Results 661-680 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: The answer to the question is "Yes". One way that has been canvassed is that if, for example, the compliance rate for the licence fee could be increased, there would be a bigger fund. Could we look at a new and improved sound and vision scheme and ways of channelling money-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: That is not the case.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: That is not true. I was in the middle of saying-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: -----that one could consider changing it to better facilitate the commercial sector. We are coming to the end of the lifetime of this Government in any event, so it is not something that will happen between now and next March. I am canvassing possibilities with the committee in answer to the Deputy's question. We could consider how to channel funds to commercial operators, whether that is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: In terms of consultancy, I have some sympathy with the generality of the remarks the Deputy made in respect of consultants. At a certain period in our history, there was a proliferation of consultancy across the public service. I think consultants should only be used when necessary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: We should only bring in consultants to work on public projects when we do not have the necessary skills within the Civil Service. I do not travel much but I travel a little and I have spoken to Ministers in other countries about broadband. No matter what a person's view is, broadband is a major infrastructural project. That project is being managed within my Department by a relatively...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: -----if that is not consistent with what the State or the Government wants.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: If the Deputy wishes to discuss a specific example with me now or in the future, I will happily do so, as it would be a matter of concern, but it is not happening in the case of Eircode or otherwise. Eircode is under the management and leadership of my Department. Its expenditure and so on can be scrutinised by this committee of the public accounts committee as appropriate. As regards...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: -----where the commercial sector will not deliver what needs to be delivered for the people of rural Ireland. We are doing that. The Deputy stated that the projects should be done side by side. The national broadband plan, with its 30% or whatever it ends up being and the 96%, is a large undertaking. It is not realistic to assert that we should be rolling out services in rural areas in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: Absolutely. We have just received an extra €130 million under the capital programme for energy efficiency measures to be taken over the next period. I will ensure that as many resources as possible are targeted at homes and citizens who are in energy poverty.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: I will not provide specific details on schemes today, as I will be making a number of announcements in the coming weeks on how we view energy efficiency programmes developing in the coming period. It will be of interest to the Deputy to know that, before the end of the year, I will publish an energy affordability policy, in which respect we have consulted extensively this year. It will draw...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: The national broadband scheme largely comprises the MANs. We can certainly fill out some of the detail on that for the Deputy if he wants, but it is what we are dealing with in respect of the national broadband scheme as opposed to the national broadband plan, which the Deputy then went on to discuss. The approach of identifying areas which there is no question of the commercial sector ever...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: That is exactly right.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: What we want to do is approach it in a way that is technically feasible and economically viable. As such, we want to hear from the bidders what are their offerings in respect of it. That will be part of the bidding process. I thank the Deputy for what he said about the digital strategy for schools, which is very progressive. My colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: On the implementation strategy for national broadband, what I said earlier this year, and I want to make it clear, is that all of the timelines we have set regarding the national broadband plan since the middle of last year when I came into this job have been complied with. For example, we said earlier this year that we would have the implementation strategy. The mapping was this time last...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: The procurement process will go ahead, as planned, by the end of this year in November or December. I had a schedule of state aid approved by the Commission for various projects throughout Europe. The timescale varies and that is one of the problems we have to address. It is not certain. The Commission will examine the matter. It could do so in a period of two or three months or it could...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: It will be done by summer 2016. I have been fairly accurate in the estimates I have given to colleagues up to now. I imagine it will be by midyear. What are the solid dates? 2020 is a solid date in terms of completing the entire project. We brought a new date into play recently, which is an improvement on what we had been saying. We are saying everything will be completed by 2020. In...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: All second-level schools in Ireland have received 100Mbps broadband connectivity under a programme funded jointly by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills. The national rollout of services commenced in 2012, following a successful pilot project, and was completed in 2014. Services were rolled out incrementally, as follows:- 2012 - 14 Western and Midlands Counties ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Gas Networks Ireland (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: This is an operational matter for Gas Networks Ireland and not one in which I, as Minister, have any role or function. I understand however from the company that there was no disruption to emergency cover for the maintenance of the gas network in the past six months. If there was a specific incident the Deputy wishes to discuss, he can contact Gas Networks Ireland directly. Gas Networks...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Living Wage (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: The Minister of State for Business and Employment at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation recently hosted a forum on the Living Wage in Dublin Castle. At the forum, the Tánaiste signalled that her Department would fund the next stage of examining the process which involves setting up a working group. Neither I, nor my Department, have had any discussions with suppliers or...