Results 421-440 of 1,000 for speaker:John McGahon

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Implementation of the New National Retrofit Plan: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (5 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: We were talking about how we do not expect the market to be flooded but that we do want many new contractors. We see the ambitious plans we have with apprenticeships and getting people into the market who can do these retrofits. What has the SEAI in place in terms of quality of standard and quality of care for contractors who are registered with it? Will the witnesses outline what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Implementation of the New National Retrofit Plan: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (5 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: Something that would be useful in that respect, and I do not know whether we have considered it, is if the homeowner could rate the contractor that has done the work. If I am a homeowner new to this and I must work alongside the SEAI to pick a contractor, it would be useful and would provide a level of guidance if there was a standard table or feedback in the same way as is seen with a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Implementation of the New National Retrofit Plan: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (5 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan mentioned the importance of the carbon tax. Some 55% of the money from that tax is ring-fenced to go to meeting the costs of the retrofitting scheme. Mr. Walsh mentioned this aspect earlier. Will he give a breakdown of the amount of carbon tax that is ring-fenced for the SEAI for this year and what that money is going to be used for? Mention was made as well...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: A debate that has taken place in other parliaments around the world, most notably in the United Kingdom in the Scottish Parliament and in the French Parliament, is the concept of and debates around long Covid. That is what I would like to ask for today. At some stage in the next couple of months it would be very useful to have the Minister for Health in here for a debate on long Covid. It...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: Amendments Nos. 1 and 6 are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: Amendments Nos. 2, 100, 101 and 106 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: Perfect.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: Anybody else? No. Does the Minister have any further comments or is she happy enough? Perfect. I apologise, I did not see Senator Higgins. I call Senator Higgins.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: Amendments Nos. 3, 99, 119, 121, 122 and 172 are related and may be discussed together.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: Yes, we can do that now, if that suits.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: I have had a number of discussions on hemp in recent months, including with Mr. Paul McCourt, the CEO of Celtic Wind, a company based in Dundalk, County Louth. A number of farmers on the Cooley Peninsula have grown hemp for a large number of years. It is farcical that there is no production facility in this country and that hemp must be exported and then imported. If we had a production...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: We must consider three aspects of hemp production. First, infrastructure is needed which means we need a facility. Second, we need to provide a clear educational programme to the wider society, the Government, politicians and farmers, in particular, because hemp production, etc. could be a real money maker for people who are based in the agriculture sector. Third, some aspects of hemp...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: That is excellent. I thank Mr. Barry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (26 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: Those comments seem to indicate that tight regulations are restrictive. I mean, in terms of fire safety and insurance, and the existing building regulations, the regulations that were put in place over the last ten or 20 years have made it more difficult to build with timber and that is why there has been such a shift to 90% concrete use in the last number of years. We must re-calibrate and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 May 2022)

John McGahon: Before I start, I welcome Councillor Paddy McQuillan. He and I served together on Louth County Council. Although he is from Drogheda and I am from Dundalk, I will not hold that against him. He is a great representative for Drogheda and he is here as a guest of Senator Craughwell. The issue I wish to talk about is as a result of a meeting I had with Paul and Niamh Brady in Dundalk last...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (Resumed) (10 May 2022)

John McGahon: I might follow up on that, if that is all right. We all realise that we need to get more apprenticeships into the field to be able to deal with our big retrofit plans. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, is keen to do that. Mr. Hoyne has seen that the Minister is doing a great deal of work there. The Minister's target is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (Resumed) (10 May 2022)

John McGahon: That is really excellent. Not only is it about creating new apprenticeships and attracting people into the market, it is also about, as Mr. Hoyne stated earlier, trying either to get people to return from abroad or to take them back home. It is important then that people who are currently in those sectors can segue into the retrofitting market and, as Mr. Hoyne said, play a leading role as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (Resumed) (10 May 2022)

John McGahon: It is not that there is a hidden cohort but that, unfortunately, a substantial number of people who live in protected structures cannot avail of the arrangement. The sooner there is clarity on how people who live in such homes can avail of retrofitting, the better. It would be really useful. I thank the delegates for the information. I really appreciate it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (Resumed) (10 May 2022)

John McGahon: That will be really useful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (Resumed) (10 May 2022)

John McGahon: I have to hand a reply to a parliamentary question that states: ..."Energy Efficiency in Traditional Buildings" is being developed by DHLGH. My Department and the SEAI are participating in the steering group overseeing the project. The Department hopes to have it published in the next couple of months. That response was last March or April. It would be useful at some stage.