Results 40,461-40,480 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney
- Fuel Prices. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: The problem is that not everyone drives from Cork to Dublin.
- Energy Resources. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: I concede the question was so general that I did not expect precise answers. May I probe the Minister on one or two specifics; first, how does he intend to handle the separation of the ESB and Eirgrid? In essence what he is proposing is to take the transition system which is made up of 6,600 km valued at â¬840 million away from the ESB balance sheet and any ESB maintenance work and so on...
- Energy Resources. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: Yes.
- Energy Resources. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: Taking a slightly different tactic, because this is a huge area, the renewable energy promotion area, does the Minister plan specific targets on an annual basis in terms of the overall power generation in Ireland coming from renewable energy and, if not, why, because that is something he promoted strongly in opposition?
- Energy Resources. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: Can the Minister set a floor?
- Energy Resources. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: They are not annual targets. Therefore, there is no way of measuring performance on a yearly basis.
- Telecommunications Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: Regarding the end of the group broadband scheme, is the Minister telling us today that people in rural areas without the capacity to connect to broadband will have no Government sponsored or supported scheme to help them connect to broadband until the national broadband scheme is in place, which the Minister has advised will be some time after 2008? For the next 18 months people can have no...
- Telecommunications Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: Does the Minister consider it would be desirable for Eircom to considering splitting into a wholesale network provider and a retail provider of telecommunications services? If that were to happen would the Government be interested in using the split as a way to roll out broadband across the country and to ensure that the network was managed and regulated independently without a retail arm...
- Telecommunications Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: If that split were to happen would the Government be tempted to buy a share in that network company? The Minister and many others have been very critical that in the sale of Telecom Ãireann we sold a very valuable network which many people would like to see in State hands or at least controlled by the State. Is there a potential opportunity for the State to buy back an asset that perhaps...
- Alternative Energy Projects. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: We could debate this subject for hours. Food crops have been the winner in the competition for land between food crops and energy crops. Has the Minister made representations to the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance in the build up to the budget to support energy crop production in Ireland, particularly on set aside land, on which farmers are not permitted to sow food crops anyway, as...
- Mobile Telephony. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: Question 1: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will introduce a regulation requiring all mobile telephone masts to open for use for all network operators in order to improve coverage and reduce duplication of masts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23168/07]
- Mobile Telephony. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: This is the first opportunity I have had to wish the Minister well in his new brief. I am glad to see him in this particular Ministry because its handling by Fianna Fáil in the past five years has amounted to a succession of missed opportunities. The Minister ought to be aware, if he is not, that Eircom has recently sold its mast network to Threefold Project Management. Given the fact that...
- Postal Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: Question 3: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way he will facilitate the opening of a fully competitive market in the postal delivery sector and in particular the way he will deal with financially supporting the public service obligation that currently exists for An Post in the context of open competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Postal Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: With all due respect, if the Minister were on this side of the House, he would describe that answer as waffle. Rather than answering the question, he gave the facts that everybody knows â for example, that competition will be good for the market. He said we needed to consider a number of options, but I want to know which option he favours. Competition will be not be a problem in busy...
- Postal Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: On a point of informationââ
- Postal Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: Will the Minister give way?
- Postal Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: It seems somewhat warped that the Minister has started to ask the Opposition spokespersons questions. Intense lobbying is taking place in the United Kingdom for what is called zonal pricing, for the very reason I have outlined. Certain interests are trying to make the case that the further a postal company has to carry a letter, the more it should be allowed to charge the customer. We are...
- Postal Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: The European Parliamentââ
- Postal Services. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: I certainly do. The European Parliament will certainly not prescribe how the Government should implement competition in the Irish postal market. It will agree the overall directive and possibly amend the manner in which it will be framed, in the interests of promoting competition across the European Union. The Government will decide how we will put it in place in the Irish market.
- Electricity Network. (11 Oct 2007)
Simon Coveney: Question 4: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on an east-west electricity inter-connector between Ireland and Britain will be built; the person who will pay for same; the capacity it should have; the acceptable timeframe for the project to commence and be finished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23170/07]