct me if I am wrong - that the new BAI met to discuss the DTT issue yesterday. There are ongoing...
- Broadcasting Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: We are not on course for that.
- Broadcasting Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I am not asking the Minister to step into the middle of the negotiations. Will he accept that RTE has already spent some â¬70 million putting DTT infrastructure in place, on the basis of having a commercial operator in place which would help to finance that infrastructure? Would he also accept that he changed the broadcasting legislation, through an amendment, to change the deadline which...
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Question 93: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on introducing an emergency alert system, using mobile phone mast infrastructure, to allow for direct contact to be made with the public on a targeted regional basis in response to emergencies in order to improve direct communication between the national emergency centre and the public; and if he will...
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: The Minister may see this as a slightly unusual question because it is quite general in terms of what it requests, but the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has responsibility for communications. He will agree that the technical infrastructure now exists for the Government to provide a communications channel in the case of emergencies directly from Government and the emergency infrastructure which it...
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I am trying to be helpful because this is not an issue on which we should be political. I have two proposals, both of which are highly credible, on how we can use the existing mobile phone mast infrastructure to alert people in regional specific areas. Nobody is suggesting that if there is going to be significant flooding in Cork that 4 million people get a text message to say that a mini...
- Electricity Generation. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I would like to hear answers to Deputy Stanton's questions because we did not receive them in the Minister's reply. Going back to the ESB to ask it why there has not been more take-up on this scheme is not necessarily the way forward. For a start, it is not in the interests of the ESB to facilitate large-scale decentralisation of power generation. I reiterate a specific question that was...
- Electricity Generation. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Question 96: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to introduce legislation to facilitate the development of offshore wind energy; the timescale for same. [3358/10]
- Electricity Generation. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I am glad the Minister is thinking in terms of the super grid that was proposed in the past by people such as Eddie O'Connor and others, whereby countries would agree to work together to build very large scale offshore generation capacity that would interconnect electricity grids of different European countries with a view to providing green energy and security of supply. I encourage the...
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: If the Minister is continually highlighting the issue of open access, one must inquire as to why he is not making it happen. The Minister has been in office for a number of years and he understands the telecommunications market quite well. He refers to the need for open access to infrastructure but on each occasion he is asked this question he states that ComReg, in the context of its...
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: The specific question here is-----
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I am entitled to take some time.
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I am entitled to take some time.
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I did not inquire about that matter. Will the Minister answer my question?
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: Will he require open access to infrastructure?
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I asked what the Minister is doing.
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: The one-stop shop was supposed to have been established six months ago. However, there is still no sign of it.
- Telecommunications Services. (26 Jan 2010)
Simon Coveney: I have a specific question. Will the Minister instruct the regulator to introduce an open-access policy to all ducting infrastructure in order to facilitate those private companies that want to lay fibre to increase and improve broadband speeds?