Written Answers Nos. 138 to 145
138. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Social Protection the names and amount by which each programme manager-special adviser in her Department has exceeded the relevant pay guidelines, as laid down; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54757/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs my special advisor Mr Ed Brophy was previously employed in the private sector on a salary package that was more than twice the highest point of the Principal Officer (standard) scale, I sought sanction from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for remuneration in excess of the applicable pay scale grade. A single point salary of €127,796 was sanctioned by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform effective from 29 July 2011 which represented a reduction of over one third in my Special Adviser’s previous salary in the private sector at that time. The salary has been reduced in line with the Haddington Road Agreement and now stands at €119,572.
139. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the names and amount by which each programme manager-special adviser in his Department has exceeded the relevant pay guidelines, as laid down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54745/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraNeither of the two Advisors in my Department exceeds the relevant pay guidelines referred to by the Deputy.
As I have previously informed the House, both Advisors were appointed at the first point of the Principal Officer standard scale, in accordance with the Guidelines on the Staffing of Minister's Offices, issued in March 2011.
140. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will ensure adequate high-speed broadband is rolled out in Rosemount, County Westmeath, as soon as possible (details supplied). [54503/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available in each County, including County Westmeath, can be found on ComReg’s website at www.callcosts.ie. The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August 2012, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed broadband is available to all citizens and businesses, including those in County Westmeath. This will be achieved by providing:
- a policy and regulatory framework that assists in accelerating and incentivising commercial investment, and
- a State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest.
Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway and in some instances have been accelerated in both fixed line and wireless high speed broadband services. These developments have been facilitated through the implementation of measures in the National Broadband Plan, including the conclusion of ComReg's multiband spectrum auction, and the new regulatory regime for fixed line Next Generation Access and service bundles. Both of these measures are designed to incentivise the rollout of services by operators.
In tandem with these developments, intensive work is underway in my Department to progress a State-led investment to secure the countrywide introduction of next generation broadband access. In order to progress the State-led investment for areas where it is not commercial for the market to invest, a full procurement process must be designed and EU State Aids approval must be obtained. My Department is engaged in a comprehensive mapping exercise of the current and anticipated investment by the commercial sector over the coming years, the results of which will inform the areas that need to be targeted in the State-led investment as envisaged in the National Broadband Plan.
Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations, including stakeholder engagement, are ongoing. The procurement process for the approved intervention will be carried out in accordance with EU and Irish procurement rules and it is expected that it will be launched in 2014.
Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, I am committed to ensuring that all parts of Ireland have access to high speed broadband, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in, and maximise the benefits of, a digitally enabled economy and society.
141. Deputy Ann Phelan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will clarify the status of Grid 25 in relation to the domestic economy (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54529/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraGrid25 represents an investment in the transmission system of €3.2 billion over approximately 15 to 20 years, and is central to ensuring Ireland develops a power system that meets our future energy needs in a sustainable manner. Grid25 will reduce our dependency on imported fossil fuels by putting the infrastructure in place to enable us use our own natural resources, help us create less carbon waste and enable us to reach our mandatory 40% renewable electricity targets by 2020. Building out major infrastructure is becoming more challenging. Yet most people understand that Ireland cannot attract investment and provide jobs without a modern energy system. Energy supply is at the top of the priority list of those thinking of investing in Ireland. Our ability to rebuild the economy, to attract and retain foreign investment, to sustain Irish enterprise, to create jobs and growth, to deliver regional development and to ensure the wellbeing of our people all depend on excellent energy connectivity.
The Grid25 programme will facilitate both conventional generation and renewable energy projects and it will support future international interconnection.
However, I want to emphasise that Grid25 is completely separate from the work underway in my Department on a possible Inter-Governmental Agreement with the UK on wind export. Grid25 was underway long before the notion of exporting renewable energy was conceived. Grid development is required to serve our own domestic energy needs, and it will be still required regardless of whether any agreement with the UK emerges.
142. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a percentage of electricity cost attributed to transmission and the PSO. [54583/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the regulation of energy markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation(CER) which is an independent statutory body. In 2010 the CER made a decision to stop regulating electricity prices. I have no statutory function in the setting of energy prices, whether in the regulated or non-regulated market. A customer’s electricity bill is made up of a number of components including energy costs, distribution and transmission network charges, Public Service Obligation (PSO) and supply costs. Transmission charges are in place to fund the cost of the use of transmission system infrastructure for the transportation of electricity. The CER has informed me that transmission charges comprise circa 4%-6% of a typical electricity bill.
The PSO levy has been in place since 2001. It is the overall support mechanism for generation constructed for security of supply purposes (including peat generation) and for the development of renewable electricity. The CER has informed me that the PSO also comprises circa 4%-6% of a typical residential bill.
143. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a breakdown of the way the sales proceeds from the sale of Bord Gáis will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54622/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing intensive negotiations with the EU IMF Troika, agreement was reached that 50% of the proceeds from the proposed sale of State assets could be invested in job creation measures and the remaining 50% would be used as a backstop for securing funds for job creation before being used to retire debt. This will be the case with the proceeds from the sale of Bord Gáis Energy. The Infrastructure Stimulus Plan announced by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform last year and on which considerable progress is being made, includes an Exchequer element to be funded by part of the proceeds of the assets disposal programme.
144. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the impact he envisages the sale of Bord Gáis will have on the Shannon LNG project; if he will review the Government policy of imposing tariffs of energy suppliers who do not use the British-Irish gas interconnectors. [54623/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra145. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will confirm that it is within his powers to provide general policy direction to the CER; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54624/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra146. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the rationale for imposing tariffs of energy suppliers which do not use the British-Irish gas interconnectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54625/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 144 to 146, inclusive, together.
The process to sell the Bord Gáis Energy business initiated earlier this year attracted significant interest from a broad range of potential international bidders, reflecting the positive international sentiment towards Ireland. The sale is a very positive development in that it will mark the entry of international strategic investors into the all island energy market. I do not envisage that the sale will have any impact on the Shannon LNG business.
Decisions on the regulatory treatment of the gas interconnectors and tariffing are matters for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) under the Gas (Interim ) (Regulation) Act 2002. Accordingly, policy in relation to tariff setting has been settled since 2002 when the Oireachtas conferred responsibility for tariff setting, under the 2002 Act, on the CER. The CER as the independent energy regulator has a remit to protect energy consumers, ensure security of supply and support competitiveness. The CER also has a duty to ensure that new sources of gas for the Irish market do not result in unwarranted increases in the price of gas to business and domestic consumers.
The rationale for the CER’s decision of 29 June 2012 as regards pricing and treatment of the interconnectors is that if the current regime were to persist, and with new sources of gas such as Corrib gas and Shannon LNG, the price of gas would rise significantly for all Irish consumers, regardless of the source of the supply. Given our high dependence on gas for electricity generation this would also give rise to electricity price increases and would negatively impact on Ireland’s competitiveness. Full details of the CER’s rationale for its decision are to be found in the CER Decision Paper of 29 June 2012 (CER/12/087) available from the CER website at www.cer.ie.
The independence of the CER in its decision making is expressly provided for in EU legislation as transposed into Irish law. As regards the issue of a policy direction by me as Minister, Section 10A of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, as amended, does provide that I may give “general policy directions ” from time to time. However, I am expressly precluded from giving any policy direction in respect of any individual undertakings or persons. Taking account of binding EU legislation as transposed into Irish law in regard to the independence of regulators and the assignment of gas regulatory functions to the CER, including tariffing, I am of the view that Section 10A of the 1999 Act does not provide an adequate legal basis for a direction sought by and for the benefit of an individual entity.
