Results 621-640 of 28,135 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland has been closely following the progress of the proceedings of the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on States’ obligations concerning climate change, having co-sponsored the UN General Assembly Resolution in March 2023 requesting said opinion. The Court delivered its comprehensive opinion on 23 July 2025. While advisory opinions of the Court are not...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Semi-State Bodies (8 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The €3.5bn equity investment by Government into ESB and EirGrid will be ringfenced to fund critical electricity network infrastructure both onshore and offshore. In relation to ESB, the company submitted an ambitious programme of works to both reinforce our distribution and transmission network and to enhance and enlarge its ability to connect more renewable energy, new housing, new...

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

Darragh O'Brien: A robust and fit-for-purpose gas safety framework is of the utmost priority for my Department as we seek to deliver the strategic gas emergency reserve as per the Government decision of 4 March 2025. The selection of the Floating Storage and Regassification Unit (FSRU) as the preferred technology solution by Gas Networks Ireland, the gas transmission system operator, on behalf of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authorities (8 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: All 31 local authorities adopted Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LA CAPs) by Q1 2024, as required under the Climate Act 2021. In 2022, my department approved a funding proposal to allocate resources to local authorities to develop and implement their LA CAPs over three phases:Phase 1: Establish the Evidence Base, Resource Requirements, Delivery of the National Climate Action Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Directives (8 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland is fully supportive of an ambitious EU legislative framework for renewable energy up to 2030 and beyond, and is committed to transposing RED III as soon as possible. This is an important priority for me as Minister and for my colleagues across Government. RED III is a complex and wide-ranging Directive, covering requirements for renewable energy in electricity, heating and...

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

Darragh O'Brien: There are a number of established funding sources available for individuals or companies working on development new and innovative sources of renewable energy. National funding opportunities include research and innovation supports provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Enterprise Ireland (for example through the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund) and Research...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Electricity Storage Policy Framework for Ireland published by my Department in July 2024 included 10 Government actions to support the role of electricity storage systems in Ireland’s energy transition. Engagement with the Joint System Operator Programme has commenced in relation to Action 2, the emerging technology sandbox. Action 4, the hosting of a stakeholder forum was...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity sector is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not the Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Department has noted the content of the United Kingdom’s recently published Long Duration Electricity Storage (LDES) Call for Tender, which was published by OFGEM, the energy regulator for Great Britain. In line with Action #6 of the Electricity Storage Policy Framework for Ireland (ESPF), which was published by my Department in July 2024, EirGrid, under the direction of the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, and to promote the adoption of renewable energy systems. These schemes include grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g. insulation), as well as solar PV and heat pump installation. The information...

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

Darragh O'Brien: District heating can play a key role in improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Government policy is supportive of the expansion of district heating to contribute to both diversification of fuel supply for the heat sector and to its decarbonisation. The Government has financially supported the development of district heating networks in Ireland through the Climate...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 122 together. Government policy is supportive of the expansion of district heating to contribute to the diversification of fuel supply to decarbonise the heat sector. The Government's Climate Action Plan recognises the important contribution that district heating can make to achieving Ireland’s climate and energy goals. The District Heating...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people in energy poverty by providing fully-funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through the carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. Last year saw a record spend of almost...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Just Transition (8 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 (as approved by the Commission), incorporating €84.5 million of funding from the EU Just Transition Fund for 2021 – 2027 with €84.5 million of matched national co-financing from Exchequer resources. The EU JTF Programme in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126, 192 and 207 together. Under the aegis of the Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce, which was established under my Department, work is underway to carry out a coordinated national mapping exercise in compliance with the requirements of Article 15b of the recast Renewable Electricity Directive 2023/2413 (RED III). This work has been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Programme for Government (8 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 2025 commits to ramping up the achievement of 2030 targets set out under the Climate Action Plan and the National Retrofit Plan through continued delivery of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's (SEAI) residential and community energy upgrade schemes. This includes revising and improving the provision of grants and financing models for homeowners who wish...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is responsible for the administration of a range of home energy upgrade schemes funded by my Department. The SEAI administer their schemes in line with a code of practice, technical guidance documents and the SEAI Customer Charter. They also operate a quality assurance programme to monitor and maintain contractor standards. The...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Solar PV for the Medically Vulnerable Scheme is a targeted scheme for installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for customers/households 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 dialysis machines,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Ministerial Responsibilities (8 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm to the Deputy that Minister of State Timmy Dooley T.D has the relevant legislative delegation in the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, that would include Inland Fisheries Ireland as a body under the aegis of the Department.