Results 1-20 of 25,415 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Staff (30 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The number of WTE staff, by job title, with the Air Accident Investigation Unit of my Department are outlined below: Grade FTE Chief Aeronautical Officer 1 Inspector of Air Accidents 1 Aeronautical Officer Grade 1 7 Higher Executive Officer 1 Executive Officer ...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (30 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including, in consultation with Iarnród Éireann, the DART+ West project. Following the submission of a Railway Order application for DART+ West to An Bord Pleanála in July 2022, there has recently been progress in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (30 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (30 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from Councils' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is a matter for the local authority. Within...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Staff (30 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The WTE number of Ship Surveyors in my Department in 2024 and, to date in 2025, are outlined below in tabular form. Whole Time Equivalent number of staff Start of Year 2024 33 End of Year 2024 33 April 2025 33

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (30 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 29 together. As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (30 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including, in consultation with Iarnród Éireann, the shelter at Killester train station. Noting the NTA's...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (30 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Airport Policy (30 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: This Government is committed to working with all stakeholders to progress the Waterford Airport project to lengthen and widen the runway. The Deputy may be aware that my Department has concluded its initial assessment of Waterford Airport’s development proposal in line with the requirements under the Department’s Transport Appraisal Framework. This Framework ensures...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Even for you, you are in gas form this morning. There is a reason the climate action plan was not published. It was a thing called the general election and Government formation. That has been done. The climate action plan will be coming to the Government within the next two weeks and it will be published then. In addition, we have no Oireachtas joint committee at the moment and that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree with the Deputy that many communities have been ahead of successive Governments on this but, to be fair, the Government is here to support communities and local authorities. To specifically answer the Deputy's question as regards even the financial support for local authorities, first, local authorities have never been better funded than over the past five years. By any fair...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I know that the Deputy is a big supporter of the initiative and is passionate about it. Last week, I met one of her constituents, a múinteoir as Na Forbacha through the Irish cycling network. Bhíomar ag caint faoin stailc agus na fadhbanna sna Forbacha agus i mBearna freisin. Déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall cabhair a thabhairt do na daoine i mBearna agus sna Forbacha. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy does not support any of the measures we have brought forward, such as the marine planning Act, the planning Act or anything like that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Everything from his side is purely oppositional for the sake of opposition. There is a serious global climate crisis. We are all aware of that and should be working together to accelerate the delivery of renewables. Gas demand will not start to decrease until approximately 2035. It will be a transitionary fuel. As I said to Deputies in response to earlier questions, we should compare the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Data Centres (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Why does the Deputy interrupt people all the time?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 15 together. Local authorities play a key role, working with local communities and businesses, in delivering climate action. The Deputy can be sure of my continued support for local authorities to do that. This role is underpinned by the statutory requirement on each local authority to prepare a local authority climate action plan. Following...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy has a bit of a fixation on this. I have talked about-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, you do. The reality of it is that I cannot ignore the risks the State has with regard to our energy supply. It would be dereliction of my duty as Minister on behalf of our citizens if I ignored the independent advice I have with regard to the risk to our society, economy and country should there be a disruption to our gas supply. I said this earlier, but I appreciate that the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: It has not. It suits the Deputy's narrative-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: -----that he goes out and starts telling people we are buying fracked gas from the United States. That is not the question at all, but it suits the Deputy's narrative that he will be able to stoke up anger in this regard. We are doing pretty well as a country with regard to our transition to green energy. On an average day, approximately 33% of our energy is generated through renewables....