Results 41-60 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: It would be because first we have to identify the site and there will be site surveys and all the things all Deputies here will know as regards planning. Onshore works will be required as regards piers, pipeline and so on. We are trying to accelerate this project. I have already met with the project group, GNI and my Department initially to step this out. It is hard to know how long it...

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 literally just received it as I was sitting here, yes.

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: No, not yet, but I will write back to the board. Obviously, someone on the board was watching the hearing that day because the letter arrived in the office. It went to the wrong office and was dated, I think, 27 June. I have the letter and am working through it. It will be responded to before the target date. I think the board has asked for a response by 7 August. I am considering 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: I thank the Deputy for his questions and comments. It is important to recognise what the Government did during the acute phase of the cost-of-living crisis. We transferred over €1,500 to 2.2 million households, and that was a cost to the Exchequer of €3.3 billion. It was the most significant energy support any European country gave any of its citizens and it did help. There...

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 was 40%. It is small in monetary terms, but it a reduction. I do not want to oversell it in that sense, but it is going in the right direction. We also have to make people aware of the savings that can be made through switching energy provider. Not enough people switch. The task force is also looking at how we can assist people in switching energy providers and make the information...

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 is per annum.

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: No, it will not.

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.

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: The Government has been in power for six months. I have had more engagement with the CRU in the past six months than may have happened in the previous five years. We have resourced it. It is a professional organisation. Has it been before the committee?

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 an independent regulator. We have to remember that. Having said that, PR6 is going to be critical. It could deliver anything up to €18 billion in investment in our grid. The national development plan, NDP, when concluded, will have further investment, should we get agreement there. We need to make our grid resilient. We need to expand it both from a generation and an 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: The Deputy read it.

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: All of which are very good.

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 delighted the Deputy has raised this. They are things that we are doing.

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: Absolutely, depending on which provider you are with.

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: The percentage I got in relation to switching-----

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 conclude on this. The number of switchers is lower than 10%. That is the last-----

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: Níl ainm an Teachta Heneghan ar an mBille.

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: The Chair is allowing some latitude that the Deputy should welcome.

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 we use the North-South interconnector project as an example, there are some parts of our grid, such as the east-west interconnector from Wales into Rush and beyond through north Dublin, are underground. As we get into the higher kV cables, it is next to near impossible, depending on the typography of the area, to underground them. We have done three independent reviews of the North-South...

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: Curtailment is a big issue, as are dispatch down rates. That is why grid expansion and investment are critical. Storage is important too, especially for renewables, as is making our grid smarter. These are not just things we would like to see. These are things that can be done but will require substantial investment to do them. Battery storage technologies are improving but facilities...