Results 21-40 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Go raibh maith agat a Chathaoirligh agus go raibh maith agaibh arís as an gcuireadh bheith anseo os comhair an choiste tráthnóna inniu. I thank the Chair for the invitation to be here again in front of the committee. I thank the committee for the opportunity to present the 2025 Revised Estimates for programmes A and B and elements of programme C for the Department of Climate,...

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I mentioned that I was before the committee last week to discuss the carbon budget. The Environmental Protection Agency projections are clear. With additional measures, we are looking at a 23% reduction in greenhouse emissions, which is obviously substantially lower than the target of 51%. I see that as an opportunity and as a reason to redouble our efforts in that space. During the past...

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I will deal with the second question because I have the details. The €27.7 million that is allocated is under international agreements for our climate commitments and to assist developing countries in their challenge around tackling climate change. That brings our overall allocation as a country to €225 million. It is important work where we financially assist countries that...

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes. It is allocated out of this.

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: We will get the Deputy the details on the specific partner countries. They are generally paid through UN climate funds. It is our contribution to that fund. It is disbursed from the UN out to developing countries. We have strong relationships particularly with the Pacific Islands and countries at the forefront of climate change. It is to assist them. It is administered through the UN.

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: It is not accounted as part of the Irish Aid budget, no. It is not part of point 7, if that is what the Deputy is asking. I think there was a question on the climate conversations. During 2024, the climate conversations report was published, outlining that, in total, 450 people were engaged through focus groups and workshops. That included the National Youth Assembly on Climate, which...

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: On A.7, just transition, we have €22.439 million. We have entered into grant agreements. Effectively, that is part of our EU just transition fund. I will give examples of a couple of projects. With regard to tourism infrastructure, €38 million in grants was provided to Fáilte Ireland. That is a type of project. Some €10 million was awarded to the Department of...

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Is the Deputy asking about business or residential?

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: That scheme was launched just over 12 months ago. There are 355 loans under the scheme. That is the most up-to-date figure I have. We have expanded that to other lenders as well. We announced that in May or June of this year. Some 355 loans were drawn down over the period to the end of quarter 1 of 2025, to the value of €17.2 million. We have expanded the home energy upgrade loan...

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: It is run by the SBCI, and we partner with the banks. Even from an administrative perspective, we have staff in that space. Much of that would be staff costs.

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I am not sure but I will find out for the Deputy and come back to her.

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There are other elements to it, such as marketing. We will get the Deputy a breakdown of that. That is no issue whatsoever.

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Will I respond now?

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I am happy to do so.

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: If I may, I will deal with the warmer homes scheme first. We discussed it by way of questions in the Dáil just a couple of weeks ago. We have allocated €280 million to the scheme in the 2025 Estimate. That is €70 million more than in the previous year. The scheme is focused exclusively on low-income households. It is a free retrofit, and rightly so, to tackle energy...

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Would it go into subhead A?

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I would expect it would be by itself because it is a significant item of capital expenditure that would require its own subhead. It will not go into subhead B.

Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 29 - Climate, Energy and the Environment (Revised) (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Potentially, but it will be funded separately. I know we have had some discussion on this on the floor of the Dáil as well. If there was some disparity between the cost I referred to on capital costs and what was reported in one of our newspapers saying there is €300 million versus €900 million, there is no disparity there because the €900 million includes the...