Results 541-560 of 28,135 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together. My Department is committed to promoting transparency and aligning with national and EU open data standards and will continue to review and enhance its publication practices to ensure compliance and accessibility for all users. In this context, from Quarter 2 2025 procurement-related quarterly payment reports over €20,000 will now...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme of Government 2025 - Securing Ireland’s Future specifically notes that the Government will take all necessary action to ensure and protect Ireland's energy security. In terms of energy security more broadly, Energy Security in Ireland to 2030 was published in November 2023 and outlines a strategy to ensure energy security in Ireland for this decade, while ensuring a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Legislative Measures (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Heads of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025 were approved by Government along with priority drafting on the 29 of July. The unprecedented outages caused by Storm Éowyn exposed critical vulnerabilities arising from unmanaged vegetation and commercial forestry close to electricity infrastructure. Accordingly, the Bill will provide for the establishment and maintenance...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Following Storm Éowyn, I asked ESB Networks to prepare as a priority a Winter 2025 Resilience Plan to enhance the resilience of the grid in the most vulnerable locations for the upcoming winter. It was published by ESB Networks in April (copy attached) and sets out several actions to build resilience in the electricity network ahead of Winter 2025. ESB has reported strong progress to my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Solar PV for the Medically Vulnerable Scheme is a targeted scheme for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for customers/households who are registered on the life support category of the Priority Services Register. These homes have a dependence on electrically powered equipment, including medical equipment, life protecting devices and assistive technologies for example...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (17 Sep 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 acknowledges the increased energy cost pressures on households and businesses and commits to bringing forward taxation measures to help contain energy costs. The Solar PV for the Medically Vulnerable Scheme is a targeted scheme for the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The project for which the Deputy has supplied details is a private project and queries in relation to private projects should be addressed to the developer.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air Quality (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The national air quality monitoring network is operated, maintained and monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme (AAMP) which is funded by my Department. The location of the stations is managed by the EPA in alignment with the criteria set out in EU law. Details of the locations of all monitoring stations currently in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government recently approved an extension of the 9% VAT rate currently applied to gas and electricity by a further six months to October 2025 at an estimated cost of €85 million. In June 2025, my Department established the National Energy Affordability Taskforce to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses while...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Just Transition (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland’s EU JTF Programme represents a total commitment of €169m to the Just Transition process in the Midlands designated territory. The amount of funding provided to the Programme from the EU Just Transition Fund 2021-2027 has been set at €84.5m. This funding will be available until 2027 in line with the EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework for 2021 to 2027. As a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fuel Quality (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Fuel Quality Directive (Directive 98/70/EC as amended), or FQD, sets the technical specifications on health and environmental grounds for fuels to be used with positive ignition and compression-ignition engines. As Minister for Climate, Energy, and the Environment, my Department is responsible for overseeing the testing and sampling of fuels as required by that Directive. Under national...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government recognises that our reliance on fossil fuels is incompatible with the Paris Agreement and a low-carbon future. Ireland supports measures that reinforce and advance our transition away from reliance on fossil fuels and will promote and support measures at international level which avoid locking in further long-term fossil fuel consumption. International collaboration is key...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electricity Grid (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133, 134 and 135 together. Following Storm Éowyn, I asked ESB Networks to prepare as a priority a Winter 2025 Resilience Plan to enhance the resilience of the grid in the most vulnerable locations for the upcoming winter. This has been progressing since April and the actions include:-ESB-N has made hazards safe and progressed remedial works needed to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Statutory Instruments (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the attached table. Statutory Instruments introduced in 2024 S. I. No Title 30 of 2024 33 of 2024 40 of 2024 81 of 2024 86 of 2024 Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Policy (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 139 together. The Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end-2030. A range of measures have been introduced...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial and liberalised. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including the matters raised by the Deputy, is solely a matter for the independent regulator, Commission for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 2025 reaffirms the commitment to meeting 80% of Ireland’s electricity from renewable sources, as set out in the Climate Action Plan. To deliver on this, a flexible power system is critical to align our electricity use with periods of plentiful, low-cost renewable generation. The support provided to renewables under the Government’s Renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial and liberalised. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including the matters raised by the Deputy, is solely a matter for the independent regulator, Commission for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Data (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Regulation of retail energy markets is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) since the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and subsequent legislation. However, officials from my Department correspond with CRU on an ongoing basis to track developments in retail and wholesale energy markets, including the effect of Government supports on arrears...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Directives (17 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The third Renewable Energy Directive (RED III, EU Directive 2023/2413) entered into force in November 2023. RED III provides the legal framework for the increased deployment of renewable energy across the EU by 2030. RED III is a wide-ranging Directive which includes requirements for the permit-granting procedure for renewable energy projects, in addition to requirements designed to increase...