Results 501-520 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

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

Pat Rabbitte: I presume the Deputy is referring to EirGrid's Grid25 programme. I have appointed an independent panel of experts, chaired by Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, to examine the Grid West and Grid Link projects. The Independent Expert Panel has held five meetings between 10 February 2014 and 10 June 2014. At its meeting on 2 May 2014, the Panel finalised and approved the terms of reference for...

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

Pat Rabbitte: While the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) does not compare Irish and European fuel prices, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) analyses electricity and natural gas prices published by Eurostat, collected for Ireland and other European countries under the methodology for the EU Gas and Electricity Price Transparency Directive 90/377/EEC as amended by Council Decision...

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

Pat Rabbitte: The total capital budget for my Department in 2014 is €118.5 million which includes carryover of €8.5 million and stimulus funding of €30 million. Capital funding of just over €58 million has been allocated to the Better Energy programme in 2014. Virtually all of this expenditure will be on energy efficiency measures which generate substantial economic activity and...

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

Pat Rabbitte: My Department has one ongoing case with the Equality Tribunal.

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

Pat Rabbitte: On 25 March 2014, BGE signed an agreement for the sale of Bord Gáis Energy, which is currently expected to complete on 30 June 2014 subject to receipt of regulatory and merger approvals. The sale of Bord Gáis Éireann's (BGÉ) energy business is for an enterprise value of up to €1.1 billion. Following sale completion, it is expected that BGÉ will commence the...

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

Pat Rabbitte: I have no function in the provision of such information. This is an operational responsibility for EirGrid, a commercial state body. This information is publicly available and is published annually, along with an electricity demand forecast, by EirGrid in the All Island Generation Capacity Statement. The latest publication is available on the EirGrid website at:

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

Pat Rabbitte: The following table outlines the amount paid in subsistence and taxi payments in my Department from 2011 to date. - 2011 (000) 2012 (000) 2013 (000) 2014 (to date) (000) Subsistence payments 197 214 187 90 Taxi payments 24 26 35 13All travel and subsistence payments made to staff in my Department are made in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform...

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

Pat Rabbitte: Operators of cable television networks are required to register as an Authorised Undertaking with the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), in advance of establishing such networks or offering regulated communications services to the public and to comply with the ex-ante operational requirements imposed on authorised undertakings by ComReg. It is a matter for the appropriate...

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

Pat Rabbitte: The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has statutory responsibility in this area and I have no function in this matter. Under Section 43 (1)(c)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 2009, the Authority must prepare and, from time to time, revise rules with respect to the specific steps each broadcaster is required to take to promote the understanding and enjoyment by those who are deaf or have a...

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

Pat Rabbitte: RTÉ is funded through both a Grant-In-Aid for a proportion of television licence fee receipts and through the commercial revenue it generates. TG4 is funded by way of a combination of direct exchequer Grant-In-Aid, television licence fee receipts and commercial revenue. Both Public Service Broadcasters are funded on an annual basis. In regard to the actual mechanism for helping to...

Other Questions: National Postcode System Establishment (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: That is the first I have heard of it. I do not know for sure - I will communicate further with the Deputy on the matter - but I am pretty certain that it is not true. I am aware that there is one individual who believes he is in possession of a better solution for a postcode system for Ireland and who has been discussing the matter with some Deputies and Senators. The individual in...

Other Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Yes, 30 June.

Other Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I should say, for complete clarity, that I have not spoken to Ms Justice Catherine McGuinness since the first meeting with her and the panel members where I explained the Government and Cabinet decision and the task that I was asking them to take on. I am not in a position to speak for her. It is a matter for her and her panel to decide whether to issue a report. I am not saying to Deputy...

Other Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The studies done arising from this, having been validated by the independent panel, will be put out for public consultation so that citizens can compare one with the other. Then the normal public consultation process leading to ultimate decision by An Bord Pleanála will kick in.

Other Questions: National Postcode System Establishment (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department commenced the procurement process for a national postcode system in 2011. An open and competitive procurement process was conducted in accordance with Department of Finance and EU procurement frameworks. A pre-qualification questionnaire was issued on www.etenders.gov.ieon 17 January 2011. This invited interested parties to tender for the contract as a postcode management...

Other Questions: National Postcode System Establishment (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I hope not.

Other Questions: National Postcode System Establishment (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: No, in fairness, I know the Deputy is a glass-half-full man but there is nothing wrong. This has undergone very careful scrutiny right the way through. In fact, it is late. We ought to have done it before now. In its first year in office the Government could not do it because it did not have the money. It ought to have been done seven or eight years ago and it certainly must be done now...

Other Questions: Broadband Services Provision (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: For those of us who support the noble post-war aspirations that led to the European Union project, it is sometimes a cause for concern that the degree of intrusion by the apparatus of the European Union can be excessive. It is frustrating that one Directorate General is urging that quality of connectivity is a sine qua nonfor economic and social progress, while a different Directorate...

Other Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 10 together. I have appointed an independent panel of experts chaired by Ms Justice Catherine McGuinness to examine the Grid West and Grid Link projects. The independent expert panel has held five meetings between 10 February 2014 and 10 June 2014. At its meeting on 2 May 2014 the panel finalised and approved the terms of reference for comprehensive...

Other Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (12 Jun 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: When I ask Ms Justice McGuinness to take on this task, I did not envisage that she and her panel of experts would have delved into matters so deeply. I did not intend to impose on them the burden of work they have taken on themselves. I very much appreciate that they are examining the issues entrusted to them so rigorously. The meeting they held this week, which lasted four hours, was...