Results 26,741-26,760 of 26,791 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The legal advice was provided to the previous Minister.

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I cannot tell the Deputy exactly who but I imagine it came from the Office of the Attorney General.

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not publish advice from the Attorney General, as the Deputy will know, but I have put on the record of the Dáil on a couple of occasions that legal advice was received and it very clearly stated that a distinction cannot be made between different types of liquified natural gas.

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As I said in answer to Deputy Cronin earlier on, there is no formal or informal formula published regarding any financial penalties, fines or whatever one might call them. It has been discussed at European level informally at the last Commission where it was discussed with the Commissioner. If there is a financial imposition, it should be for states to determine the amount that should be...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I cannot say whether they are or not. IFAC used its own assumptions there.

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: No, I do not. From the Commission's perspective, it has not set out a formula for the calculation of any potential financial penalties, fines, impositions or whatever we want to call them. That is why I cannot say whether the figures are correct.

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In the context of data centres here and the data they hold in relation to existing and new technologies, I take it we all want to be at the cutting and leading edge of new technologies, such as AI. Many of those which hold data within this country are also some of the largest FDI investors, domestic investors and large companies. I do not conform to the idea data centres are bad. They are...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: That is fine but many of the Deputy's colleagues have said it. Energy usage must be managed. The Deputy referred to the CRU's decision on the LEUs. That was a draft determination. I am informed the final version of that will come out in September or October. This will be a plan-led approach to data connection which will show the way forward. It will not be a Klondike approach but a...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: We all await with anticipation the final determination of the CRU with regard to LEU policy. We certainly saw in the draft the obligations put on large energy users in respect of reporting emissions and site-specific reporting, as well as looking at reusable heat waste energy and how this can be used further and the potential for district heating and that type of thing. The CRU has said - I...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that.

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, we are considering increasing the blend. We will increase the blend with regard to HVO elements within diesel and petrol. Home heating is something I answered Deputy Clendennen on. We will look at what role HVO could have within the home heating sector, particularly using existing heating infrastructure that would not require an initial full retrofit. That is something we are looking...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I want to be very open with the committee. I will look at the DMAPs piece but that is not just related to offshore renewable energy, ORE. DMAPs can be used for anything. I take the Senator's point but I have not given up on the draft legislation. I am trying to find a way to advance it more quickly. I will look at the Wildlife Act, which we discussed during the previous Administration,...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I am just going to look at it afresh because it is a new Administration. As I said, the marine environment function is moving over to my Department, which is the right thing to do. That whole maritime function will now be under the one roof, as such. I have not made a determination as to whether it will be quicker. We want to do it properly. We are committed to the 30%. We want to see...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara Chiarraí , which is on land and on sea, was a good opportunity to put that designation in place. It is just over a year old now and it is possible to see where the MPAs are located. I am not sure about navigation maps but will check that. Certainly what we have designated is defined. The MPAs legislation, in whatever manner that is done, will...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy raised a couple of significant things. Price review 6, PR6, which is effectively the investment in the grid between 2026 and 2030, will be in place and agreed this year. It will be multiples of what PR5 was and will be at least €13 billion. This will allow the expansion of our grid, both in capacity and distribution of energy across it. PR6 will provide for the 50,000...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Absolutely. They are using it for a reason, namely, to hold the data we, our businesses and all our people use. Many of these are companies with European headquarters here that employ tens of thousands of people. Other countries in Europe would give their right arm to have the footprint we have with regard to data in this country. We are managing it carefully. Deputy Cronin makes a fair...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing is not in second place.

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can assure the Deputy that housing is not in second place. Housing is the number one priority. We must grow our economy and society through new schools and new businesses. All of those things have to be catered for. There are lots of demands, but it is not a binary choice between housing or data. That argument is a simplistic one and I do not agree with it. We have to be ambitious-----

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to grid connection, I do not know of any housing development that has been refused a grid connection. That is the first thing. It is a different thing.

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Carbon Budget: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (2 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: We have seen a significant increase in housing output over the last four years. The human resources and capacity are needed to be able to deal with that. There have been instances where there have been delays with connections, but not extensive ones. Where they happen, they need to be addressed and dealt with.