Results 27,721-27,740 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Local Authorities (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 70 together. The information below sets out local authority activity in relation to energy efficiency where it has been reported on the SEAI’s energy Monitoring & Reporting system, or where the local authority has interacted in other ways with the SEAI. Beyond that, local authorities may have undertaken other energy efficiency activities...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 100 and 101 together. A national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is being introduced to encourage more people to recycle plastic bottles and aluminium cans and to ensure we meet our ambitious EU targets for the recycling of those containers under EU Single Use Plastics and Packaging legislation. DRS is an extended producer responsibility scheme under which...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 76 together. Rental properties can present a specific challenge for energy efficiency improvements. This is an issue found in most countries where the incentives to invest in energy upgrades can be misaligned between landlords and tenants. A range of energy upgrade supports are available to non-corporate landlords and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: EU Directives (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The European Commission identifies possible infringements of EU law on the basis of its own investigations or following complaints from citizens, businesses or other stakeholders. Further information on the infringement process is available . There are a total of ten such cases across my Department at present, details on each of these and the relevant Commission position on each is outlined...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) was approved by Government on 21 December 2021, to support Ireland’s ambitious targets for micro-generation installation under the Climate Action Plan 21. The MSS provides supports to both domestic and non-domestic applicants, in the form of grants for Solar PV installations, which are available through the Sustainable Energy Authority of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78, 85, 86, 87, 88 and 94 together. The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to households vulnerable to energy poverty. The budget allocation for the scheme was €109 million in 2022 and €148.5 million in 2023. The budget allocation for 2024 will be finalised shortly as part of SEAI's...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: In December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, anddigital connectivity will be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Climate Action Plan is a detailed plan for achieving a 51% reduction in our GHG emissions by 2030 (relative to a 2018 baseline) and put us on a pathway to climate-neutrality no later than 2050, and includes a commitment to engage young people. The National Youth Assembly on Climate (NYAC) is a joint initiative led by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Usage (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81, 102, 106, 117 and 124 together. As part of Budget 2024 the Government approved a new tranche of Electricity Credits which over 2.2 million households will benefit from -- worth €450 in total per household. Three payments of €150 (including VAT) are being made between December 2023 and April 2024. The payments are being applied...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Research and Development (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: My Department’s vision of a climate neutral, sustainable, and digitally connected Ireland requires transformative action across a wide range of areas, and research and innovation (R&I) are important enablers of our strategic goals. My Department is one of the five largest R&I-funding Government Departments, and, in Impact 2030, the national research and innovation strategy, has...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Usage (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: A smart meter has the capability to read electricity consumption and export data, every 30 minutes. Prior to November 2022, to have access to their data, energy customers needed to switch to a Time of Use tariff or give approval to their Energy Supplier to request this functionality be activated by ESB Networks (ESBN). However, customers are now able to access their smart meter data directly,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: In December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, anddigital connectivity will be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Solar PV grant scheme under the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The scheme came into operation in February 2022 and built on the success of the previous pilot version of the grant scheme. Demand for the domestic Solar PV grant scheme has increased significantly since 2022. By the end of 2022, 10,031 homes had...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Solar Energy Guidelines (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The current limits ESB Networks place on microgeneration connections to the grid are unchanged. Under the NC6 notification process, you can connect and register a micro-generator in parallel with ESB Networks provided the requirements under the "Conditions Governing the Connection & Operation of Micro Generation Policy" are met....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Medically Vulnerable scheme is a targeted scheme for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for customers/households who are registered on the life support category of the Priority Services Register. These homes have a dependence on electrically powered equipment, including medical equipment, life protecting devices and assistive technologies for example dialysis machines,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Disposable vaping devices are electronic cigarettes that are not rechargeable. They present several challenges to our current waste collection and recycling system and progress towards a circular economy, particularly where lithium-ion batteries are present, and because the use of critical raw materials and plastic in a disposable product is wasteful. On 1 June 2023 a public consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96, 97 and 98 together. My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. In February 2022, Government approved a package of supports as part of the delivery of Ireland’s National Retrofit Plan. These...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Data (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy will be aware, the sharing of data is covered by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which took effect from 25 May 2018, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Data Sharing and Governance Act 2019 with the commencement of final sections of that Act coming into effect in December last year. With regard to personal and or person-specific data sets, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: A report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2021 concluded that there is little reliable data on the nature and extent of post-consumer textiles in Ireland. The report is available here: www.epa.ie/publications/circular-economy/resources/nature-an d-extent-of-post-consumer-textiles-in-ireland---study-report .php To address the information and data gaps identified by the EPA, my...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 109 together. The Domestic Solar PV scheme operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), provides grant supports to homeowners wishing to increase the proportion of renewable electricity they consume by installing solar panels on their property. Successful applicants receive grant payments for Solar PV systems installed by...