Results 181-200 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Funding (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The renewable electricity feed-in tariff, REFIT, schemes are the principal means of supporting renewable electricity generators for energy exported to the grid. Based on power purchase agreements between generators and electricity suppliers, REFIT schemes assure a minimum price for each unit of electricity exported to the grid over a 15 year period. Projects seeking support under REFIT must...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Funding (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The €156 million is the cost for overall renewable generation, not specifically wind. Of course it would be great if we could achieve our objectives without any State subsidy. It would be highly desirable not to have to subsidise the sector at all. However, it has been demonstrated that to bring forward the new renewable technologies and investments, that subsidy is required. Other...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I also thank the Deputy for his comments and wish him well. My engagement with him has been always very satisfactory and I thank him for his unfailing courtesy. He has always addressed the issue, not the man, for which I thank him. The Government has supported a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of renewable energy, many of which have been successful in encouraging...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The Deputy is right. The ambition underlying the Paris agreement calls for considerable change across the world, including Ireland. We have made decisions and are required to make more to ensure we can credibly decarbonise the economy, which is the objective. The issue of community energy co-operatives will be addressed in the White Paper. I agree with the Deputy that there is enormous...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: It sounds as if the Deputy has already had a sneak preview of the White Paper because the role of the education sector, research institutions and the universities will be critical in the energy transition. We need excellent research in order that we can direct and have a plan in place to decarbonise the economy that will involve the State at its best in giving leadership and the funding of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy for all consumers. A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and price volatility is essential for Irish consumers. Fossil fuels will remain part of the energy mix as we transition to a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

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 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 is currently investing approximately...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: There is an absolute commitment to doing this and it is not just a commitment; we are delivering on the plan I outlined to the Dáil as a new Minister in July 2014. As I reminded the Deputy before and will do so again, I stated there would be three key events between July 2014 and December 2015. The first was the publication of the map, splitting the country into areas that the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The operators, including Eir, have put forward plans and proposals for the period 2016 to 2020. My Department and I have assessed those proposals and particularly their credibility from a financial, deployment, legal and technical perspective. When I make my announcement in the coming days, I will indicate whether we intend to change the map published in respect of the configuration between...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: North-South Interconnector (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: As the Deputy will be aware, EirGrid made a formal application for the North-South Transmission Line project to An Bord Pleanála on 9 June 2015. I am constrained, therefore, in what I can say in relation to the project other than the provision of factual information. The North-South Transmission Line project is part of EirGrid's plans to upgrade the national electricity transmission...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The Government's 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 will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

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. On 29 September last the Government approved an allocation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

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 will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided. The Plan aims to ensure that 85% of all premises in Ireland have access to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: In December 2013, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government began a review of the existing Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review focused on the specific issues of noise, proximity, and shadow flicker. Submissions were received from around 7,500 organisations and members of the public during the public consultation period. This is a very technical area and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

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 proposed State intervention under the National...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The Whitegate refinery was privatised as a result of its sale by the State in 2001. Under the terms of the sale, the owners are obliged to continue to operate the refinery for a minimum of fifteen years, a commitment which remains in place until July 2016. Thereafter the future of the refinery is a commercial decision for the owners. The Government views the continued operation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: In December 2013, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government began a review of the existing Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review focused on the specific issues of noise, proximity, and shadow flicker. It is set against the backdrop of the need to tackle global warming, reduce Ireland's reliance on fossil fuels, and meet our legally binding EU and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

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 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 is currently investing approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Public Service Obligation Levy Application (15 Dec 2015)

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. The Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy is the support mechanism used for two very important objectives. Firstly, it supports electricity generation which was constructed for security of supply purposes, including peat generation....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Conservation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: Smart Meters are the next generation of energy device which will replace the traditional electricity and gas meters. These devices work by communicating with both the consumer and their energy provider, giving a view of actual energy usage. This provision of actual consumption information, as well as a range of possible additional services such as time-of-use tariffs, can deliver numerous...