Results 1,541-1,560 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Semi-State Bodies (10 Feb 2015)

Alex White: Bord na Móna is a commercial semi-state company established under Section 7 of the Turf Development Act, 1946 to produce, market and foster the production and use of turf and turf products. The company also provides products and services in the environmental, renewable energy, electricity generation and waste management business sectors. Under its “New Contract with Nature”...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (5 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Scheme ("NBS") was designed to provide access to basic broadband in parts of rural Ireland where broadband services were deemed to be insufficient. Contrary to the assertion in the Deputy's Question, neither I nor the Government decided to cut or terminate the NBS. In accordance with the EU State Aid clearance for the Scheme, the NBS contract was for a 68 month period...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Data (5 Feb 2015)

Alex White: There are no staff from my Department or any of the agencies under the aegis of my Department working out of the building referred to in the Question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The National Broadband Scheme ("NBS") was designed to provide access to basic broadband in parts of rural Ireland where no broadband services were available. In accordance with the EU State Aid clearance for the Scheme, the NBS contract was for a 5 year period and it expired in August 2014. The expiry of the NBS contract has not resulted in any switch-off of services and there are now...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The Government recognises the need for access to high speed broadband to be provided on a nationwide basis. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (4 Feb 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 in relation to noise, proximity and shadow flicker. It is proposed to update the relevant sections of the existing Guidelines on these specific issues. It is intended...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (4 Feb 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. The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. In order to meet this target, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: Oil in Ireland is primarily used in the transport sector and the heating sector. Oil use in electricity generation is negligible at less than 1 %. The oil market in Ireland is completely liberalised, privatised and deregulated. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission monitors the oil market to ensure that the market is functioning well and that consumers are not being...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (4 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The provision of electronic communications networks and services occurs within a fully liberalised market, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg regulates in accordance with an EU regulatory framework establishing a competitive internal EU electronic communications market. It is allowed to intervene in the competitive market to ensure at least one...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Broadband Service Provision (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I understand the Senator's views and agree with them very much. I also agree with his general points on what is often known as the digital divide. This is an equity issue as much as anything else; it is a matter relevant to business, education, families and the efficient administration of public services. In Dingle - as in other locations around the country - broadband is an important and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Broadband Service Provision (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: The Government's national broadband plan, NBP, will ensure that high-speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses in Ireland through a combination of commercial investment and State intervention. We have created the conditions in which the commercial sector is now investing €2.5 billion. This accelerated pace of investment is hugely encouraging. It is delivering...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Stocks (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I have been advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that the return of log books by anglers and the process of recording individual catch returns on the database for rivers around the country is ongoing, as is normal at this time each year. Consequently the information sought is not currently available. IFI expect to finalise this process in the next four to five weeks and I have requested...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Policy (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I refer to the reply to Question No 7 of 29 January 2014. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I am aware of the report to which the Deputy refers regarding renewable energy in Scotland. Ireland also has ambitious renewable energy targets. Our 2020 target is to have 16% of our energy from renewable sources through meeting 40% of electricity demand, 10% of our transport and 12% of our heat from renewable sources. In 2013, 7.8% of Ireland’s overall energy requirement was met by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Sector Regulation (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: Part 7 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for public service broadcasting in Ireland and the provisions relating to the public service broadcasting corporations, RTÉ and TG4, including their principal objects. These objects provide the companies’ statutory mandates and encapsulate national policy in terms of public service broadcasting. They include the specific objective of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Collection (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: As per Section 145 of the Broadcasting Act 2009, An Post is empowered to issue, on payment of the appropriate fee, licences for television sets. The day to day administration of licence issuing and inspection is a matter for An Post. I have asked An Post to follow up directly with the Deputy in relation to the matters raised.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Contracts Data (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 596 and 597 together. My Department was established in its current configuration in June 2007. The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the period June 2007 to end-2010 is set out in the following table. The additional information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. Company Date Cost Totals - - - - Maxwell Photography...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Relations Contracts Data (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: My Departmental remit includes complex policy areas, oversight of State regulation and service provision across key strategic services such as energy and public broadcasting, and regulation of sectors such as mining and hydrocarbon exploration. Given the technical complexity, economic significance and community interest in these areas, there is a requirement to disseminate information and to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (3 Feb 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: North-South Interconnector (3 Feb 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 600 and 601 together. One of the key concerns arising from public consultation processes on EirGrid’s Grid25 Strategy has been the extent to which undergrounding options have been explored, so as to allow ready comparison with overhead line solutions, for individual projects, including the North South (N/S) transmission line project.In January 2014,...