Results 3,901-3,920 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte
- Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (23 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: The Public Obligation Service (PSO) levy has been in place since 2001 and is the support mechanism for peat generation and the development of renewable electricity. The levy is designed to compensate electricity suppliers for the additional costs they incur by purchasing electricity generated by the three peat stations, from renewable energy sources and from the gas fuelled plant...
- Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (23 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: The feed in tariff or REFIT scheme underpins investment in renewable energy to meet Ireland's legally binding renewable target, by providing sufficient certainty to developers to finance projects through the guarantee of a minimum price for wind exported to the grid over a 15 year period. Such schemes are common across EU Member States. The original REFIT scheme for which state aid approval...
- Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (23 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: There are no feed in tariff schemes in place for offshore wind, wave or tidal energy technologies. The Government decided earlier this year to encourage the development of offshore wind as an export opportunity rather than as a contributor to the domestic electricity market and therefore a feed in tariff support mechanism is not being introduced for offshore wind. Wave and tidal technology...
- Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (23 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy will be aware, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has the statutory responsibility for investigating complaints against all broadcasters based in this State. The BAI report that a total of eleven complaints against RTÃ were upheld on grounds of impartiality and fairness in the years from 2006 to 2010. The RTÃ Primetime Investigates documentary titled "Mission to...
- Leaders' Questions (23 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: It is a lost cause.
- Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is an independent regulator responsible for the oversight of compliance in relation to broadcast content. The Compliance Committee monitors and enforces compliance by broadcasters with various aspects of the relevant legislation relating to fairness, impartiality and enforcement of standards. On foot of a decision by Government, I requested that...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: Following a recent campaign run by the Public Appointments Service, my Department plans to recruit at least one graduate this year as an Economist. There may be a requirement for additional graduates depending on the identification of suitable posts. It also participates in the JobBridge National Internship Scheme. In total 18 placements for graduates have been provided throughout the...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: The rules to which the Deputy refers are the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2011. Statutory Instrument (S.I.) 336 of 2011 transposes the requirements of EU Directive 2002/58/EC concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector (ePrivacy...
- Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: The provision of high-speed broadband to all secondary schools in Ireland is being undertaken by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills, in conjunction with our network partners, HEAnet, following the successful completion of a pilot project that ran from 2009 to 2011. The procurement of the connection necessary to deliver the high-speed broadband for each school is...
- Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: I have no statutory function in regard to the issue raised by the Deputy. This is an operational matter for the management and Board of An Post. I have asked the company to reply directly to the Deputy in this regard.
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: My Department has re-employed one former member of staff for a very short period during the period since April 2011.
- Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: Since the introduction of the revised transport arrangements for Ministers in May 2011 the total cost incurred in the provision of transport to the Minister in my Department to end 2011 was â¬63,580. The cost to date for 2012 is â¬41,128. As stated by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, the decision to discontinue the provision of State cars for Cabinet Ministers (with the...
- Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: The total amount of expenditure by my Department from its consultancy services and value for money and policy reviews budget in the years 2008 â 2011 is set out in the following table: 2008 2009 2010 2011 Amount â¬2.249m â¬0.739m â¬1.245m â¬1.364m In procuring these specialized services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and the keeping of expenditure to the...
- Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: There is no contract between TV3 and my Department. TV3 is a commercial broadcaster and I have no role in the operation of TV3 nor in its commercial or business decisions. TV3 operates under contract from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to provide a national commercial broadcasting service. The Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for TV3 to operate on SAORVIEW, should it wish to do...
- Written Answers — Energy Prices: Energy Prices (22 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: Ireland remains critically dependent on imported fossil fuels, particularly oil and natural gas which are subject to price volatility and geo-political rise. This dependency underlines the immediate and long term imperatives of enhancing energy security. Ireland's energy policy objectives are in line with overall EU policy objectives and are informed by the critical work of the International...
- Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (17 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: I have been advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland that Erriff fishery which is associated with Aasleagh Lodge is a very important salmon research facility having unique trapping facilities that facilitates counting and examination of fish without the fish having to be touched by human hand. The Lodge itself is used for staff training purposes there is a fisheries field staff base adjacent to...
- Written Answers — Hydraulic Fracturing Policy: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (17 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 to 101, inclusive, together. Last week the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a report of preliminary background research it had commissioned into the environmental aspects of shale gas extraction. This research study was carried out by the University of Aberdeen. The EPA proposes to commission further, more extensive, research on hydraulic...
- Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (17 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: Better Energy: Warmer Homes delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to households that are vulnerable to energy poverty. The scheme is managed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and delivered through a range of Community Based Organisations, augmented by a panel of private contractors in order to ensure national coverage. SEAI is currently in the process of...
- Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (17 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: Better Energy: Warmer Homes delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to households that are vulnerable to energy poverty. The scheme is managed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and delivered through a range of Community Based Organisations (CBOs), augmented by a panel of private contractors in order to ensure national coverage. The SEAI has contracts in place with...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (17 May 2012)
Pat Rabbitte: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. The booking of photographers is managed by my Press Office in each case. My Department's policy on photography is that we retain a panel of at least three agencies at all times with a view to selecting the most cost effective option on a case by case basis. I have not used the Ministerial Allowance to date. ...