Results 761-780 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

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

Alex White: All staff in my Department currently receive electronic payslips. The cost of issuing hard copy payslips in exceptional circumstances to staff in my Department for 2013 is estimated at €400 and the cost for 2014 is estimated at €250. Pension payments to retired staff members from my Department are made by the Pay Master General and therefore there is no cost to the Department.

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

Alex White: As Minister I am responsible for board appointments where the power to appoint persons to State bodies is vested in me by statute. In November 2014, the Government approved new Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards with the objective of opening up the process to the largest possible pool of suitable candidates. The Guidelines establish a new and transparent process operated by the...

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

Alex White: The total current and capital funding allocated to my Department in 2015 is €419.15m. The following table details expenditure by my Department against profile to end June 2015: Subhead Profile to end June Expenditure to end June Variance from Profile 0 0 0 Communications A1 - Administration - Pay 2,164 1,950 -214 A2 - Administration – Non Pay 663 562 -101 A3 -...

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

Alex White: My Department is primarily focused on setting policy in the Communications, Energy and Natural Resources areas and does not currently operate schemes which involve high volume paper based applications by members of the general public. Where business needs and customer service requirements support it, the Department has developed a number of online systems which are mainly geared to business...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Service Obligation Levy Payments (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: Tynagh Energy and Aughinish Alumina were awarded 10 year contracts subsequent to a competition run by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) in 2005 to provide urgently required capacity to the electricity system. The purpose of the scheme was to ensure security of supply in the framework of continuous electricity demand growth at that time. These plants will transition out of subsidy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Implementation (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our overall energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. To meet this target, Ireland is committed to achieving 40% renewables in electricity, 12% in heat and 10% in transport. While the cost of any shortfall has yet to be established, the SEAI has estimated that it could be in the range of...

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

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 810 and 816 to 819, inclusive, together. Bord na Móna is a commercial State company operating under the Turf Development Acts 1946 to 1998. The matters raised by the Deputy are operational in nature and not ones in which I, as Minister, have any function. Bord na Móna is facing significant business challenges in the context of the...

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

Alex White: I am aware that the Chair and Chief Executive of Bord na Móna have recently appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications to discuss the cessation of peat briquette production at two Bord na Móna factories at Littleton, County Tipperary and Derrinlough, County Offaly. I understand that a range of issues were discussed at the meeting most of which...

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

Alex White: My Department published its 2014 Annual Report on 30 June 2015. The report is available on my Department's website, www.dcenr.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Postcode System Establishment (16 Jul 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 813 and 814 together. As I stated in reply to Questions Nos 258, 259, 266 and 267 of 24 June 2015, my Department received correspondence from the European Commission in August, 2012 regarding certain aspects of the procurement process for the National Postcodes System. The case was fully examined by the Commission which informed the Department in...

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

Alex White: It is understood from the Board of Bord na Móna that there are appropriate systems in place to deal with any allegations of bullying. Any employee who has concerns in this regard should bring it to the attention of the appropriate authorities in Bord na Mona.

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

Alex White: My Department’s BenefIT programme is a key mechanism under the National Digital Strategy to ensure that citizens and communities are empowered and motivated to use the internet, and thereby reap the full economic and social benefits of a digital society. The Programme provides funding to community, voluntary and not for profit organisations for the delivery of basic digital literacy...

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

Alex White: The development and expansion of the natural gas network is a commercial matter for Gaslink, which is mandated under Section 8 of the Gas Act 1976, as amended, to develop and maintain a national system for the supply of natural gas that is both economical and efficient. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is statutorily responsible for all aspects of the assessment and licensing of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (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 14 September next. The draft Intervention Strategy and associated expert reports are now available on www.broadband.gov.ie. My Department continues to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Yield (15 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The licence fee is distributed in accordance with Section 123 of the Broadcasting Act 2009, to both RTÉ and TG4 in order to facilitate the pursuit of their public service objectives which are also set out in the 2009 Act. An Post pays the Department all TV licence revenues collected from sales and the Department of Social Protection currently pays a sum of €52m annually in respect...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Codes (15 Jul 2015)

Alex White: The design of the Eircode followed a public procurement process. During that process a range of options for the postcode structure were evaluated. That evaluation process, together with stakeholder engagement which preceded the procurement, helped inform the format of the Eircode design. The Eircode design chosen has been tailored to meet the needs of Ireland’s addressing structure...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Jul 2015)

Alex White: 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 proposed State intervention under the NBP represents a potentially...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: State Bodies Mergers (15 Jul 2015)

Alex White: In June 2014, the Government decided to streamline and refocus the commercial operations of Bord na Móna and Coillte, primarily in the bioenergy and wind energy sectors. The decision requires Bord na Móna and Coillte to proceed with a partial merger in four key areas: wind; biomass; tourism and recreation; and shared services. As part of the implementation of the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: State Bodies Mergers (15 Jul 2015)

Alex White: In June 2014, the Government decided to streamline and refocus the commercial operations of Bord na Móna and Coillte, primarily in the bioenergy and wind energy sectors. The decision requires Bord na Móna and Coillte to proceed with a partial merger, by way of a joint venture, in four key areas: wind; biomass; tourism and recreation; and shared services. As the implementation of...