Results 25,841-25,860 of 26,787 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann (20 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Officials in my Department have contacted Bus Éireann in relation to this and requested that a reply issue to the deputy. My private office will contact the deputy on Monday the 26th of May if a response has not issued from Bus Éireann by that date.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (20 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the provision of bus shelters. There is a commitment under the Programme for Government to ensure that public transport operators provide...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (20 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure, including ticketing and technology projects. The NTA's Next Generation Ticketing project will provide for transformative upgrade to the ticketing system for public...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (20 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure, including ticketing and technology projects. The NTA's Next Generation Ticketing project will provide for a transformative upgrade to the ticketing system for public...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Questions regarding the planning process are matters more appropriately directed in the first instance to the relevant county council. Operational matters regarding the grid should be directed to both Eirgrid and ESB Networks. These matters are not ones in which I, as Minister, have a function. As such the Deputy may wish to engage with these organisations directly. ESB and EirGrid may be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: To protect the environment and ensure the recycling of the valuable materials that they contain, it is important that electronic vaping devices are disposed of correctly. Proper takeback and disposal is also part of the transition to a circular economy. Ireland uses Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) measures for dealing with waste streams such as batteries and waste electrical and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In December 2022, Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy was published which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and set out a number of targets including that all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028. The Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future published in January 2025 sets a number...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The village of Rathcabbin is predominantly within the BLUE area on the broadband map which is available on my Department's website . The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has responsibility for the National Smart Metering Programme (NSMP), with ESB Networks (ESBN) delivering the roll-out across the country. I understand that currently Night Storage Heating (NSH) has a day/night meter for the NSH with a switch and a 24 hr register meter that records the usage for the rest of the usage. ESBN have proposed a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I would refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No 327 of Tuesday, 13 May 2025. As set out in that reply, my Department is now preparing a draft Social Climate Plan in consultation with relevant Departmental stakeholders and with the European Commission. Departmental officials are in the process of designing a public consultation to inform the development of this Plan. It is planned to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Strategies (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently drafting Ireland’s National Building Renovation Plan which will outline our approach to ensuring the renovation of the national stock of residential and non-residential buildings, both public and private, into a highly energy-efficient and decarbonised building stock by 2050, with the objective to transform existing buildings into zero-emission buildings. A...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Climate Action Plan and the National Retrofit Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal level and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes by the end of 2030. A range of measures have been introduced under the Retrofit Plan in recent years to support the achievement of our targets,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fuel Poverty (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: On 13 December 2022, Government approved a new Energy Poverty Action Plan. The Plan is available on gov.ie and sets out the range of near and longer-term measures to ensure that those least able to afford increased energy costs are supported and protected to adequately heat and power their homes. A report outlining progress under the various actions in the Energy Poverty Action Plan was...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy provides that ‘Islanded’ data centre developments, that are not connected to the electricity grid and are powered mainly by on-site fossil fuel generation, would not be in line with national policy. Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) is aware of the Government Statement on the Role of Data...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together. In line with the agreed sectoral emissions ceilings, Government has committed to supporting the production of up to 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030. A first step to realising this ambition was the publication of the National Biomethane Strategy which sets out twenty-five key strategic actions and outlines the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Greenways Provision (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to Greenways. The planning, design, and construction of individual Greenways is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Investment in Greenway and National Roads Active Travel projects is also subject to the requirements of the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Investigations (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Further to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 415 of 13 May 2025, I can inform that the examination in question started when the allegations of contravention of Irish law were first made. The examination has included verification that the alleged flights passed through sovereign Irish airspace and engagement with the air operators concerned, requesting documentation from a number...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (21 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to Irish Rail for direct response. Please advise my private office if you do...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Freedom of Information (22 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I am fully cognisant of the statutory obligations that apply under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 and I am satisfied that records relating to government or official departmental business are retained in line with the requirements of the Act.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff (22 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department operates a formal Blended Working Policy which was developed in line with the Civil Service Framework for Blended Working and sets out blended working arrangements at minimum 2 days per week or 40% overall monthly office attendance, depending on business needs as determined by the Head of Function. The percentage of staff in my Department...