Results 1,301-1,320 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 the carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. Last year saw a record spend of almost...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) was established under the Sustainable Energy Act of 2002. The Authority is a body corporate with functions and responsibilities as set out under Section 6 of the Act, which include, among other things, promoting and assisting:environmentally and economically sustainable production, supply and use of energy,energy efficiency and renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the national response to Storm Éowyn, the Cross-Departmental Recovery Group was established. The Group, chaired by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, is coordinating actions to restore telecommunications and broadband to those experiencing outages. The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick O’Donovan TD,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I have been advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the national authority for the protection, conservation and development of the inland fisheries resource that the scientific advice for the operation of salmon fisheries prepared by the Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS) for the Owenea and Owentocker rivers, which drain to the Loughros estuary, west Donegal, has necessitated a range...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Consultations (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I bring the Deputy's attention to the provided details of all external legal consultation undertaken by my Department in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025. Name of legal Consultant/Company Purpose of Consultancy Report or Recommendation arising Y/N Cost including VAT 2023 Cost including VAT 2024 Cost including VAT 2025 Arthur...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the national response to Storm Éowyn the Cross-Departmental Recovery Group was established. The Group, chaired by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, is coordinating actions to restore telecommunications and broadband to those experiencing outages. The Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, met...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy within 10 working days, in line with the Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy within 10 working days, in line with the Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bord na Móna (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Bord na Móna is a commercial State body under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, established under the Turf Development Act 1998. Bord na Móna is a state-owned company, 95% of the issued share capital is held by the Minister for Finance (whose shares stand transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform under the Ministers and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Responsibilities (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department will publish the Ministerial brief I received upon taking office on the Department's website shortly. The briefing material covers the wide range of activities associated with my Department across the functional areas of energy; climate action and environment; circular economy and resource efficiency; EU and international affairs and marine planning; telecommunications and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Generation (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There are currently no grant schemes for micro-wind or micro-generation technologies other than Solar PV, supported by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). SEAI have advised that significant investment in new processes and systems development would be required to include these within the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS). Given the low numbers estimated for these...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Production (25 Feb 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: National Broadband Plan (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In December 2022, the Digital Connectivity Strategy for Ireland was published and sets out a number of targets including that all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028. This target is on track and will be met through a combination of commercial investment and State funding. The Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a bioliquid which can be used as a renewable energy and which, in a transport context, is classified as a biofuel. HVO is currently available for consumers to purchase for use for both transport and heating. In terms of using HVO as a bioliquid for heating purposes, the Climate Action Plan includes a range of measures to address the use of fossil fuels...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) was approved by Government on 21 December 2021, to support Ireland’s ambitious targets for micro-generation installations under the Climate Action Plan. The MSS provides supports to both domestic and non-domestic applicants, in the form of grants for Solar PV installations, up to a maximum of €1,800 in 2025 for household installations....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The matters raised in this question relate to commercial development in Northern Ireland and should be directed to the appropriate Northern Irish bodies. Furthermore, operational matters regarding the grid should be directed to both Eirgrid and ESB Networks, and are not matters in which I, as Minister, have a function. As such the Deputy may wish to engage with these organisations directly at...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Supply Board (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ESB is a commercial State body under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, established under the Electricity Supply Act 1927. ESB is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department. This is an operational matter for ESB. The Deputy may contact ESB directly via the Oireachtas@esb.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) advisory opinion highlights the obligation of States “to take necessary measures to prevent, reduce and control marine pollution.” Ireland for its part since 2024 has managed Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG) from maritime transport through the European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS). The EU ETS is a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The matters raised in this question are operational matters for both Eirgrid and ESB Networks, and are not matters in which I, as Minister, have a function. As such the Deputy may wish to engage with these organisations directly at oireachtas@esb.ie or oireachtas@eirgrid.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Grid (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Mandatory Demand Curtailment is an operational matter for EirGrid, and is not a matter in which I, as Minister, have a function. As such the Deputy may wish to engage with this organisation directly at the following email address: oireachtas@eirgrid.ie.