Results 961-980 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Telecommunications Infrastructure (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The State-owned metropolitan area networks, MANs, have played an important role in driving competition in the regions and have facilitated large and small retail service providers operating in a fully liberalised market in providing high-speed broadband services without having to build their own networks. The MANs provide a link between national backhaul networks and the so-called last mile...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: North-South Interconnector (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: EirGrid is the statutory agency with responsibility for this project and the grid across the country. It has made a proposal to the board and set out certain options. It has said the option under discussion is the optimal one and has set out the scientific and other evidence that underlies the conclusion it came to. However, it is now up to An Bord Pleanála. It is open to citizens in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The Government’s strategy on affordable energy highlights how addressing energy poverty is a critical whole-of-government responsibility. To that end, my Department offers energy efficiency upgrades that are free of charge to households that are at risk of energy poverty. I introduced a new scheme in 2014 that requires the main energy suppliers to deliver annual energy efficiency...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: As I stated, I appreciate the Deputy's interest and insights on this issue. I agree with him that this is an area in which we need to continue with our efforts. We need to increase our efforts in order to have a policy that addresses this undoubted issue. The Deputy mentioned solar panels and retrofitting. There have been initiatives in this regard. I was involved in announcing some...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: North-South Interconnector (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: Given that the planning process is under way for the North-South project, submissions or observations in respect of the application for planning approval may be made to An Bord Pleanála during the ten-week period of statutory public consultation which begins today. It is open to the Deputy and members of the public to make submissions on that planning application for consideration by An...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: North-South Interconnector (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: In January 2014, an independent expert panel was established to oversee the integrity of the process being undertaken by EirGrid to report on comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground options for both the Grid Link and Grid West projects. While the North-South transmission line project is outside the panel's terms of reference, the panel did agree, on foot of a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I am advised that research on salmon in Ireland’s coastal areas and marine environment both concentrates on increasing knowledge of juvenile and adult migratory patterns, identifying and partitioning marine based mortality, understanding the impacts from aquaculture on wild salmon and monitoring salmon survival rates. Stock assessments can only be carried out on the individual stock in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Media Mergers (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: In July last year the Oireachtas passed the Consumer and Competition Authority Act 2014, introducing the new Part 3A of the Competition Act 2002. This Act fundamentally updated the media mergers regime, implementing the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Media Mergers. These changes were designed to deal with contemporary issues like an increasingly fragmented media, the rise of online...

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

Alex White: Part 7 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for public service broadcasting in Ireland and sets out the provisions relating to the regulation, operation and funding of the public service broadcasting corporations, RTÉ and TG4, including their principal objects. These objects provide the companies’ statutory mandates and encapsulate national policy in terms of public service...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fuel Prices (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I am acutely aware of the financial challenges faced by families and businesses from high energy prices. The Government’s national strategy on affordable energy makes it clear that addressing energy poverty is a whole of Government responsibility. My Department offers energy efficiency upgrades that are free of charge to households that are at risk of energy poverty. I also...

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

Alex White: The purpose of the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Amendment Bill 2015 is to put in place a statutory data protection framework for postcodes to ensure that the public interest is satisfied in the undertaking of legitimate postcode activities. The exercise of these activities is fundamental to the establishment and implementation of postcodes and includes the development,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Charges (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: enet acts as the Management Services Entity (MSE) for the State-owned Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). The MANs consist of fibre rings around 88 towns across Ireland. The MANs are now used by over 60 licensed telecoms operators to provide services in those towns. It is estimated that in excess of 600,000 users are benefiting directly from services provided through the MANs. The MANs have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Biofuel Obligation Scheme (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all Member States a binding target that at least 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland aims to meet this target mainly through the use of sustainable biofuels with electric vehicles also making a contribution. In this regard, biofuels are readily available in Ireland and regulations on fuel...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan 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 commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan 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 commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The latest advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in 2014 states that while the annual recruitment of juvenile eels (glass eels - elvers) to Europe has increased over the last 3 years from 5% to 12% of historic levels, recruitment is still well below the reference levels of 1960-1979, there is no change in the status of the eel as being critically...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I have received no communication from Leitrim County Council in the matter referred to. As for the appointment of CDM Smith, and the involvement of that company in the multi-agency trans-boundary programme of research commissioned by the EPA on the potential impacts on the environment and human health from Unconventional Gas Exploration and Extraction projects, I would like to comment as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Collection (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government gave approval for the preparation of legislation to enable the TV Licence Collecting Agent (currently An Post) to access the subscription data held by TV service providers, including Sky and UPC. The legislation will be designed to allow the Collecting Agent to have access to the information solely for its statutory functions in relation to...

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

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan 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 commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The Government's National Broadband Plan 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 commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing...