Results 561-580 of 6,816 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (4 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses. There is considerable overlap in the contributions and questions. I can see weakness in the Bill reflected in many of the comments, including the lack of emphasis on just transition. We are left with the conundrum of how we should include it in the legislation. What is the appropriate way to do it? Are there international comparisons? Scotland was mentioned. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (4 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I am fairly sure the Minister has a good idea of what the recommendations and conclusions will be arising from the deliberations of the committee from these hearings. I am sure he has followed them and is quite aware of the challenges for the aviation sector. The Minister outlined testing criteria. When will that testing be introduced? He mentioned the requirements on travellers coming...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (4 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Who approves the testing? I am conscious the Minister mentioned PCR testing. Some people will be leaving countries where the testing will not be PCR testing. Does it need to be PCR testing? The Minister said we already have the additional capacity. A company in my constituency is looking to take on 200 extra staff as reported in the media this week. Why do we not move immediately with...

Finance Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Finance Bill. I want to raise two issues, the first of which is the Covid restrictions support scheme, CRSS. Under the CRSS announced in the budget a business that is impacted by Covid-19 related restrictions, including closure, can make a claim to Revenue for a payment for each week it is affected by those restrictions. That is a welcome support...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (5 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 79. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the monitoring system in place for potential overcrowding issues on the DART service due to the reduction of capacity under level 5 of the living with Covid-19 plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34363/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (5 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 80. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if data is being collected to monitor if there is a need for extra DART and other transport services to facilitate social distancing under level 5 of the living with Covid-19 plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34364/20]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (5 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 100. To ask the Minister for Finance the amount of tax revenue forgone through tax reliefs related to forestry by income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax, value added tax, gift and inheritance tax, stamp duty and other relevant tax relief in each of the years 2010 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34416/20]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (5 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 101. To ask the Minister for Finance if the analysis and reasoning behind the tax reliefs in the forestry sector will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34417/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (5 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 340. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the report FRL 2021-2015: Ireland, a National Forestry Accounting Plan published by his Department showing forestry is a net source of CO2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34418/20]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 95. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the concerns and suggestions brought forward by stakeholders and experts at the pre-legislative scrutiny meetings on the climate action and low carbon development (amendment) Bill at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action; his plans to amend the Bill to take account of these...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to ask the Minister about the climate action and low carbon development (amendment) Bill. As the Minister will be aware, the Bill is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny at the Joint Committee on Climate Action. The committee is just coming to its conclusion. I thank all the various stakeholders. I want to know if the Minister has heard from the stakeholders on the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the fact that the Minister is open to accepting amendments. There is some degree of consensus emerging, certainly that there is an amount of work to be done to improve the legislation. Will the Minister outline the expected timeline, working on the basis that the committee's report will be ready in the next week or two, for the further progress on the legislation? I ask the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a range of issues that have been raised, as the Minister might appreciate, from the range of stakeholders whom I again thank. I refer to the strength of the language, for example, on the targets and the need for, if not interim targets, certainly checks and opportunities to correct the path if we are going astray. That is a significant ask and I would ask the Minister to address...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 97. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the rolling out of green infrastructure, including smart meters, EV charging points and home retrofitting, have been subject to a human rights and equality impact assessment as required under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35127/20]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: It is vital our progress towards a carbon-neutral 2050 and a greener future is done in a fair and just way. Have key climate proposals, such retrofitting, the installation of smart meters and electric vehicle, EV, charging points, been subject to a human rights and equality impact assessment as required under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014?

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: It sounds as if they have not been equality-proofed, so to speak. It speaks to the point of the actual impact of policy decisions of Government and the need to do away with the notion of "them and us" in relation to the green agenda. It seems to frame much of what happens and that is underpinned by the implications in the real world of policy decisions on the green agenda. I want to ask...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a significant delay in terms of a backlog. I certainly welcome the funding and would encourage a significant ramping up of recruitment of workers to address that. I also acknowledge the fact that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul indicated that there are around 400,000 people living in fuel and energy poverty. Age Action indicated that there are in the region of 2,000 excess...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Commission for Regulation of Utilities (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 154. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he plans to provide policy direction to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to extend the moratorium on disconnections of gas and electricity past 1 December 2020 when the current moratorium is set to lapse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35128/20]

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 178. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the number of vacant positions in the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement as of 2 November 2020; the length of time each position has been vacant; the estimated cost of filling each of the posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35316/20]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (10 Nov 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 195. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to a community survey (details supplied) conducted in Gormanston, County Meath, regarding the lack of quality broadband in the area; the measures he is taking to improve broadband provision and quality in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34721/20]