Results 61-80 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: North-South Interconnector (6 Apr 2016)

Alex White: EirGrid is the designated Transmission System Operator and its role includes the operation, maintenance and development of the electricity transmission network in Ireland. As detailed in the Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure, the Government does not seek to direct EirGrid in the development of energy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan (6 Apr 2016)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 793 to 795, inclusive, together. The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Prices (6 Apr 2016)

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. This policy is set out in the White Paper published in 2015, Ireland’s Transition to a Low Carbon Future 2015-2030. The Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy is a charge on all electricity consumers and is a support mechanism used...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony Services (6 Apr 2016)

Alex White: Conditions regarding levels of mobile telephony coverage to be delivered by Mobile Network Operators are attached to licences issued by ComReg. Operators tend to exceed these coverage requirements for commercial reasons. However, as mobile services are a radio based technology, services can be affected by topography, quality of handsets, the capacity of the network and proximity to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Post Office Network (6 Apr 2016)

Alex White: I understand that the Department of Social Protection, in line with the National Payments Plan, is seeking to reduce cheque usage in the economy; this is not only a matter of decreasing the significant costs associated with cheques in that Department and wider economy but also of enhancing customer convenience. While such issues are a matter for the Minister for Social Protection, I...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (6 Apr 2016)

Alex White: The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This is being 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 has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electric Vehicles (6 Apr 2016)

Alex White: Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is an independent regulator. I understand that there is currently no charge for recharging of electric vehicles at ESB operated chargepoints.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (6 Apr 2016)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 801 to 805, inclusive, together. The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (22 Mar 2016)

Alex White: The first public consultation on the design of a new renewable electricity support scheme was published in July 2015. The initial phase of this consultation process, which closed on 18 September 2015, was designed to review the technology options that may be supported by any new scheme. There will be additional public consultation phases in 2016, which...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (22 Mar 2016)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 553 and 554 together. The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (22 Mar 2016)

Alex White: The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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 has invested...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (22 Mar 2016)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 556 to 558, inclusive, together. The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (22 Mar 2016)

Alex White: The Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) 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 has invested...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Telecommunications Services Provision (22 Mar 2016)

Alex White: The provision of mobile telephony services is subject to a requirement to secure access to the required radio spectrum by way of licence. The management of radio spectrum is a statutory function of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg is independent in the exercise of its functions. Licences issued by ComReg impose terms and conditions on Mobile Network Operators,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (22 Mar 2016)

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 is being achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The Department strongly welcomes and encourages ongoing commercial investment...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Departmental Staff Data (22 Mar 2016)

Alex White: My Department is currently seeking to fill two positions with candidates who have proficiency in the Irish language.

Seanad: Energy Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Feb 2016)

Alex White: The purpose of amendment No. 1 is to broaden the definition of "improper conduct" by the addition of two new provisions, at subsections (a) and (e), to the definition of improper conduct. Subsection (a) provides that improper conduct will include a failure by the holder of a licence to supply electricity to comply with such standards or performance as may be specified by the commission in...

Seanad: Energy Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Feb 2016)

Alex White: This is a technical amendment to section 9(1F) of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999. Section 9 of the Act provides for the functions of the CER, and subsection (1F) provides that it shall be a function of the CER to ensure there is a high standard of protection for all final customers, including in their dealings with energy undertakings. The definition of "final customers" under section...

Seanad: Energy Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Feb 2016)

Alex White: The purpose of this amendment is to insert a new provision into the 1999 Act. This provision will enable the CER - the regulator - to specify in the licence to supply electricity such standards of performance and quality in connection with the supply of electricity to final customers as the CER determines ought to be achieved by the licence holder. The provision places a statutory...

Seanad: Energy Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Feb 2016)

Alex White: This is a technical amendment that provides that a reference to the Act of 2002 is a reference to the Gas (Interim) (Regulation) Act 2002. Amendment No. 6 is an amendment to section 13(1) of the Gas (Interim) (Regulation) Act 2002, which refers to the requirement by certain licence holders to publish, subject to the approval of the commission, a code of operations in respect of all technical...