Results 1,001-1,020 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Seanad: ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill 2013: Second Stage (20 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: -----but that is the best we can do. Reference was made to the contribution made by my colleague, Deputy Anne Ferris, in the Lower House. While the matter the Deputy referred to is not directly related to the Bill, I must inform the House that she was both mistaken and wrongly advised in respect of it. The fact of the matter is we cannot disperse employment to provincial Ireland unless we...

Seanad: ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill 2013: Second Stage (20 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank Members for their contributions to the debate. The Bill was warmly welcomed in the Lower House, where colleagues were confident, as am I, that it will make an important contribution in terms of improving connectivity, especially in provincial Ireland. We could have a debate all day long on the question of the international figures, how good or how bad our system is, what happened in...

Seanad: ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill 2013: Second Stage (20 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I am pleased to have the opportunity to present the ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill 2013 for the consideration of the House. The Bill is a relatively short legislative proposal, the purpose of which is to provide an explicit legal basis to enable the ESB to engage, now or in the future, in the installation or operation of electronic communications networks and services, either...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Data Protection (20 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: In accordance with the Data Protection Acts, my Department has registered as a Data Controllor with the Office of the Data Protection Commission and has accordingly fulfilled the obligations required under the Data Protection Registration process.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (20 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: This is a day to day operational matter for the company concerned and not one in which I, as Minister, have a role or function.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Data Protection (20 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: This matter falls under the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Social Media Regulation (20 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: There is no doubt that the pervasive use of social media has challenged a wide number of previously accepted norms, both in terms of media governance and in more general societal terms. To that end, I have asked the Internet Content Governance Advisory (ICGA) Group which I formed in December, to evaluate the full range of content issues that now arise online. The Group will report in May...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Service Provision (20 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer to the reply to Question No. 220 of 4 December 2013. The position is unchanged. RTÉ's network company 2RN is responsible for the roll-out, coverage and operation of the SAORVIEW digital terrestrial television (DTT) network. The individual concerned has been in contact with my Department directly and officials have subsequently made contact with 2RN in relation to his...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (19 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 29 of 30 January 2014. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (19 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 to 133, inclusive, together. 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postcode Implementation (19 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 456 of 18 February 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (19 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Eirgrid (the Transmission System Operator) and ESB Networks (the Distribution System Operator) provide online data on size and location of windfarms connected to the national grid. While EirGrid and ESB do not compile information on a county basis, information on the size and location of wind farms is publicly available on their websites at and respectively. EirGrid have calculated that...

Seanad: Free Speech, Homophobia and the role of the State Broadcaster: Motion [Private Members] (18 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It may be that, so far as political parties are concerned, the 50:50 rule creates a perverse political incentive to oppose constitutional amendments, given the almost guaranteed access to the airwaves that will follow. However, when it comes to a small and unrepresentative interest group, I am not sure that the same considerations would apply. If the same handful of individuals are seen and...

Seanad: Free Speech, Homophobia and the role of the State Broadcaster: Motion [Private Members] (18 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Senator Ó Clochartaigh is not seriously arguing that I should intervene. Political intervention in that fashion would not add to the debate. We rely on broadcasters to provide a forum for matters of public debate and, indeed, controversy and to ensure that, when these take place, the necessary level playing field is provided for all concerned.

Seanad: Free Speech, Homophobia and the role of the State Broadcaster: Motion [Private Members] (18 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: As a result, it made the decision it made. It is true that RTE is the public service broadcaster, but it is also true that it is a commercial company and it made a commercial decision as it does frequently in the face of contemplated defamation actions. In his commentary on RTE's handling of events, Mr. Killane stated that RTE had explored all possible legal redress mechanisms, including...

Seanad: Free Speech, Homophobia and the role of the State Broadcaster: Motion [Private Members] (18 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: It would be a matter of serious concern if recourse to our defamation laws was to have a chilling effect on public debate on the issue of marriage equality in the lead-in to the referendum. While the defamation laws are outside my remit, the Broadcasting Act is not. At present, section 39 requires every broadcaster to ensure that nothing is broadcast that may reasonably be regarded as...

Seanad: Free Speech, Homophobia and the role of the State Broadcaster: Motion [Private Members] (18 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: That is certainly a thought but it should probably come from a citizen rather than an officeholder. It is argued that, taken together with the second McKenna judgment, this case ensures that the entity which arguably has the most democratic legitimacy claim to exercise persuasive force - the elected Government - is largely prevented from doing so and effectively emasculated in its leadership...

Seanad: Free Speech, Homophobia and the role of the State Broadcaster: Motion [Private Members] (18 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank Senators Zappone, Bacik and their colleagues for sponsoring this motion. I also thank all of the Senators who contributed to the debate. I, too, am delighted to see Ann Louise Gilligan in the Gallery. Ms Gilligan is well on the road back to good health. Having listened to Senator Norris, I do not hold out much hope for the health of Neil Francis. Whatever about going for a...

Topical Issue Debate: North-South Interconnector Issues (18 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: I have appointed an independent panel of experts, chaired by Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness, a former judge of the Supreme Court, to decide terms of reference for comprehensive, route-specific studies of fully underground and overhead options for EirGrid's Grid Link and Grid West projects. The panel will ensure that the studies are complete, impartial, objective and comparable. Both the...

Topical Issue Debate: North-South Interconnector Issues (18 Feb 2014)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Tóibín adopts a conciliatory tone of support for an interconnector but he has a very funny way of supporting it because effectively he is opposing it. It is a considerable parliamentary talent to be able to present obstruction and opposition in reasonable tones. Some mornings I wake up and hope I live long enough to see Deputies Tóibín and Mary Lou McDonald being...