Results 3,841-3,860 of 11,320 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: I want to go back to EVs and the fact that I believe the targets are being missed wildly. I mention what Dr. O'Grady said about most people never owning a new car in their lives and the fact that the funding for this is coming from the carbon tax, as the Cathaoirleach said. That is a big bugbear for many of my constituents who are on low incomes and have no choice but to use their car, and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: To €60,000.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: We are not meeting them anyway.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: You are trying to, but you are not. We have asked for this comprehensive analysis to be carried out. We have two different sets of targets. One is to reduce car journeys. A second set of targets is in respect of making a shift for those people who have to use their cars to electric vehicles. I contend that both are at cross-purposes because the people who are being subsidised to switch...

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: That is where the obscenity continues. As I said last year when the SEAI was before us, it is adding insult to injury. The Government is expecting the person who I was dealing with this week, who did not know how they were going to get their car fixed, and who was going to be in huge turmoil if they did not, to be charged every single journey they make, and those Government charges are...

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: Why are there no grants for second-hand purchases of EVs? That would actually support those people on lower incomes in some way.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: Because the Department is not meeting its targets in this respect.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: Okay. I will ask the question the SEAI was not able to answer. How many electric vehicles will be purchased this year?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: No, Ms O’Grady said the Department is on track to meet its targets.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: Assuming that none of the 77,000 cars that are on the road are taken off the road, that will bring us up to about 100,000 electric vehicles.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: Okay, it is 107,000, if we want to be very specific about it, and we are assuming on that basis that none of those 77,000 cars are going to be taken off the road for any reason.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: They are immune from car crashes and write-offs.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: I want to go back to Covid. Let us say an individual or household applied for the grant and that was approved. During the period of Covid, what would have been the general reason the work was not completed under the scheme?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: Did SEAI make any payments during those 14 months?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: Is the Department concerned about the trajectory of the numbers so far?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: Has the Department been in contact with electricity suppliers with regard to the cost of energy for people to charge their electric vehicles at public charging points, which in some instances can be as expensive as putting fuel in the car?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: What do they say?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: You can control the price of petrol and diesel quite easily, because you are increasing it every chance you get.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Financial Statements of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: Discussion (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: Thank you.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Forestry Sector (9 Mar 2023)

Matt Carthy: It is the middle of March and so far we are unable to process any new applications because our formal application to the European Commission has not yet been made. In January the Minister was asked specifically how many hectares were planted. He said 1,000 ha. That is important because the 1,000 ha the Minister of State has cited might be virtually all of the planting that will take place...