Results 1,741-1,760 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

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

Pat Rabbitte: There are a great many more this year.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Service Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Under Section 123 of the Broadcasting Act, 2009, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources may, with the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, pay RTÉ in respect of each financial year an amount equal to the total television licence fee receipts in that year less (i) any expenses incurred in relation to the collection of those fees, and (ii) an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Community Development Projects (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The Community Support Scheme (CSS) was administered through 14 LEADER companies and Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann in respect of island communities and Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta Teoranta, in respect of the Gaeltacht areas. The closing date for receipt of applications was 31 March 2009 and final payments under the scheme were distributed by my Department to the Leader...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Ireland has one of the best offshore renewable energy resources in Europe. Cost effective harnessing of the potential of this sector will be crucial to reducing our dependence on expensive fossil fuel imports, creating a low carbon energy system and delivering jobs in the green economy. My Department is currently finalising an Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP). Informed by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Angling Sector Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 334 to 336, inclusive, together. The most comprehensive study of the recreational angling sector ever undertaken was carried out by Tourism Development Ireland (TDI) on behalf of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). I am advised that TDI is a renowned and widely respected professional consultancy company with a global presence. TDI have been commissioned...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Agencies Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), established on 1 July 2010, is an agency of my Department, which appears before the Committee on Transport and Communications as required. At the invitation of the Joint Sub-Committee on Fisheries of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, IFI attended the sub-committee in March 2013. The details requested by the Deputy are set out in the table...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Agencies Issues (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together. In accordance with Section 47 of the Inland Fisheries Act, 2010 Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is obliged to prepare and submit an annual report on its activities to the Minister who in turn is required to lay the Annual Report before each House of the Oireachtas. The 2011 IFI Annual Report, which reflected the first full year of IFI's...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Agencies Expenditure (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) was established on 1 July 2010 following the enactment of the Inland Fisheries Ireland Act 2010, with the merger of the seven Regional and the Central Fisheries Boards. Direct Exchequer funding for IFI was reduced by €2.582 million in 2010 compared to 2009 which is mainly attributable to savings arising from the restructuring of the inland fisheries...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: Three onshore licensing options were granted in February 2011, by the previous Government, two over parts of the North West Carboniferous (Lough Allen) Basin and one over parts of County Clare. These licensing options conferred upon the holders the first right to apply for an exploration licence over the areas concerned. I can confirm that two of the three companies, (Tamboran Resources and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 342 and 344 together. All citizens are entitled to reasonable access to basic telephone services at fixed locations in accordance with the universal service provisions contained in the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Universal Service and User’s Rights) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 337/2011). It is a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadcasting Service Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The 2014 Budget provided for a €2.5 billion adjustment in the Government's fiscal position. Expenditure cuts of €1.6 billion were central to this adjustment and difficult decisions were required across all Departmental budgets. By its very nature, this process involved detailed and ongoing consideration at Departmental and Ministerial level of the range of potential expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Expenditure (22 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: The 2014 Expenditure Report estimate for voted expenditure for my Department is €401 million, consisting of €321 million in current expenditure 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...

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: It is "Yes I will try" because I am persuaded of the value of an argument where it concerns that economic viability. I presume it is the location of Sligo vis-à-vis the network because one presumes that a town of the density of Sligo ought to be economically-----

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: That is a factor in the economic assessment that is done. I do not know whose questions I have failed to answer. I will have to go down with Senator Healy Eames and go up this boreen with her to establish where the gas has stopped in the middle of the road. I did not know about that.

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: It is the kind of offer a man should not refuse, and I will-----

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As the Minister, Deputy Noonan, says, like Cathy Barry's dog, I will go a bit of the road with her.

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: As I said, everybody wants access to the grid but there are sound economic reasons it can be difficult in some cases. I thank Senators who have contributed to the Second Stage debate on the legislation. As I told the House, I will be bringing forward a few amendments, some of them technical but one or two of them important, and I look forward to Committee Stage in the House.

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I think we have done that. They are capped at the Taoiseach's salary of €200,000, but his salary nowadays is €100,000 less than what it was when his predecessor was in office. I refer to Senator Ó Clochartaigh's query about the Corrib gasfield. The company will have to make a new application to the Environmental Protection Agency for an integrated pollution prevention...

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank all of the Senators who thoughtfully contributed to the Bill. However, a great deal of the debate has focused on two or three key areas. I shall commence by responding to Senator Daly. He is not the only Member of the House to question whether, as he put it, this is a wise move and said he finds it disturbing. The truth is that I probably would not have brought the Bill before the...

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not want to follow her example myself.