Results 1,021-1,040 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Speeds (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 partnership between Government and commercial telecommunications companies. The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5 billion in network upgrades and...

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

Alex White: The EU's 2020 targets for emissions reductions, renewable energy and energy efficiency form a cornerstone of EU energy policy. The EU aims to deliver a 20% improvement in energy efficiency, a 20% reduction in Green House Gas emissions and 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020. The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy...

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

Alex White: Given the breadth of my Department's remit, no overall audit has been conducted on the availability of natural resources. However, at a sectorial level a substantive amount of research has been undertaken to establish technical and economic potential with a view to enhancing economic development. The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Corrib Gas Field (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: Completion of the Corrib gas field development works, by the developer, together with obtaining all of the necessary consents, are the principal factors that will determine the date for first gas. Construction and testing of the infrastructure is on-going with first gas anticipated later this year. I understand that the bulk of the gas produced from the Corrib field will be supplied to the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (16 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I refer to the reply to Question No. [22935/15] on today's Order Paper.

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

Alex White: The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and price volatility, is essential to Irish consumers. Provisional figures provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of...

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

Alex White: The European Commission recently published the Energy Union Package, A Framework Strategy for a Resilient Energy Union with a Forward-Looking Climate Change Package. The package and accompanying suite of documents are available at . These documents set out the European Union policy to achieve secure, sustainable, competitive and affordable energy for all EU energy customers, be they...

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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electric Vehicles (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. The Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme supports, through grants of up to €5,000,...

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

Alex White: Statutory Instrument (S.I.) No. 426 of 2014 (European Union (Energy Efficiency) Regulations, 2014), transposed the EU Energy Efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU). The key objective of the Directive is to achieve energy efficiency gains for the EU of 20% by 2020. The S.I. sets out the legal basis for measures required to ensure Ireland will improve its energy efficiency by 2020. Ireland, like...

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Referral to Select Committee (11 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Sub-committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources pursuant to Standing Orders 82A(3)(a) and (6)(a) and 126(1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business.

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I thank Deputies for their contributions and especially for their constructive input into this debate. I appreciate the general support that has been expressed for the Bill, or at least the absence of opposition to the specific provisions contained in it. I accept that Deputies raised some general matters relating to the national postcode project. I will come to some of those in the course...

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to present the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Amendment Bill 2015 for the consideration of this House. This legislation is an important, almost final, milestone in the introduction of a national postcode system. Ireland is the only country in the European Union or the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bord na Móna (11 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The matter raised by the Deputy is an operational one for Bord na Móna. The company faces significant business challenges in the context of the deregulated electricity market and increasingly competitive and challenging environments across all its business areas. I understand that in order to ensure its continued success, the company is implementing a programme to transform all...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Rural Broadband Scheme (11 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: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Jun 2015)

Alex White: My Department currently has 7 employees who earn less than €11.45 gross per hour. If a minimum wage of €11.45 were introduced, it would present an additional cost of €20,541.41 gross per annum to my Department. The salaries paid to employees of the bodies under the aegis of my Department are generally matters for those bodies.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Better Energy Homes Scheme (10 Jun 2015)

Alex White: The Better Energy Homes and Better Energy Warmer Homes schemes are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on behalf of my Department. Since 2009, the two schemes have supported the renovation of 261,795 homes in Ireland. In late 2014 my Department working with SEAI reviewed the supports available under the Better Energy Homes scheme in conjunction with the financial...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Implementation (10 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 200 together. The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. The Renewable Electricity Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) schemes are the principal means of supporting renewable electricity generators for renewable energy exported to the grid. The schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Charge (10 Jun 2015)

Alex White: A proportion of the television licence fee monies is already being made available to commercial and community broadcasters through the Broadcasting Funding Scheme, as provided for under Part 10 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. The purpose of this Scheme, which covers both radio and television, is to encourage the inclusion of additional programming of a particular character in broadcasters...

Draft Commission of Investigation (Certain matters concerning transactions entered into by IBRC) Order 2015: Motion (9 Jun 2015)

Alex White: I thank the Acting Chairman for this opportunity to urge the House to support the Minister for Finance's proposal and to approve the order, including the terms of reference set out for the commission of investigation. I listened to a number of contributions, including that of Deputy Creighton. It does not seem that the commission of investigation under the Act will be anything remotely...