Results 1,621-1,640 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (29 Jan 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: Broadband Service Speeds (29 Jan 2015)

Alex White: Ireland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. Therefore decisions on when and where to locate investment are always taken on commercial grounds, having regard to the likely return on investment. I have no role in relation to day to day operations of commercial telecommunication companies. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (29 Jan 2015)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 182 together. It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high-quality postal service and maintain a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community. The post office network faces significant challenges given the impact of the economic downturn over the last few years,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Communication Services (29 Jan 2015)

Alex White: The provision of electronic communications and postal services occur within fully liberalised markets, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) which is independent in the exercise of its functions. ComReg has imposed universal services obligations on eircom and An Post to ensure universal public access to basic electronic communications and postal services at...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electric Vehicles (29 Jan 2015)

Alex White: Through its membership of the International Energy Agency, Ireland has regular contact with all of the leading countries who are actively promoting electric vehicles and we receive regular updates on technological progress and policies to promote electric vehicles (EVs). Technology advances will continue in the sector, with the biggest developments expected to take place in the areas of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (29 Jan 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. Ireland is currently heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels to meet our energy needs. While it is acknowledged that fossil fuels will remain part of the energy mix for some time to come, progress is being made towards increasing the share...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Appointments (29 Jan 2015)

Alex White: No such representations have been made to my Department on behalf of individuals seeking appointment to State Boards. I and my predecessor have outlined a number of times to this House the important changes in relation to appointments to State Boards which this government made from the outset to widen the opportunity to participate at State Board level by seeking revised expressions of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Incentives (28 Jan 2015)

Alex White: In October last year, I published a Draft Bioenergy Plan which is available on my Department’s website (). The draft Plan will undergo Strategic Environmental and Appropriate Assessments, including public consultation, which will inform the content of the finalised Plan. The analysis underpinning the draft Plan is that an additional bioenergy focussed measure in the heat sector would...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Commission for Energy Regulation (28 Jan 2015)

Alex White: The Commission for Energy Regulation's (CER) primary economic responsibilities in energy are to regulate the Irish electricity and natural gas sectors. There is free entry to the Irish oil market, no price control and it is Government policy to encourage price competition and consumer choice. It is important to note that the Irish oil sector is completely privatised, liberalised and...

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

Alex White: The Governemnt has acknowledged the unreliable quality of broadband connectivity in many rural parts of the country including County Kerry. The NBP will deal conclusively with rural connectivity issues so that current and future generations will have a guaranteed access to high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Job Creation (28 Jan 2015)

Alex White: Since 2002, the regulation of the gas market has been the responsibility of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is independent in the performance of its functions. I have no direct statutory function in relation to liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, including specific projects such as the Shannon LNG project. Both I and Government colleagues have consistently been...

Seanad: Broadband, Post Office Network and Energy White Paper: Statements (27 Jan 2015)

Alex White: I thank Senators for their very interesting contributions, most of which I will not have an opportunity to respond to in the time available. However, my officials and I have taken careful note of everything that has been said and I hope to continue our engagement on these important issues. This Government's commitment to rural Ireland is manifest in a number of ways, notably in the national...

Seanad: Broadband, Post Office Network and Energy White Paper: Statements (27 Jan 2015)

Alex White: I am pleased to accept this opportunity to address the House on aspects of my brief as Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. It is a very broad brief and I have been asked to focus on three specific issues: the development of energy policy; the future of the post office network and the roll-out of our plan to bring high-speed broadband to every home, school and business...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (27 Jan 2015)

Alex White: The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure, sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. As a State we have ambitious targets for 16% of our energy from renewable sources by 2020 through meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources, with 10% renewables in transport and 12% in heat. In 2013, 7.8% of Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (27 Jan 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: National Broadband Plan Implementation (27 Jan 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 Service Charges (27 Jan 2015)

Alex White: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No. 6 of 11 December 2014, in which I set out the position in relation to consideration of the Public Service Broadcasting Charge, and that a number of administrative and operational amendments are also under consideration. This position has not changed.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (27 Jan 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 Provision (27 Jan 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 Service Obligation Levy (27 Jan 2015)

Alex White: The Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy has been in place since 2001 and is the overall support mechanism for generation constructed for security of supply purposes, including peat generation, and for the development of renewable electricity. It is designed to compensate electricity suppliers for the additional costs they incur by purchasing electricity generated by these producers. The...