Results 5,201-5,220 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Alternative Energy Projects (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am assured that the contribution is no more than is necessary to encourage new entrants into the marketplace, which is what we are seeking to do. If there are these big holes in it - the scheme was devised by Deputy Ó Cuív and his colleagues - I do not know when it dawned on him that there are such holes in it. I am happy to go into committee and examine it. I appreciate the Deputy...

Alternative Energy Projects (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Therefore, all we are debating is the quantum.

Alternative Energy Projects (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Deputy is behaving like a new Member of the House. He is mad for action. I believed he would be tired-----

Alternative Energy Projects (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: -----after all the years he spent making the wrong decisions. I believed he would be worn out.

Energy Prices (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 13 together. I do not have a statutory function in the setting of energy prices, whether in the regulated or unregulated market. Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, which is an independent statutory body. Ireland's electricity and gas markets, both wholesale and...

Energy Prices (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I agree with the Deputy that the last thing one wants to hear about heading into the winter is an increase in energy prices. I acknowledge that and that some will be more severely affected than others. It is for this reason that I was happy to be able to negotiate with the energy companies an arrangement whereby no family in distress will be disconnected this winter provided it...

Energy Prices (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Let us see. At least conclusions will be drawn as to whether there is an efficient energy sector operating in this economy.

Energy Prices (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Yesterday evening I told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture that I was in the process of bringing to the Government a memorandum on an affordable energy strategy. For some months, very active work has been done by the Department and the Departments of Social Protection and the Environment, Community and Local Government on the question of...

Energy Prices (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I have a final point.

Energy Prices (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Leas-Cheann Comhairle has been very tolerant. Unfortunately, nothing in what Deputy Murphy stated - I understand from where she is coming - will alter world gas prices and this is the issue. If we were to have the collaboration about which she spoke in purchasing gas on the world market it would be a cartel and anti-competitive and I do not see it being able to run.

Sale of State Assets (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am sorry Deputy McDonald cannot be with us because she has been asking me to do this for a long time. I have done it, but she is not here and I feel let down.

Sale of State Assets (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I suppose so. The report by Frontier Economics was undertaken under a process overseen by Mr. Fergus Cahill as independent chair. The report contains an assessment of costs, benefits and regulatory impact of the options for unbundling the electricity transmission assets set in the context of the EU third package and the all-island single electricity market. The process allowed for input from...

Sale of State Assets (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: As long as Deputy Colreavy shares her delight.

Sale of State Assets (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The subject matter of the question is the break-up of the ESB. The Cahill-Frontier report recommended against that. The memorandum that I brought for decision to the Government was to implement those recommendations and avoid the break-up of the ESB. I am happy my Government colleagues approved this. Deputy McDonald, in particular, was calling on me over a period before the summer recess...

Sale of State Assets (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Colreavy broadened the original question of the sale of a minority stake. On the original question, I will be quite happy to facilitate a full debate on the issue, if the Deputy so wishes. The Deputy also wants to know what will happen if the EU-IMF-ECB troika comes back for more. That is not a vista I want to contemplate. What has been imposed on us as it stands is very painful to...

Sale of State Assets (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Ó Cuív asked me to confirm that it would be impossible for the troika to return when the EU-IMF deal runs out.

Sale of State Assets (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Assuming Ireland can get back into the sovereign markets which is the purpose of the programme in the first place, I still hope that it will be the case. It depends, however, how we manage it in the remaining lifetime of the memorandum of understanding. Deputy Ó Cuív is correct, even if our colleagues in Sinn Féin will not admit it, that the alternative would have been serious cuts in...

Sale of State Assets (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: -----but it was a deal not with the Government but a deal with a sovereign state and this Government has inherited it and we have to manoeuvre within it to achieve improvements. We have achieved a number of not insubstantial improvements and I hope, as news continues to break, there is the prospect for more flexibility ahead.

Offshore Exploration (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The total volume of sales of gas from the Kinsale and Ballycotton gas fields is approximately 1.75 trillion cubic feet since production started in 1978. Royalties from the two fields are payable to the State at a rate of 12.5% of the fair market value of gas at the well head. The amount received in royalties to date is just over €190 million. The total volume of sales gas produced from...

Offshore Exploration (14 Sep 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The figure of €190 million is royalties only. The royalties system was terminated in 1987.