Results 681-700 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme (7 Oct 2015)

Alex White: The Better Energy Programme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. Since 2009, the programme has supported the renovation of nearly 300,000 homes in Ireland. The upgrade of windows is not currently supported under the Better Energy Programme due to the need to balance the limited budgetary resources available with the demands for the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Programmes (6 Oct 2015)

Alex White: As I stated in my response to the Deputy's question of 22 September, contractors are registered to provide construction services for the Better Energy Homes scheme operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on the basis of a commitment to: undertake all works in accordance with the Technical Specification of the scheme; demonstrate their tax compliance and insurance cover;...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff (6 Oct 2015)

Alex White: My Department has no supernumerary staff at present.In relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department, this is an operational matter for each body. My Department will ask the relevant bodies to supply the information directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Charge (6 Oct 2015)

Alex White: I refer to the reply to Question No. 1537 of 22 September 2015. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Expenditure (6 Oct 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 744 and 745 together. The proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) represents a very significant capital investment project for the State. Section 7.5 of the draft intervention strategy which I published for public consultation in July last deals in some detail with issues related to project costs. As I have previously stated,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Charge (6 Oct 2015)

Alex White: A proportion of the television licence fee monies is already being made available to commercial and community broadcasters through the Broadcasting Funding Scheme, which is administered by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) under the Broadcasting Act 2009. The purpose of this Scheme, which covers both radio and television, is to encourage the inclusion of additional programming of a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bord na Móna (6 Oct 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 748 to 750, inclusive, together. The matter raised by the Deputy is an operational one for the Board and management of Bord na Móna, and not one in which I, as Minister, have any function. However, my predecessor previously enquired into concerns raised in relation to workplace matters in Bord na Móna. He was assured by the Board of Bord na...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Correspondence (6 Oct 2015)

Alex White: I can confirm that I have not received representations on the issue since my appointment to this Department. In the absence of specific details in the Deputy's Question, I am not in a position to comment further on this matter, which appears to date back to the mid-1990s. If the Deputy provides me with further specific information, I will have the matter followed up.

Topical Issue Debate: Public Service Obligation Services (1 Oct 2015)

Alex White: I would be very much in favour of having that conversation. One of the difficulties with the notion of what constitutes public service broadcasting, in terms of a programme, is that when one analyses practically any programme or programme strand, there are very few that could not be defined as a public service programme. For example, sport, which attracts very high commercial interest and...

Topical Issue Debate: Public Service Obligation Services (1 Oct 2015)

Alex White: Government policy is to encourage and support a diverse media that serves all the people. Public service broadcasting is provided for by Part 7 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. The Act sets out the principal objects of the public service broadcasting corporations, RTE and TG4. These statutory objects and requirements encapsulate national policy in terms of public service broadcasting. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (1 Oct 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is a Government initiative which aims to deliver high speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland. This is being achieved through a combination of accelerated commercial investment by telecoms operators, and a proposed State intervention to provide high speed broadband to those parts of the country where the commercial sector will not invest....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (1 Oct 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is a Government initiative which aims to deliver high speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland. This is being achieved through a combination of accelerated commercial investment by telecoms operators, and a proposed State intervention to provide high speed broadband to those parts of the country where the commercial sector will not invest....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (30 Sep 2015)

Alex White: It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high quality postal service and maintain a nationwide network of customer focused post offices in the community. A public consultation exercise was conducted from 16 June to 28 July this year on the Initial Report of the Post Office Network Business Development Group. A total of sixteen...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Incentives (30 Sep 2015)

Alex White: Current supports for renewable heat technologies include tariffs for combined heat and power under REFIT 3 and grants for the installation of solar heating under the Better Energy Homes scheme. In addition, Part L of the Building Regulations requires that, for new dwellings, a reasonable proportion of the energy consumption to meet the energy performance of a dwelling is provided by...

Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Disputes (29 Sep 2015)

Alex White: The issue the Deputy has raised relates, as I understand, to a third party dispute concerning a company contracted to An Post to provide maintenance services at the four An Post mails processing plants. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on an issue which is an operational matter for the service provider company and which is also being dealt with through the normal industrial...

Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Disputes (29 Sep 2015)

Alex White: The Deputy is correct in that I am advised that there was a Labour Court recommendation in February 2015 and it backed the implementation of the restructuring but subject to a number of amendments. I am not, nor would I in the normal run of events be, aware of the detail of the dispute or the issues in the dispute, other than that I would agree with the Deputy, or certainly I would say on...

Central Bank (Code of Conduct) Bill 2015: First Stage (29 Sep 2015)

Alex White: No.

Aer Lingus Sale Proceeds Transfer: Referral to Joint Committee (29 Sep 2015)

Alex White: I move:That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the payment by the Minister for Finance, pursuant to section 46(1) of the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014, from the Central Fund to the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund of €335,272,562.50 (three-hundred and thirtyfive million, two-hundred and seventy-two thousand, five-hundred and sixty-two euro and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (29 Sep 2015)

Alex White: I thank the Senator for raising this matter and I will respond on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills. I welcome the opportunity to set out the position on the Minister's behalf with regard to the Department's review of the post-primary school places that will be required from 2017 onwards. Due to unprecedented demographic growth, 27 new primary schools and 26 new...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (29 Sep 2015)

Alex White: I appreciate what the Senator says about "shortly". It is a sort of term of art in Government, but I understand from the Minister that this work is ongoing, as I stated in the response, and that she intends expediting this as soon as possible. There is no question of it amounting to a period of years. I would hope it will be in the coming period. Obviously, the announcements to be made...