Results 1,381-1,400 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Conservation (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. It is an important scheme. We will continue it and there are exacting targets there. I would not say it is not working; it is. All schemes can always be improved somewhat. Ireland has one of the most ambitious home retrofit targets in the world. The national retrofit plan sets out how these targets will be met, including an €8 billion financial investment to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. 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...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I am glad the Deputy has raised this today because while I have been able to read into the record details of a reduction in waiting times from 26 months to 18 months, which is fine, that is still a significant length of time for anyone to be waiting. The waiting time has reduced for E, F and G homes, so there is a prioritisation of the worst affected. I will be engaging with the SEAI to see...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Growing green skills across the country was something in which the last Government was heavily involved and work is ongoing to grow this new sector. New apprenticeships are now in place and we will be working with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, and other colleagues to further advance that. I visited many of those centres myself during the term of the last Government and was impressed....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy O'Gorman for raising this important question. The Government has committed to deliver up to 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030. In response to this ambitious target, my Department, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, published the national biomethane strategy in May 2024. Implementation of this strategy is ongoing and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree with the Deputy's analysis that there are major opportunities with biomethane. The original grant scheme was to the tune of about €40 million with 22 applications received. Within that, some of those are to expand existing facilities and others for new ones. The RHO will be an important component in allowing us to grow the sector even further. It will operate similar to the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The best way we can protect this sector is to grow it and support it. That is where the work on the RHO is particularly important. The Deputy can be assured that I see the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund as a very obvious fit within my Department and the work we are doing on energy transition. That is something we will be discussing and agreeing with colleagues. The previous...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no secret deal done at all. I have mentioned and the Deputy has ignored completely the issue of what Ireland would do right now, next week, the week after or next year if there was a disruption to our gas supply. Gas is in our system right now and we are reducing our reliance on it. What would we do? Would we just have no strategic reserve of gas? Would we not run our hospitals...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: It is a very serious proposition. If we have no energy and a major disruption to our gas supply, we need to have a reserve in place. This did not come about by any kind of deal that the Deputy suggests. It is about ensuring we have the adequate supports in place should there be a disruption to our gas supply while we are expanding renewables and increasing our interconnection, as the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: All of us understand and accept that we have vast future potential to harness additional renewables that will deliver price savings and stability in our energy market, which we need unquestionably, and help us to reach the exacting targets we have set with regard to climate. We saw very recently in some areas of the country how fragile our grid is to withstand very severe weather events....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Fundamentally, as the Deputy will know, the grid itself is owned by the State. We operate an all-island electricity market. The State owns the grid itself both North and South. The further expansion of that to harness offshore renewables in particular, as the Deputy knows, are the RESS auctions. We have five applications in planning right now. They are a very important part of actually...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As outlined in the programme for Government, the Government is committed to taking decisive action to radically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and achieve a 51% reduction in emissions from 2018 to 2030, and to achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050. In the programme for Government, we also set out commitments to achieving 80% of Ireland’s electricity generation from...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Right, I do not know where to start with that. There is a reality. The Deputy has dismissed the report that was done and the research that was carried out with regard to energy security full stop. What would this country do if there was an unforeseen event that disrupted our gas supplies while we are transitioning away from fossil fuels? We have done that very successfully. I commend the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bord na Móna (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputies. I have taken on board what they have said and I have also taken on board the constructive manner in which it has been raised. To be clear, the board of management of Bord na Móna is responsible and accountable for the strategic direction and management of the organisation. It is a commercial State body and it will manage its operations. The piece with regard to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Daly. Specifically with regard to the roll-out of renewable energy onto the grid, it is an absolute priority for the Government. We have very exacting targets. We also have a climate action plan. We are making progress on renewables. We have further renewable resources we can tap into. We have offshore renewables but I believe we have more capacity for onshore renewables....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bord na Móna (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank my colleagues for the questions. There is a process to be followed here. The original engagement with the Department was in 2024, as I read into the record. Bord na Móna submitted papers to the CCPC on 7 February, just short of two weeks ago. I have not received any request for ministerial consent, which would be required. I read in detail the correspondence dated 10...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bord na Móna (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My response will be six minutes for three questions. I asked about this group. It is the first time I have seen priority questions grouped. We queried that yesterday and apparently it is appropriate. We might work that out post this round of questions.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Bord na Móna (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for this important question. I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 73 and 75 together. Bord na Móna is a commercial semi-State under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, established under the Turf Development Act 1998. Bord na Móna is a corporate body and a separate legal entity to the Department, as Members will know....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Generation (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: To align with overarching decarbonisation objectives, Ireland’s offshore wind ambitions are being delivered in a phased approach. Phase One comprises six projects which will deploy fixed-bottom technology, with the majority of these Phase One projects on the east coast and one on the west coast. The combined capacity of all Phase One projects is approximately 4.4 gigawatts. One of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Grid (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Issues regarding the development of the national electricity grid rest with EirGrid, as Transmission System Operator, and ESB Networks, as Distribution System Operator, who are independent of me as Minister in the exercise of their respective functions. Both of whom are overseen by the independent regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. The Government does not have any role...