Results 13,321-13,340 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

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

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years.  Housing associations are an important stakeholder and will play a key role in the achievement of our national retrofit targets.  Budget 2021 provided...

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

Eamon Ryan: The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at , shows the areas which will be included in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led intervention as well as areas targeted by commercial operators. The map is colour coded and searchable by address and Eircode.- Premises in the AMBER area will be provided with high speed broadband through the State led Intervention, the contract for...

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

Eamon Ryan: There are currently no applications for State Mining Licenses or Leases with my Department. Any potential mining activity is subject to a number of separate and independent statutory consents; planning permission, an Integrated Pollution Control or Industrial Emissions licence and finally an application for a State Mining Licence or Lease. Similarly, if a holder of a prospecting licence...

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

Eamon Ryan: Providing telecommunication services, including mobile phone and broadband services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. Obligations in relation to mobile coverage are set out in licences granted by Comreg to the mobile operators and ComReg advises...

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

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government commits to prioritising the development of micro-generation, letting people sell excess power back to the grid by July 2021. The following measures will assist in delivering this commitment:The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a Roadmap for the EU Clean Energy Package’s Electricity and Renewables Directives in March this year,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (10 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 213 together. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed last November to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the over 544,000 premises, including almost...

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

Eamon Ryan: The EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050. This objective is at the heart of the European Green Deal and in line with the EU’s commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement. The European Commission presented its plan in September 2020 to reduce EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels based on a comprehensive impact assessment. This...

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

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Question Nos. 138 and 142 together. The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. The development of a new retrofit plan to achieve these targets is well...

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

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government affirms the necessity for a just transition pathway to be found, which delivers alternative job opportunities to sectors and regions most affected, and ensures that vulnerable groups are helped, as transformative policies are implemented. The Government recognises that the transition out of peat in the Midlands is the first test of a just transition for Ireland,...

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

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government sets out that, as Ireland moves towards carbon neutrality, it does not make sense to develop LNG terminals that import fracked gas. The Programme for Government is clear that the Government does not support the importation of fracked gas and commits to developing a policy statement to establish that approach. This policy statement is being developed by my...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (10 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The North South Interconnector is critical to improving the efficient operation of the Single Electricity Market and to increasing security of electricity supply across the island of Ireland, which will in turn deliver significant benefits to electricity consumers through lower prices. I believe that this important new cross-Border infrastructure can significantly facilitate the integration...

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

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 146 and 245 together. The Biofuels Obligation Scheme is the principal policy measure used to support the uptake of biofuels and other forms of bioenergy in the transport sector. The scheme, which was introduced in 2010, requires fuel suppliers in the road transport sector to ensure a certain proportion of all fuel supplied is from renewable sources. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (10 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: Marts by their nature tend to be located in, or in the environs of towns, largely located in areas served by commercial operators, with about a third of marts in areas to be served by the National Broadband Plan fibre network. Individual mart owners should register on the facility on the NBI website where all premises owners can ensure that they are provided with deployment updates through...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (10 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The European Commission gave its approval for the NBP State Aid Intervention on 15 November 2019, in advance of the Government agreeing to the award of the contract with National Broadband Ireland to deliver a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000...

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

Eamon Ryan: I welcome the roll-out of 5G and the benefits that the enhanced connectivity and technology will bring to sectors such as transport, industry and healthcare. The deployment of 5G networks has already started internationally and will continue to develop in the coming years. The first wave of 5G deployments is being deployed across Irish cities with Vodafone and Eir announcing their first...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Post Office Network (10 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156, 155, 217, 150 and 223 together. The importance of the post office network has been clearly demonstrated throughout the pandemic where we have seen a range of initiatives through our post offices which have helped support local communities, the elderly and vulnerable. The serious decline in the volume of mail and the impact of Covid on footfall...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme (10 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date over 142,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme, leaving the occupants better able to afford to heat...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Programme for Government (10 Nov 2020)

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. The development of a new national retrofit plan to achieve these targets is well underway. Budget 2021 provided €221.5 million in...

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

Eamon Ryan: Science tells us we need to urgently take action and deliver ambitious and effective emission reduction measures in order to play our part, and remain on track to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement of balancing emissions and removals by the second half of the century and stabilising global temperatures. The Programme for Government commits to an average 7% per annum reduction in...

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

Eamon Ryan: Responsibility for the regulation of the gas and electricity markets, including statutory consumer protection functions , are  matters for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is the independent regulator established under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, and which is solely accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas.  The electricity and gas retail markets...