Results 9,801-9,820 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — e-Government Projects: e-Government Projects (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: Several projects have been initiated by my Department under the aegis of the e-Government project. The Department has invested considerable time in designing and implementing the infrastructure upon which to build quality e-Government services to the public. Some of the projects are as follows. Minerals application processing system, MAPS, is an online application for prospecting licences and...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: My Department is responsible for the promotion and development of renewable energy including biofuels. I am committed to the development and promotion of a biofuels market in Ireland's transport fuel sector and to the development of alternative fuels which can contribute to emissions reductions and security of supply. My Department recently advertised a pilot biofuels mineral oil tax relief...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: Ireland's biofuels sector is currently at a very early stage of development and there are currently two pure plant oil producers active in the biofuels market. Under the pilot biofuels mineral oil tax relief scheme which my Department recently advertised, a total of 34 applications were received under the call for proposals by the closing date. Applications were received under all three...

Written Answers — Energy Market: Energy Market (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: First, as regards domestic electricity prices, the Deputy will be aware I do not have any function in regard to the pricing of electricity as this falls within the remit of the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, the independent regulator for electricity and gas. The CER was given the responsibility for regulating tariffs under the European Communities (Internal Market in Electricity)...

Written Answers — Energy Market: Energy Market (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: Energy costs relate primarily to the market prices of fuels and the capital and operating costs of energy providers, matters in which I have no function. Costs to industry generally are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Ireland is an importer of fuels, which are traded on the international market and have encountered unprecedented levels of...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, which was established as a statutory agency in May 2002, implements initiatives on renewable energy and energy efficiency, including research, on behalf of my Department. SEI is involved in a number of projects aimed at promoting solar energy in Ireland. Through its information office in Cork, SEI offers advice to the public on solar energy systems and...

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: The full resources of the State's industrial relations machinery continue to be made available to management and unions to assist in resolving industrial relations issues at An Post. I have urged both sides to make full use of that machinery and I am pleased to say that progress has been made in regard to resolving many of these issues. A recovery plan has been devised by An Post in...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: The Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, has published a consultation document entitled, Forward-Looking Strategic Review of the Irish Telecoms Sector. ComReg is independent in the exercise of its functions and it would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail on this matter. I can confirm that Energis sent my Department a copy of its submission to ComReg.

Telecommunications Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: The telecommunications sector is fully liberalised and regulated by the independent Commission for Communications Regulation. With the repeal of section 111 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 on 25 July 2003, the former licensing regime has been replaced by a general entitlement to provide telecommunications networks and services, including broadband, subject to compliance...

Telecommunications Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I take it the Deputy's last question refers to the Eircom court case and the company's appeals to many of the orders which have been made. Whether I agree or disagree with the company is academic as it is entitled to take the action it has taken and we must afford it the opportunity to do so. I assure the Deputy, who has raised the matter before, that I have taken steps to ensure the appeals...

Telecommunications Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: In future, a number of appeals may be heard at the same time to avoid undue delay. If people decide to go to court, I hope their cases are heard by the commercial rather than the normal courts to expedite matters. As Deputy Durkan is correct continually to point out, this is a matter of significant national importance and interest. While I am satisfied the directions of my predecessor are...

Telecommunications Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: While I am open to suggestion, I do not see what other initiatives are available. We have the MANs programme, school broadband and group and county broadband schemes, all of which are playing a role. Short of moving in and buying the exchanges back or coming to some arrangement with Eircom, which I can imagine would be very popular politically, I do not see what can be done.

Telecommunications Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: While I am prepared to explore it if necessary, MANs will provide competition for that infrastructure. Eircom will have to make up its mind and decide whether to be in the market. If it continues as it has and we continue to develop the MANs programme, I can see it becoming attractive for other companies to come in to provide the last mile of access. That is the route we will go if we can.

Postal Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: Deputies should be aware that Ireland is the only country in the EU which does not have a national postcode system. A system of postcodes is regarded internationally as a necessary element of a modern, efficient and competitive economy. The Commission for Communications Regulation, the remit of which includes postal services, produced a report following a consultative process in November...

Postal Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I am delighted with the Deputy's conversion to automation.

Postal Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: He appeared to condemn me for introducing a very effective, efficient method of voting and counting votes but he has absolute and total faith in the geo-directory to which he referred and that is available to An Post.

Postal Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: It is based on the same kind of technology that is used in the voting system. I am delighted with Deputy Broughan's conversion. Perhaps he will look again at some of the benefits of the voting system now that he has been converted.

Postal Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: The Deputy appears to know the shape of the postcode system although I do not know what it will be. I hope the people whom we will appoint will have enough sense to look at the systems that are in place. The Deputy has shown that this information is widely available. I hope they can learn from the 32 other countries to which he referred and devise a system that will overcome the pitfalls he...

Postal Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: ——would like to see this as a public good rather than for it to be operated as a private concern. In regard to the other point the Deputy made about inflicting costs on An Post, it has not been decided who will operate this system.

Postal Services. (15 Jun 2005)

Noel Dempsey: If the group makes that recommendation to me, that is fine. Obviously that will be taken into consideration. It could also say that it should be operated by a separate State or semi-State body or that it should be controlled by a Department and operated by a private company in the context of public good. A number of different models could be used. I have not made up my mind and will not until...