Results 161-180 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: North-South Interconnector (16 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...

Other Questions: Energy Policy (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: According as we increase our renewable portfolio, we are not only doing the work we need to do in terms of replacing fossil fuels, but renewable energy is indigenous and does not require us to import any fuel in order to generate, for example, electricity. At the same time as replacing fossil fuels, and replacing dirtier fuels and fuel inputs, we are also reducing our dependence on imports....

Other Questions: Energy Policy (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: There is a discussion on these matters in the White Paper, which is due for publication tomorrow. It contains a discussion of the contribution that can be made by the different renewable sources. We have hydropower here but we do not have huge potential for its development in terms of large-scale projects. Onshore wind energy has proven to be very cost-effectvie but it is the not, and...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Incentives (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: The 2009 EU renewable energy directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. This is not without its challenges, as I have said, particularly in the areas of heat and transport. The potential of the bioenergy sector to make a significant contribution in this regard is well recognised. I published a draft bioenergy...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Incentives (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I appreciate what the Deputy said about the domestic sector. We have large industrial users in place in the country. We might not like many of these big operations and companies and so on but there is no point in us believing that we should not bring them into the picture and ensure that we incentivise them. I understood that was the point the Deputy was making with respect to a cut at the...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Incentives (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: We would like to try to do both. In terms of the scale of what we are proposing and the analysis we have done in regard to the RHI, it would not be suitable at this point to direct the RHI scheme into the domestic sector. There will be much that we can do in the domestic sector. We will discuss this in the White Paper which is due to be published tomorrow. We will publish an affordable...

Other Questions: Energy Policy (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 as our energy system undergoes the radical transformation required to meet our climate change policy objectives. A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and price...

Other 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...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: On the last issue the Deputy raised, I again emphasise it will be a minimum of 30 Mbps. The Deputy is correct. Given the exponential improvement in the technology and what is now possible, this sector is expanding and enhancing its services at a very high rate. What we expect of operators, and what we will do in the procurement process, is to understand from them how they will future-proof...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I have already given the House information on the timescale. This is not step 1; this is step 3, as I have indicated. Step 1 was the publication of the map a year ago. Step 2 was the strategy in July of this year and step 3 is now the procurement process, which is about to begin. It will take three to five years to build the entire project.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: We expect to cover 85% by 2018.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I take the Deputy's point about fibre. However, we cannot specify a technology. We have to be technology-neutral.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: Under state aid rules, we cannot do that. I agree with the Deputy that fibre is likely to be the technology we need to deliver these services but we cannot specify it. I have already told the House that we will go to procurement by the end of December. We hope to have a bidder or bidders in place by the middle of 2016. I have told them that it will take between three and five years to...

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: It will take between three to five years to build it.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: It will take between three to five years.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: It starts next year. There will certainly be delivery of product in 2018 because I have given figures in respect of that. The last house will be covered some time before 2020.

Other Questions: National Broadband Plan Implementation (15 Dec 2015)

Alex White: I accept that people are frustrated but when they have high-speed broadband, they will be very satisfied that we have done the right job.

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

Alex White: There are periodic reviews of the regulators. If it is determined or believed at any stage that the legislative environment is not adequate, of course, the Government can review it. If the Deputy has a view of a particular aspect of the legislation that he thinks is deficient, I am keen to hear what it is in order that we can debate the issue. However, I have no reason to believe the...

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

Alex White: The ESB would and does keep me informed of its thinking. It is a decision for it. The White Paper will be published tomorrow but in the context of the transition we are embarked upon and that we must deliver to achieve a low carbon economy the fuel mix is an important policy question for the State and will have to be dealt with. Decisions will have to be made on Moneypoint within the next...

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

Alex White: The supports for the peat stations will cease in 2019. Decisions have been made about those subsidies. This will be a transition. It will not happen in one fell swoop because there are people whose livelihoods and jobs depend on many of these generating stations. We have to ensure that the transition also serves people who have worked for many years with these old technologies and show...