Results 221-240 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (9 Jul 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 National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy should stop objecting to them then.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Stop objecting to affordable housing developments in Dublin.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: You objected to Balmoston.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There were 83 affordable homes; social as well. The Deputy is a good objector.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland has begun the process of formal withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) in a coordinated manner alongside other EU Member States, and through negotiations as part of a bloc, led by the EU Commission. Each Country has different rules regarding treaties, both the joining of and exiting from them. In Ireland’s case, a decision to withdraw from an international...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Policy (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland has been engaging with and following closely the work of the Council of Europe as its Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) considers the potential creation of additional instruments protecting the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment. While an additional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights has been the focus of stakeholder discussions on the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 213 together. As my Department has been reconfigured on several occasions since 2012, the information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. My Department has confirmed that in the period since the formation of the previous and current Government no expenditure in the categories mentioned in the Question has been incurred.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Advertising (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department uses advertising to promote a range of services, supports and initiatives for people and communities across Ireland.As the media landscape has evolved over the past number of years, advertising expenditure has grown to address the diverse needs of different audiences, including costs associated with achieving national reach for important public messages. For example, my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Media and communications training is vital for senior officials who have an important role in explaining the valuable work of the Department to key stakeholder groups. These stakeholder groups may, from time to time, include the media, in the form of briefings, supporting the minister at press conferences, and public events. This training has, to date, primarily been targeted at senior...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has a dedicated communications and media relations function who manage public relations and media queries, alongside digital marketing, campaigns, events, and internal communications. My Department may occasionally engage external expertise in media consultancy where specialist or extensive support is required. As my Department has been reconfigured on several occasions since...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has made a number of important commitments in respect of addressing the continued high cost of energy. The Programme for Government 2025 acknowledges the increased energy cost pressures on households and businesses and commits to bringing forward measures to help contain energy costs. Earlier this year, the Government approved an extension of the 9% VAT rate currently applied...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Climate Action Plan 2024, sub action EL/24/22, contains an action for the implementation of enhanced emissions reporting framework for electricity emissions for large energy users which would allow more detailed matching of their energy consumption with renewable generation and that will promote and provide additional incentives for greater efficiency and usage of lower carbon energy...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of Government Decision (S180/20/10/2704) adopting sectoral emissions ceilings, it was agreed to introduce a Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) to ensure the increased use of renewable fuel types across the full heating sector with the primary aim of supporting the achievement of Ireland's heating and cooling targets at EU level. Under current proposals, the RHO will obligate...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of purchase orders processed by my Department in 2023 that were not included in the published reports of purchase orders over €20,000 are set out in the table below: - Total Number Total Value (€) Value below €20,000 3,412 7,920,032.26 Transactions other than Goods/Services (all grants...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Electricity Storage Policy Framework for Ireland was published by my Department in July 2024 in line with the Climate Action Plan (action EL/24/16). Chapter 4 of the Policy Framework provides an overview of the existing safety and regulatory framework in place for grid scale electricity storage systems, including battery electricity storage systems in the European and Irish contexts....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Renewable energy is key to increasing Ireland’s energy independence, security of supply and affordability. Ireland’s near-term priorities are reaching the decarbonisation targets set out in the Climate Action Plan and seeking to ensure that the energy transition is affordable to the Irish consumer. ORE projects beyond domestic net zero requirements will only be deployed...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme Government 2025 reaffirms the commitment to meeting 80% of Ireland’s electricity generation from renewable sources as set out in the Climate Action Plan. In order to deliver on this, a flexible power system is critical to align our electricity use with periods of plentiful, low-cost renewable generation and to reduce periods where the output of renewable energy sources is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Consultations (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently preparing Ireland’s Social Climate Plan, the measures in which will support vulnerable groups impacted by the rising price of carbon. My Department is working closely with relevant Departmental stakeholders and with the European Commission to ensure that the Plan developed will meet the requirements of the governing Regulation. My Department is committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (8 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy should note that this matter falls under the remit of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which has responsibility for collating national greenhouse gas emissions and projections. The structure of the Sectoral Emissions Ceilings reflects the EPA Emissions Inventory which breaks down greenhouse gas emissions into a range of categories across the economy. The EPA is best placed...