Results 4,321-4,340 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Electricity Charges (28 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: This is a charge on holiday homes or premises vacated, for whatever reason, in the main. I have already relayed to the House the assurances given to me that those customers on a electricity allowance or on household budget packages will not be affected by this charge. I want to assure Deputy Buttimer that this is the information I have. If Deputy Ó Cuív is correct that his is a more...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Opposition appears to have withdrawn from the House. In my experience I have never seen this before.

Referendum on European Stability Treaty: Statements (28 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I believed the Deputy wanted a referendum.

Referendum on European Stability Treaty: Statements (28 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Technical Group is voting "Maybe".

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (23 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I can advise the Deputy that 54 requests under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Acts were received by my Department in 2011. In respect of that total number of requests, search and retrieval fees were sought in 4 cases. The maximum fee sought was €1,487.45. There were no requests not proceeded with under the terms of the FOI Acts. In the case of one of the 4 requests identified above no...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: It is not possible to provide the information requested in the timeframe allowed but my Department will provide it together with the information being supplied in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 406 of 14 February 2012. Information in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is a day to day matter for those organisations and my Department does not have the...

Written Answers — Energy Efficiency: Energy Efficiency (23 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers Better Energy: Warmer Homes on behalf of my Department. The energy poverty strand of Better Energy aims to provide energy efficiency improvements to low-income homes unable to afford the cost of implementing such measures. The SEAI advises that the person referred to has had all of the currently available measures which are...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (23 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Wave energy technology is still at the research, development and demonstration stage globally. The Ocean Energy Development Unit (OEDU) in the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is working to take forward Ireland's ocean energy programme, in line with the Government's commitment to realise the long term economic potential of Ireland's wave and tidal energy resources. In that...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (23 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I can inform the Deputy that no staff of my Department, who have not reached the minimum retirement age to avail of the Cost Neutral Early Retirement Scheme, have retired with pension entitlements. Information in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is a day to day matter for those organisations and my Department does not have the information sought by the Deputy....

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (22 Feb 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 who are licensed and regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Decisions relating to the provision of broadband services in any particular area are...

Shannon LNG Project (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank the four Deputies for again giving me the opportunity to address Members of the House on this important issue. I have consistently welcomed the proposal by Shannon LNG to construct a liquefied natural gas, LNG, terminal near Ballylongford, County Kerry. Such a facility, together with the bringing onshore of Corrib gas, would provide important additional security in providing a gas...

Shannon LNG Project (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank the Deputies and I share their concern to grow employment in Kerry. However, Deputy Griffin is essentially asking me to ignore the statute, and the other Deputies seem to concur. Perhaps the House should take greater care when passing a law like this, but the House passed the law and Deputy Griffin is asking me to break the law. I cannot do that, but within the constraints imposed...

Seanad: Media Standards: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I am due in the other House but I will be back within 15 minutes.

Seanad: Media Standards: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank all the Senators who contributed to this debate. I am left with the impression that we have revealed the tip of the iceberg. I expect Senators will want an opportunity to return to this subject in more depth. It may be the case that all we have done is touch the surface of the matter.

Seanad: Media Standards: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not dispute what Senator Ó Murchú said. It is a truism that good news is not news, as Erskine Childers said. One has to accept that in this business. I accept what the Senator said about the excellence of public service broadcaster's coverage of last year's visits of the Queen of England and the President of the United States and last weekend's visit of the Chinese Vice Premier. I...

Seanad: Media Standards: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: The most serious thing I heard during the debate was Senator Norris's claim that those who take a stand on behalf of high standards in the media are being victimised. He suggested that the bullying of these people takes place at the hands of their own editors.

Seanad: Media Standards: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: If that is happening, it is immensely regrettable. I should say, in defence of the remarks I delivered at the outset of this debate, that I was addressing the Irish situation.

Seanad: Media Standards: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: Apart from a glancing reference to them, I was not addressing the matters that are the subject of the Leveson inquiry. The matters in question ought to concern any public representative and any fair-minded citizen.

Seanad: Media Standards: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the conduct of the Murdoch empire. Senator Norris alleges that the same thing is happening here.

Seanad: Media Standards: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Feb 2012)

Pat Rabbitte: I have to say I consider myself reasonably alert to these issues. I rarely agree with much of what is written. None of us, especially those of us in government, agrees with it all. As Senator Crown said, in most cases I would defend the right of the serious content and criticism to be written. I do not accept what Senator Norris has said. I am open to being persuaded. I am open to...