Results 1,681-1,700 of 4,726 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Regulation 49(2) of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (SI 477/2011) makes it an offence to disperse, allow or cause to disperse, spread or otherwise cause to grow any plant which is included in Part 1 of the Third Schedule to those Regulations.  I am aware of occasional reports of the presence of invasive alien species in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Strategic Action Plan for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) sets out an ambitious timeline for a full organisational restructuring of the NPWS, and a substantial €55 million additional investment in the organisation across three budgetary cycles, together with the accelerated early recruitment of at least 60 key staff for critically important roles. This Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Biodiversity Plan (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) will set the national biodiversity agenda for the period 2023-2027. The Plan has been in development since October 2021. The first phase of work involved an extensive review of national, European, and international policies, strategies, legislation and science relating to biodiversity. This review helped to inform a first draft of the Plan,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department is committed to supporting local authorities in the important role they play in the implementation of actions contained in the National Biodiversity Action Plan. In that context, I have allocated €600,000 in 2022 towards the establishment of a Biodiversity Officer programme, with six officers to be recruited this year and a further roll out in 2023/24. The programme...

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

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Chairman and the committee for this opportunity to present details of the Supplementary Estimate for Vote 29. Our purpose in being here is to seek the approval of the select committee for the Supplementary Estimate, which will allocate €200 million to a new subhead B13 - emergency generation capacity in the energy transformation programme. The Supplementary Estimate...

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

Malcolm Noonan: I will endeavour to answer as many of the questions as possible. If I do not get to a question the officials will revert to the Deputy. He will appreciate I am not responsible for these matters. With regard to the lack of information I take on board the points the Deputy has made. I understand it has been widely discussed at this committee and other fora during the debate. These are not...

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

Malcolm Noonan: With regard to the overall retrofit, 8,600 homes were completed at the end of June. The target for 2022 is 27,900. There is a risk to this as I stated. This is with regard to supply chain constraints. We are confident-----

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

Malcolm Noonan: Yes, 27,900. We are confident that as we move into 2023 many of these issues can be addressed and we will catch up on those targets.

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

Malcolm Noonan: I do not have it to hand. If it is okay I will get the officials to revert to the Deputy with it.

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

Malcolm Noonan: As regards the costs and the funding, and to take the second question first, regarding what will happen at the end of the period, my understanding is that we are looking at the period 2023 to 2026 and that, even at the end of that period, there will still be demand for these generators. I imagine, therefore, that the resale value of this kit would still be quite strong.

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

Malcolm Noonan: I might have to ask officials to come back to the Deputy with a response to that if that is okay. The ongoing running costs of the temporary generation would be paid for through the transmission use of system charge. The CRU has stated that the procurement of the temporary generation could translate into around an overall increase of approximately €40 in the average domestic bill...

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

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy is correct that these will be valuable assets with a long life anticipated from them, so there would be no difficulty selling them, but they would have to be taken out. This is about a transition towards our renewable outputs. Certainly, there would be no difficulty selling the equipment once we are through that period. It is about being able to have that additional capacity in...

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

Malcolm Noonan: Sure. We can do that.

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

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy makes a valid point about Traveller halting sites. That is a good suggestion. I am not sure if the Department has reached out in that regard. The Deputy is correct that a number of families in a group housing scheme or on a Traveller halting site could be working off a single meter. As I said in my response to Deputy O'Rourke, we have to establish that issue with local...

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

Malcolm Noonan: We certainly will - absolutely.

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

Malcolm Noonan: Yes, we will. As regards retrofitting and the Supplementary Estimate, the amount available in 2022 under subhead B4 in respect of residential and community retrofit programmes is €252.86 million. That comprises €94 million remaining under subhead B4, €57.91 million in capital carry-over from 2021 and €100 million from the energy-efficiency programme. Some...

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

Malcolm Noonan: The retrofitting targets will be met. Regarding the carryover into 2023, those targets will be met.

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

Malcolm Noonan: Those points have been well made in respect of the Traveller community. Concerning the increase in the carbon tax, I stated, and it is the case, that €202 million is to be allocated for retrofitting directly from the carbon tax in 2022. In respect of supplementary funding, €252.8 million is still available for retrofitting in 2022. Certainly, then, funding is not the issue. ...

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

Malcolm Noonan: I do not have that figure to hand. If it is okay, I will come back to her with the information.

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

Malcolm Noonan: Yes, I think so.