Results 39,721-39,740 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: This is a ministerial and Government commitment to have this completed and done by the end of this year. It will cost no money. It is about regulation and requiring all new buildings to have ducting in place to facilitate the kind of infrastructure we talked about earlier. Will this measure be completed by the end of the year?

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: This is the new utility. All new houses, as well as having water, power and sewerage, will have a new communications and entertainment infrastructure coming in and out. Would the Minister accept the industry has grown impatient with him and his Department regarding taking definite actions to facilitate competition and the roll-out of next-generation broadband? That the Minister has fudged...

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: That is no thanks to the Minister. It is demand led.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: That is in spite of Government action.

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: Perhaps the Minister would itemise the Government action taken in this area. In my experience, industry people tell me they are rolling out broadband facilities and making investments, particularly in the mobile sector, but it is despite the lack of decision making on regulation or investment. One of the examples of that is that we spent €50 million on phase 2 of the metropolitan area...

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: How many of the 66 MANs are not lit up now in phase 2?

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: What has the Minister done?

Telecommunications Services. (29 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: They are all promises. That is the problem. The Minister has not delivered on any of them.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (22 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: Question 195: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the timescale for the conclusion of the tendering process for the national broadband scheme; the estimated roll-out time for broadband services to all areas of the country under the national broadband scheme; the estimated cost of the national broadband scheme in 2009; the areas that will be covered by the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: Question 196: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if households that upgrade their windows to improve the energy efficiency of their home will be eligible for the 30% grant under the home energy saving scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36341/08]

Medical Cards: Motion (21 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: The Minister has made a mistake on the issue of medical cards. Last week, people had been conditioned to expect tough measures and were prepared to accept a difficult budget if it targeted problem areas which need to be reformed to return the country to a path of recovery. Elderly people who are not part of the problem were targeted last week. Despite the political stunt we saw this...

Medical Cards: Motion (21 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: We have not opposed that.

Medical Cards: Motion (21 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: Does that take account of savings?

Leaders' Questions (21 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: The Taoiseach has some cheek to focus on our figures.

Approval of Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: To whom will they report?

Approval of Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: It was overshadowed by all of the mistakes in the budget.

Approval of Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: Will the detail of the quarterly oversight reports to be completed by the regulator be published and will they be subject to oversight by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service? In regard to parliamentary oversight generally, it is a nonsense to suggest, taking account of how quickly developments have taken place in the financial situation, that we should have a...

Approval of Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: On that rationale, surely we can extract a price in terms of the power of directors.

Approval of Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: How will salaries be determined?

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Simon Coveney: I am glad of this opportunity to speak and I thank my colleague for a few extra minutes. I want first to make some general comments on the budget. I struggle to understand the Government's logic in what it is trying to do in this budget. Surely the primary objective in a budget in a time of real difficulty and crisis is to try to address the cause of that crisis. Surely the primary...