Results 1,861-1,880 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electric Vehicle Grants (4 Nov 2014)

Alex White: The Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme was introduced in April 2011 to incentivise and support, through grants of up to €5,000, the early deployment of electric vehicles in Ireland. These grants are in addition to the VRT reliefs of up to €5,000 which apply to electric vehicles. To date, support has been provided for the purchase of 527 new vehicles of which 245 were grant aided in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (4 Nov 2014)

Alex White: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) the Government aims to ensure that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses in Ireland, through a combination of commercial investment and a State-led intervention. The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5bn in network upgrades and at least 1.6m of the 2.3m addresses in Ireland are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Meetings (4 Nov 2014)

Alex White: While primary responsibility for the establishment for Irish Water is a matter for my colleague the Minster for Environment, Community and Local Government and his Department, my Department has progressed certain corporate governance tasks in Ervia in preparation for the establishment of Irish Water. I am advised that a meeting took place on 6 November 2013, attended by my predecessor, the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Postal Services (4 Nov 2014)

Alex White: My Department commenced a procurement process for a National Postcode System in 2011. An open and competitive procurement process was conducted in accordance with Department of Finance and EU procurement frameworks. A pre-qualification questionnaire was issued on on 17 January 2011. This invited interested parties to tender for the contract as a postcode management licence holder for a period...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Conservation (4 Nov 2014)

Alex White: The National Smart Metering Programme (NSMP) is a central component of the Government’s strategy to enhance management of energy demand, deliver smart networks and enable greater energy efficiency. It is also aligned with EU obligations on Member States under the Energy Efficiency Directive to progress smart metering. Under the European Union (Energy Efficiency Regulations) 2014 the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Bioenergy Strategy Implementation (4 Nov 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 analysis underpinning the draft Plan is that an additional bioenergy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Television Licence Fee Collection (4 Nov 2014)

Alex White: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government commits to examining the role and collection of the TV licence fee in light of existing and projected convergence of technologies and to transforming the TV licence into a household based Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) Charge to be applied to all eligible households and applicable businesses, regardless of the device used to access...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Transmission Network (4 Nov 2014)

Alex White: In January 2014, an independent panel of experts, chaired by Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, was established to examine the Grid West and Grid Link projects. The Panel met on several occasions since then to consider and approve the terms of reference for comprehensive, route-specific studies and reports of fully undergrounded and overhead options for each of the Grid West and Grid Link...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Bodies Establishment (4 Nov 2014)

Alex White: There have been no new State Bodies established by my Department since March 2011.

Other Questions: Geological Survey of Ireland (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: I thank the Deputy for tabling the question on this exciting project that will be most helpful in terms of the information provided to many sectors and key stakeholders. The Estimates for my Department published as part of budget 2015 include provision of €3 million next year for the Tellus project, which is a comprehensive environmental and resource mapping project being undertaken...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Generation (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: One cannot be on every committee.

Other Questions: Wind Energy Generation (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: I again draw the attention of the Deputy and the House to the Green Paper-White Paper process and the six months or so between now and the summer that I indicated where there should be no excuse for any of these arguments not being considered and scrutinised, and the opportunity that then presents to us, not only the Government but the country and Parliament, to put in place the best possible...

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: The question relates to the State-led investment aspect of the plan and when I expect to be in a position to commence the public procurement process. Under the national broadband plan the Government aims to ensure that high-speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses in Ireland, through a combination of commercial investment and a State-led intervention. The commercial...

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: On the publication of the maps, I intend that should be done during the course of November. On obtaining state aid clearance, the expectation is that could be obtained during the course of 2015, I hope in the period from the middle to the autumn 2015. Obviously, we are subject to the exigencies of the application process, the detailed information that must be furnished and the interaction...

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: On schools, we have essentially completed the project in the secondary school system. That is a significant and important initiative. I have seen it in operation in a number of schools and it is a considerable achievement of my Department and the Department of Education of Skills. On the primary school sector, I have had some discussions with officials recently. There is a view, because...

Other Questions: Broadband Service Provision (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: The scheduling of debating time is not a matter for me; it is for the Whips. If a debate is what is being suggested, it certainly will not be opposed by me. I plan to ensure that we have a quarterly report available to the House. Deputy Moynihan and the other Members see targets and dates and perhaps the best way of ensuring the process is structured is to provide a quarterly report,...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: The consultation with citizens and local communities has not been adequate and must improve radically. As I mentioned, the Green Paper was published earlier this year. We have received many submissions and responses to it and have gone through them. We have organised a series of nine or ten seminars across the country as an initial response to the submissions. I launched the series some...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: I am aware of those kinds of initiatives and would certainly like to support them as best I can. If the Deputy has any additional information that he wants me to have, he should please furnish it to me, and I will certainly consider it. There is significant scope for district schemes. I have seen evidence of their success in other countries, including in northern Europe. I did not see...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Generation (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: Onshore wind energy has been the most cost-efficient renewable electricity technology in the Irish market. We have installed wind generation capacity of over 2,200 MW, and provisional 2013 figures indicate that 16.5% of electricity demand was met by wind generation. Detailed analysis by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, and EirGrid found that, for 2011, wind generation did...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Generation (23 Oct 2014)

Alex White: We are going to need the network. I am not really quite sure why it is being suggested that the expansion of wind energy generation has achieved the opposite to what was intended.