Results 901-920 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together. Any consents and permissions required for the landing of this cable are a matter for the Company, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government and the Local Authority. I have no function in that regard. My Department has secured State Aid approval to bring the telecommunications ducts laid alongside the Galway-Mayo gas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: EU Directives (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 299 together. The requirement for technological neutrality within the EU telecommunications market is established by Article 8 of “Directive 2002/21/EC of 7 March 2002 on a Common Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communications Networks and Services”. This provision reflects the growing convergence of technologies, products and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Sector Regulation (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for the establishment of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) as the independent regulator responsible for the oversight of compliance in relation to broadcast content in the State. One of the objectives of the Authority, set out in Section 25(b) is to ensure “that the democratic values enshrined in the Constitution, especially those relating...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 5 on today's order paper.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Currently, a number of supports are available for micro generation for domestic and commercial consumers. As regards domestic customers, Electric Ireland has been offering a micro generation feed in tariff since February 2009. To date no other electricity supplier has chosen to provide such a tariff, to either domestic or commercial customers, though they have been invited by the Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: ComReg Investigations (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is the statutory body responsible for the management of spectrum in Ireland. Comreg is independent in the exercise of its functions and is accountable directly to the Oireachtas in accordance with Section 34 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002. The investigation of any alleged unlicensed radio transmissions including any...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August 2012, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses. This will be achieved by providing: - a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial investment, and - a State-led...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Broadcasting Charge Introduction (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Programme for Government commits to transforming the TV licence into a household based Public Broadcasting Charge to be applied to all eligible households and applicable businesses, regardless of the device used to access content or services. It also commits to reviewing new ways of TV licence collection, including the possibility of paying in instalments through another utility bill...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The broadband service contracted under National Broadband Scheme (NBS) is a basic, affordable, scalable product in keeping with EU State Aid clearance for the Scheme in September 2007. Under the terms of the contract which my Department has in place with Hutchison 3G Ireland Ltd (trading as “3”), the NBS broadband service has been available to all premises within the designated...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postcode Implementation (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: On the 8th October 2013, I announced that the Government had approved, subject to contract, the rollout of a new national postcode system that will provide a unique seven character code to every letter-box in the State in 2015.Capita Business Support Service Ireland Limited will operate the postcode under license for an initial ten year period extendable at the discretion of the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296, 309, 310, 314, 315, 318 and 328 together. The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August 2012, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses including those in Counties Offaly, Mayo, Laois and Westmeath. This will be achieved by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme Administration (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Better Energy Programme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and has been allocated Exchequer funding of €57 million in 2014, of which the Warmer Homes strand will receive €20 million. While the majority of funding under the better Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme will be disbursed through the installation of the standard package of measures...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The provision of broadband services is, in the first instance, a matter for the commercial service providers operating in the Irish market. Where there is evidence of poor broadband service this should be raised firstly with the service provider. Failing resolution of the issue, the matter should be referred to ComReg for investigation to ensure operators are fully complying with their...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: In May 2012 the former Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture published its Report on Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration. The Report contains a number of recommendations in respect of the fiscal and regulatory framework applying to oil and gas exploration in Ireland. At my request the Report was debated in Seanad Éireann on 27 June 2012 and in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No.1 and to Questions Nos. 11, 17, 31 and 35 on today's Order Paper.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 304 and 305 together. On 23 December 2013 my Department commenced a tender process in accordance with EU procurement requirements for the "Provision of Expert Advice on Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and Production Fiscal Terms". There was a good response to the tender and in February 2014 Wood Mackenzie was chosen as the successful tender. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postcode Implementation (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Following the award of a contract to Capita Business Services Ltd, work has started on the development of the postcode system. The indicative timeline for introduction of postcodes is April 2015. In the interim period, work will proceed on the design of the postcode and on the preparatory work on public sector databases as well as preparations for the dissemination of postcodes to the general...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Action Plan for Jobs (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The Action Plan for Jobs incorporates a wide range of measures to support growth in areas under my remit. Critical among these, are initiatives in relation to the digital economy and improvements to energy efficiency. The National Digital Strategy was published in 2013 and contains a series of actions aimed at stimulating digital engagement. A key initiative in the Action Plan for Jobs,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: At the end of 2013 the total amount of renewable generation capacity connected to the grid was around 2,300 MW. It is estimated that around 4,000 MW of renewable generation capacity will be required to allow Ireland to meet its commitment of 40% of electricity demand being met by electricity generated from renewable resources by 2020. This is necessary to meet our overall target of 16% of our...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (11 Mar 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Operational matters are an issue for the management and Board of An Post and one in which I have no statutory function. As shareholder, however, I have a strong concern in relation to the ongoing commercial position of the Company and I regularly liaise with the Company in this regard. I will request An Post to issue a direct reply to the Deputy regarding the future of the Post Office on...