Results 181-200 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department funds a number of grant schemes administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their building, and to promote the adoption of renewable energy systems. These schemes include grants for fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g. insulation) as well as Solar PV and heat pump installations. Data from the SEAI...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Grid (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: While I have not had engagements with ESB on upgrading the electricity infrastructure in Donegal and the north-west border region, I am aware that plans exist for upgrading the electricity infrastructure throughout the country including for the northwest region. Building, safely operating and maintaining the electricity system are functions which are assigned to Distribution, ESB...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Policies (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Designated Maritime Area Plans (DMAPs) are a critical piece of the Government’s strategic, plan led approach for managing our maritime area to ensure that development takes place in a sustainable way. In order to accelerate the process of site designation for offshore wind I have decided that a single DMAP covering all of Ireland’s maritime area is the optimal choice for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The waste collection market is serviced by competing private companies where prices charged are matters between those companies and their customers subject to compliance with all applicable legislation, including contract, consumer and competition legislation. As Minister, I have no power to set prices in a private competitive market. The study the Deputy refers to, on incentivised...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Regulations (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 allows me to make provision, by regulation under Section 114, for certain maritime usages listed in Schedule 7 of the Act to be exempted usages where by virtue of their size, nature or limited effect on the maritime area those usages would not offend against the objectives listed in Article 5 of the MSP Directive, or where those usages are already...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Regulations (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 98 (1) of the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 (MAPA) provides that a relevant person shall not be required to be the holder of such a Maritime Area Consent (MAC) in respect of relevant works undertaken, or to be undertaken, in the maritime area for the purposes of protecting life or property in an emergency situation (including such works relating to sea defences). Section 98(4)...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Guidelines (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently developing new Offshore Wind Energy Marine Planning Guidelines (OWE MPGs) pursuant to section 7 of the Maritime Area Planning Act, 2021 (as amended). The need for such Guidelines was first identified in the National Marine Planning Framework, Ireland’s first marine plan in Spring 2021. At the end of the same year, the most significant reform to marine...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Guidelines (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) is developing revised wind energy development guidelines (WEDGs) for onshore wind pursuant to section 28 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). The review is addressing a number of key aspects including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Weather Events (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Following the damage caused to the telecoms networks by Storm Éowyn, my colleague Minister O’Donovan met with senior executives of both mobile and fixed telecoms providers to reflect on the lessons to be learned, and measures to be considered to build further resilience into telecommunications networks to avoid, where feasible and practicable, a reoccurrence of the same level of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people in energy poverty by providing fully-funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through the carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. Last year saw a record spend of almost...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people in energy poverty by providing fully-funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. Last year saw a record spend of almost...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Contracts (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand this Question refers to Strand 2 of the Community Climate Action Programme which has €5 million allocated to an open call for Education, Capacity Building and Learning by Doing Projects. The programme, consisting of 19 projects, was launched in 2022 with several projects now nearing completion. This programme, which is administered by Pobal, facilitates organisations...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 and 330 together. As part of the Government Decision (S180/20/10/2704) adopting Sectoral Emissions Ceilings, it was agreed to introduce an obligation on the heat sector to obligate suppliers of fossil fuels used for heat to ensure a proportion of the energy they supply is renewable. The development of this Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) scheme is a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Transport Policy (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government recognises the benefits of meaningful public consultation and stakeholder engagement as part of the development of public transport infrastructure. Without this, projects can lack vital local knowledge and are less assured of reaching their potential. The Department of Transport has funded the National Transport Authority (NTA) to work with local authorities in each of our...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Transport Policy (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There is a strong commitment under the Programme for Government to create a Transport Security Force under the NTA, which would operate and have similar powers to Airport Police and Customs Officers. It is important to note that neither the Airport Police, nor Customs Officers, have the powers provided to An Garda Síochána. While the last few years have seen significant progress...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Rail Network (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to Irish Rail for a direct response. Please advise my private office if you do...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Rail Network (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may know, the National Transport Authority (NTA) published the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) in 2020, which was developed in consultation with Cork City and Cork County Councils and with input from other key stakeholders, including Iarnród Éireann. As part of this process, the route from Midleton to Youghal was earmarked for development as a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Córas Iompair Éireann (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: From the outset I would like to clarify that I, as Minister for Transport, have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ, Group and their employees. As a commercial semi-state body, CIÉ are responsible for the provision...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Rail Network (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 371 and 372 together. As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. From a policy perspective, I wish to advise the Deputy that the Department of An Taoiseach has established a unit within its Department which will focus on disability, reflecting a commitment in the Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Rail Network (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to Irish Rail for a direct response. Please advise my private office if you do...