Results 1-20 of 29,550 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Strategic Infrastructure (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Government approved and published the Energy Security in Ireland to 2030 report last November, which concludes that Ireland’s future energy will be secure by moving from a fossil-fuel based energy system to an electricity-led system that maximises our renewable energy demand flexibility and is integrated into Europe’s energy systems. Ireland needs to enhance its resilience...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Strategic Infrastructure (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: In saying that we are committing that everything must be compatible with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Acts, we are saying that this cannot involve expansion of the use of gas. It is the opposite. We must contract. With an organised plan to retreat, we will need some gas for the likes of back-up. We will need some gas-fired generation that will run for very few hours but...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy. My Department has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding relating to the national road programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts, 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I happened to be in Cork at the end of last week and was on the road. The Deputy is right. It is not up to the standard for safety that we want and we have to do everything to try and improve the safety standards on the roads. The reality is we have a series of projects. I mentioned the Castlemartyr-Killeagh bypasses. The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach mentioned to me last week that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I am familiar with the problem. I was in Douglas last Friday, as it happens. The Deputy is right; a large amount of the morning rush-hour traffic is children being driven to school. People see the difference between the summer period when the schools are not open and the winter period. It makes a dramatic difference. If that 20% or 30% of school traffic can be taken out, it frees up the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: It is true. We have a direct relationship with Bus Éireann and even though these are commercially operated services, I have met Stephen Kent, the chief executive, and the chair on numerous occasions in recent weeks at various events. It is important to keep in touch with what is a real issue, namely, the ability of the company to get drivers and mechanics. We must ensure that we can...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire. As he is aware, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport, which means that neither I nor my officials are involved in the planning of public transport services, such as those referred to by the Deputy. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public transport services rests with the NTA, which works with the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for raising this important topic. From the outset, I must clarify that while, as Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport, neither I nor my officials are involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public transport...

Ireland's Recognition of the State of Palestine: Statements (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I was very proud that the Green Party argued passionately for the recognition of Palestine in the programme for Government we agreed with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in 2020. Events have moved on since then, tragically so, but the case for recognising the Palestine was as strong back then as it is now. It was not a question of if, but of when and to what effect. Today we deliver on that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I am very glad to be here to give an opening statement on our national energy and climate plan, NECP, and the long-term strategy. The integrated national energy and climate plan collates the policies, measures and actions related to energy and climate outlined in a range of Government plans, such as the climate action plan, the national development plan, and Project Ireland 2040 into one...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: First, it is a real challenge for us to meet the targets. That is because our population is growing, which is not taken into account in either the European or UN processes. Our economy is also growing very quickly compared with those of other European countries. However, we can and will do it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: May I finish answering the question? The real challenge is how to plan for long-term change over the next two to three decades so that Ireland can become a zero-carbon country. I am absolutely convinced that we can and will do that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Agreed. I can answer that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: As the director of the EPA said on the radio this morning, there are further measures that have been implemented or outlined by Government. We have also signalled that there are further measures we will need to take to close that gap. It is true that there is a gap on the basis of the policies and projects in respect of which the EPA can carry out its modelling. To answer the Deputy's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: To answer the Deputy's question, in the past year we also introduced a major new transport demand management modelling exercise and plan to help close the gap in transport. For some of the measures, for example, what we plan to do in Dublin city centre this summer, the EPA has not modelled them because it does not find it easy to model those sorts of projected changes. How could it model...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: They are in the climate action plan, but not all of them are in the projections of the EPA. The EPA projections-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: -----have to be based on very strict UN guidelines in terms of what can be measured. It does not include all the additional measures at which Government is looking. Can I give the Deputy another example?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I have just come out of Cabinet where we have agreed a further measure to reduce the emissions in our cement sector. That is one example. To take the point the Deputy mentioned that we have not lived up to what we committed to in terms of increasing petrol and diesel prices, which I understand is referred to by the EPA, I explicitly said in every single Chamber, in this committee and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: No, it was-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The plan contains a whole variety of different options for changing our transport system. However, what I always said explicitly in the Dáil and in these committees is that would not be fair on the Irish public and that it would be socially unjust because what we need to do is provide the better alternative first.