Results 5,041-5,060 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Information and Communications Technology: Information and Communications Technology (4 Oct 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The registration of ".ie" country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) names can currently only take place through the IE Domain Registry (IEDR) and its Registrars. The IEDR is the registry for .ie domain names and maintains the database of .ie registered domain names. Registration policy for .ie domain names is set out on the IE Domain Registry website at www.domainregistry.ie , which states that...

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (29 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The licensing of radio microphones is a matter for the Commission for Communications Regulation (Comreg). I understand that channel 69 (854 – 862 MHz) is one of the channels available for radio microphone use in Ireland. At the International Telecommunication Union World Radio-communication Conference in 2007 it was agreed that channels 61 to 69 would be made available for mobile...

Leaders' Questions (29 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: What did Dev do?

Leaders' Questions (29 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I think the Deputy lost about 61 behind him.

Leaders' Questions (29 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Could this Deputy identify himself?

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (28 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am aware of the Hibernia Atlantic Express project referred to by the Deputy. I would very much welcome an investment by the Company, as referred to by the Deputy, that would lead to improved international connectivity. As regards any exchequer support for such an investment, the electronic communications market is, and has been since its liberalisation, a commercial competitive market....

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Since the formation of my Department in June 2007, there have been no promotions in the category referenced by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (28 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is responsible for the regulation of the electronic communications sector. As part of its remit to inform consumers, ComReg operates a website called www.callcosts.ie. This site is a free, up-to date, easy to use and independent website that covers most telephone, mobile and broadband plans available in Ireland. The Callcosts website...

Telecommunications Services (28 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the House on the important topic of international communications connectivity. I am also pleased to have the opportunity to highlight some of the factors that must be considered by the Government before any decisions to intervene in commercial markets can be taken. I am well aware of the Hibernia Atlantic Express project raised by Deputy...

Telecommunications Services (28 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I understand the Deputy's argument very well. In recent weeks, I met with the chamber of commerce along with the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Coveney, and other colleagues on this very subject. Yesterday, I answered a question from Deputy Ciarán Lynch on the same issue. My officials are anxious to engage with the company involved. Unfortunately, when Deputy...

Written Answers — Transport Fuels: Transport Fuels (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Statutory Biofuel Obligation Scheme was introduced in 2010 in order to deliver on the mandatory EU target of 10% renewable energy in transport by 2020. This scheme requires suppliers of road transport fuels to include a certain percentage of biofuel across their general fuel mix. This percentage is currently set at 4 per cent. Since the biofuels obligation came in to force on 1 July...

Written Answers — Onshore Exploration: Onshore Exploration (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 311, 312 and 329 together. I can inform the Deputy that my Department has not received applications for, nor licensed the use of exploration drilling or hydraulic fracturing in the Irish onshore and accordingly the monitoring of this activity does not arise at this time. Earlier this year, my Department granted onshore Licensing Options to three companies...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Application Phase of the Rural Broadband Scheme closed on 29 July 2011. Almost 5,000 applications have been received. My Department is currently processing approximately 1,200 of these 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. The next step in the scheme is the...

Written Answers — Onshore Exploration: Onshore Exploration (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I can inform the Deputy that no company currently holds an exploration authorisation that permits exploration drilling onshore, including exploration drilling that would involve hydraulic fracturing. In February of this year, my Department granted onshore Licensing Options to three companies over parts of the North West Carboniferous (Lough Allen) and Clare Basins. The Licensing Options are...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The renewable energy feed in tariff scheme known as REFIT is a scheme to support new renewable generation. State Aid applications have been submitted to the European Commission to continue to offer REFIT for existing renewable energy categories and to extend the scheme to cover additional biomass categories. It is intended that REFIT will be available for up to 310MW of new generation in the...

Written Answers — Transport Fuels: Transport Fuels (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The only function I have in regard to biofuels relates to the Statutory Biofuel Obligation Scheme. The biofuel obligation applies to fuel for road transport only and does not apply to diesel used for "off-road" motor vehicles such as those used in the agricultural sector. Issues relating to fuel quality in the context of minimising our pollution emissions are a matter for the Minister for...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 317 and 318 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Broadcasting Act 2009 places specific news and current affairs requirements on sound broadcasters. The Act requires all broadcasters to devote at least 20% of the broadcast day to news and current affairs programming. There are also additional requirements relating to the provision of such programming...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: One employee in my Department will be required to retire before 1 March 2012 upon reaching their compulsory retirement age of 65 while others may retire upon reaching their minimum retirement age of 60 years of age or on actuarially reduced pension terms if they are within ten years of minimum retirement age. Since 11 July 2011, all staff in the civil service who intend to retire on or...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) launched the Greener Homes Scheme in March 2006 to support homeowners who wished to install renewable heating technology in their homes. The technologies supported included Biomass, Heat Pumps and Solar Thermal systems. The scheme closed for applications in May 2011 when solar thermal technology transitioned across to Better Energy: Homes....

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (27 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The provision of electronic communications services is, in the first instance, a matter for private sector service providers operating in Ireland's fully liberalised telecommunications market, regulated by the independent regulator, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). Broadband services are provided by a number of private service providers over various platforms including...