Results 181-200 of 25,421 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (9 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. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), 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...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tax Code (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: From the details provided in relation to this case, it would appear that the tax liability of the owner of these two vehicles is being calculated correctly. The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 provides that where the owner of a vehicle wishes to declare a vehicle off the road the declaration must be made in advance during the month of expiry of the vehicle’s current motor tax...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001 require producers of farm plastics (manufacturers and/or importers) to either establish a deposit and refund scheme for farm plastic waste or to participate in an approved compliance scheme for its recovery and recycling. Since the introduction of the farm plastics extended producer responsibility (EPR) model, producers have chosen to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Pension Provisions (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department cannot confirm if the person is entitled to a preserved pension. My Department has not discovered any documentation that contradicts the details provided. The details indicate the National Shared Service Office (NSSO) has clarified why the person does not meet the reckonable service vesting period. My Department will provide advice to the person named on process of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Plastic Bag Levy continues to play a major role in reducing the usage of single use plastic carrier bags. Since Ireland introduced the levy in 2002, the first country in the world to do so, usage of such bags has dropped from over 132 million in 2006 to less than 5.5 million last year. Income accrued from the levy in each of the past five years is as follows:2020: €3.88...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) was introduced in February 2024 to encourage more people to recycle plastic bottles and cans and to deliver on our ambitious EU targets for the recycling of those products. Participation in DRS in its first year has been very positive. 1.2 billion bottles and cans have been returned, with average daily rates now regularly exceeding 3 million containers. This...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fuel Quality (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Fuel Quality Directive (Directive 98/70/EC as amended), or FQD, sets the technical specifications on health and environmental grounds for fuels to be used with positive ignition and compression-ignition engines. As Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, my Department is responsible for overseeing the testing and sampling of fuels as required for that Directive.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Transmission Network (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together. The Electricity Storage Policy Framework for Ireland published by my Department in July 2024 included 10 Government actions to support the role of electricity storage systems in Ireland’s energy transition. Engagement with the Joint System Operators has commenced in relation to Action 2. The first stakeholder forum was held in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2023, which came into force on the 1 January 2024, oblige waste collectors to provide a bio-waste (brown) bin to all their customers regardless of where in the country they live. Enforcement of the regulations is a matter for the relevant local authority. The expansion of the brown bin is being supported by a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Oasis (floral foam) is a phenol-formaldehyde foam used globally in the floral industry as a medium to support stems in floral arrangements while also acting as a water source. Research has found traditional phenol-formaldehyde foam breaks down into microplastics. In 2023, the EU REACH restriction of Synthetic Polymer Microparticles Regulation (commonly known as ‘the microplastics...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Projects (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: This Department has one major capital project, the National Broadband Plan, being delivered as part of Project Ireland 2040. This plan is a core element of the implementation of the Digital Connectivity Strategy. The availability of high-speed, reliable, digital connectivity will support the delivery of Ireland’s economic and social ambitions, and will position Ireland at the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Implementation Bodies (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Loughs Agency is an agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (FCILC), established as one of the North South Implementation Bodies under the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement, constituted under the North South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 and the British Irish Agreement Acts 1999 and 2002. The Board of the Loughs Agency reports to and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fisheries Protection (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 2007, salmon stocks have been individually annually assessed in selected Irish rivers. Knowing the stock levels for each river, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) - the independent statutory body tasked with the protection, management and conservation of the Inland Fisheries resource in Ireland - can advise on the number of fish that might be sustainably harvested, without impacting the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In December 2022, the Digital Connectivity Strategy for Ireland was published and it sets out a number of targets including that all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028. This target is on track and will be met through a combination of commercial investment and State funding. The Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ESB is a commercial State body, under the aegis of my Department, established under the Electricity Supply Act 1927. ESB is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department. This is an operational matter for ESB and not one in which I have any function. The Deputy may wish to contact ESB directly via Oireachtas@esb.ie in relation to the matter raised in the Question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm to the Deputy the job title, and where appropriate, the salaries of my Ministerial staff: One Special Advisor. No salary is paid by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The salary will be included in the Department of Transport's answer to the Deputy, as there is a single payroll for me as Minister across two Departments. One Private Secretary who...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland's EU Just Transition Fund Programme aims to address employment, economic, social and environmental impacts arising from the ending of peat extraction for power generation in the Midlands Region. Action 1.2 of the Programme seeks to support the implementation of local and regional economic strategies and is managed on behalf of my Department by Pobal. Longford County Council have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Building Energy Rating (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is developing Ireland’s National Building Renovation Plan which will outline our approach to ensuring the renovation of the national stock of residential and non-residential buildings, both public and private, into a highly energy-efficient and decarbonised building stock by 2050, with the objective of transforming existing buildings into zero-emission buildings. This...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 254 together. Regulation (EU) 2023/955 on the establishment of a Social Climate Fund (SCF) requires that all EU Member States prepare a Social Climate Plan setting out the programmes for the period 2026-2032 aimed at addressing the social and distributional effects of fossil fuel price increases. My Department is now preparing a draft Social...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Properties (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not have any vacant or derelict buildings in Dublin-Rathdown.