Results 4,881-4,900 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Renewable Energy: Renewable Energy (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Renewable Energy Feed-in-Tariff scheme known as REFIT was introduced in 2006 for certain categories of renewable energy, including onshore wind and hydro power. With the support of REFIT, the renewable energy sector has continued to grow strongly and there is now around 1,800MW of renewable generation capacity connected to the electricity grid. In addition to this there is a further...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Single Electricity Market is an all island wholesale market for electricity. Electricity generators sell their power into a central pool, from which it is then dispatched to consumers by EirGrid and SONI as the Transmission System Operators on the island. Data on the amounts of fuel used by individual generating stations are commercially sensitive market information and are not...

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I have no statutory function regarding the construction of specific power lines or in relation to arrangements entered into with landowners by ESB Networks and EirGrid. The matter raised is an operational matter for the two State bodies with statutory responsibilities to deliver Ireland's transmission and distribution network infrastructure.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Wave and tidal energy, commonly known as ocean energy, is still at the research, development and demonstration stage globally. In 2008, the Ocean Energy Development Unit (OEDU) was established in the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to take forward Ireland's ocean energy programme. In 2006, my Department published a National Strategy for Ocean Energy in conjunction with SEAI...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The telecommunications market in Ireland, including the provision of current and next generation broadband networks and services, has been fully liberalised since 1999 and, since then, has seen the steady growth and development of significant well-regulated competition in the provision of the full range of telecommunications products and services. The Government is not a commercial operator...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Under the 2001/77/EC Directive, Ireland was assigned a renewable electricity target of 13.2% by 2010. Following extensive public consultation and consideration, it was decided that in order to reach the 2010 targets, a new scheme was necessary to deliver the build rate required to meet the renewable electricity directive target level. Experience across Europe clearly showed that feed-in...

Written Answers — Fuel Poverty: Fuel Poverty (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Energy Affordability is a cross-cutting policy issue and tackling the root causes requires action on a number of fronts across Government and across Agencies. Energy poverty is caused by interaction between energy prices, thermal inefficiency of the home and income. Action to mitigate energy poverty has traditionally focused on providing assistance through the fuel schemes operated by the...

Written Answers — Onshore Exploration: Onshore Exploration (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 80 together. I am aware that concerns have been expressed, both locally and internationally about the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on the environment and I take these concerns seriously. I would, however, like to make clear that my Department has not received applications for, nor licensed the use of hydraulic fracturing in the Irish...

Written Answers — Energy Policy: Energy Policy (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Overall energy policy objectives, including the regulatory framework, aim to deliver a secure, sustainable and competitive energy supply for the economy and all consumers. In delivering these objectives, the regulatory framework must meet evolving energy policy challenges and also ensure compliance with the requirements of EU and national energy legislation. The regulation of the electricity...

Written Answers — Petroleum Extraction: Petroleum Extraction (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am aware that concerns have been expressed about the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing and I take these concerns seriously. I would like to make clear, however, that my Department has not received applications for, nor licensed the use of hydraulic fracturing in the Irish onshore at this time. In February of this year, onshore Licensing Options were awarded to three companies over...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am advised that a recent review of fish stocks in the River Tolka in North Dublin by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has indeed indicated the presence of numbers of juvenile wild Atlantic salmon. IFI has also previously recorded the presence of salmon in both the River Liffey and the River Dodder and continues to monitor stocks on all rivers as part of the ongoing National Salmon Monitoring...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Almost 5,000 applications have been received under the Rural Broadband Scheme and my Department is currently processing applications where address details need to be clarified – this is a time consuming exercise but the aim is to clear these applications over the coming weeks. On a provisional basis I can say that a total of 52 applications have been received from County Carlow and 7 of...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The regulation of roaming charges is an EU competency following the publication of Regulation (EC) No 717/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the 27 June 2007 on roaming on public mobile telephone networks within the Community and amending Directive 2002/21/EC. This Regulation, as amended, imposes maximum wholesale and retail roaming prices on mobile service providers and...

Written Answers — Electricity Transmission Network: Electricity Transmission Network (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am not aware of EirGrid making any assertion that the savings from the proposed North-South interconnector are slightly lower but very similar to the savings from the East-West interconnector. A summary of the net savings associated with the East-West interconnector are included in the 2009 "Interconnection Economic Feasibility Report" published by EirGrid. This report examines the...

Written Answers — Electricity Transmission Network: Electricity Transmission Network (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 86 and 87 together. The discount rate used by EirGrid for investment appraisals and feasibility studies has been informed by and is consistent with regulatory determinations. The Commission for Energy Regulation recently determined the regulated real pre-tax Weighted Average Cost of Capital as 5.95%. The time horizon used by EirGrid for investment...

Written Answers — Electricity Transmission Network: Electricity Transmission Network (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The planning, development and routing of transmission line infrastructure are a matter for EirGrid, which is the State owned body responsible for the electricity transmission system. I have no statutory function regarding the planning and construction of energy networks. In particular, I have no function regarding the Moyle electricity connector which connects Northern Ireland and Scotland....

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Construction of the Corrib Gas Terminal at Bellanaboy is substantially completed, as are the subsea facilities at the Corrib Gas Field. The 83km offshore section of the Corrib gas pipeline has also been installed. Following the granting of a number of statutory consents earlier this year for the construction of the onshore section of the pipeline along a revised route, work on this final...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Under the NewERA proposals in the Programme for Government, there is a commitment to co-invest with the private sector and commercial semi-State sector to provide next generation broadband customer access to every home and business in the State. The next generation broadband task force has an important role in this regard. In June of this year I convened the task force which I chair and...

Written Answers — Mobile Telephony: Mobile Telephony (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The provision of mobile phone networks and services is undertaken by telecommunications service providers who operate in a fully liberalised market. The regulation of telecommunications service providers, including regulatory issues surrounding mobile phone network coverage and quality, is the responsibility of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) in accordance with its...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (19 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The telecommunications market in Ireland, including the provision of telecommunications infrastructure, has been fully liberalised since 1999 and since then, has been regulated by the Commission for Energy Regulation (ComReg) and its predecessor, the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation. ComReg gathers data from telecommunications data service providers and publishes data...