Results 481-500 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not think Deputy Shortall should enter this. Her decision on the centralisation of medical cards has caused enough difficulties in this country.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy O'Brien is right that it is the most fundamental reform for a generation - a reform for which this House has argued for the past number of years. I am sorry it has taken as long as it has to give effect to it. I know there are different provisions in different local authorities but it is a real measure to assist people who are in receipt of this housing supplement to go back to work...

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: There is no basis in the legislation being passed for the charges being made by Deputy O'Brien.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Frankly, I am surprised-----

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Frankly, I am surprised that people who argued for the change that has been brought in by the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, now want to scaremonger against it. I am especially surprised that it is coming from the normally mild-mannered Deputy O'Brien who does not customarily go in for the prima donna performances given from those benches.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It is a very good reform and we should agree to welcome it.

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Deputy knows, having come through an extremely difficult period of recession in the past six years, it has, more recently, been an especially good time for farming and agriculture generally in this country. The Deputy is absolutely correct that there is an immediate problem in the beef sector, and he understands the reasons for it, particularly in respect of bull beef. He also...

Leaders' Questions (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It seems to me that the difficulty as to whether a beast is Irish or Northern Irish has its roots deep in Irish history. For the Deputy to say that, relatively speaking, it has not been a good time for Irish farming is simply incorrect. Ever since we held the Presidency of the European Union, when the Minister, Deputy Coveney, used that opportunity to bring the budgetary situation and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August 2012, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses. This will be achieved by providing: - a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial investment; and - a State-led...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Remuneration (19 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The information sought regarding payments to staff by Semi-State Companies is an operational matter for each Company. All directions issued by the Government in relation to remuneration of staff in Semi State Companies have been brought to the attention of the relevant State Companies.

Topical Issue Debate: PSO Levy Review (18 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I apologise to Deputy Penrose and the House for missing my slot. I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The PSO is charged to all domestic and business customers and is designed to compensate suppliers for the additional costs they incur by meeting obligations to purchase electricity from indigenous, sustainable and renewable sources, and to ensure security of supply. Its...

Topical Issue Debate: PSO Levy Review (18 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I share the Deputy's concerns, and I expressed them at a meeting with the regulator and subsequently put them in writing. When one considers the three elements of the PSO, the largest element of cost is attributable to the peat stations in the midlands. It would not be viable to maintain employment in the midlands, such as among Bord na Móna workers, without the PSO. Deputy Penrose...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (18 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to advise the Deputy that there were no settlements made by my Department during the period in question which had confidentiality agreements or clauses included.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (18 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: This Government has made changes in relation to appointments to State Boards and bodies with new arrangements involving advertisement, seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates, for appointment to these Boards/bodies. In accordance with this Government Decision, I have, since 2011, on my Department's website, invited Expressions of Interest from persons wishing to be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Regulation (17 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Since 2002, the regulation of the gas market has been the responsibility of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is independent in the performance of its functions. I have no direct statutory function in relation to liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, including specific projects like the Shannon LNG project. I and Government colleagues have consistently been supportive of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (17 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 416 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. [24726] of 12 June, 2014. In addition, the scale of the technology to be deployed for specific renewable electricity generation projects is a matter for the individual developer and the relevant planning authority.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (17 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The total amount of renewable electricity generation capacity currently connected to the national grid is over 2,300 MW. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has oversight of the process for connecting generators, both renewable and non-renewable, to the national grid.This is generally referred to as the Group Process Approach, which has been implemented to date through a series of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (17 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos 411 and 412 together. According to the An Post Annual Report 2013, which is available on the company's website at , there are 57 company post offices and 1,090 sub-post offices in the post office network. Insofar as the issue of expanding the range of services that could be delivered through the post office network is concerned, I refer to the reply to Question...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Corrib Gas Field (17 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the replies to Question Nos. 124 and 125 on 30 January 2014 and Question No. 326 on 11 March 2014 in which I indicated that first gas from the Corrib gas field cannot be expected sooner than the first half of 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 414, 419 and 424 together. Since market liberalisation in 1999, the provision of telecommunications services, including broadband services are delivered in the first instance through private sector operators who operate in a fully liberalised market, regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). The market has...