Results 2,321-2,340 of 6,809 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: In the 26 days since 26 May, people in Ratoath have been without water or on water restrictions for 13 days because of at least three separate water bursts. This has caused great disruption for households and businesses. Businesses have been forced to close or to restrict their capacity. Instead of needing 20 staff, one business needed just six. There is an investment plan on two separate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Decarbonisation of the Heat Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I ask Professor Mathiesen to expand on the points relating to his policy recommendations. I ask him to touch on those three items.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Decarbonisation of the Heat Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: It is depressing to listen to this and to draw the comparison between Denmark and Ireland and the opportunity that was lost. Professor Mathiesen referred to planning going back to the 1980s and in the period since we deregulated our energy system in this country and disempowered local government. At best we had a tokenistic approach to district heating that is not even district heating, is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister has been asked repeatedly but there is nothing new in what he said today regarding the retained firefighters. They walked out when the Minister said it the other night. He pointed towards the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, the Labour Court, the constraints of Building Momentum, and the informal national pay talks in July. This is an escalating situation. The retained...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electricity Grid (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 84. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment what additional measures are being taken by the Government to ensure our grid has the capacity to accommodate the required increase in connections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28915/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electricity Grid (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: What additional measures are being taken by the Government to ensure our grid has the capacity to accommodate the required increase in connections to manage the energy transition? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electricity Grid (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister has spoken about private wires, the storage policy framework and the hydrogen strategy. The private wires consultation has been a long time coming. It could not happen quickly enough. In his first supplementary response, will the Minister address the capacity and resourcing of EirGrid as a vehicle to deliver on this ambition in the first instance? I regularly meet...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Electricity Grid (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: EirGrid's strategy for capacity and workforce planning was last published in line with the Climate Action Plan 2019, which the former Minister, Deputy Bruton, published. It is somewhat out of date and EirGrid is to come with a new strategy in the not-too-distant future. Like Shaping our Electricity Future 1.1, I hope it will have increased ambition and that it will have a plan to resource...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 76. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment what, if any, assessments have been made by the Government regarding the best way to implement a windfall tax here in order to capture excess revenues in the energy sector in the year 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28914/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: What, if any, assessments have been made by the Government regarding the best way to implement a windfall tax to capture excess revenues in the energy sector in the year 2022? Will the Minister make a statement on that matter?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I will specifically ask about two things. With regard to the temporary solidarity contribution and the cap on market revenues, is the Government now committing to using all of the money collected from the windfall tax to protect people who are at risk of fuel and energy poverty? It has been presented in the media as if that commitment is implicit. My understanding is that there is no...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I specifically asked about 2022 revenues. The Minister will know about this point because I have raised it with him before. The cap on market revenues, which is the important piece in the Irish context given our energy landscape, only applies from 1 December 2022. The Minister will know that other countries have taken specific measures that go beyond the scope of the EU regulation. I give...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: In France, it is €100.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: It is €100 per megawatt hour.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: It is the principle.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: The proposal specifically misses the period at which revenues were at their highest.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister for that. It is important to look at the Dermot McCarthy review. What went wrong with the T-4 auction? Are there lessons to be learned to ensure that when capacity is procured, it is delivered? The Minister said that he has the report and that it will be published in line with the energy security review. Is it the case that there will be proposed changes to our...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: 74. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the Government’s energy security review and, separately the review by a person (details supplied); when he expects both to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28919/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: My question is to ask the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the Government’s energy security review and, separately the review by Mr. Dermot McCarthy; when he expects both to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2023)

Darren O'Rourke: There has been a lot of movement in the meantime since the publication of the initial document about the energy security review. There has been jockeying, I think, and public arguments, and some of it is represents some of the Minister's own comments at different stages. There are those who have argued for liquefied natural gas, LNG, infrastructure for example. Does the Minister have a...