Results 4,741-4,760 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Energy Regulation (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I can give the Deputy that assurance. It is the case that due to various global developments the price of the raw material being imported into this country has risen dramatically. That has had the effect the Deputy described on domestic prices. That will be especially difficult if we have as severe a winter as last year. I am happy to point out that since the new Government took office...

Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: REFIT 2, the next phase of the renewable energy feed-in-tariff, REFIT, scheme, is designed to support up to 4000 MW of onshore wind, landfill gas and hydro technologies. There is also a new REFIT scheme for biomass technologies, known as REFIT 3, which will support a range of technologies, including combined heat and power, CHP, and anaerobic digestion as well as for co-firing of biomass in...

Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I have not had any contact with the Commissioner for state aids but I can tell the Deputy that I have raised it directly with Commissioner Oettinger, the energy Commissioner. I expected that we would have it by now. The Deputy asked me in his question to specify the reasons for the delay and to be honest with him. I do not know the reason it is taking so long. I am advised we have...

Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: We are in compliance with the Kyoto Protocol. I would not boast about it because to some degree it is the step-down in economic activity that has produced that situation, but we are in compliance and it is important to say-----

Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: We are only responsible for this jurisdiction, for the moment anyway. I do not accept that there is any relaxed attitude on my part about securing sanction for REFIT 2 because that emphatically would not be the case. I went out of my way to raise it in Brussels directly. I do not have a date in my notes as to when it was submitted but I will get that and send it to the Deputy. There is no...

Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not think it will be 18 months.

Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I will get the date and give it to the Deputy.

Alternative Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I will give it to the Deputy. REFIT 2, which relates to onshore wind, is a very important aspect of our policy on the build up of renewable capacity. The Deputy is right; there are some projects which are backed up but which I hope will proceed very quickly after we get sanction.

Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Since 2002, the regulation of the gas market has been the responsibility of the Commission for Energy Regulation, which is statutorily independent in the performance of its functions. I have no direct statutory function for liquefied natural gas projects, including specific projects like the Shannon LNG project. I understand that Shannon LNG – a wholly owned subsidiary of the US firm Hess...

Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Deputy is right. I did say that I expected a decision at the end of October or early November, as I was so advised. I believe that is what would have happened were it not for the rather unusual step by the company to lodge a formal complaint with the European Commission against the process underway by the regulator. One can understand the lodging of a complaint against a decision of...

Energy Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I agree it is important that the matter is cleared up not least from the point of view of the jobs that will be created. It is important from the point of view of the additional security of supply that it would give to our energy provision here as well. For this reason I welcome and support the project and I have made as much clear to the parent company, to the local company in Kerry and to...

Ministerial Responsibilities (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The administration of the free electricity allowance is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. The decision taken by the Minister, as referred to in the Deputy's question was, I understand, necessary to achieve savings in the household benefits scheme as budgeted for in the 2011 budget. The impact of the decision of the Minister for Social Protection was to restore...

Ministerial Responsibilities (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: What was the question?

Ministerial Responsibilities (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I have had discussions with the Minister for Social Protection. She advised me this was one of the sides deals done between the former Ministers for Social Protection and Finance, but was not announced in the budget. She also advised me it was the conclusion, she believes, of both Ministers in the previous Government that they would not be around to answer for it, therefore they did not...

Ministerial Responsibilities (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not want to get into the business of adjudicating between two honourable Members of the House. I am only telling the Deputy what the Minister, Deputy Burton, told me.

Broadcasting Legislation (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy may be aware, a steering committee was established in 2009 by the then Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with the specific purpose of developing a series of recommendations aimed at stimulating the growth of Ireland's audiovisual industry over a five-year period. The results of the work of this committee are set out in the Creative Capital report which was published...

Broadcasting Legislation (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The short answer is that speaking personally, I would be concerned. As Chou En-lai said about the French Revolution, it is a bit too early yet to know. The recommendation to which the Deputy refers has not even yet been reached by the interdepartmental committee and it will consider it. I am happy that the Minister, Deputy Deenihan, has agreed to my request that the Broadcasting Authority...

Broadcasting Legislation (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Yes, my Department is represented on the committee. The report merits the kind of study it is receiving. Various people working in this broader area have made the suggestion that Ireland has a certain competitive advantage which we should exploit in the sense of creating wealth and jobs and in terms of our international reputation. Having said what I said about the Sound and Vision fund, I...

Energy Regulation (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The regulation of the electricity and gas market is the responsibility of the Commission for Energy Regulation which is an independent statutory body. My Department and I are, nonetheless, in contact with the regulator from time to time regarding the functioning of the domestic electricity market. In this context, addressing the issues faced by customers experiencing genuine financial...

Energy Regulation (29 Nov 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Yes. As I indicated, the position is that the availability of prepay meters "comfortably outstrips current and projected demand". I hope that will remain the case.