Results 1,541-1,560 of 4,573 for speaker:Brian Leddin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: I thank Mr. Finnegan. Mr. Ryan should feel free to come in at any point. Are there any more questions from members? We have concluded that element of our hearing today. We will not adjourn because the officials who are due to speak to the other legislative proposals are with us already. Mr. Regan and Mr. Brady are very welcome. I do not need to read the note on privilege again. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: I thank Mr. Regan. If I may, I will go first this time. I have a considerable concern about these proposals, and I believe it is reflected in Mr. Regan's opening statement, which is that there is no distinction being made between green hydrogen, which is something that we would pursue probably quite vigorously in Ireland because we have the renewable energy resource, and other forms of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: I am very happy to hear that answer on Ireland's position. It sounds at odds with one of the major suppliers of energy, which I believe does want to go down the low-carbon gas route. Is that the position of the Department now, that we do not see hydrogen in the natural gas grid in the way we are going?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: I am not sure how that would be done technically. If one injects hydrogen into the grid then one has no control after that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: I am conscious that we are here to speak to the EU element of this but we are hearing very interesting answers from you, Mr. Regan, so I will interrogate you a little. I will understand if this question might be deferred to the strategy, but are subsidies for hydrogen seen as part of enabling the market and the sector in this country? Is that the thinking in the Department?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: Thank you for that, Mr. Regan. The committee has agreed to do a significant piece of work in the next five weeks on that bigger ambition, that is, the west coast offshore potential of 30 GW as opposed to 5 GW. That is very much coupled with green hydrogen. We intend to bring in a series of stakeholders to discuss that and we may reach out to the Department again during that series of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: Members of this committee will probably be interested in making a political contribution to that discussion formally because we are very concerned that if we open the gate to low-carbon gas, it may lead to the locking in of fossil fuel infrastructure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: Mr. Regan, do you want to respond?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: I wish to make a couple of points related to Deputy O'Sullivan's question on storage. I read an article this morning which suggested that the European Union may require member states to have a minimum level of storage in advance of the winter. Is that related to these proposals?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: Is Mr. Regan saying that the requirement is actually on gas suppliers as opposed to member states?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: We still have the interconnectors with the UK and hopefully relations will remain friendly so that if required, we can rely on its reserves and will not need to build anything here. We can rely on their reserves and then we do not need to build anything here. All members of this committee are clear that we do not want any new LNG infrastructure in Ireland. I note other news from the past 24...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: It seems that Ireland will probably go down a positive path. The concern is Europe and countries that may not have the renewable resources that we have. They may rely on fossil fuels, albeit cleaner fossil fuels. Maybe the path for Ireland is to say that we are not just going to supply clean energy to our own market but also to Europe too, to make it easier for Europe to get to net-zero...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: Mr. Brady will be glad to know that when we conclude our series on offshore wind and hydrogen, we are going to get into renewable heat, probably in April or May. We are going to do a series of sessions on that, and building energy as it extends to the policies that have been launched in the past few weeks, including those on the retrofitting scheme and so on. Does Senator Higgins want to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 Feb 2022)

Brian Leddin: That concludes the questions for the witnesses today. I thank them for attending. It was a most interesting session. We covered quite a lot. It is probably only the beginning of a series of sessions in which we will try to tackle some of these very important issues and opportunities. We should acknowledge that there is a significant opportunity for Ireland here. We need to go into...

Support for the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine: Motion (1 Mar 2022)

Brian Leddin: Just a few weeks ago, we would have scarcely have believed that we would find ourselves in a 1930s moment and yet here we are. A dictator has moved beyond threatening his neighbour. Putin has rained total devastation and indiscriminate slaughter down on Ukraine. He has gambled with the peace and stability of Europe, of his own country and of the world. In 1936, Éamon de Valera...

Comóradh Sheachtain na Gaeilge: Ráitis (2 Mar 2022)

Brian Leddin: Cé go bhfuilim sásta an deis a ghlacadh chun labhairt inniu caithfidh mé a admháil gurbh é an spreagadh a thug an Teachta Ó Cathasaigh dom an fáth go bhfuil mé ag labhairt i nGaeilge sa díospóireacht seo. Gabhfaidh mé leithscéal as mo chumas teoranta inár dteanga oifigiúil. Ní féidir liom an milleán a chur...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (3 Mar 2022)

Brian Leddin: To add to the debate, the Limerick to Foynes rail line is a project the Minister knows well. I believe this is one of low-hanging fruit pieces of rail infrastructure. We can get that open if we wish in a matter of just a few years. There is talk of trying to get it open in time for the Ryder Cup, but I believe we can do it sooner than that. If we open that rail line in the next 24 to 36...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Heritage Sites (3 Mar 2022)

Brian Leddin: I want to add to the case my Clare colleague made for Clare County Council and subvention for those sites. For Limerick City and County Council, taking on these sites is a new departure. The Minister of State and Department should support Limerick county council in every possible way as it hands over the iconic King John's Castle in the heart of Limerick city, which has vast potential....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Mar 2022)

Brian Leddin: As we can see, we have a security crisis across Europe, and an energy crisis comes with that. Last week in this House the Tánaiste set out a very positive vision for a clean energy future for Ireland and for Europe, and this is indeed an opportunity for Ireland. He said clearly that the Government wants to develop a hydrogen economy in this country. I think that will require an...

Committee Report on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community: Statements (3 Mar 2022)

Brian Leddin: I thank Deputy Lahart. First, I welcome the chairperson of the committee, Senator Flynn, to the House. She is an activist, a fighter for human rights and a role model not just for the Traveller community but for all society. I welcome the visitors in the Visitors Gallery. Senator Flynn spoke very eloquently. I was watching the proceedings in my office and watched and heard the round of...