Results 1,721-1,740 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that 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. On the 24 November last, the Minister launched a public...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (11 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Responsibility for the regulation of the retail electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent statutory body. Prices in the electricity and gas retail markets are fully deregulated. Customers can avail of competitive offerings from electricity and gas suppliers. Prices are set by suppliers and are commercial and operational matters for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (11 Dec 2014)

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: Television Licences Data (11 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Prosecutions for non-payment of TV Licence are a matter for the Courts Service and, therefore, I have no role in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Infrastructure (11 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The provision of 100Mbps connectivity in all post-primary schools, following a public procurement competition, is delivered on existing telecommunications networks, owned and operated by licensed service providers. As such, this project did not require any new infrastructure to be constructed by the State for the purposes of delivering this broadband connectivity. Under the Metropolitan...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Expenditure (11 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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 mid-2015.This process is complex and will include close examination of issues such as: - The appropriate ownership model for the infrastructure; -...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (11 Dec 2014)

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: Post Office Network (11 Dec 2014)

Alex White: It is Government policy that An Post should remain 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. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Speeds (11 Dec 2014)

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: Energy Policy (11 Dec 2014)

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: Wind Energy Generation (11 Dec 2014)

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. Whilst acknowledging that fossil fuels will remain part of the energy mix for some time to come, progress is being made towards increasing the share of renewable energy in our energy mix. Ireland has a legally binding target of meeting 16%...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (11 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan aims to ensure that every citizen, business and public service provider, 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. Telecommunications networks operators are investing...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (11 Dec 2014)

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: Enterprise Support Schemes (10 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Digital adoption by businesses is a priority for Government. It is estimated that Irish consumers spend more than €6bn online annually and this figure is set to almost double by 2020. With up to 70% of Ireland's annual online spend currently going overseas, targeting Irish businesses for online trading is a key jobs and economic imperative. In Ireland today, however, less than 1 in 4...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Cyber Security Policy (9 Dec 2014)

Alex White: Government, businesses and private individuals depend increasingly on information and communications technologies in day-to-day social and business transactions. It is important therefore that Government takes steps to minimise risks to infrastructure and services. My Department has been active in building systems and competence in the cyber security area over the past number of years....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (9 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together. The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. 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 of renewable energy in our...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (9 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 455, 456 and 457 together. 455, 456 and 457 together. I recently 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 and consultation with interested industry stakeholders, which will inform the content of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Alternative Energy Projects (9 Dec 2014)

Alex White: I recently 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. These assessment processes will commence shortly. The draft Plan recognises that, although Ireland will remain a net importer of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Policy (9 Dec 2014)

Alex White: The written consultation process on the Green Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland concluded on 31 July 2014. Over 1,240 submissions were received. The process of developing a definitive Energy Policy is continuing. Further engagement at stakeholder events at various Dublin and regional locations has been taking place over recent months. My Department is focussed on identifying all issues...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Properties (9 Dec 2014)

Alex White: While Mountjoy House lies within the main campus of buildings and facilities of Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, the building is part of the property portfolio of the Office of Public Works and OSI is not responsible for its maintenance or refurbishment. For the information of the Deputy, I understand that remedial works are currently being undertaken by the Office...