Results 4,121-4,140 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act, 2011, designates An Post as the universal postal service provider in the newly liberalised postal services market. This designation, which is for a period of twelve years, will be reviewed by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) to decide whether the designation of An Post after the expiry of the first seven years should...

Written Answers — Post Office Network: Post Office Network (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The operation of An Post's post office network is a matter for the board and management of the company and not one in which I have a statutory function. However, I do appreciate the importance of the rural post office infrastructure in particular. The Government's core policy goal for the postal sector is to ensure that Irish customers, both business and residential, enjoy competitively...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to advise the Deputy that there are currently 3 staff serving on the Boards of 4 Non Commercial State companies, which come under the aegis of my Department, details of which are set out in tabular form as follows. None of these individuals is in receipt of remuneration. The Attorney General has advised that people working for the State are entitled to be indemnified for such work....

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following tables and includes the mileage allowance applied for senior Ministers following the Government decision to end the provision of state cars to most Ministers. Minister Pat Rabbitte Month Expenses March 2011 0 April 2011 0 May 2011 0 June 2011 €241.87 July 2011 €176.96 August 2011 €5,200.70 September 2011 0...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 366 and 367 together. In 2011, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) undertook a process which involved seeking expressions of interest from any broadcasters or content providers interested in providing additional broadcast services on the RTÉ Saorview platform. This process was undertaken in accordance with the additional functions conferred on the...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: There is no connection between the Sound and Vision Fund and the Digital Switch Over Campaign. The objective of the Digital Switch Over Campaign is to ensure that no one loses access to the Irish TV stations after the analogue network is switched off on the 24th October 2012. In particular the Campaign aims to inform the public that - 1. The national analogue TV service is switching to a...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates the Better Energy Programme on behalf of my Department. The scheme is 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 informed my Department that the applicant was registered for the scheme on the 1st October 2010 and...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland's telecommunications market has been liberalised since 1999 and thus the delivery of broadband services is a matter, in the first instance, for private sector commercial operators. The State only intervenes in cases of clear market failure, such as in the cases of both the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) and the Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS). Any such State intervention is subject to...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 371 to 373, inclusive, together. Under the National Broadband Scheme (NBS), services are available since October 2010 from the NBS service provider, 3, to persons with a fixed residence or fixed business in each of the 1,028 Electoral Divisions (ED) designated to be covered under the Scheme. There are 37 EDs within the NBS Coverage Area in County Wicklow....

Written Answers — Post Office Network: Post Office Network (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Matters relating to the post office network, including decisions regarding the delivery of services, are an operational matter for the management and Board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. I have asked the company to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the matters she has raised.

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The ownership of all State and non-State petroleum was vested in the Minister for Industry and Commerce and his successors on the enactment of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960. In the event of a commercial extraction project involving petroleum that was not State petroleum prior to the enactment of the 1960 Act, the Act provides that compensation is payable by the...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) was established on 1 July 2010 following the enactment of the Inland Fisheries Ireland Act 2010, with the merger of the seven Regional and Central Fisheries Boards. The Exchequer funding drawn down by IFI from my Department for 2010 and 2011 is as follows: - 2010 – €14.1 million (for the period 1 July to 31 December) 2011 – €25 million. Direct Exchequer...

Written Answers — River Remedial Works: River Remedial Works (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland, which is implementing this project, that rehabilitation commenced in September 2010 and will be completed by October 2012. Details of the works undertaken to date and to the completion stage are as follows: 5km of the Owengar River and 3 km of Arigna River will be rehabilitated through a series of instream and river bank improvement works. For the...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not received National Lottery Funding in any year since its formation in June 2007.

Written Answers — Departmental Equipment: Departmental Equipment (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I am informed by the Information Systems Division of my Department that there are 105 laptops in use. The Division does not have any upgrade plans for 2012. This Department does not have any tablets in use.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: A last-minute drop.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I am waiting to see which way Deputy Finian McGrath will go. The way he goes will swing it.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Oh, no.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: He has more houses than Pádraig Flynn.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Only one question can be asked on Leaders' Questions.