Results 101-120 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently progressing amendments to the Air Pollution Act 1987 to strengthen the enforcement powers of the Local Authorities to ensure that solid fuel is compliant with prescribed standards to reduce the impact of solid fuel on our health and the environment. The proposed amendments include provisions to ensure that the labelling, registration and advertising of solid fuels...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 together. The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) was established on 17th July 2023, at which point the aAgency assumed responsibility for all statutory functions under the Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Act 2021, as amended. MARA has a system for the prioritisation of all Maritime Area Consent (MAC) and Maritime Usage Licence (MUL)...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Responsibilities (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There are two Ministers of State assigned to my Department. The functions to be delegated to each of them have been identified. Minister of State Alan Dillon will have responsibility for functions related to the Circular Economy and Waste Policy. Minister of State Timmy Dooley will have responsibility for functions related to Marine Planning and Inland Fisheries. Work is underway on the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 in a liberalised market, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg is statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions in accordance with section 11 of the Communications Regulation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Infrastructure (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 2025 placed an emphasis on resilience across all sectors. This includes the energy and environment sectors. 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....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cycling Policy (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm to the Deputy the number of cycle to work scheme applications processed by my Department, each year from 2020 to 2024 in the attached table. There are 15 State bodies under the aegis of my Department. The information sought in the Question is an operational matter for each of the State bodies concerned and, as such, it is not information held by my Department. It is suggested...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Guidelines (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: All planning guidelines are prepared under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines addressing a number of key aspects including noise,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future published in January 2025 sets a number of targets which include the completion of the installation of high-speed fibre broadband to 1.1 million people, including homes, farms, and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Postal Services (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Capita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, assigns Eircodes to new property addresses using a valid postal address and verified geo-locations. An Post collects information on all new and existing buildings, as well as changes to existing addresses and Tailte Éireann (formerly Ordnance Survey Ireland) provides the geo-locations for these buildings. An Post GeoDirectory...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 41, 42 and 43 together. Ireland has a well-developed collection system of materials for recycling however, due to, for example, scale of the Irish market, in general these materials are sorted and bulked up for recycling abroad. EU legislation targets materials such as packaging, electrical and electronic products, batteries, end-of-life vehicles to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from Councils’ own resources and supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is a matter for the local authority....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Safety (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulation of both the recreational and commercial use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS - drones) is provided for under European Union regulations that are directly applicable in Ireland. The EU drone regulations are implemented and overseen by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) under its remit as the national Civil Aviation Authority. Commercial drone delivery services are covered by EU...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 May 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 responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Ministerial Responsibilities (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Statutory functions have been delegated to Minister of State Sean Canney in S.I. 144 of 2025. The S.I. is available on the Irish Statute Book at www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2025/si/144/made/en/pdf. The S.I. is currently being laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. Additional Non-statutory functions are also being delegated to Minister of State Canney and Minister of State Buttimer. A copy...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who, in partnership with local authorities, have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area. Noting the role of the NTA in the matter, I have referred your...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Córas Iompair Éireann (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: From the outset I would like to clarify that I, as Minister for Transport, have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ Group and their employees. As a commercial semi-state body, CIÉ are responsible for the provision...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (7 May 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 responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Policy (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel and Greenways infrastructure. The National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) along with the relevant local authorities are responsible for the development and delivery of individual projects. It is critical that active travel infrastructure is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Córas Iompair Éireann (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: From the outset I would like to clarify that I, as Minister for Transport, have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ Group and their employees. As a commercial semi-state body, CIÉ are responsible for the provision...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Planning Issues (7 May 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 planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned....