Results 10,321-10,340 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — ESB Contracts: ESB Contracts (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I allocated additional capacity in the AER VI competition on 13 December last. This announcement also confirmed the offer of contracts to two separate offshore wind demonstration projects of 25 MW each. Conditional offers of contracts have been accepted in respect of the winning projects in the offshore wind category. The formal contracts, in the form of power purchase agreements, are issued...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: The telecoms market is fully liberalised and regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, which is independent in the exercise of its functions. ComReg has as one of its key objectives under the Communications Regulation Act 2002, the promotion of competition in the exercise of its functions. Competition is now demonstrably higher in the fixed, mobile and broadband...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: My Department has not, to date, required candidates for internal promotion competitions to sign a specific agreement to relocate under the decentralisation programme. The matter is being kept under review in light of central developments.

Natural Gas Grid. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I have not been made aware of the comments to which the Deputy refers in her question. The development of the Corrib gas field, which is situated some 70 kilometres off the coast of County Mayo, has received the necessary statutory approvals, consents and licences for the development of the field and work on the project has commenced. The developers expect that first gas will flow in early...

Natural Gas Grid. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: This has been the subject of exhaustive evaluation. Approvals were granted by the Department. Under the Petroleum and other Minerals Development Act, as amended, there was a lease demising the petroleum in the leasehold area. There was a plan of development under the Gas Act. Pipeline consent was given, with 32 compulsory acquisitions of rights over land and one compulsory acquisition of land...

Natural Gas Grid. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: We established independent bodies to judge these matters from a planning point of view. The Deputy might know more about on-shore production of oil and gas but I presume that An Bord Pleanála employed all the experts needed to find out if this is safe and decided it is safe on that basis.

Postal Services. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: Since taking office, I met the chairperson and the chief executive of An Post and the board of An Post. I also met union representatives from different sectors of the company. Officials from my Department meet An Post management on a monthly basis. I am advised on the outcome of the monthly meetings. The fundamental requirement to secure the future of our postal services is to implement a...

Postal Services. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I share the Deputy's concern that disputes in An Post that involve internal and industrial relations always seem to go to the brink. I do not think it is a good way of doing business on either side. I accept fully the Deputy's remarks in that regard. I do not want to apportion blame or suggest who might be at fault, as Deputy Durkan did not do so, but it is clear that there is something...

Postal Services. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I have made clear to both sides that I would like to see an efficient and effective postal service that provides customer satisfaction by meeting the needs of customers and employees. It is inevitable that change is needed to put such a service in place. The more I examine postal services throughout the world, the more I understand that change has to happen in Ireland quickly. The broad...

Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 65 together. Media Lab Europe, MLE, was formed by an agreement between the State and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was in operation since early 2000. It was established to conduct non-directive research in the field of digital media. The Government invested €35.5 million in start-up capital for MLE. Property was also purchased for MLE...

Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: On the last question, that four chief executive officers left over a period of five years is a clear indication of the correctness of the decision made and of the fact that MLE certainly had its difficulties. The company made its own decisions in this matter and it had nothing to do with the Department. The company was a stand-alone company and not a semi-State company and therefore the...

Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: On the question of whether the committee shadowing my Department or the Committee of Public Accounts should investigate the matter, nobody has alleged that there was any wrongdoing in respect of this issue and therefore I would not use the word "investigate". My Department and I would certainly have no objection to co-operating if a committee wanted to seek the background details on the...

Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I am the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. The body was under my aegis since I took up that position. It is my responsibility.

Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: We made a collective decision in that regard. It was a Cabinet decision and not an individual decision by the Taoiseach. I recall the relevant memo coming to Government. It was an exciting project and it was unfortunate that the dip in the dot.com sector and the general recession occurred when they did because the company could have delivered had economic conditions remained favourable.

Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I visited the site at least twice in the three months since I took office to see Media Lab and the digital hub. I am aware of the clubhouse and the work done there. We brought Mrs. Kofi Annan to visit it and she was impressed by the activity there. That continues as does the Government's commitment to it which will remain in place. In the files covering its five years of existence and the...

Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: There is a timeframe for consultations, namely, the end of this month and early next month. I hope we will receive expressions of interest. The tender document has been released inviting these by the middle of this year when they will be assessed. In response to Deputy Broughan I wish to enter a caveat that we should not allow the failure of the experiment with Media Lab to overshadow the...

Alternative Energy Projects. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: The energy regulator's letter to me took the view that additional wind energy projects can be developed without special support. It did not suggest that there is no need to develop the wind energy sector at this time. I have put the letter from the Commission for Energy Regulation out for consultation in the context of finalising the work of the renewable energy development group. I have...

Alternative Energy Projects. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: As I said in my original response, the regulator took the view that wind energy projects could be developed without special support. The regulators are entitled to their view. It is not a policy decision by me. The current policy is that by 2010 we will provide 13.2% of our energy from alternative sources. What will emerge following the current review of the renewable energy development...

Alternative Energy Projects. (8 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I do not have the figure off the top of my head, but it is less than 5%.

Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (3 Feb 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I have no statutory function in relation to this matter. It is an operational issue for the board and management of An Post.