Results 1,241-1,260 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Production (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: As I mentioned, a number of reports and analyses have examined the effect of renewables on issues such as electricity prices. The Deputy is correct there is a cost involved. There is a cost associated with any of the technologies in terms of the supports and incentives we need to put in place. This issue is about accessibility of technology, the state of development of technology and the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Production (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: People make assertions about the level of investment involved and sometimes they think other technologies are cheaper, but when we delve into the issue and examine and analyse it, that is not always the case. However, we must keep these issues in mind in the context of the White Paper and the decision we will make later in the year. If we were to consider taking the biomass approach at...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (28 Apr 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. In tandem with commercial developments, intensive work is under way in my Department to progress a State-led investment to secure the countrywide introduction of next-generation broadband access. As the Deputy is aware, there was a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: As I am unfortunately not familiar with EirGrid's precise testimony to the committee, I cannot comment on it. I outlined in my initial reply the process undertaken in respect of all of these projects. The process involves EirGrid initially setting out its position and the independent expert panel then assesses the position and reports to me. That is the process we have undertaken in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: I am not in a position to comment on what was said at the committee. However, I know from my knowledge of the project and the requirements in respect of the grid that technical feasibility is not the only aspect to be considered. All of us are aware that cost represents another dimension. The issue is one for EirGrid to address. It has brought forward its proposals and the independent...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Electricity Transmission Network (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: On 27 March EirGrid published, for public comment, a discussion paper on Ireland's grid development strategy, entitled "Your Grid, Your Views, Your Tomorrow". The paper, which reviews, inter alia, the grid link, Grid West, and North-South transmission line projects, confirms that Ireland’s energy transmission needs may be met with reduced new infrastructure build because of new...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: Work is being advanced by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in conjunction with my Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, on the review of the 2006 Wind Energy Guidelines. It is proposed to update certain sections of the existing guidelines. There will also be a number of technical appendices developed to assist planning authorities in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Services (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: In recognition of the challenges facing the post office network, I established the Post Office Network Business Development Group in January this year to explore potential commercial opportunities for post offices. The Terms of Reference for the Group are to: - examine the potential from existing and new Government and commercial business that could be transacted through the post office...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (28 Apr 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: Broadband Service Expenditure (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: The proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan represents a very significant capital investment project for the State. I have undertaken to complete a detailed intervention strategy that will be submitted to Government in the middle of this year. Costs associated with the Government’s intervention are an important part of the detailed work that is being undertaken to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: The WestWave project is a collaborative ocean energy project led by the ESB with the objective of accelerating the development of the ocean energy sector in Ireland. ESB is working with a number of wave energy project developers to realise this 5MW project off the coast of Clare, and the details in regard to the developers, the procurement process and specific technologies involved are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Services (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: Postal services play an important communications role, serving the needs of domestic and business customers alike. However, the postal sector is undergoing systemic change with migration towards electronic communications resulting in significant core mail volume declines. It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high quality...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (28 Apr 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: Hydraulic Fracturing (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: As has been outlined to this House on a number of occasions, no decision will be made on any application proposing the use of hydraulic fracturing, as part of an unconventional gas exploration or extraction project, until there has been time to consider the outcome of a major research programme, directed at examining the potential environmental and human health impacts of hydraulic...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony Services Provision (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: I refer the Deputy to Question No. 9 on today's Order Paper.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan will deal conclusively with Ireland's connectivity challenge so that current and future generations will have a guaranteed access to high quality, high speed broadband, provided by commercial operators or through the proposed State intervention. The intervention network we wish to see built will be scalable and capable of meeting future anticipated traffic growth....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Production (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: Both I and Government colleagues have consistently been supportive of the proposal by Shannon LNG to construct a LNG terminal near Ballylongford, County Kerry. The LNG facility would provide additional security of supply to Ireland in that it would bring diversity to Ireland's supply sources and would bring connectivity for the first time to the global LNG market. Such a facility would be a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: In January 2014, an Independent Expert Panel (IEP) was established to oversee the integrity of the process being undertaken by EirGrid to report on comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground options for both the Grid Link (GL) and Grid West (GW) projects. While the North South Transmission Line project (N/S) is outside the IEP's Terms of Reference, the IEP did agree, on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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: Electricity Transmission Network (28 Apr 2015)

Alex White: On 27 March 2015 Eirgrid published, for public comment, a discussion paper on Ireland's grid development strategy - "Your Grid, Your Views, Your Tomorrow.". The paper underlines EirGrid’s renewed efforts to engage with stakeholders and citizens with a view to encouraging greater public participation in the organisation’s decision making. Eirgrid are seeking public comments on...