Results 7,881-7,900 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Sector Staff (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Inland Fisheries Ireland's (IFI) headcount for staff as of 12 December 2022 is 303 (whole time equivalent is 298.32). IFI recruited 49 seasonal staff in 2022 to work in the protection, development and research areas, all seasonal term contracts ceased by 29 November.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I note the ESRI’s assessment of the embodied emissions in Irish imports. While Ireland’s climate policy primarily focuses on reducing production-based emissions in line with national greenhouse gas inventories, it also considers the wider impacts of climate policy. The forthcoming Climate Action Plan includes policies which will promote the circular economy, and shape public...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Exploration Industry (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the potential of individual authorisations. Under the Government’s policy on Petroleum Exploration and Production, published in August this year, those holding existing authorisations can continue to apply to progress through the standard licensing lifecycle stages towards a natural conclusion, which may include expiry, relinquishment...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: While full and final emissions data for 2022 is not yet available, recent reports of provisional data from the EPA have indicated that Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by 4.7% in 2021 compared to 2020 and are now 1.1% above 2019 pre-COVID restriction levels. While models for projected emissions are unable to take into account all policies and measures which were committed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Maritime Area Planning Act has introduced significant reform to enable the sustainable development of our significant offshore resource. It provides the legal authority for me as the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to assess Maritime Area Consent applications from a set of 8 pre-qualified offshore renewable energy projects, while the new agency, Maritime Area...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 131 together. The National Retrofit Plan, published in November 2021 sets out the Government's approach to achieving the Climate Action Plan targets of upgrading the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2. A key step in implementing the Plan took place in February, when the Government launched a package of supports to make it...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 133 together. Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices seeks to address windfall gains in the energy sector through a cap on market revenues in the electricity sector and a temporary solidarity contribution on profits in the fossil fuel production and refining sectors. This...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Infrastructure (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Government's position on LNG is set out in the Policy Statement on importing fracked gas which was published in May 2021. The policy statement provides that, pending the outcome of a security of supply review, it would not be appropriate for the development of any LNG terminals in Ireland to be permitted or proceeded with. As set out in the National Energy Security Framework, which was...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: EU Meetings (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The substantive focus of the upcoming Environment Council is a policy debate on the EU Regulation on Nature Restoration. The proposal aims to repair European habitats that are in poor condition, and to bring back nature to all ecosystems, from forest and agricultural land to marine, freshwater and urban ecosystems. Under this proposal, legally binding targets for nature restoration in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 strengthens the role of Local Authorities for effective climate action. It sets out a statutory requirement for each Local Authority to prepare a Climate Action Plan (LA CAP), within 12 months from when I formally issue a request to the sector to prepare such plans. This request must be made not later than 18 months after the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administer schemes delivering free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households who are most at risk of energy poverty. Since 2000, over 145,000 free upgrades have been supported. So far this year over 4,000 homes have received free upgrades under SEAI energy poverty schemes at an average cost of €18,750 per home. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: District heating is a key pillar of Government policy to promote decarbonisation of the heat sector and contribute to security of supply, and its development is underpinned by the findings of the National Heat Study. My Department established the District Heating Steering Group this year to consider the rollout of district heating in Ireland and the regulatory framework required to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: State Bodies (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The voted funds that were allocated to Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) in each of the years 2017 to 2022 is set out in the following table. YEAR PAY €000 PENSION €000 NON-PAY €000 CAPITAL €000 TOTAL €000 2022 16,499 3,238 7,990 2,786 30,513 ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Strategies (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: A public consultation on the draft Clean Air Strategy was undertaken during the period March to May of this year and over 100 submissions were received. The strategy is now being reviewed and updated to reflect both the outcome of the consultation process and policy developments which have occurred in the intervening period that impact on plans to improve the quality of our air. Given the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) is targeting support for 380MW of installed micro-generation capacity by 2030, including over 60,000 small microgeneration connections less than 6 KW and 10,000 connections between 6 kW and 50 kW. The first phase of the scheme, consisting of a Domestic solar PV grant, commenced in February 2022. The second phase of the scheme, announced on 22nd...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Just Transition (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 141 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. [62782/22] of 14 December 2022. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Infrastructure (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Celtic Interconnector is a 575 km electricity interconnector that will connect the Irish and French electricity grids from East Cork to North-West France, and is being jointly developed by EirGrid and French Transmission System Operator, RTÉ (Réseau de Transport d’Électricité). With a capacity of 700MW, the interconnector will be in a position to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Consultations (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Climate Action Plan 2021 includes a commitment to review the policy position on the development of private networks/direct lines (Action 115). A consultation paper on policy options for private wires was due to be published in Q1 of this year. Unfortunately, the consultation was delayed. However, work on progressing this matter is ongoing within my Department and officials are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The roll-out of infrastructure for mobile telecommunications services in Ireland is primarily a matter for private mobile network operators, operating on a commercial basis. Capital investment in network infrastructure over the last 5 years was €3.5 billion for fixed and mobile services enhancing the availability of services, both voice and data, throughout Ireland, including in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Dec 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The 2020 Programme for Government committed to a target of 5GW of installed offshore wind capacity in Ireland’s maritime area by 2030. This target was affirmed in the 2021 Climate Action Plan and is required to meet the target which will be contained in the updated 2023 Plan, that up to 80% of Ireland’s electricity will be sourced from renewables by 2030. In addition,...