Results 21,821-21,840 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy on the need for urgency and action. The legislation states, “The Minister shall, as soon as may be after a carbon budget takes effect under section 6B, finalise and submit each sectoral emissions ceiling to the Government for approval”, so there is provision within the legislation. I also recognise that, in many instances, scientific information will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The 20 million tonnes is not the implied ceiling within the budget. With regard to the 2026-2030 target, the 200 million tonnes is after the reallocation of what we decide on the reallocation, including LULUCF. It does not give an implied figure for LULUCF in the budget period. May I make a point that I believe to be critical? Regardless of the figures and targets we set, they, in their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The point I was making is that is not what will happen. There will have to be a reallocation. There is a process. We have set out what we know and think is possible in each of the sectoral areas - we learn by doing - in agriculture, in transport, in terms of how we can promote public transport. Even within that, there will be variations - we learn by doing - but we know we will need...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: My understanding is that the difference in the Senator's view is that the unallocated savings will arise as emissions whereas we are saying they will be reallocated and we will therefore bring the figures down to 200 megatonnes. The Senator is assuming there will not be a reallocation. We are committing to reallocation but on the basis that we need to do further scientific analyses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with what was said earlier about information services for the Oireachtas. As I said earlier, the Parliamentary Budgetary Office would be an appropriate vehicle. There is also the legal office here and I am sure that the Senator has had recourse to it on climate issues and so on. There are also different committees. As an aside, one of the most interesting developments at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I think the Chair is right. I am glad to hear that he got a good sense from the office in Limerick. As I said, I have been visiting local authorities. In addition, I called each of the city and county managers just before the recess and asked them to submit what we are calling pathfinder projects which will accelerate key sustainable mobility projects that could help us to decarbonise, to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I absolutely agree regarding the engagement of the agricultural sector, farming communities and the food industry. They must be involved. It is not, however, a case of a lack of engagement and involvement or a lack of plans and strategy. I am thinking about the fact that the whole EU farm to fork strategy has been the centre of policy. It is not complete and continues to evolve, but it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Yes. I acknowledge that, but it is not as if there have not been processes around considering our emissions reductions in agriculture. I refer to Ag Climatise. Even if we look at the private sector, what is happening in the food industry is that it is being recognised that companies involved must follow science-based targets. Enterprises, such as Kerry Group, have acknowledged this in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The climate action plan will continue playing a central role in emissions reduction. It will set out plans for reducing nitrogen. The sectoral emissions ceiling is putting it up to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to deliver changes in order that we meet our nitrogen fertiliser reduction targets. His Department has done a great deal of work on improving the breeding stock,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy. It is a question of finding the best way of delivering that, which I believe to be the rapid delivery of BusConnects projects across our five cities, as well as the delivery of the Connecting Ireland rural bus system. In that regard, the greatest obstacle will be political or public opposition. We must have sufficient political will, as this will require a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am glad to say that the Act provides that the Ministers in each sectoral area are obliged to come before the Oireachtas committee, as appropriate, and account for what they are doing. They can be called before the committee and held to account. On the question of EPA measurements, the inventories and that whole process are based on tonnage and not percentages. It is a matter of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Those of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and industry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The proposal for that approach came from the Climate Change Advisory Council. That is an area where the correct approach has not been resolved. It is an issue that is connected to the forestry sector and the complicated understanding of what is happening in respect of our land use emissions. Part of the work being done in the land use review will allow us to resolve that matter. I would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy. I think it appropriate that this committee has a key role. It was established in the absence of such a locus and has done good work so I would not give up on that holding people to account role.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We have learned from recent crises when Government works well and there is that persistent attention to delivery. Covid and Brexit are good examples. One of the things we learned from these and from other neighbouring jurisdictions is that when departments get out of silos, there is direct political involvement and agencies are brought in. With that in mind, we are establishing six...

Measures to Assist with Household Bills: Motion [Private Members] (14 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputies for raising this critical issue and allowing us to have this debate this evening. Clearly, the situation we are witnessing with increases in energy bills and the cost of living is the matter of utmost concern and is central to everything at this time in the country. We are keenly aware of the growing pressure on families and businesses. We have been thinking about and...

Seanad: Energy: Motion (14 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I very much appreciate that. I thank Senators for raising these important matters and allowing us time to discuss them today. Clearly, the current situation where we are witnessing significant increases in energy bills and the cost of living is a matter of real and serious concern. The Government is keenly aware of the growing pressures this is placing on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (14 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices.The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) has been applied to all domestic electricity accounts through April, May...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (14 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The premises referred to in the Question is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (14 Sep 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households who are most at risk of energy poverty. It is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Since the start of the scheme in 2000, over 145,000 free upgrades have been supported by the scheme. In line with the Scheme guidelines and technical guidance,...