Results 28,701-28,720 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Driver Licences (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We will not know the final details of the directive until a new European Parliament is elected. My understanding from talking to officials in the Department is that we do not expect it within this mandate of the Commission; it will be the next one. It would be slightly premature for us to try to second guess what a new Parliament and a new trilogue process will deliver in the directive. In...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Like Deputy Hourigan, I take the safety and security of transport workers and passengers very seriously. It is an unfortunate truth that public transport is not immune to instances of antisocial behaviour and those who work within our public transport network are among those most directly impacted. To address this, the NTA, An Garda Síochána and the operators work closely to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Like the Deputy, I visited Summerhill bus station recently and I agree on the progress being made in the provision of services. Similarly, I got the message that a shortage of mechanics, as well as drivers, is a real issue. We do have to resolve that, and we can and will. To go into the detail of some of the figures, so people have an understanding of this antisocial behaviour, I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree. To give background, the NTA did establish a working group on antisocial behaviour, which meets monthly. It works with the operators and looks at the trends among public transport operators to share best practice. I mentioned those various operators. My Department and key public transport stakeholders also presented to the Department of Justice's antisocial behaviour forum that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from councils' own resources, which are supplemented by State grants for regional and local roads. As outlined in the 2024 regional and local roads programme, which I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with Deputy Smith on both contentions. I mentioned in an earlier response that climate change is hitting home now. We see the rain levels and the intensity of rainfall. It is not just the amount of rain but the bursts and we see the impact on the road network where we have flooding events and so on. That is an issue. Similarly, there has been an issue with very high cost...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Going into some details, additional projects have been progressed in Cavan and Monaghan this year. Eight schemes have been provided for under the climate change adaptation and resilient works programme. There have been 21 bridges dealt with under the bridge rehabilitation programme. There are 16 schemes under the safety improvement works programme. We provided an allocation in February....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Deputy Ward. I am aware that capacity pinch points are being experienced on certain bus routes across the public transport network, including on the C spine route from Lucan. I fully acknowledge that these issues can be incredibly frustrating for public transport users, in particular if they are left waiting at bus stops for prolonged periods due to full buses operating on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: As I said, we are looking at plans for it this year in response to what has been a phenomenal increase in demand. That is good news. It would be very frustrating if buses passed by people because they were full. We will respond to that. As the Deputy is aware, there are two elements to BusConnects. The first is the introduction of new routes and spines and the second is new corridors....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (21 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Funding is one of the constraints. Another is the fact that we need to expand the number of drivers and mechanics, as I said earlier. We have to make the public transport alternative work and that is why the Government is prioritising spending on public transport. It is not just about spending; it is also about political decisions. I was very glad that the city council is now...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (20 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 88, 95, 104 and 113 together. In order to assist with the achievement of our retrofit targets, the Programme for Government, Climate Action Plan and the National Retrofit Plan committed to the introduction of a new residential retrofit low-cost loan scheme. The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme was developed by my Department in conjunction with the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Generation (20 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Under the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) scheme, support was provided under a 15-year power purchase agreement, with support under the last scheme beginning in 2006. Support for the last remaining AER project finished in December 2021.The table below details the total number of Wind Farm projects that were supported under AER and their total capacity, given in MW. Number...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Local Authorities (20 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 87 together. Under Section 108 (1) of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, a person experiencing noise nuisance may contact their local authority or the EPA, which may initiate proceedings on the grounds of noise nuisance at any sitting of the District Court wherein the source of the noise is located. This course of action is usually...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (20 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) manage a number of residential and community energy upgrade grant support schemes on behalf of my Department. The 2023 capital funding allocation for SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes was €348 million. This allocation was funded by Carbon Tax revenue, the Exchequer, the Energy Efficiency National Fund and funding...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Meetings (20 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I and officials from my Department are attending the Wind Europe Annual Event 2024 in Bilbao. l will be presenting Ireland’s wind energy policies to the global wind energy sector and investors at a Ministerial Plenary Session on Offshore Wind, along with other European Ministers and senior figures from the world of business. The conference one of the largest wind industry meetings...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (20 Mar 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 2028 all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and digital connectivity...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: EU Directives (20 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Under the Renewable Energy Directive III (EU/2023/2413), Ireland is required to transpose the relevant planning and permitting articles by 1 July 2024. The required work programmes for those elements of RED III relating to renewable permit granting targets are being considered as part of the work of the Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce established by my Department. This...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (20 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Section 24(3) of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 (2010 Act) provides for the appointment of a deputy chief executive by IFI. The appointment of a deputy CEO is entirely a matter for the Board of IFI and there is no statutory requirement for the IFI Board to consult with the Minister in relation to such staff appointments. The IFI Board have appointed a deputy CEO from time to time in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (20 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The issues raised by the Deputy regarding the convening of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) Board Meetings and the minutes related thereto are operational matters for IFI in which neither I nor my Department have any function. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that queries can be addressed promptly, in line with...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (20 Mar 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The issues raised by the Deputy regarding the management of any species of fish in a particular river or fishery is an operational matter for Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) in which neither I nor my Department have any function. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that queries can be addressed promptly, in line...