Results 441-460 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: EirGrid made a formal application for the North South Transmission Link Project to An Bord Pleanála on 9 June 2015. I am constrained, therefore, in what I can say in relation to the project other than the provision of factual information. The North South Transmission Link project is part of EirGrid’s plans to upgrade the national electricity transmission system. It is a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (17 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The North South Transmission Link project is part of EirGrid’s plans to upgrade the national electricity transmission system. It is a strategically urgent project that will remove restrictions limiting cross-border power flows between Ireland and Northern Ireland thus strengthening security of electricity supply throughout the island of Ireland. On 27 March 2015 EirGrid published...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (12 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 67 of 10 November 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Investment Projects (11 Nov 2015)

Alex White: My Department’s capital estimate for 2015 is €93.6 million. While this funding is not specifically allocated at county level, it does include a sum of €3.85m for multimedia development projects in the Digital Hub Development Agency and the National Digital Research Council, both of which are Dublin-based projects.The most significant component of my Department's capital...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: Undoubtedly, there is potential in solar technology. On a number of occasions, I discussed these issues with energy Ministers in Europe. In more than one country in Europe, a regime of subsidies was put in place for solar energy that is now regretted. It is not that the regimes are regretted because of the authorities not believing solar technology is good but because it now turns out it...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I have no responsibility in determining where any particular structures are located. I, and ultimately the Government, have responsibility for the energy policy of the country. It is my job to ensure we press on to achieve our renewable energy targets and climate change targets generally by 2020 in so far as they affect energy. With regard to solar power, I have already made the point...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I have raised the issue as to whether there would be a risk of an adverse effect on the renewable energy policy of the country if there were to be a significant change to the setback distances. I make no bones about having done that and about having said to this House that I have done so. We are having good discussions and I hope for a result in early course.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The Deputy is right, in that the issue of ultimate ownership is one of those that requires to be determined. This relates to many of the other questions that have required to be addressed in recent months during the time when the Deputies opposite seem to believe that nothing was happening. There are issues of ownership of the network, the financing structure for the public investment, the...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. The 2009 EU renewable energy directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. In order to do that, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand from...

Other Questions: Postal Codes (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The National Ambulance Service is already constructing a new computer-aided dispatch system to use Eircodes and it will be deployed in its new state-of-the-art national call centre. The licensing terms are being finalised between GeoDirectory and the service, which will facilitate the inclusion of Eircodes in its database before the end of the year. The service has welcomed the introduction...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I do not think so.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I would not dream of accusing the Deputy of naivety. The Deputy has been a supporter and has understood realistically what such a huge State investment entails. I thank him for that. The Government's national broadband plan aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high-quality, high-speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a...

Other Questions: Postal Codes (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: To return the favour to Deputy Broughan, my Eircode is D6W WN99. On the procurement issue, Deputies will understand that I was not the Minister during the procurement process. I am perfectly happy to report to the House on precisely what occurred, however. I outlined the position regarding the complaint submitted to the European Commission, which it subsequently investigated. On foot...

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: In the first instance, the delivery of such an important piece of infrastructure, as the Deputy must know, is a major undertaking by the State. It is a major intervention by the State and is not a matter of, as the old joke went about one of Deputy McConalogue's party colleagues, arriving in a constituency with telephones in the boot of one's car. It is not like that. The facility has...

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The private sector-----

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: We know that there is an election coming.

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: We know the Deputy is grandstanding on this issue and waving sheets of paper at me-----

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: The Deputy must understand, and he should take some time off from the grandstanding to look at the issue, that we absolutely intend to deliver.

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: If the Deputy looks at the lamentable performance of the last Government with regard to broadband he will see that we have worked very closely with the private sector. I am not claiming to have personally affixed fibre or any other technology to any individual home in the country or that I have lugged the equipment around myself.

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Alex White: I did not make any claims like that. What I said was that this Government is working assiduously and in a very committed manner to deliver this. The Minister of State, Deputy McHugh, and myself have worked very hard, not just to ensure that it happens in Donegal but that it happens right across the country. Less grandstanding, shouting and roaring in here and more hard work is what this...