Results 4,841-4,860 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Seanad: Access to Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011: Second Stage (26 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am glad to have the opportunity to introduce this short Bill to the Seanad. While it is short, it is nonetheless important in the interests of ensuring the cost of regulation to industry is kept to a minimum. The Bill proposes to allow the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, to apply to the National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA, for a loan to meet its start-up costs in connection...

Seanad: Access to Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank Senators for their contributions. As Senator Daly noted, this is not a controversial Bill although it owes its origins to the Corrib controversy. My ministerial predecessors, Noel Dempsey and Eamon Ryan, were concerned about the issues that arose regarding safety and the framework that was put in place as a result is in keeping with best international practice. Irrespective of the...

Seanad: Access to Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Other than that there is a lot of gas in it, I do not think it has anything to do with it.

Seanad: Access to Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Senator had alleged yesterday that the Minister for Justice and Equality had counselled or threatened the Bar Council not to come out against either of the referendums. When he was apologising this morning, he ascribed the allegation to me by suggesting I had intervened by warning the Bar Council that it would be punished in the context of the proposed legal services legislation if it...

Seanad: Access to Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not want to drag it out. I just want to say-----

Seanad: Access to Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I accept the ruling of the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I thought it was particularly ungraceful to apologise to the Minister for Justice and Equality and then go on to implicate me in something in which I had no involvement - good, bad or indifferent. It was an abuse of the privilege of the House and I regret that it happened.

Seanad: Access to Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I reassure the Senator that the measure being introduced in the Bill will have no implications for the Shannon LNG project. As it is an upstream development, it will not be encompassed by this legislation. I accept, however, that there is concern in County Kerry about the project. I share that concern and the Government is determined to provide whatever assistance it can.

Seanad: Access to Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Senator is right. There is much concern in both Houses of the Oireachtas about the issue of hydraulic fracturing. This concern is shared in some parts of the country more than others. I would like to clarify that no process of fracking or hydraulic fracturing is under way. Licences were awarded last February to permit some surveying work and desktop studying of the possibilities to be...

Written Answers — Warmer Homes Scheme: Warmer Homes Scheme (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Better Energy: Warmer Homes delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to households that are vulnerable to energy poverty. This will enable over 20,000 low-income homes to benefit from energy efficiency retrofit measures this year. The scheme is managed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and delivered through a range of Community Based Organisations (CBOs), augmented...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to roll out a Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS) energy retrofit scheme after 2013. Such a scheme will substitute for Exchequer funding currently being provided. The 2011 capital allocation is €91.4m. To date under Better Energy: Homes, efficiency upgrades have been completed in 45,990 homes this year and over 100,000 homes since the programme...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The National Inland Fisheries Forum is established by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) in accordance with section 7(4)(a) of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010, (No 10, 2010). The Chairperson of the National Inland Fisheries Forum, Derek Davis, and membership was appointed in accordance with the terms of reference agreed with IFI, as provided for in section 7(4)(b) of the statute. The Forum is...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Mining Board consists of a Chairman and two ordinary members. The Secretary to the board is not a full time position and is resourced from Department funds. The current fees payable to the Chairman are as follows: Fees per day for public and private sittings €582.97 Fees per full day for any necessary attendance (other than sittings) in discharge of the Board's business €200.93...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I can inform the Deputy that the number of non-commercial State bodies, including regulators, under the aegis of my Department is 11, as follows: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Inland Fisheries Ireland Commission for Communications Regulation Commission for Energy Regulation Digital Hub Development Agency Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (Loughs Agency) National Oil...

Written Answers — Postal Service: Postal Service (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I have no statutory role in relation to the issues raised by the Deputy. An Post's mail handling and delivery services are an operational matter for An Post and details of these services, including options in place for customers in regard to re-delivery of un-delivered mail, are available from An Post at www.anpost.ie .

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Pay allocations in respect of three of the non-commercial State agencies under the aegis of my Department are provided for in my Department's Vote. They are: Digital Hub Development Agency Inland Fisheries Ireland Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

Written Answers — Energy Policy: Energy Policy (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland remains critically dependent on imported fossil fuels, particularly oil and natural gas. This dependency underlines the immediate and long term imperatives of enhancing energy security, reducing price volatility and ensuring energy sustainability. National energy policy objectives are in line with overall EU policy objectives and are informed by the critical work of the...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The planning, development and routing of transmission line infrastructure is a matter for EirGrid, the State owned body responsible for the electricity transmission system. I have no statutory function regarding the planning and construction of energy networks.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I announced the launch of Better Energy: the National Upgrade Programme, in May this year as part of the Government's Jobs Initiative. Better Energy: Homes encompasses the three established energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes: the Home Energy Savings Scheme (HES), the Warmer Homes Scheme (WHS) and the Greener Homes Scheme (GHS). Measures supported under Better Energy...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: In the time available, it has not been possible to conclude an examination of the relevant records. Officials within my Department are continuing the examination of the position and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (25 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Issues relating to television coverage in specific areas of the country are an operational matter for RTÉ. The Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for RTÉ to rollout a digital TV network to the same extent as the analogue TV network. RTÉ has informed my Department that the current analogue TV network covers 98% of the population and that its new digital TV network called Saorview will also...