Results 661-680 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: The OECD predicts that plastic pollution is likely to triple by 2060 if left unchecked. This poses a serious risk to human health and the environment. A delegation from Ireland attended the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, INC5.2, which took place from the 5th - 15th August, with the aim of developing an international legally binding...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 197 together. The damaging, dangerous and destructive nature of Storm Éowyn on 24 January 2025 was unprecedented, causing widespread power outages and leaving the electricity grid destroyed in parts due to broken poles, lines and wires. At the peak, 768,000 customers were without electricity supply. It also had a far larger impact on other...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is finalising an open public and stakeholder consultation to inform the development of Ireland's Social Climate Plan. The consultation is on track to launch this week and will run for six weeks. Further stakeholder engagement is planned to take place following this consultation. A final draft Plan, as approved by Government, will be submitted to the European Commission for its...

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 at risk of 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 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: Departmental Data (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: Data Centres (8 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy 2022 clearly states that “Islanded” data centre developments, which are not connected to the electricity grid and are powered mainly by on-site fossil fuel generation, would not be in line with government policy”. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 to 183, inclusive, together. Earlier this year I received Government approval to proceed with the development of a State-led strategic gas emergency reserve. The delivery of a temporary gas reserve is critical to Ireland’s energy security as we continue to transition to indigenous, clean renewable energy. Crucially, the strategic gas emergency...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Earlier this year I received Government approval to proceed with the development of a State-led strategic gas emergency reserve. The delivery of a temporary gas reserve is critical to Ireland's energy security as we continue to transition to indigenous, clean renewable energy. Crucially, the strategic gas emergency reserve will also ensure compliance with EU standards and regulation. This...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Along with officials from my Department, I have engaged with ESB a number of times this year to discuss a range of matters as the State continues to work to rapidly develop enduring generation capacity, in line with our commitment to a renewables-led electricity system that is secure, affordable and sustainable. The retention of existing conventional power generation, including Moneypoint, is...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) was approved by Government on 21 December 2021, to support Ireland’s ambitious targets for micro-generation installations, under the Climate Action Plan. The Domestic SPV provides supports to applicants, in the form of grants for Solar PV installations, up to a maximum of €1,800 in 2025 for household installations. In line with the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European regulatory regime wherein these markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive and are overseen by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Price setting by energy suppliers is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. I am deeply aware of the impact which rising energy...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190, 191, 205 and 206 together. Under the aegis of the Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce, work is underway to ensure compliance with the requirements of the recast Renewable Electricity Directive 2023/2413 (REDIII). The Directive sets an overall renewable energy target of at least 42.5% binding at EU level by 2030 - but aiming for 45%. Ireland...

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

Darragh O'Brien: As of July 2025, the system operators, EirGrid and ESB Networks, report that 22 separate electricity storage systems with the capacity to provide over 1,048 MW / 2,519 MWh of electricity storage are connected to the grid network. One pumped hydro storage facility, Turlough Hill Co. Wicklow, accounts for 292 MW / 1,590 MWh of this capacity with the remaining 756 MW / 929 MWh provided by 21...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I am informed by the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) that they currently hold 73 days of petrol, 69 days of jet fuel/kerosene, and 102 days of diesel - equivalent to 90 days overall. NORA stocks are balanced to match the end-use domestic consumption of the various oil products, petrol, diesel, and kerosene. The stocks are held to cover any emergency for re-supply through the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: District heating is a proven technology that can play a key role in improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions in the heat sector. It also offers a unique opportunity to decarbonise and modernise heating for public and heritage buildings that are not suited to deep retrofit. Government policy recognises the contribution that district heating can make to Ireland’s energy...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 199 together. The Deputy has received a list of all bodies under the aegis of my department and dedicated email address for members of the Oireachtas to use to put questions to those bodies. Under Standing Order 44 I will instruct my department to refer those questions to the relevant body if the Deputy made a reasonable request for information to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together. Five offshore wind projects are presently in development off our East Coast. These projects account for approximately 3,700 megawatts of generating capacity, more than 60% of our present peak electricity demand. Applications for planning consent for all five projects are with An Coimisiún Pleanála. Subject to planning...

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 at risk of 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 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: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Sep 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Domestic electricity micro-generation is supported by the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS). Grants are available through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for domestic installations of solar PV, up to a maximum of €1,800 in 2025. The SEAI are currently only able to provide data on per county basis not for individual political constituencies and have provided the...