Results 3,081-3,100 of 6,816 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Is this part of the Fit for 55 package and the EU's introduction of measures relating to transport and buildings?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I presume it does not intend for us to spend the funding on fossil fuel infrastructure.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I take the Minister's point on moves at a European level but this seems to be a significant departure from stated Government position in relation to the ring-fenced nature of the Irish carbon tax to fund retrofitting, agricultural schemes and address fuel poverty. This funding was allocated to retrofitting and is being moved to fund emergency fossil fuel-powered electricity. Was that...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: What do the Government and the Taoiseach mean when they say "ring-fenced"?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: In this transaction, is the Minister not taking that hypothecated, ring-fenced funding and, because it is unspent for whatever reason, moving it to somewhere entirely inappropriate for it to be spent? This move will drive people further into fuel poverty rather than protect them. They will be paying for this through taxes in the first instance, with carbon tax as part of that, and on their...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Does the funding not roll over into next year?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: To be clear, there is a commitment. It is agreed, as I understand it, in the Government that the increases in the carbon tax would be ring-fenced for these purposes. Now we have, today and next week in this transaction, that so-called ring-fenced funding being redirected to fund-----

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Is that not exactly what it is doing? If the money is ring-fenced this year for retrofitting, not being spent, being taken and spent elsewhere, it is not the same money that was ring-fenced. The Minister said you cannot roll it over into next year.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: But you are not doing it anyway.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I do not think it is an abstract argument for those people paying carbon tax. The Minister knows my party's position in relation to it and criticisms of it, one of which is there are no alternatives for people paying carbon tax. Now they are told some of the carbon tax they pay is not going to retrofitting, agricultural schemes or to offset fuel poverty, but to the funding of emergency...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: We are not opposed to the principle of it but when alternatives are there, and this is a perfect case of-----

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: We certainly would not do what the Minister is doing. He is coming to this committee to reallocate what were described as ring-fenced carbon taxes to deliver on retrofitting and agricultural schemes and to reduce fuel poverty, and redirect them towards funding emergency electricity that successive governments have created the demand for through the proliferation of data centres. People are...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (6 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: We are going to disagree.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for attending today's meeting. For the record, the Opposition has facilitated the legislation on the basis of the urgent nature of the crisis we face regarding the lights going out next winter. I have to say it is a very unsatisfactory process with regard to engagement and information. I have listened to Government Deputies speak about how much information was...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister of State is saying there will be €23 million from the one-stop-shop and the community energy scheme. The Minister of State has said there is strong demand and that the Department is confident the work will be commenced by the end of the year but it might not be paid. Will the Minister of State give us the figures on what the target was, what will be commenced and what...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: 27,900.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Does the Minister of State have a breakdown on the one-stop-shop versus the community energy scheme?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Business of Joint Committee (13 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I echo those points. It is disappointing, disgraceful or whatever word you want to use. This was a proud Irish company that received significant State support during the pandemic. This committee worked with it and with the aviation industry. It is entirely necessary at this time that it come before the committee, listen to questions and explain to the wider public what is happening and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy: Discussion (13 Jul 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses for their opening statements and contributions. I refer to modelling and future projections. I recall a figure of 30,000 charging points referred to in some of the early climate action plans. Private or independent analysis was done earlier this year that stated 100,000 charging points would be needed. There is a big difference between 100,000 and 30,000 charging...