Results 3,941-3,960 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is correct to focus on these elements. This is complicated because we have our national targets and our national legislative system, but we are also doing something similar in a European system where we have effort-sharing. Not only that, we also have the 20 pieces, I think it is now, of the European Fit for 55 legislation that will drive so much of this and place so many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I am just getting some advice from my Department officials here. It is tricky sometimes in committee when the civil servants cannot speak at all. I do not know why the rules are such. I do not want to bring the committee into private session.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Sometimes I believe we are too restrictive. I will not challenge that but it is good to hear from the civil servants sometimes because they do have the expertise. On the broader point, we are ahead of target on the retrofitting targets. The warmer homes scheme is 100% grant funded for those on low incomes. The main criteria for that scheme is that the applicants are entitled to the fuel...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: That does make sense because the cost comes down, be the homes private, social, owned by the council or owned by the citizen. We must look at how we do it. There are some 3,000 heat pumps going in under the grant system this year. We need to see that accelerating. This is one figure that is not going up as fast as I would like. We need to really push that. The July study referred to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I will make one point on that, if I can. I agree fully with Deputy O'Rourke. The reason heat pumps are so attractive is, first, one gets a really gentle, warm heat. It gives us flexibility. We will go into a world where heat pumps will turn on and off based on what the electricity price is and allow us some of that balancing capability around renewable power. Going back to what I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I think I have sufficient information from my officials to not have to go into private session but we can come back on any of the details at a later stage as well. First, on how the country is doing, I said some areas were doing well. Historically, where we have been poorest was in the heat area. We were good at renewable electricity. We were not as good in renewable heat and in meeting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I am conscious we are in a legal process here under our law. I understand the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, is due to appear before the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: He was here this morning.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I did not realise that. The Minister clearly has sectoral responsibility and I would be reluctant to tread on his toes in any way. I might answer the Deputy's question on the coherence of overall Government policy, for which, as climate Minister, I have responsibility. I earlier mentioned the various task forces we have set up. Three of the most significant, and they are the ones that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I will come in. There is a difficulty. A sectoral approach is very good, in a way, to hold Departments and Ministers responsible. There is crossover, however and nature-based solutions are going to be key. How we manage our rivers is going to be important and key. I agree with the Deputy on the issue on the River Shannon. It is a big challenge for us to change that system to accommodate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I just did so here.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I will.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy on various fronts. As he knows, the circular economy resides in our Department, and is the particular responsibility of the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth. It crosses over because he also has a role in the Department of public expenditure and reform. I see less how it immediately connects in here, in terms of how we take the same approach. It is trickier in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: No,you are not but some elements, such as building materials, present a huge opportunity. Construction waste is a massive issue. The ability to drive decarbonisation by using wood materials in construction is an example of that circular economy approach. However, it tends to be speckled across different ministerial responsibilities. I will make two further points on what the Deputy has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I will see the Deputy's rivers trust and raise her our rivers trust. We were involved, with friends and colleagues, in Dodder Action where we do incredible work along the Dodder, cleaning it up and sharing knowledge, history, stories and analysis of what is going on in the river. We tried to set up a rivers trust on the Dodder. Dodder Action is a really good and capable organisation, but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I am confident that what I have just said about the future approach, both from the data centre industry and from the likes of GNI, that they would actually see that if they go the other route the reputational damage would undo all the benefits completely.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to discuss this very serious issue. The events of the 23rd of November had a significant impact on many sectors of society, including the public transport network. A number of staff were targeted during the events, and on the Luas alone, around €1 million worth of damage was caused. This is in addition to extensive damage to six buses in the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: BusConnects Dublin is a transformative programme of investment in the existing bus system providing better bus services to more people. It is the biggest ever investment in our bus system in the history of the State and all those who advocate for better public transport should be advocates of BusConnects. The Deputy’s question relates to Phase 5B of the new network roll-out which...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including SPSV licensing, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. In Ireland, just over 70% of SPSV operators are owner/operators but a rental market is also in place, wherein vehicle licence...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Expenditure Programme (30 Nov 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As we approach year end, I am in a position to give you a detailed outline of the forecast year end for capital expenditure. The Department expects an underspend of circa 5% of the total budget of €2,622.254m for 2023. The Department has applied to carry this underspend, totalling €140.920m, into 2024 with an additional €4m being surrendered to the Exchequer as part of...