Results 4,201-4,220 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Sale of State Assets: Statements (8 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Deputy is truly an extraordinary man.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Government fully endorses the importance of the contribution of wind energy to energy security and environmental sustainability. Under the EU Renewable Energy Directive, Ireland has a legally binding renewable energy target of 16% by 2020. The National Renewable Energy Action Plan sets out the strategies for meeting the overall target through delivering 40% in the electricity sector,...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: As you are aware, 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...

Written Answers — Radio Spectrum: Radio Spectrum (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The management of Ireland's radio spectrum is the statutory responsibility of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg also has a mandate to promote innovation and since 2005 ComReg has made radio spectrum available for research and innovation purposes under its specially designed wireless test & trial licensing programme called "Test & Trial Ireland". This ComReg...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 20 together. At the end of December 2011, EirGrid reported that there are 1605MegaWatts of onshore wind and 25MegaWatts of offshore wind connected to the grid along with 237MegaWatts of hydro power and 46MegaWatts of smaller renewable sources. This translates to approximately 18% of national electricity consumption now being met from renewable energy...

Written Answers — Natural Gas Grid: Natural Gas Grid (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I hope to meet the Western Development Commission in the very near future to discuss their Report into the benefits of national gas infrastructure for the North West. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is the statutory, independent body, charged with the assessment and licensing of prospective operators seeking to develop and operate a gas distribution system within the State. I...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Government accepts that the widespread availability of high speed broadband is a key requirement in delivering future economic and social development. The Programme for Government commits to widespread availability of high speed broadband. The Next Generation Broadband Taskforce, which I convened last summer, has an important role to play in this regard. It comprises the CEOs of all of...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 21 and 24 together. Standard Exploration Licence 2/11 was granted last year to a consortium comprising Providence Resources Plc and Star Energy Oil and Gas Ltd over an area of approximately 380 square kilometres in the Kish Bank Basin off the coast of Dalkey, County Dublin. The exploration licence is for a six year period with an obligation to drill an...

Written Answers — Electricity Transmission Network: Electricity Transmission Network (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 29 together. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is statutorily responsible for overseeing electricity network expenditure and in that regard, ensuring cost effectiveness and efficiency of the investment programmes of EirGrid as well as ESB Networks. The cost of investment in the networks is remunerated through charges on all electricity...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The regulation of the wholesale mobile voice call termination market is a matter for the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). I am anxious to ensure that mobile termination rates (MTRs) charged by Irish service providers are in line with those charged elsewhere in Europe and that Irish citizens and businesses benefit from the lowest call costs possible. The Irish average mobile...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland's telecommunications market has been open to competition since 1999 and since then has developed into a well-regulated market supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Despite the current economic difficulties, significant private sector investment continues to be made in the provision of broadband products and...

Written Answers — Sale of State Assets: Sale of State Assets (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 30 together. The Government has announced the programme of State asset disposals which will involve the sale of assets up to a value of €3 billion involving an orderly process of disposals over time and which also ensures that value is secured and fire-sales avoided on the basis that one third of the proceeds raised will be retained for re-investment...

Written Answers — Hydraulic Fracturing: Hydraulic Fracturing (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: There is potential for Ireland to enjoy both economic and energy security benefits from its indigenous oil and gas resources. These benefits will only be realised through effective exploration. Ireland has a policy of actively encouraging investment by relevant companies in exploration for oil and gas, both offshore and onshore. Where exploration or production takes place, it is subject...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Better Energy programme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), on behalf of my Department. The Better Energy: Homes scheme provides support to homeowners towards the installation of attic and wall insulation, and heating system upgrades including solar thermal with the works being undertaken by privately appointed contractors. Window replacement works are...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: There has been significant growth in the take up of broadband services and contracted speeds in Ireland in recent years. The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has reported that between Q3 2007 and Q3 2011 the number of broadband subscribers has more than doubled from 793,000 to more than 1.6 million. It is also the case that, at the end of September 2011, 73.2% of domestic...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to roll out a Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS) retrofit scheme after 2013, to replace the Exchequer funding currently being provided to the Better Energy Programme. The PAYS concept is an innovative financing mechanism that would allow consumers to finance upgrades using the money that they would have spent on their energy bill. Such a scheme can...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I have no statutory function in the setting of energy prices, whether in the regulated or non-regulated sector. Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory body. The electricity retail market is fully deregulated as of April 2011. As a result, business and domestic...

Written Answers — Motor Fuels: Motor Fuels (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Biofuel Obligation Scheme, which commenced on 1 July 2010, set a penetration rate for biofuel in the road transport fuel market of 4% by volume. It is planned that the obligation rate set will be increased in stages so that by 2020 it will be at 10.5%. Currently, I am considering implementing the first increase to the Biofuel Obligation from 2013. In doing so, I will take into account...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (7 Mar 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Following scientific research conducted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) indicating that the European eel stocks are in a critical state, the EU introduced Council Regulation 1100/2007, the objective of which is to achieve recovery of the stocks to previous high levels. The Regulation required that all Member States prepare a national Eel Management Plan...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 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 which are licensed and regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). The Government has undertaken a number of initiatives to bring broadband to those parts...