Results 24,641-24,660 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (7 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (7 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities (7 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to cycling and public transport infrastructure; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the management of public bike schemes. Details regarding operation of existing and proposed bike schemes fall under the remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA) working in conjunction with...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy for proposing this amendment. The Climate Action Act and Low Carbon Development Act and the provisions therein are extremely important to provide for public bodies to act in a manner consistent with the latest climate action plan. This particular legislative provision was inserted on the advice of the Attorney General and reflects the language already approved by the...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: This Bill is very similar to the earlier Act which provided for An Bord Pleanála in the context of being able to apply Article 2(4) of the environmental impact assessment directive with regard to consideration by An Bord Pleanála. This is a similar provision. We are replicating the provision in this Act in section 3 to give the same requirements. It is being done on the advice of...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy's amendment states it should be "consistent with" rather than "having regard to".

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: This similarly says "in line with the provisions as set out".

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The wording "in a manner consistent with" is in the text of the amendments to the legislation drafted before us, but it does delete the other wording. I believe what we are doing here is consistent with the Act. I also believe it is consistent with the 2023 plan to which the Deputy referred. It specifically states that we will need such a generation capacity as the ones we are legislating...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I agree. The point I was making is that it is provided for in the legislation. It is caveated, one would argue, by the further text, which Deputy Whitmore's amendment would delete. It must recognise that in this particular instance it must take account of the exceptional circumstances of this legislation. The text was included in the 2022 Act on the advice of the Attorney General and...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The holder of an industrial emissions licence is required to submit an annual environmental report, AER, each year to the agency. The AER is designed to facilitate the provision to the public of a concise summary of environmental performance and ongoing developments on a licensed site over the previous year. AERs, depending on the nature of the site, typically include details of...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The legislation relates to the licensing process under the EPA Act. It would not be appropriate to insert provisions dealing with matters outside the scope of the functions of the agency, such as reporting on electricity and security of supply. There is, as I said on the previous amendment, not just the collection of data but the public reporting of that. That is publicly available, in...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I would be happy to do that at any stage. There are probably two different time periods. This equipment will not be in until the end of the year, whereas I presume the debate on the energy security issue would happen before that. I am happy to commit to further debate along those lines at an appropriate time.

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I am afraid I cannot accept it, for the primary reason that we already have a sunset clause. The Eirgrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Act 2022, which was published last year, has such a clause, saying the project will cease operation in 2027, with an option of a further year, if required, but only if a resolution is passed by both Houses. The purpose of that legislation was to provide...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The project will cease.

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: There is no prospect of any other sites being used. The 2022 Act is precise and clear as to what designated development is. The intention is for it to be located at two separate sites, that is, Shannonbridge and Tarbert generation stations. It is not possible to use alternative sites. Legally, courts have to interpret a particular provision, but any assessment by a court of the definition...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The reason for this emergency Bill is to make sure we have power available for next winter. If we do not get the Bill passed and get the EPA started in the licensing process, that will not be possible for the two stations and plants that are planned, whatever about other plants. Starting another process would mean adding another 12 months at least. We have seen from experience, even using...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: No, because the limit of the designated development is 450 MW, which will be fully delivered by the plants we have proposed.

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I will try to get that answer for the Deputy now. The Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Act 2022, under the heading "Designation of development", states: Development comprising of the installation of up to 450 megawatts of temporary emergency electricity generation plant, site development and works ancillary to that installation, and the operation of the plant, intended to be...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Mar 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Shannonbridge and Tarbert.