Results 981-1,000 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (26 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department’s expenditure on consultancy advice services, including legal services, for the years 2011 to 2013 is set out in tabular format below. In procuring these specialised services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and the keeping of expenditure to the minimum necessary. Given the technical complexity of the sectors which my Department oversees and, in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (26 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: This Government adopted a significant innovation in 2011 to widen access by all persons to be considered for appointment to State Boards by providing that expressions of interest be sought publicly from all those that might be interested in serving on such Boards. In accordance with the Government Decision of 12 April 2011, I have, each year, on my Department's website, invited Expressions...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies Issues (26 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: There are three Commercial Semi State companies under the aegis of my Department which have employee share ownership plans (ESOPs) in operation, namely Bord na Mona (BnaM) , Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE) and the ESB. The (ESOPs) in all three companies were established in return for specific, substantial, verifiable changes to be delivered by employees which give value to the company and...

Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Indeed. This will afford an opportunity for a holistic review of the range of services which could be provided by the post office network and could perhaps yield synergies among the different agencies. I must stress one point, however. An Post is a commercial State company that earns its own keep and receives no Exchequer subsidy. My colleagues and I cannot arrange a hidden subsidy for...

Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Like everyone else, An Post has not escaped the challenging economic environment since the economic collapse in 2008. The diminishing mail volume, which is due to technological advances, is even more challenging. These hugely influential factors are appreciated at every level of the postal network. They are ignored by nobody other than the authors of this motion. The economic collapse and...

Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to share time with the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, Deputy John O'Mahony, and with Deputy Willie Penrose.

Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises:— that the post office network is:— a unique social, cultural and financial institution that is essential to our local communities and the country as a whole; and — the largest retail network in Ireland - with 1,147 outlets nationwide - and employs over...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Post Office Network (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity, on the same evening as the sustainability of the post office network is being debated in the Dáil, to address in this House the concerns raised by the Irish Postmasters Union, IPU, about the viability of the post office network. The post office has a unique standing. Its social role is highly valued, perhaps most highly in rural...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Post Office Network (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Working together, the Government and the IPU, notwithstanding the inexorable progress of the digital age and digital enterprise, can ensure there is a future for the post office network. This is a unique retail outlet. No other organisation has 1,150 outlets throughout the country and there is the capacity to win new business and create new products. My view on the fear expressed about the...

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

Pat Rabbitte: There are three stages in the development of the Renewable Energy Export Policy and Development Framework. I have stated on a number of occasions that transparency in the development of the framework is crucial and that the views of local communities must be at the heart of the transition to renewable energy. The Stage 1 consultation, which involved the publication of Stage 1 information...

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

Pat Rabbitte: Under EU and International Energy Agency (IEA) obligations, Ireland is required to hold 90 days of oil stocks that can be used in the event of an oil supply disruption. The National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) is responsible for acquiring and managing the bulk of Ireland’s emergency oil stocks. Since 2007, in line with IEA and Government policy, NORA has been pursuing a policy of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Domestic Gas Leaks (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The protection of the safety of gas customers, of the public generally and of public property by minimising incidents involving gas is a matter of highest priority for Government. Legislation in place reflects this policy objective and provides the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) with responsibility for regulating the activities of natural gas undertakings and gas installers (both...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Service Provision (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: In accordance with the Broadcasting Act 2009, RTÉ, through its subsidiary company 2RN, is responsible for the roll-out, coverage and operation of the SAORVIEW digital terrestrial television (DTT) network and I, as Minister, have no function in this matter. Specifically, the Act requires RTÉ to provide digital coverage to the same extent as provided over the previous analogue...

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

Pat Rabbitte: Operational matters and the role of developing commercial strategies for the post office network are a matter 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. Information in relation to...

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

Pat Rabbitte: The timing of the re-submission of the planning application for the North South Transmission Line project to An Bord Pleanála is a matter for Eirgrid and one in which I have no function. Eirgrid will, of course, have due regard for all national and EU legislation, including Regulation (EU) No. 347 of 2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, when submitting its planning...

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

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. 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 is a matter for ComReg which is independent...

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

Pat Rabbitte: All wind energy projects are subject to the consent of a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála under the Planning Acts and compliance with the relevant national planning policies and guidelines. Any projects of a significant scale specifically for export would, in addition, have to await the signing of an Inter-Governmental Agreement with the UK and the completion of a Renewable...

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

Pat Rabbitte: The information sought by the Deputy is published annually by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) in the Energy in Ireland reports, which are available on the SEAI website at:

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: On 28 January last, in response to EirGrid’s recent public consultation process, I announced that I had appointed an Independent Panel of Experts, to be chaired by Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, to decide the terms of reference for, and to oversee the integrity of a process to be undertaken by EirGrid to report on, comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies Remuneration (25 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: The remuneration of CEOs in Commercial State Bodies, had historically come within the remit of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector (established in 1969). A major feature of the Review Body’s Report No. 37 (December 1996) was their recommendations for the introduction of new remuneration arrangements and the introduction of a fundamental change in the nature of...