Results 121-140 of 2,339 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Seán Power

Written Answers — Social Services: Social Services (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: The European Commission published a Commission Decision dated 15 February 2007 entitled "Reserving the national numbering range beginning with "116" for harmonised numbers for harmonised services of social value". The purpose of this decision is to reserve the 116 telephone number range for use for social services in Ireland. The allocation of specific numbers in the 116 number range in...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: A report entitled "Assessment of the Potential for Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide for the Island of Ireland" was commissioned by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) and Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSINI). The report, which was published in September 2008, quantifies potential carbon storage capacity...

Written Answers — Electricity Grid: Electricity Grid (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: Alternative energy supply to the national electricity grid has increased each year in the last five years for which data is available, viz. 4.4% in 2003, 5.2 % in 2004, 6.8% in 2005, 8.6% in 2006, and 9.5% in 2007. Estimates for 2008 show the figure to stand at around 11%. There are approximately 1,400 megawatts of renewables connected to the grid. In excess of 1,000MW is wind with hydro...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: As the Deputy is aware, as part of the overall rationalisation of State agencies that the Minister for Finance announced in Budget 2009, a new national inland fisheries body will be established, which will replace the existing Central and Regional Fisheries Boards. This is settled Government policy and the Department is working towards its implementation. A restructuring implementation...

Written Answers — Energy Efficiency: Energy Efficiency (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: The Government's Energy Policy Framework identifies energy efficiency as the most cost effective means of reducing our dependence on imported energy, as well as mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. The Government has set a target of 20% energy efficiency by 2020 and, recognising that the public sector must act as exemplars in the field of energy usage, has set a more stretching target of 33%...

Written Answers — Energy Efficiency: Energy Efficiency (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: The Greener Homes Scheme, since its launch in March 2006, has provided support for home owners investing in renewable energy heating technologies. The scheme has evolved over that period, supported by appropriate budgetary allocations year on year. Phase III was launched in July 2008 and continues to support the installation of a variety of technologies in existing homes. Under the Scheme...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: As part of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) contract, 3 will deliver the following speeds: Minimum download speed will be 1.2 Mbps while the maximum download speed will be 5Mbps and Minimum upload speed will be 200Kbps while the maximum upload speed will be 1.8Mbps. These speeds are comparable to what is currently available in the marketplace in urban areas. Additionally, the service will...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: My Department is responsible for overseeing general policy and the State shareholder interest in a number of Commercial State Bodies — ESB, EirGrid, Bord Gáis Éireann, Bord na Móna, INPC, RTÉ, TG4 and An Post. These Bodies employ in the region of 23,300 and had a total turnover of some €6.7 billion in 2007 (the latest published figures). They play a critical role and, in most cases,...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: As indicated in the Minister's answer to Parliamentary Question number 393 of 24th February 2009, a Geothermal Working Group was established by the Department in 2008 to set out the options for the development of a proportionate and realistic regulatory regime for geothermal energy utilisation in Ireland. As part of this process, a public consultation was held between June and August 2008....

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: The acquisition by the State of eircom is not under consideration. Government policy is to facilitate the provision of high quality telecommunications services by competing private sector providers and, where market failure has occurred, the Government has intervened such as in the case of the provision of broadband infrastructure in the regions and the National Broadband Scheme (NBS)....

Written Answers — Postal Services: Postal Services (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: The Programme for Government advocates the introduction of a postcode system to ensure a strong competitive postal sector and to reduce costs for consumers, business and the voluntary sector. Three reports have been commissioned to date on the introduction of postcodes. The first, published in 2005 by the Working Group on Postcodes, recommended the introduction of a postcode on the basis...

Written Answers — Television Licence Fee: Television Licence Fee (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: I am not aware of calls for an increase in the television licence fee. In the past, any increase in the television licence fee has been linked to RTÉ's performance against its published commitments. As the Minister mentioned in the House last month, the Department is currently reviewing RTÉ's 2007 performance and the 2008 performance review will began shortly. The outcomes of these...

Written Answers — Emergency Services: Emergency Services (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: I am aware of a recent EU publication about the emergency access telephone number 112, which claims that there is a low level of awareness of the number in Ireland. The emergency access number 112 was introduced to meet two objectives; the first being to provide a single access emergency number at a national level and the second being to provide a single access emergency number across all of...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: The National energy targets set in the Energy Policy Framework and the Programme for Government for 2010 are 15% of electricity, 5% of heat and 5% of transport fuels to be from renewable sources. The objective is to deliver progressively on these targets, and the targets for 2020, on an annual basis. The estimated figures for 2008 show that approximately 11% for electricity, 4% for heat and...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: Energy storage for electricity production has been developed in Ireland where it can make a useful contribution to balancing electricity supply and consumer demand. This is the case at the ESB's pumped water power station at Turlough Hill which has an installed electricity generating capacity of 292 megawatts. The "All Island Grid Study" published early last year, examines the ability of...

Written Answers — Fuel Prices: Fuel Prices (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: The Irish oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated and there is free entry to the market. There is no price control on petroleum products and it has been the policy of successive Governments to promote the model of free and fair competition with the objective of creating greater price competition and wide consumer choice. My colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for...

Written Answers — Exploration Licences: Exploration Licences (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: I am not aware of the reports referred to by the Deputy. In response to previous Dáil questions it has been stated that exploration adjacent to the base metal mine at Galmoy, County Kilkenny (Galmoy Mines Ltd.) had discovered additional resources, which had the potential to extend the life of the mine. New State Mining Licences had been granted to the company in respect of these additional...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: The proposals that the European Commission has tabled will make possible the spending of €1bn for the provision of broadband access in rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The proposal requires the approval by the European Council of the European Economic Recovery Plan at the Spring Council meeting to be held on March 19th — 20th. If approved Member...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: Following scientific research conducted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), indicating that the European eel stocks are in a critical state, the EU introduced Council Regulation 1100/2007, the objective of which is to achieve recovery of the stocks to previous high levels. The Regulation requires the Irish authorities to prepare a national Eel Management Plan...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: If a company with a petroleum exploration licence were to make a commercial discovery of oil offshore it would be required to bring forward a detailed plan of development for my approval. Any such plan of development could be based on a mobile production facility or a tieback to a land based facility. The development would be governed by a petroleum lease agreed between the State and the...