Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

[Deputy Pat Rabbitte.]
Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
The European Commission Recommendation 2009/848/EC of 28 October 2009, recommends
that Member States cease usage of their analogue television networks by the end of 2012. Most
EU countries, including Ireland, have committed to meeting this deadline and, as a result, the
date for analogue switch off in Ireland has been set as 24 October 2012.
The digital Saorview service has been developed by RTÉ as the replacement ‘free-to-air’
television. The service is currently available to 97% of television households and will be available
to 98% of television households on the date of Analogue Switch-off. The remaining 2%
of television households will be able to access ‘free-to-air’ television by way of the satellitebased
Saorsat service which RTÉ has developed on its own initiative and is expecting to launch
in the coming months.
Energy Conservation
403. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and
Natural Resources if he will provide a detailed outline of his plans for the roll-out of the new
pay-as-you-save scheme; the way this new scheme will operate; the level of private sector
involvement in this new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8128/12]
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte): The
Programme for Government includes a commitment to roll out a Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS)
energy retrofit scheme for domestic buildings in early 2014. Such a scheme would substitute
Exchequer funding currently being provided to the Better Energy Programme.
The PAYS concept is an innovative financing mechanism that would allow consumers to
finance upgrades directly through the energy savings generated. It is also envisaged at this time
that such a scheme would encourage energy efficiency measures in non-domestic buildings and
premises. My Department has established a project team to undertake the necessary technical
and financial analysis of a PAYS model in the Irish context and I will bring forward proposals
to Government shortly.
There are considerable complexities involved in the development of the PAYS scheme and
it is anticipated that a steering group will be charged with the technical, legislative and financial
aspects of the scheme design. At this stage, the extent of private sector involvement has not
been decided, but the intention is that any scheme design will be subject to comprehensive
consultation with stakeholders.
Departmental Staff
404. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural
Resources if any remuneration, stipend, expense facility, financial facility or similar payment is
being made from the Exchequer to any senior public servant who has retired from his Department
beyond any accrued pension entitlements; if any such payment has been sanctioned for
current senior public servants who are about to retire from his Department; if he will list the
name, positions and details of any relevant moneys paid or scheduled to be paid of any person
in receipt of or sanctioned to receive such a payment; and if he will make a statement on the
matter. [8268/12]
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte): No
such payments are being made to persons who have retired from my Department. One member
of staff, retiring at end February, who has been the Irish member of the UN Commission on
the Limits of the Continental Shelf for over ten years and whose last term of appointment is
to expire on 15 June, 2012, will attend the 29th session of the Commission from 8th to 21st
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