Results 981-1,000 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together. The Community Energy Grant Scheme supports cross-sectoral, partnership approaches that deliver energy savings to a range of building types, including public, commercial and community buildings with a particular focus on using the projects to deliver home retrofits, encompassing energy-poor, private, rental, and approved housing body...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Supply Board (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is an instrument implemented by the European Union to address the risk of carbon leakage. The EU’s ambition is to become climate neutral by 2050, and CBAM will aim to ensure that imported goods are subject to a carbon price equivalent to the carbon price of domestic production in the EU. CBAM affects the electricity sector by putting a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fishing Industry (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department published a Governance Review of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) in December 2023. This independent review, which was carried out by EY, had been commissioned, at my predecessor, Minister Eamon Ryan’s instruction, by the Section 18 appointees (Mr Tom Barry and Mr Séamus Neely) who were carrying out the functions of IFI prior to the new IFI Board taking office in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Funding (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In November 2020, then Minister Eamon Ryan, established the Angling Consultative Council of Ireland (ACCI), a stakeholder advisory group chaired by my Department comprising angling bodies with a national remit as well as members of the Executive of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). In 2024, it was renamed the Angling Advisory Group (AAG) and provides a platform for policy inputs and addressing...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Infrastructure (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: This is a private project, the matter is before the Courts and it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Transmission Network (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Issues regarding the maintenance of the national electricity grid rest with EirGrid and ESB Networks who are independent of myself as Minister in the exercise of their respective functions. EirGrid, as Transmission System Operator, have responsibility for the development of the Transmission Network and ESB Networks, as Distribution System Operator, have responsibility for the development of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Following the damage caused to the Telecoms networks by Storm Éowyn, my colleague Minister O'Donovan met with senior executives of both mobile and fixed telecoms providers to reflect on the lessons to be learned, and measures to be considered to build further resilience into telecommunications networks to avoid, where feasible and practicable, a reoccurrence of the same level of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Energy Poverty Action Plan 2022 set out the range of measures implemented, as well as key longer-term measures, to ensure that those least able to afford increased energy costs were supported and protected to adequately heat and power their homes over winter 2022/23. The implementation of the Action Plan has been monitored by a cross-departmental Steering Group, chaired by my Department....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 physical security of supply in Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems in 2035 and 2040, using the latest available data, to assess if the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 was to update the analysis of physical security of supply in Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems in 2035 and 2040, using the latest available data, to assess if the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: EV infrastructure standards are mandated through European regulations, the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), and Irish legislation and regulations. At an EU level, AFIR lays down common technical specifications and requirements for EV recharging infrastructure, including payment requirements to ensure a seamless and easy charging experience for users. As stated in both...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the EV charging network over the coming years. A range of new charging infrastructure schemes are being developed which will help provide another critical link in the overall network for public charging, including: • The first ZEVI TII EV Recharging Infrastructure LDV National Road Grant...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: An Garda Síochána (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 was enacted in June 2023. Among its many provisions, the Act aims to tackle dangerous driving and the antisocial use of scramblers and quadbikes via three key measures:Under Section 5(k), dangerous driving has become an offence everywhere, not only in public places;Under Section 5(p), An Garda Síochána were granted new powers of seizure;Under...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Expenditure (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy, I wish to refer you to the DPENDR databank (databank.per.gov.ie). The figures reflected in the databank detail all current and capital spending by Government Departments and agencies.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, Public Service Obligation (PSO) services are socially necessary but financially unviable public transport services which are funded through a combination of Exchequer funding (both the PSO grant and funding from the Department of Social Protection for the Free Travel Scheme) and passenger fare revenue. As outlined in the new Programme for Government, Securing...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including through engagement with Iarnród Éireann, any proposed new stations and the DART+ South West...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to Greenways. In line with Section 32 (2) of the Roads Act 1993, the planning, design, and construction of individual Greenways is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Investment in Greenway projects is also subject to the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Legislative Process (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department anticipates up to 37 Statutory Instruments being brought forward for my approval and signature as set out below within the first six months of 2025. Most of these relate to transposition of EU legislation. 1. Statutory Instruments relating to EU legislation: S.I. transposing Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2025/149 by amending S.I. No.651 of 2010, European...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Funding (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is...