Results 2,281-2,300 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Annual Exchequer funding provided by my Department is allocated to various programmes and subheads in the Revised Estimates and approved by Dáil Éireann. For practical reasons, as set out in public financial procedures, there are two arrangements to vary the allocations between subheads. These are the passing of a technical Supplementary Estimate by Dáil Éireann or a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I consider that a very serious, misleading and ludicrous accusation. To say that money is being siphoned from one project to a pet project is ridiculous. Some 99.85% of the budget was spent according to how it was primarily allocated. Some 0.15% of the budget was moved between different subheads. This is a small movement of money which happens when, for administrative reasons, money...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. He referred to a sum of €150 million being transferred. The total amount of money transferred over three years was just over €5 million. I am not sure where the figure of €150 million is coming from. I wonder if he is looking at a different table. We are talking about-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: We are talking about 0.15% of the budget. We are not talking about €150 million. The total amount of money over three years is €5.5 million. It is being transferred for administrative reasons where it was not possible to complete all of the expenditure on one subhead of a project and, therefore, was moved to another subhead. I have seen the Deputy use this technique with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The month of May 2023 saw the highest number of solar PV applications since the launch of the scheme, with 2,862 new applications accepted. This was a 55% increase on the previous month and a 104% increase on May 2022. There has been sustained high demand on the scheme since then, with August 2023 having a 54% increase over August 2022. This follows the amendment to the Finance Bill 2023...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: One good thing about solar PV is that it is very quick to deploy. It only takes a couple of days to install it and it does not take a lot of experience or training to put up the panels. Obviously, you need a registered electrical contractor to connect it to your system but it is a rapidly deployable technology, which is why 30,000 homes have already received it. It is not just the 0%...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I believe there is already a solar scheme for the medically vulnerable. I do not have the details of the progress of that but it is already being deployed. There will be more solar schemes in the budget and the Deputy is welcome to make any suggestions. The budget has not yet been announced. The schemes will continue to be supported. The public sector is leading by example. I have been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Quality (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: National air quality monitoring stations are operated, maintained and monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, under the ambient air quality monitoring programme. My Department has provided funding for a significant upgrade to the network in recent years and the number of monitoring stations has increased from 29 in 2017 to 114 today. The expansion will be complete when the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Quality (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: We need to acknowledge that Ireland has a higher incidence of respiratory illness than other countries in Europe. The European Environment Agency has reported we have 1,300 premature deaths a year from breathing illnesses and we all know of people with COPD and relatives of ours who have had traumatic deaths as a result of air quality. It is hidden. We dealt with the visible air quality...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Quality (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I refer the Deputy to the report of the urban transport related air pollution working group to see what its analysis of transport-related emissions are. There is a particular problem around schools to do with idling and the fact there are young children with growing brains hanging around outside schools while a lot of vehicles pollute those areas. I will be meeting with the EPA shortly and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Production (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: My Department is currently finalising the energy security package which will address the energy security challenges facing Ireland. This package is focused on the period to 2030, but in the broader context of transitioning Ireland to net-zero emissions by 2050. The Government’s policy objectives are to ensure energy is affordable, sustainable and secure, as well as in line with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Production (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The Minister, Deputy Ryan, is not here because he is representing Ireland in Paris by chairing a meeting of the international energy agency on critical raw materials. This is a complex piece of work. It is a long-term strategy on how to protect Ireland's security of supply, not just of gas but also of electricity and oil. Therefore, a lot of work is required to get it right. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Negotiations (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Loss and damage is a key priority of Ireland's climate diplomacy. For the last year, Ireland has been working on the transitional committee for loss and damage to develop strong recommendations on the new funding arrangements. Ireland is committed to delivering a strong outcome on loss and damage at COP28, including the operationalisation of new funding arrangements for assisting vulnerable...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Negotiations (28 Sep 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Ireland has been involved in previous loss and damage operations and will do the same again this time. We are considered to be a high-ambition country and one that puts social justice at the core of what it pushes for. There will be grants. We will be pushing for that angle. We will also try to ensure that the countries that need the money get it. We have to recognise that in order to...