Results 821-840 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 159 together. 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 carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 207 together. The Department engaged CEPA (Cambridge Economic Policy Associates Ltd) in December 2024 to update their previous modelling which informed the Energy Security Package in 2023. The aim of this additional modelling is to update the analysis of security of supply in Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems in 2035 and 2040,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department engaged CEPA (Cambridge Economic Policy Associates Ltd) in December 2024 to update their previous modelling which informed the Energy Security Package in 2023. The aim of this additional modelling is to update the analysis of security of supply in Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems in 2035 and 2040, using the latest available data (previous analysis covered...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together. In December 2022, Government approved a new Energy Poverty Action Plan. The Plan is available on gov.ie and sets out the range of measures implemented to meet high energy costs, as well as key longer-term measures, to ensure that those least able to afford these increased energy costs are supported and protected to adequately heat and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Climate Action Plan 2024 commits to achieving at least 5 gigawatts (GW) of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030. The Government's Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce is driving delivery of this objective. Our first offshore wind auction under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, ORESS 1, took place in 2023 and resulted in 3.1 GW of offshore wind capacity being contracted...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As set out in the 2021 'Policy Statement on Security of Electricity Supply', the development of new conventional gas fired generation is a national priority and should be permitted and supported. This will ensure security of electricity supply and support the growth of renewable electricity generation. Dispatchable generation, such as gas fired generation, is necessary to meet electricity...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Natural Gas Grid (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My official have engaged with Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) in relation to the information sought and GNI has advised the following in relation to the gas demand of data centres and large industrial processes in 2024. It should be noted that, for the purposes of this Question, GNI define “Large industrial processes” as their Daily Metered and Large Daily Metered customers,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Grid (19 Mar 2025)

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

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: 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. To promote and incentivise the achievement of these targets, the Government has put in place a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: On 17 November 2023, the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Act 2023 passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas and was signed into law by the President. In accordance with Council Regulation 2022/1854, the Act introduced a cap on market revenues from the sale of electricity produced from certain sources for the period beginning on 1 December 2022 and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: On 17th July 2023, the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Act 2023 passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas and was signed into law by the President. In accordance with Council Regulation 2022/1854, the Act introduces a temporary solidarity contribution to fossil fuel companies on earned unexpected surplus profits (“windfall...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Act 2023 was enacted in November 2023 and was commenced on 4 December 2023. This Act implemented a cap on market revenues of specific electricity producers, traders and intermediaries as required in Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices. The Act...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air and Water Pollution (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 179, inclusive, together. The Report mentioned was prepared by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and requests for copies of the Report should be directed to that Council. Local authorities are and will continue to be responsible for the enforcement of the solid fuel regulations, including identifying unauthorised fuels placed on the market...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates the Warmer Homes Scheme on behalf of my Department. Individual applications to the Warmer Homes Scheme are an operational matter for the SEAI and, as Minister, I have no role in such matters. The SEAI has established a dedicated email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that such queries can be addressed promptly. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The second National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS) was published in December 2019, and followed on from the country's first Strategy which was published in 2015. The vision behind the 2019 Strategy was an Ireland that could continue to safely enjoy the benefits of the digital revolution and to play a full part in shaping the future of the Internet. This was to be achieved through:the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Legislative Programme (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Cyber Security Bill is the legislative vehicle which transposes the revised Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) and provides the provisions that places National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on a statutory footing. Substantial work has been completed by my Department on the transposition of the NIS2 Directive. NIS2 is a complex piece of legislation requiring a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Contracts (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I am advised that my Department has no contracts with the company referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Pension Provisions (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 46 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 ('the Act'), I, as Minister, with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform ('MPENDR'), approve any superannuation schemes submitted by An Post. In accordance with the Act, and the relevant section of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, An Post must seek...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: International Agreements (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The State has not entered into arbitration with the company in question, or any other company, under the dispute resolution mechanism provided for under the Energy Charter Treaty.