Results 741-760 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (22 Sep 2015)

Alex White: I refer to the reply to Question No. 87 on today's Order Paper.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fuel Prices (22 Sep 2015)

Alex White: The Irish oil sector is completely privatised, liberalised and deregulated. There is free entry into the market and it is Government policy to encourage price competition and consumer choice. As such, I have no function in the setting of petrol, diesel or home heating oil prices. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC, under the aegis of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Functions (22 Sep 2015)

Alex White: My Department has an Internal Audit Unit which reports directly to the Secretary General under the general guidance of the Department's Audit Committee. Both the Internal Audit Unit and Audit Committee operate under charters approved by the Secretary General and the Audit Committee which includes an external chair and committee members. The Department’s Audit Committee, appointed by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Contracts Data (22 Sep 2015)

Alex White: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Contracts Data (22 Sep 2015)

Alex White: In the time available, it has not been possible to ascertain the annual cost, if any, to my Department of fees paid to private companies to provide public services. I will reply to the Deputy as soon as possible with the requested information.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Schemes (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The Better Energy Warmer Homes and Better Energy Communities schemes are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. The Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty, which meet the defined eligibility criteria. Beneficiaries of the scheme do not receive grants but...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Regulation (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). The Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 confers on the CER specific functions in the area of safety regulation of the natural gas industry. The legislation provides for natural gas installers to be registered as a Registered Gas Installer (RGI). It is a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Functions (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The Statement of Government Priorities 2014 to 2016 sets out clear and ambitious targets to build on the achievements of the last four years and to broaden and deepen the economic and social recovery and improve the living standards of our citizens. Energy and broadband connectivity are amongst the most strategic sectors of the Irish economy and are clearly reflected in the strategy for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Metropolitan Area Networks Programme (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: My Department is currently concluding an internal review of the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) Programme. The purpose of the review is to carry out a retrospective analysis of the impact of the MANs Programme on the delivery of policy objectives, and to consider the future role and direction of the MANs in the context of market and Government policy developments. As part of the review...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: EU Directives (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: Directive 2014/61/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 May 2014 aims to reduce the cost of deploying high-speed electronic communications network infrastructure by, among other things, requiring EU member states to withdraw any statutory measures which prohibit utility network operators from sharing network assets. There are no such statutory measures in place in Ireland. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: Yesterday, I published for public consultation the Government's draft Intervention Strategy which sets out how we propose to ensure the provision of high-speed broadband to premises in the intervention area. This consultation runs until September 14th next. The draft Intervention Strategy and associated expert reports are now available on www.broadband.gov.ie. The Strategy sets out clearly...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The use of Eircode is voluntary, not mandatory and there will be no requirement to change existing addresses in Irish or English. The Eircode is simply appended to the existing address be it in English or Irish. With the exception of the existing Dublin district codes, all Eircodes will be neutral of location in both the English and Irish language which means that the seven digit code is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: Conditions regarding levels of mobile telephony coverage to be delivered by Mobile Network Operators are attached to licences issued by ComReg. Operators tend to exceed these coverage requirements for commercial reasons. However, as mobile services are a radio based technology, services can be affected by topography, quality of handsets, the capacity of the network and proximity to mobile...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Schemes (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The Better Energy Programme was launched in 2009 as the Home Energy Saving scheme after a pilot programme was conducted in 2008. The Home Energy Saving scheme was rebranded as the Better Energy scheme in May 2011. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy programme on behalf of my Department. The programme consists of three schemes: Homes, Warmer...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Schemes (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The Better Energy Homes Scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. The Better Energy Homes Scheme provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: In reply to Question No. 554 of 7 July last, I confirmed that, based on my Department's current intervention map, the townland of Ballintubber in county Mayo is included in the NBP intervention area. Yesterday, I published for public consultation the Government's draft Intervention Strategy which sets out how we propose to ensure the provision of high-speed broadband to premises in the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: Total capital expenditure by my Department was €396m in the period 2011 to end 2014 and is currently forecast at €93.6m for 2015. This expenditure is not broken down by county. The most significant component of my Department's capital expenditure is in respect of the Better Energy Programme, which consists of three schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 798 to 800, inclusive, together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The total cost of advertising to my Department was €106,381 in 2013 and €77,229 in 2014. The information sought by the Deputy regarding the agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each Agency. I will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisation.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The cost incurred by my Department in printing reports was €12,778 in 2013 and €4,666 in 2014. In procuring any services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money. In relation to my Department’s Annual Reports for 2013 and 2014, both reports were published online only, therefore no printing costs were incurred. The information sought by the Deputy...