Results 26,081-26,100 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: Did Senator Mulherin not get there on time?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I do not have a pathway for agriculture. In each sector we have to work out these pathways. The Senator made the point rightly that Irish agriculture is more efficient in milk production and that the carbon intensity of milk is lower in Ireland than anywhere else, but the EU still had to set national targets. Where there were big sectors such as this, they brought them inside the emissions...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: It would be impossible for the EU to devise for that. In Ireland alone we have 350,000 enterprises so it would be very difficult if we multiply this by 27 member states. It would be very difficult to have cap and trade targets for all of those multiple sectors. It would be very difficult to administer. The reason cap and trade was done was there were a small number of large producers and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: This goes to the heart of it. This is why we have a Paris Agreement. This is why it has to be a multilateral approach. The Senator is absolutely right that the country that decides to do nothing and be a free rider enjoys an improved environment if every other country in the world takes their responsibility seriously, but how can we as a small wealthy country with a small trading economy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: We are facing a profound challenge to the globe. In adopting measures, we cannot be looking over our shoulder and asking what the Arabs or Russians are doing. We have to take responsibility. We have to do it in a way that recognises other pressures, which is why it is important the measures we adopt are consciously least cost, which means least cost in terms of their social impact and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I know there is a carbon tax proposal from the Citizens' Assembly. I presume that is being evaluated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I did not say it was a policy that would be easy to implement but we do have to find a way in terms of how agriculture is going to adapt. That is a question for the committee. How are we going to develop intervention tools that can help agriculture to be a part of the change we all have to undertake?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is like a senior counsel. He has been watching Deputy Sherlock.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: There were roughly 2,000 electric vehicles purchased this year, bringing the total to 7,000. The expectation is that the number purchased will double next year, so another 4,000. The support for a fleet of 40,000 gives us headroom for a few years but it is by no means thought of as a charging network for 500,000 vehicles, which is the target for 2030. It is a matter of kick-starting the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: It is setting up the network. Obviously, it will be doing it in partnership with others so I expect other players will come in over time. The application is to be validated and the full detail of where and with whom is to be worked out. The other thing I should say is that those who buy electric vehicles get €600 towards a home charger, so they can have a charger of their own....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I do not think that target will present a problem but as we push on, problems will emerge. This has been done in consultation with the industry but there is no doubt that in going further again, there are challenges at each stage. My understanding is that this particular increase is within their capacity.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: The green bond raised €3 billion. I cannot remember the coupon but it was a very keen rate; I am sure we can get the figure for the Deputy. I do not know the projects for which it is being deployed but I know it was oversubscribed by several multiples. There is a market for raising funds for green bonds. The challenge in respect of some of the more difficult investments to fund...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: This is public sector funding.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I understand that foreshore legislation is a big part of the barrier to offshore. Planning regulations may be an issue as well. For as long as I have been in politics, there has been talk of reforming the Foreshore Acts. This goes back a long time. My understanding of the difficulty is that they are trying to accommodate in one fell swoop the transport, fishery, and offshore wind needs....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: A recent report stated we have a window in which to get this right but that it is not an indefinite window.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am not sure whether there are heads of a Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: On the climate action fund, there were two Dublin-based district heating schemes but the other schemes were largely national. There was the scheme for electric vehicles and there were schemes associated with public lighting and natural gas. The latter was agriculture-based, using natural gas injection. Therefore, there was a mix. The schemes were not all Dublin-based. There were two...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: And the semi-State bodies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)

Richard Bruton: Yes, there will be another round. Obviously, there is independent adjudication so decisions have to be based on the quality of the proposals. There was a marking system. The marking system covered the impact on carbon emissions, the degree of innovation and so on. A very fair marking system was put in place. The schemes that won were ones that could have a wide community impact, to be...