Results 16,621-16,640 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Coastal Protection: Coastal Protection (25 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: Responsibility for coast protection rests with the property owner whether it be a local authority or a private individual. In July 2002 my Department requested all coastal local authorities to submit proposals, in order of priority, for consideration in the context of the 2003-2006 national coast protection programmes. Kerry County Council submitted a proposal for coast protection works at...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (25 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The establishment of future targets and support mechanisms and the associated additional costs to increase the production of electricity from renewable energy sources are a matter for Government on my recommendation. As part of that process my Department, in consultation with Sustainable Energy Ireland, will advise on costs. My view is that until future targets and support options are settled...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (25 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: Upgrades to the electricity network generally are matters for the network operators in consultation with the Commission for Energy Regulation. Grid upgrade requirements for the connection of wind farms are specific to the location and capacity of the proposed wind farms and interaction with other proposed wind farms in close proximity. As a general rule to date, even where wind farms secure...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (25 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: As prescribed by the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 the requisite consent of the Minister for Finance to the terms and conditions of employment, including remuneration, applicable to the two additional members of the Commission for Energy was received last week. My Department, since then, requested the Office of the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission to host a competition for...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (25 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The Sustainable Energy Act 2002 formally established Sustainable Energy Ireland as the statutory independent agency with responsibility for promoting the development of sustainable and renewable energy in Ireland. The board of Sustainable Energy Ireland was constituted with effect from 1 May 2002, when the Authority was formally established. There are 12 members on the board, including the...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (25 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: There are no vacancies at present on the board of Sustainable Energy Ireland.

Written Answers — Compensation Payments: Compensation Payments (25 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: Responsibility for the administration of the revitalisation programme for the Castlemaine harbour bottom mussel fishery was vested in Bord Iascaigh Mhara. All decisions were taken by BIM and accordingly it would not be appropriate for me to comment on individual cases.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. I shall arrange for it to be collated and forwarded as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Eel Population: Eel Population (18 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The European eel is one of the truly indigenous freshwater fish species found in Ireland. It has been an integral part of life in rural communities for thousands of years. There is increasing scientific evidence presented at national and international levels of a serious and sustained decline in eel populations, not just in Ireland, but throughout Europe. At present the European eel stock is...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (18 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I have informed the House of my intention to bring forward proposals to establish a new agency with responsibility for all maritime safety and coast guard matters. The proposals will include locating the agency headquarters in Drogheda. The decision to locate the agency in Drogheda was taken for operational reasons. It also reflects Government decentralisation policies. The agency will be...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (18 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: The development of a landing place on Ireland's Eye is a matter for its owners. My Department has no function in the matter.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (13 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: As I indicated in my reply to Question No. 121 of 24 February 2004, investigations have been carried out in respect of matters relating to the discovery last summer of salmon buried on land near Casla, County Galway. As proceedings are pending, it would not be appropriate to comment further on the matter at this time. My Department continues to carry out regular residue testing in accordance...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (13 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: A comprehensive system of monitoring and control of sea lice levels at marine finfish farms is operated on behalf of my Department by the Marine Institute. Certain inspections carried out at some fish farms in Connemara this year have found elevated levels of lice which in a limited number of cases have been of the magnitude suggested by the Deputy. In any such cases, the operators of the...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (13 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I am advised that the submission, dated 7 May 2004, to which the Deputy refers was received by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, earlier this week. As the Deputy may be aware, I recently commissioned a fundamental review of the inland fisheries sector, which is ongoing. The independent consultants undertaking the review are required, inter alia, to evaluate the adequacy of...

Seanad: Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (6 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I again thank Senators for their forbearance in allowing me to bring the Bill through the House in such an expeditious manner. A number of Members referred to the cost of electricity. Senator Kenneally provided figures to show the cost of residential electricity in Ireland is below the EU average. The position is different for industrial users. However, with the opening of the market in 2005,...

Seanad: Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the House for the expeditious passage of this legislation. It will allow the ESB to continue to invest. It is hoped that it will be quickly passed in Dáil and signed into law. I will return to the House with the more substantive Bill later this year. I thank the Senators for their remarks and my officials for the work they have carried out on this Bill.

Seanad: Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (6 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: Molaim an Bille don Teach. I commend this Bill to Seanad Éireann. The purpose of this Bill is to raise the ESB's statutory borrowing limit which will facilitate its major infrastructure investment programme being undertaken. This includes significant investment in renewing and upgrading the electricity network. The statutory borrowing limit currently stands at £1.6 billion which is...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (4 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: Officials from my Department and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government are considering the modalities for the transfer of Baltimore Harbour and certain other harbours operating under the Harbours Act 1946 to local authority ownership. I expect that the work will take some months to come to fruition as it involves, inter alia, the undertaking of an audit of the...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (4 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: Six exploration wells were drilled between 1999 and 2004, all of them off the north-west, west and south-west coasts. All six wells have been plugged and abandoned. Shell E&P Ireland's Dooish well penetrated a substantial column of gas condensate, however, the results of which are being analysed. A second well, Statoil's Cong well, had both oil and gas shows. There are no remaining...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (4 May 2004)

Dermot Ahern: I rely on the advice of the National Salmon Commission and the managers of the regional fisheries boards to determine the terms of the wild salmon and sea-trout tagging scheme, which, inter alia, sets out the quotas for the commercial catch in each of the 17 fishery districts, including the Kerry district. The district quotas for 2004 have been set out in regulations which my colleague, the...