Results 26,021-26,040 of 26,787 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no dispute within my Department and the Secretary General is a very committed public servant who I work with extremely well. We are all in agreement that we need to expand our energy generation through renewables, which we are doing, and improve our grid resilience and the capacity of our grid across the country. This is what we will be doing to ensure that we can meet not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no clear preference for data centres over anything else. That is just not correct. Our priorities are for the delivery of housing and additional water infrastructure, investing in our energy grid and supporting indigenous jobs and investment and FDI. This is a red herring, trying to bring forward the narrative that we are not connecting houses to the grid because we are connecting...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There is still significant potential in onshore renewables. I mentioned the auction later this year, RESS 5, which I believe will be heavily subscribed. These projects already have connection agreements and planning permission. There has already been significant growth there. We want to see construction in our offshore renewable projects in the next couple of years. I am just being...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The plan will be cognisant of what energy capacity we have. That is across the board. I do not give the connection agreements. They are done independently. The Deputy will know that some data centres have not been given connection agreements. It has already happened where it is not deemed appropriate. We need to plan for the future too. That is why I mentioned 2030 and that life exists...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I will be really quick because I will supply the Deputy with the written answer, but I should have said earlier that I have tasked the SEAI with looking at options with its grants. I do not mean increasing the amount of grants but seeing how we can break them down and make them more accessible. I am also doing that with electric vehicles and looking at options for low- to middle-income...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electricity Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As outlined in the Programme for Government, this Government is committed to taking decisive action to radically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to achieve a 51% reduction in emissions from 2018 to 2030, and to achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The 'Energy Security in Ireland to 2030' strategy set out a clear vision to move away from fossil fuels to an...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As outlined in the Programme for Government, the Government is committed to taking decisive action to radically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to achieve a 51% reduction in emissions from 2018 to 2030, and to achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The Programme for Government also commits to achieving 80% of Ireland’s electricity generation from renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 164 together. The EPA’s latest projections report highlights the urgent need for accelerated delivery of measures to meet Ireland’s 2030 climate targets, and cross-government coordination and the enhanced governance structures being created are essential to help us achieve this. I will be actively driving this action within my two...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has made a number of important commitments to address the continued high cost of energy, while accelerating the decarbonisation of Ireland's energy system. The Programme for Government acknowledges the pressures on households and businesses caused by high energy costs. The Government recently approved an extension of the 9% VAT rate currently applied to gas and electricity by a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Usage (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government outlines the Government's policy position in relation energy policy, housing policy, FDI growth and the many other goals and objectives of the Government. It reflects the balance between the many opportunities and challenges facing the country and the actions that will be taken over the lifetime of the Government. It recognises that increased and unprecedented...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to ensuring that local communities benefit from Ireland’s renewable potential and in particular to promoting the Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) to simplify market access for community owned solar and wind projects. Through my Department’s continued engagement with Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), there is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has run the Public Sector Pathfinder programme for several years now, supporting retrofitting and decarbonisation across the public sector. I was pleased to be able to allocate over €50m from the Climate Action Fund to this programme in 2025. This will support a range of projects including a pilot run in partnership with the Department of Education to convert up to 30...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Heat Study, published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), contains detailed analysis that is being used by my Department to inform the development of policies and measures to decarbonise Ireland’s heating and cooling sectors by 2050. The study considered a number of potential decarbonisation options for a wide range of dwellings and business premises....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial and liberalised. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including the matters raised by the Deputy, is solely a matter for the independent regulator, Commission for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, through grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings, as well as solar PV and heat pump installation. The number of home energy upgrades across the SEAI Residential and Community Retrofit Schemes for January...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people at risk of energy poverty by providing fully funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through the carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. In Quarter 1 of 2025, 1,350 homes were...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with CAP Action EL/24/16, the Electricity Storage Policy Framework for Ireland (ESPF) was published by my Department in July 2024. The policy framework included 10 Government actions to support the role of electricity storage systems in Ireland’s energy transition. Action #6 of the Policy Framework supports the immediate Procurement of 500MW of Demand Flexibility products...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme was launched in April 2024. The scheme is intended to play a crucial role in helping homeowners invest in energy upgrades to make their homes warmer, healthier and more comfortable, with lower emissions and lower bills. The scheme was developed by my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: District heating is a proven technology that can decarbonise the built environment, diversify fuel sources for heat and improve quality of life. Government policy recognises the contribution that district heating can make to Ireland’s energy and climate goals. This is underpinned by the findings of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's (SEAI) 2022 National Heat Study which...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities have a key role to play in delivering climate action. This role is underpinned by the statutory requirement to prepare Local Authority Climate Action Plans. Galway City Council adopted its Plan in February 2024. As part of their Climate Action Plans, each local authority designated a Decarbonising Zone (DZ) which is intended to be the focus for a range of climate...