Results 921-940 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland has made considerable progress in decarbonising our electricity sector over the last decade, largely due to the construction of renewable generation sources and their successful integration onto the electricity grid. Ireland has over 7GW of renewable generation capacity. Wind, particularly onshore, remains our largest source of renewable electricity with over 5GW now installed....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The General Scheme of the Heat (Networks and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 was approved by Government on 30 October 2024. The Heads of Bill were drafted to give effect to the recommendations of the District Heating Steering Group Report which was published in 2023. These recommendations are guiding the development of district heating in Ireland. The Bill will seek to introduce a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Usage (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 2025 outlines the Government's policy position in relation energy policy, housing policy, FDI growth and the many other goals and objectives of the Government. It reflects the balance between the many opportunities and challenges facing the country and the actions that will be taken over the lifetime of the Government. It recognises that increased and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme was launched in April 2024. The scheme is intended to play a crucial role in helping homeowners invest in energy upgrades to make their homes warmer, healthier and more comfortable, with lower emissions and lower bills. The scheme was developed by my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Official Engagements (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that I have had the following engagements with EirGrid since taking Office. On 18 February 2025, I met with Chair of the Board Brendan Tuohy, Interim CEO Martin Corrigan and Chief Infrastructure Officer Michael Mahon. We met for initial introductions and I also received an update on the North South Interconnector. On 3 April 2025, I met with the newly appointed CEO Cathal...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141, 150, 151 and 163 together. The latest analysis from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are an indicator of the scale of the climate challenge ahead. They serve as a clear signal that, while significant progress is being made, the pace of implementation of our climate policies must be accelerated if we are to meet our 2030 targets. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Government has committed to deliver up to 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030. The production and supply of this renewable energy will require the development of the anaerobic digestion (AD) industry at scale. However, sustainability must remain a key consideration as we look to change the way we source our energy to ensure we avoid negatively impacting on land use and food...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Heat Study completed an extensive analysis of land available for energy feedstocks available in Ireland and identified biomethane as a competitive, cost-efficient, path to achieving our climate ambitions. The production and supply of this renewable energy will require the development of the anaerobic digestion industry at scale. However, sustainability must remain a key...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government approved the high-level design for the Micro-Generation Support Scheme (MSS) on the 21st of December 2021, as a means of supporting 380MW of new micro-generation capacity by 2030 under the Climate Action Plan. As part of the approved MSS Final Scheme Design, the maximum grant levels for Domestic applicants were set out for the period from 2022 to 2028. The grant levels...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (10 Jun 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. These schemes include grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings, as well as solar PV and heat pump installation. The various SEAI residential and community energy efficiency upgrade schemes have different...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Climate Action Plan sets ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector from 7 MtCO2eq. in 2018 to 4 MtCO2eq. in 2030. One of the measures to achieve this is to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a BER B2/cost optimal or carbon equivalent, and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes (to replace older, less efficient heating systems) by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports local community groups through the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP). The CCAP will see €61.5 million from the Climate Action Fund being invested in community climate action projects and initiatives, as well as capacity building, over two phases. The overall aim of the CCAP is to support and empower communities to shape and build low carbon, sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Government remains committed to the development of 5GW of offshore wind capacity, with projects in construction by 2030, and energised as soon as feasible thereafter. Ireland’s 5GW target will be met through a combination of projects from Phase One and from within the South Coast DMAP. Five Phase 1 projects accounting for 3.9 GW are progressing through the planning process with an Bord...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: North-South Interconnector (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The North-South Interconnector is an essential infrastructure project that will link the electricity transmission networks of Ireland and Northern Ireland — leading to a more secure, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity across the island. As a transmission project, the North-South Interconnector is being undertaken by EirGrid, which is independent of the Minister, with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There are three measures within my Department - Residential /Community Retrofit, Just Transition and the Green Climate Fund - that receive funding from carbon tax revenue. Residential /Community Retrofit In 2024, €380 million in carbon tax revenue part funded the delivery of almost 54,000 home energy upgrades, including Solar PV, exceeding the overall 2024 target of 52,000...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electricity Grid (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 2025 placed an emphasis on resilience across all sectors, including the energy sector. Ireland’s emergency management is guided by the Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) Framework. The SEM outlines the structures and objectives for coordinating a whole-of-government approach to emergencies that warrant a national-level response. Central to the SEM is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce was established to accelerate and increase the deployment of onshore renewable electricity generation by focusing on the three key pillars of renewables development – Planning; Grid Development and System Services; and Route to Market. This cross-Government Taskforce, which is chaired at Assistant Secretary level in my Department, is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The RESS (Renewable Electricity Support Scheme) mandates that each project participating in the scheme contribute a minimum of €2 per Megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity generated annually to a Community Benefit Funds (CBFs). The CBF payments are distributed across household payments, Sustainable Development initiatives, and administration costs. My Department launched a public...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I last updated the Dáil, via parliamentary question, on 22nd and 27th May, to state that it is my intention to bring a policy statement on private wires to Cabinet in the coming months, and the position has not changed since then. Developing a private wires policy is a priority for this Government and an action was included in the Programme for Government to expedite the delivery of this...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Sustainable Development Goals (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to accelerating Ireland’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and to adopting a coordinated approach to drive impactful action both at home and abroad. A whole-of-Government approach is being taken to deliver the SDGs in Ireland. My Department has overall responsibility for promoting the SDGs and overseeing delivery...