Results 1,701-1,720 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Relations Contracts Data (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 566 and 578 together. 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 567 and 568 together. My Department has not incurred any expenditure on external IT consultants in the years in question. The Information Systems Division of my Department, does however, have contracts with six IT companies for the provision of ICT personnel, who are classed as contractors rather than consultants. The amount spent under this heading is as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Freedom of Information Data (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following tables: Number of FOI Requests 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Received 52 55 54 70 39 72 Granted 22 17 9 16 2 *2 Part -Granted 12 22 21 23 13 *27 Refused 9 11 4 22 9 21 While the table includes all requests recieved, those requests withdrawn prior to decision are not included. Hence the variance between the total...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Consultancy Contracts Data (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Details of the external reports commissioned by my Department are set out in tabular form below.My Department administers a very diverse, complex and extremely technical brief across criticical and strategic sectors of the Irish Economy. While it has a total complement of around 250 full time equivalent staff of whom a number are technical personnel, the technical, commercial, legal...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The table below outlines the amount paid in subsistence and taxi payments in my Department from 2011 to date. 2011 (000) 2012 (000) 2013 (000) 2014 (to date) (000) Subsistence payments 197 214 187 191 Taxi payments 24 26 35 30 All travel and subsistence payments made to staff in my Department are made in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Legal Costs (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: My Department administers a very diverse and complex brief. Its remit includes oversight of very complex policy areas and direct procurement of major services where protection of the State’s interest must be paramount. This situation necessarily requires my Department to procure specialist external professional advice in legal areas to enable it to discharge its responsibility to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Appointments to State Boards (18 Dec 2014)

Alex White: While I am aware of the forthcoming changes in relation to the employment status of the Chairman of An Post, I am assured that this will not affect the carrying out by the Chairman of his current role in relation to An Post. The current arrangements will continue to apply and any future practical or operational arrangements will be a matter for the Board and the company to settle if or when...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postcode Implementation (17 Dec 2014)

Alex White: A National Postcode Project Cost Benefit Analysis was prepared initially in 2006 and updated in 2010 just prior to the commencement of the procurement process. These documents are published on the Department’s website . The Department is putting in place a framework under which costs and benefits associated with the project will continue to be systematically assessed as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: International Agreements (17 Dec 2014)

Alex White: My Department has no direct role in the implementation of the Istanbul Convention. I understand that the Minister for Justice and Equality has written to a number of Departments on this issue; my Department was not amongst those Departments who were contacted.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Cyber Bullying Issues (17 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I refer to the reply to Question No. 25 of 11 December 2014. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Climate Change Negotiations (17 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I had no discussions on hydraulic fracturing during my participation in the recent climate change conference. At a national level the position remains as outlined to the House on a number of occasions, no decisions will be made on any proposal for the use of hydraulic fracturing in exploration drilling as part of an unconventional gas exploration programme, until there has been time to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (16 Dec 2014)

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. The National Competitiveness Council...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Meetings (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 624 to 626, inclusive, together. The Question posed by the Deputy which was the subject of a reply on 26 November 2014 related to meetings of the Department’s Management Advisory Committee (MAC), which is chaired by the Secretary General of the Department, and the reply dealt with that matter accordingly. The reply also stated that there are monthly...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Wave and tidal energy is still at the research, development and demonstration stage globally. While promising experimental devices have been developed, much research, development and demonstration is required to bring wave energy technology to commercial viability. Policy action to develop the wave energy sector in Ireland, and realise the potential of this abundant indigenous resource, is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Ministerial Travel (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Neither I or the Minister of State have confirmed official travel dates for 2015 as of yet. As a matter of course and where appropriate, we both take the opportunties presented by foreign trips to promote Ireland as a good place for investment and for doing business.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: An Fhoireann Rannach (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Tar éis an cheist a athbhreithniú, ní ba luaithe i mbliana chuir an Roinn seo in iúl don Roinn Caiteachais Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe nach bhfuil aon phost faoi láthair i mo Roinn inar gá duine atá inniúil sa Bhéarla agus sa Ghaeilge araon. Tá an scéal seo á choinneáil faoi athbhreithniú, áfach, i bhfianaise...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I and my Department are acutely aware of the financial challenges faced by families and businesses from high electricity prices. However, it is important to note that the electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive and that they operate within national and European regulatory regimes. I have no statutory function in the setting or review of electricity prices....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The proposal referenced by the Deputy is for a project with wind turbines physically located in Ireland but connecting to the electricity grid in Northern Ireland. The objective of the REFIT 2 scheme in Ireland is to incentivise the development of renewable electricity generation for connection to the electricity grid in Ireland. Projects that are supported by REFIT 2 are funded through the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Currently, there is a whole-of-Government review under the auspices of the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy exploring the scope for providing additional public services and securing new lines of business through the post office network. At the October meeting of the Cabinet Committee, approval was conveyed for the establishment of a business development group to examine potential...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Sector Staff Redeployment (16 Dec 2014)

Alex White: No staff have transferred into my Department from Government Departments in County Waterford or have transferred to other Departments in that county in the past five years. The information sought by the Deputy regarding staff in Agencies under the aegis of the Department is an operational matter for each Agency. I will, therefore, request the relevant Agencies to reply directly to the Deputy...