Results 21,761-21,780 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Eamon Ryan: It is roughly 100. That allows it to manage the non-public perimeter security points.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Eamon Ryan: What changed was real concern that, in the peak period of July and August, the last of the extra complement of new security staff would not be up to speed, fully in place, and up and running. There was real concern, especially in the advent of a Covid surge. It is hard to know where exactly we are on that but it is likely we are at the peak of that at present. It was a real concern that it...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Eamon Ryan: It was a specific request from DAA. As I said, we had the various options of either flight cancellations or getting the Defence Forces in. That very much led us to make a specific immediate decision.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Eamon Ryan: There are various levers, including, to go back to what was said earlier, commercial bus operations. Looking to see could we improve connectivity to Shannon Airport is one example of where there are levers we might be able to use. It is for us to review in the autumn how we capitalise on some of the benefits offered by Shannon, including the fact people get through security there in no time...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Yes.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I do not have the answer now. If the Deputy submits a written parliamentary question on the matter, I will certainly follow it up.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am quite happy to follow up on that.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Eamon Ryan: There are so many sectors coming out of Covid. It is like leaving a machine idle for two years. It is not that taxi drivers were idle, but now that everything has started back up again full tilt, we are finding it is difficult for a variety of sectors to get back. As the Chairman said, the pattern changed during that two-year period. Many older drivers have left. Many of those who...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I hear the Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am pleased to join the committee today to discuss the pressing matters of energy security, energy prices and protecting our vulnerable consumers and businesses. The National Energy Security Framework, which was approved by the Government and published in April this year, sets out Ireland’s response to our energy security needs in the context of the invasion of Ukraine and our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Just to back that up, I had a meeting online with the UK minister in early August and our officials had a meeting with the European Commission yesterday on this reform. The President of the Commission, Dr. von der Leyen, said yesterday that they are now working on an emergency intervention and a structural reform of the electricity market. We need a new market model for electricity that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities has set out some of the timelines on this, but I will go further. Going right back, our first energy policy was set with the White Paper I was involved in back in 2007. That was followed in 2015 with a further White Paper on energy policy. In that period, we always had capacity payments for new generation. The European Commission was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We recognised in the spring that we needed to do an independent review. I approached Mr. Dermot McCarthy, who is former Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach. He started work during the summer. I expect an interim report in the autumn. I am giving him great flexibility, freedom and independence in how he conducts that review. Our intention is to make it public. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Over the years, and in the past year or two, I have always found that the public servants who work on behalf of the public serve it to the best of their ability and to the highest standard. I have found that to be the case in the past two years in working with the regulator, the transmission system operator and the ESB. Those three organisations serve the public interest. They are public...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I have met representatives of every industry involved with the energy and environmental area. With regard to the UK and gas security, there was a statement from the UK Government's spokesperson earlier in August indicating the UK has no issues with either gas or electricity supply and the UK Government is fully prepared for any scenario, even those that are extreme and very unlikely to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We do not currently have gas storage but it will be considered within the study.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We have asked Gas Networks Ireland and CRU to come back to our steering group on emergency planning with further measures. The measures under public consultation from CRU on time-of-day pricing is a good example of how we can manage demand and have flexible demand management to help us through this incredibly difficult period. On the RESS scheme, which the Senator mentioned, I note a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: On the question of the UK and the gas grid, since 2011, the UK and Irish system operators have arrangements in place to provide Ireland with assistance in the event of a gas supply emergency. Typically, National Grid and Gas Networks Ireland meet every six months to discuss matters of mutual interest and to complement these arrangements and the regional approach to emergency planning. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We treat it on an all-island basis, first and foremost. The interconnector is connected with the Isle of Man as well. One has to remember it is an interconnection with the Republic, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland. We have to continue to deepen electricity interconnection, not just with the new one coming on stream, but to look at further mechanisms. Increasingly, stronger...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We do not have the specific proposals yet from the Commission. This is highly complex. Europe has tended to divide between northern and southern perspectives and it tends to vary between countries that have a large of amount of gas in their generation portfolio and those who have a smaller amount. We are in one of the largest categories. Some of the solutions that might apply in other...