Results 221-240 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141, 150, 151 and 163 together. The latest analysis from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are an indicator of the scale of the climate challenge ahead. They serve as a clear signal that, while significant progress is being made, the pace of implementation of our climate policies must be accelerated if we are to meet our 2030 targets. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Government has committed to deliver up to 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030. The production and supply of this renewable energy will require the development of the anaerobic digestion (AD) industry at scale. However, sustainability must remain a key consideration as we look to change the way we source our energy to ensure we avoid negatively impacting on land use and food...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Heat Study completed an extensive analysis of land available for energy feedstocks available in Ireland and identified biomethane as a competitive, cost-efficient, path to achieving our climate ambitions. The production and supply of this renewable energy will require the development of the anaerobic digestion industry at scale. However, sustainability must remain a key...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government approved the high-level design for the Micro-Generation Support Scheme (MSS) on the 21st of December 2021, as a means of supporting 380MW of new micro-generation capacity by 2030 under the Climate Action Plan. As part of the approved MSS Final Scheme Design, the maximum grant levels for Domestic applicants were set out for the period from 2022 to 2028. The grant levels...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their buildings. These schemes include grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings, as well as solar PV and heat pump installation. The various SEAI residential and community energy efficiency upgrade schemes have different...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Climate Action Plan sets ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector from 7 MtCO2eq. in 2018 to 4 MtCO2eq. in 2030. One of the measures to achieve this is to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a BER B2/cost optimal or carbon equivalent, and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes (to replace older, less efficient heating systems) by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports local community groups through the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP). The CCAP will see €61.5 million from the Climate Action Fund being invested in community climate action projects and initiatives, as well as capacity building, over two phases. The overall aim of the CCAP is to support and empower communities to shape and build low carbon, sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Government remains committed to the development of 5GW of offshore wind capacity, with projects in construction by 2030, and energised as soon as feasible thereafter. Ireland’s 5GW target will be met through a combination of projects from Phase One and from within the South Coast DMAP. Five Phase 1 projects accounting for 3.9 GW are progressing through the planning process with an Bord...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: North-South Interconnector (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The North-South Interconnector is an essential infrastructure project that will link the electricity transmission networks of Ireland and Northern Ireland — leading to a more secure, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity across the island. As a transmission project, the North-South Interconnector is being undertaken by EirGrid, which is independent of the Minister, with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There are three measures within my Department - Residential /Community Retrofit, Just Transition and the Green Climate Fund - that receive funding from carbon tax revenue. Residential /Community Retrofit In 2024, €380 million in carbon tax revenue part funded the delivery of almost 54,000 home energy upgrades, including Solar PV, exceeding the overall 2024 target of 52,000...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electricity Grid (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 2025 placed an emphasis on resilience across all sectors, including the energy sector. Ireland’s emergency management is guided by the Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) Framework. The SEM outlines the structures and objectives for coordinating a whole-of-government approach to emergencies that warrant a national-level response. Central to the SEM is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce was established to accelerate and increase the deployment of onshore renewable electricity generation by focusing on the three key pillars of renewables development – Planning; Grid Development and System Services; and Route to Market. This cross-Government Taskforce, which is chaired at Assistant Secretary level in my Department, is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The RESS (Renewable Electricity Support Scheme) mandates that each project participating in the scheme contribute a minimum of €2 per Megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity generated annually to a Community Benefit Funds (CBFs). The CBF payments are distributed across household payments, Sustainable Development initiatives, and administration costs. My Department launched a public...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I last updated the Dáil, via parliamentary question, on 22nd and 27th May, to state that it is my intention to bring a policy statement on private wires to Cabinet in the coming months, and the position has not changed since then. Developing a private wires policy is a priority for this Government and an action was included in the Programme for Government to expedite the delivery of this...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Sustainable Development Goals (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to accelerating Ireland’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and to adopting a coordinated approach to drive impactful action both at home and abroad. A whole-of-Government approach is being taken to deliver the SDGs in Ireland. My Department has overall responsibility for promoting the SDGs and overseeing delivery...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European regulatory regime wherein these markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive and are overseen by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Price setting by energy suppliers is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. The Government has made a number of important commitments...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 2025 has reaffirmed Ireland’s targets of 80% of electricity demand to be met by renewables energy sources. It should be noted that renewables provided 40% of our electricity demand in 2024. The Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce has been established to accelerate and increase the deployment of onshore renewable electricity generation by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The processing of Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) requests for my Department is carried out by the dedicated AIE Unit in accordance with the AIE Regulations 2007. Following verification by the internal IT team in my Department and their IT partners, in the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), I can confirm that the email address aie@decc.gov.ie used to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: While the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) provides the main Government supports, I note for the Deputy’s information that there are other schemes also in place, such as the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme which was developed by my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, the SEAI, the European Investment...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (10 Jun 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 214 together. Inland Fisheries Ireland, in conjunction with my Department, is carrying out a review of relevant inland fisheries bye-laws in force for 10 years or more and their continued application. The Conservation of and Prohibition on Sale of Coarse fish Bye-Law No. 806 of 2006 is being examined as part of this work programme, which I expect to...