Results 1,721-1,740 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation Issues (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Biofuel Obligation Scheme Implementation (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Renewable Energy Directive requires that all Member States must ensure that, by 2020, 10% of energy in transport comes from renewable sources. Ireland plans to meet the transport target primarily by mandating the use of biofuels through the Biofuel Obligation Scheme. The scheme works by obligating road transport fuel suppliers to bring a certain amount of sustainable biofuel to the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fuel Prices (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Irish oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated and there is free entry to the market. There is no price control and it is Government policy to encourage price competition and consumer choice. Neither I nor the Commission for Energy Regulation has a statutory function in the regulation of petrol and diesel prices. The upward trend in petrol and diesel prices arises...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Research and Development Funding (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The procurement of software by agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each agency. All of these agencies are aware of the necessity to comply with national and EU legislation and procurement rules to achieve efficiency and value for money in the procurement of goods and services. Issues in relation to research policy are a matter for the Department of Jobs,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (24 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The 2014 Expenditure Report estimate for voted expenditure for my Department is €401 million, consisting of €321 million in current and €80 million in capital expenditure. The full year reduction over the 2013 estimate amounts to €14.5 million with €9.5 million current savings and €5 million capital savings identified. Current expenditure sees a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bord na Móna Operations (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: This is a matter for Bórd na Mona and one in which I, as Minister, have no function.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Internet Access (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Considerable progress has been made in recent years in both the coverage and speeds of national broadband infrastructure, with a multiplicity of commercial operators providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. The Government has also undertaken a number of initiatives to bring broadband to those parts of the country where commercial operators have been unable to offer...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Strategic Environmental Assessment (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: A Renewable Energy Export Policy and Development Framework (with a spatial dimension) is currently being prepared by my Department and will facilitate An Bord Pleanála in making planning decisions on individual proposed renewable energy developments, regardless of location, of significant scale for export. It will be underpinned by a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) which is a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electromagnetic Fields Studies (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: My Department has no function in respect of any aspect of the matter of potential health effects of EMF. Responsibilities previously held by the then Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in relation to such effects of EMF became the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 1 May 2007, with a view to non-ionising radiation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: ESB Pension Scheme Issues (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: In late 2008, the Trustees of the ESB Superannuation Scheme brought forward the Tri-Annual Valuation of the Scheme by one year to assess the financial health of the Scheme. The Actuarial Valuation to 31 December 2008 showed an ongoing valuation deficit of €1.9 billion and a Minimum Funding Standard deficit of €1.8 billion. As required by the Scheme rules, ESB and the ESB Group...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in conjunction with my Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, is undertaking a review of the Wind Energy Guidelines which will address the key issues of noise (including separation distance) and shadow flicker. Draft guidelines will be published for public consultation by end-November 2013 with a view to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bioenergy Strategy Publication (23 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: 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, 12% of heating and 10% of transport power from renewable sources, with the transport target also being legally binding. There are already a number of...

Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Bill has been already signed by the President.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I have a very good idea of what Sinn Féin is opposed to but I am having great difficulty finding out what the party is in favour of. The Senator said he acknowledges that we cannot have economic development without energy and power.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I did not interrupt the Senator.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Senator said he acknowledges that we cannot have economic development without energy and power and I agree with him but he seemed to say we cannot run lines near areas of tourist beauty or across farmland where cattle or horses might graze. Where will we run them? The Senator cannot have it both ways. He cannot say we have to have power lines but not in my backyard. What is going on...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: No, but I suspect that they are being stoked up by guys like the Senator to cause them to fear. He even dragged in health issues. We have had power lines in the country since the late 1940s. My colleagues and I, especially me because of my equable personality, tend to agree with Sinn Féin too often and let the party away with things. The Senator cannot come into the House opposing...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: We have established in respect of the North-South grid that it is approximately three and a half times as expensive to put the lines underground. If we were not here in an adversarial context in this very reflective Chamber and we were outside the House, the Senator would agree it is difficult to find investors to put €500 million into this project, never mind to invest three and a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Development of the high voltage electricity grid as planned in EirGrid's GRID25 strategy is critical to our long-term economic recovery. Energy policy has a pivotal role to play in creating the conditions for an economic recovery and for the job creation we need. We all require access to an affordable and dependable energy supply and the businesses that sell goods and services and provide...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: On-line trading.