Results 30,841-30,860 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Commissions of Investigation (16 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Department has not identified a Commission of Investigation occurring under its remit within the past twenty years, or associated costs.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Cathaoirleach and the committee for this opportunity to present details of this Supplementary Estimate as it relates to programmes A and B of Vote 29 - environment, climate and communications. The main purpose of the Supplementary Estimate is to provide additional funding of €520 million for the fourth electricity costs emergency benefit scheme, €3.32 million for...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I very much appreciate the Deputy's kind words. This will sound like a mutual appreciation society but much of what we have been able to do in the past four years was because there was a platform laid in what the Deputy had done with the likes of the waste-action plan and circular economy. The Climate Action Plan 2019 set the format that inspired the new legislation and I could go on. At...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Deputy O'Rourke for his kind words. I am blushing now. I had better get out of the place quickly before something goes wrong, but I appreciate his comments very much. I will speak to a couple of points on the electricity credit. First, I again need to look to my officials here who have been responsible. It was initiated and designed in our Department and delivered by our...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I remember I had concerns at the time about the ownership of the assets with regard to the national broadband plan, but not the underlying economic logic and rationale. There was reasonable cross-party consensus about proceeding even if there were concerns about aspects of it. In this country we can sometimes work to reach consensus in the political system. The deposit refund scheme worked...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: That is where project finance is given for those ideas that are-----

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Sorry for going into the weeds on this, Chair, but I very much agree with Deputy Bruton. The former head of digital strategy in the HSE, Martin Curley, was someone who I listened to with respect on this because he was doing exactly that. I was at events where he brought in the medical device industries we have here, which are highly resourced and capable, as well as the HSE, the hospital...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: We talk of little else when we get into the canteen on the coffee break.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Our consumption of textiles and our generation of textile waste in Ireland are unsustainable at current rates. This is a complex problem with local and global impact that requires a range of interventions by many actors. Tackling textile waste is a key priority of the National Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy and a Focus Area under the Local Authorities' National Waste Management...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I assume the Deputy is referring to strategic infrastructure in the context of the Planning and development bill. The Seventh and Eighth schedules of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended), already provide for such facilities to be designated as Strategic Infrastructure Development and its maritime equivalent. This is the planning legislation that is currently in force and, as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: As set out in the Government’s ‘Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas' the government does not support the importation of fracked gas. Ireland is committed to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050. In future, most of our energy needs will be met by renewable energy which will be the anchor of our energy security. The sole...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: In 2021, Ireland established its first national maritime spatial plan, known as the National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF), and legislated to positively change the management of our seas and oceans through enactment of the Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Act. The MAP Act further created the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) to manage and regulate sustainable activities within our seas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: A renewables-led system is one of the core foundations of Ireland’s plan to radically reduce emissions in the electricity sector, protect our energy security, and ensure our economic competitiveness. Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP 23), reaffirmed by CAP 24, sets Ireland an ambitious target of 80% of electricity demand from renewables by 2030. Accelerating the deployment of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Commission for Regulation of Utilities is an independent regulator responsible for electricity and gas connection policy and accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas. For an electricity connection offer to be made, developers must first apply for and receive planning permission from An Bord Pleanála, Ireland’s independent planning regulator, which is independent in its...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: As set out in the Government’s ‘Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas' the government does not support the importation of fracked gas. Ireland is committed to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050. In future, most of our energy needs will be met by renewable energy which will be the anchor of our energy security. The sole...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Commission published the REPowerEU plan in May 2022 to end or reduce the reliance on Russian fossil fuels in EU member states by 2030. The REPowerEU plan constitutes a dedicated chapter in Ireland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), and reforms made in line with the criteria set out in the REPowerEU Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: While I would, in principle, support such a ban, advertising standards do not fall within the remit of my Department. Nonetheless, the Government has taken strong action to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. On my appointment as Minister, my Department ceased accepting new applications for exploration licences for natural gas or oil, nor will there be any future licensing rounds. A Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Under Climate Action Plan Update 24, Ireland has set a target of 80% of electricity demand from renewable sources by 2030 made up of 9 GW of onshore wind, 8 GW of solar and at least 5 GW of offshore wind. This will require unprecedented levels of investment in renewable electricity generation development and in the infrastructure required to expand and strengthen our electricity grid. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Oct 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Climate Action Plan 2024 reaffirms Ireland’s national targets of 9 GW of onshore wind, 8 GW of solar and at least 5 GW of offshore wind by 2030. The Planning and Development Bill 2023 concluded in the Houses of the Oireachtas on Wednesday 9th October 2024. One of the key reforms in the approved Bill, includes greater mandatory alignment of all tiers of planning, improving...