Results 821-840 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Warmer Homes Scheme Eligibility (26 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to households that are vulnerable to energy poverty and who live in privately-owned dwellings. The upgrades are delivered free of charge to the customer. The scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. To raise awareness and invite applications to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (26 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The provision of electronic communications services is, in the first instance, a matter for private sector service providers. Broadband services may be provided over various platforms (i.e. over telephone lines, co-axial cable, mobile, fixed wireless, fibre and satellite). WiFi technologies can be used in conjunction with these platforms to provide wireless access to broadband services. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Expenses (26 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Official vehicles are not available in my Department except in the case of the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI). The work of the GSI, which is part of my Department, necessarily involves extensive field work, over all terrains and throughout the country and the GSI operates a fleet of 16 vehicles which includes a specialised drilling rig, trucks, pickups and 4 wheel drive vehicles. Only one...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Action Plan for Jobs (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The trading online voucher scheme is a key deliverable under the National Digital Strategy and the Action Plan for Jobs. It is intended to catalyse action among small business owners to invest in the online trading aspect of their business. The scheme will provide individual qualifying businesses with a voucher of up to €2,500 to be used with the company’s own matching funding...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Usage (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) continues to support the Large Industry Energy Network (LIEN) and the Energy Agreements Programme in line with Action 96 in the Action Plan for Jobs and as part of the implementation of the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP). Now in operation for over 18 years, the LIEN engages over 160 of the largest energy users in on-going...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 600 and 601 together. Ireland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. The regulation of the industry, including regulatory issues surrounding speeds,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The owner of any physical structure is required by section 70 of the Roads Act 1993 to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the structure is not a hazard or potential hazard to persons using a public road. If any structure, including telecommunications infrastructure, is such a hazard or potential hazard the Local Authority, for the area in which the structure is situated, may serve a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Reports (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 603 and 604 together. Details of all external reports commissioned by my Department which are completed but will not be published are set out in the following table. Reports Completed Reason for Non Publication Silvermines Vegetation Study This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase. Sampling of Gortmore and Silvermines...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Question No. 319 [12182/14] on 11th March 2014. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Speeds (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: All post-primary schools will have a 100Mbps broadband connection installed by the end of 2014 under a project jointly funded by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills. Buidling on the 516 schools connected under phases 1 and 2 of the national rollout programme, the third and final phase will provide 100 Mbps connectivity to some 269 schools located in Counties Carlow, Cork,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Exports (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: A full cost benefit analysis (CBA) is on-going to determine if it is mutually beneficial for Ireland and the United Kingdom to enter an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to facilitate trade in renewable energy. The potential for investment, jobs and growth, are among the matters under consideration. In parallel with the CBA my Department is also developing a Renewable Energy Export Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. The commercial sector is responsible for the provision of broadband services in the first instance and the State only intervenes in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Meetings (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department has no record of any meeting requests from, or meetings held with, Philantrophy Ireland.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I am aware that the broadband connection to the school referred to in the Question, which was installed as part of the 100Mbps to post-primary schools national rollout, has experienced difficulties since the link was installed. I understand that these unforeseen difficulties arose as a result of interference affecting the licensed spectrum allocated to deliver backhaul services from the local...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Communications Mast Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: As outlined in my reply to Question No. 343 of 11 February, the ownership of the telecommunications mast in this case and any legal issues therein are primarily matters for RTÉ and other parties to the case. Section 98 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides that RTÉ shall be independent in the pursuance of its objects and as such, I, as Minister, have no function in this matter....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 614 to 616, inclusive, together. EirGrid’s Grid25 strategy to upgrade the national transmission system between now and 2025 is a major initiative, involving an investment of €3.2 billion, which will put in place the safe, secure and affordable electricity system that the State requires. It will involve extensive work throughout the country,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Sale of State Assets (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Bord Gáis Éireann is currently finalising a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Brookfield, Centrica and iCon, the consortium selected as the preferred bidder in the transaction process on the sale of Bord Gáis Energy. With regard to the revenue raised from the sale of Bord Gáis Energy, the Government's consistent position is that the funds released from asset disposals, to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: One of the main issues with regard to wind farms that gives cause for concern to local communities tends to be setback distance. Setback distance is addressed by the Wind Energy Development Guidelines published by the Department of Environment and Local Government, a review of which is currently being undertaken by that Department, in conjunction with my Department and the Sustainable Energy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Staff (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: There are two civil servants engaged on constituency matters within my Department at a cumulative salary cost of €79,122 per annum.Constituency staff working on constituency matters share office space with other staff in my Department's building on Adelaide Road. Its is not possible to seperate out accomodation costs for a small number of staff in one area as these are invoiced and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Planning Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The consideration of planning applications for wind farms is a matter for the relevant planning authority and not one in which I, as Minister, have any role or function.