Results 21-40 of 6,122 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Conservation (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy for his question and for outlining the challenges faced by some homeowners. We are looking at continuing policy development in regard to the national retrofit plan. In recent years, significant changes have been introduced as part of the retrofitting scheme. One part of that was a new pilot to support the retrofitting of traditional built homes. I will work with the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Conservation (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: Over 41,500 upgrades have been completed so far this year. We have been building momentum. I do not have the numbers on hand for traditional built housing, but I certainly can get that back to the Deputy. As I said earlier, we need more skills and contractors and better supply chain resilience. That is why we are very much focused on more SEAI staff for the warmer homes scheme, and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fisheries Protection (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy for the question. The Government, my Department and the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, are fully committed to protecting our rivers, safeguarding our fish stocks and supporting local communities and anglers. I fully recognise and acknowledge the seriousness of the fish kill on the River Blackwater near Mallow. This event has had a major impact on local community...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fisheries Protection (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy for her focus and attention along with her colleagues on this matter. It is the responsibility of Inland Fisheries Ireland to continue to safeguard the fish stock and the habitat within the River Blackwater near Mallow. The Minister of State is extensively engaging on the management plan moving into the future regarding this significant incident. As the Deputy said,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Conservation (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta for his question. My Department funds a number of grant schemes administered by the SEAI for solar PV and heat pump installation as part of the national retrofit plan. To the end of September 2025, over 41,500 home energy upgrades had been completed with SEAI grant support. That compares with 38,000 in the same period in 2024, 34,000 in 2023, 16,062 in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Conservation (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Government and our Department are fully committed to making homes warmer, reducing energy bills and cutting emissions. We will do this through the retrofitting and heat pump initiatives set out in the climate action plan and delivered via the national retrofit plan, which is built on the four key pillars of demand, supply, financing and governance. Since 2019 we have made significant...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Conservation (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: Budget 2026 has provided increased funding. That demonstrates the level of intent in regard to a €89 million increase and we do expect additional European funding through the ERDF. This funding is very much needed now to make homes warmer, healthier and cheaper to heat. We are also matching that funding with capacity. We are enhancing the grants. We know we need to simplify the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Conservation (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: Again, we are in the process of simplifying the application process. We understand we need to do more to drive down wait times. We want to continue to deliver deeper, more complex upgrades at an unprecedented scale. The target for next year is over 60,000 upgrades and we are very much looking at accelerating that further. We have looked at cost inflation around much deeper upgrades. They...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Regeneration Projects (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank Senator Duffy for raising this important issue and for his constructive suggestions in regard to the living city initiative. I think everyone in both Houses shares the same ambition about bringing more vibrancy, sustainability and revitalisation to our urban centres to meet the housing needs of the future and support social and economic needs within our towns. The living city...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Regeneration Projects (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I acknowledge and compliment Senator Duffy in regard to this important debate. It will present an opportunity when the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, appears before the Seanad. We support all the ambitions to tackle the scourge of dereliction and vacancy. While I understand the call to include more towns outside the specific growth areas contained within the national planning framework, at...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I sincerely thank Senator Fitzpatrick for raising this important issue and for the opportunity to provide an update on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who is, unfortunately, abroad at the G20 forum. The Government shares Senator Fitzpatrick's commitment to improving disability services and ensuring individuals with severe acquired brain injuries receive both the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I will certainly take back the Senator's frustration in regard to the response to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. As she said, it is very important to shine a light on where the phase 1 review is currently at. I will seek clarity in regard to that from the HSE capital planning expert group. We are all in agreement that we need to make more effort in regard to the promotion of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Facilities (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank Senator Conway for the opportunity to address the House on the funding of maternity services in the mid-west. I know how passionate he is about the delivery of high-quality services for the people he represents in County Clare and the wider mid-west region. The National Maternity Strategy 2016-2026 has delivered significant developments in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Facilities (6 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue. The Government is committed to implementing the national maternity strategy and, in doing so, improving services for the mid-west region. As the Senator said, this includes the colocation of Limerick's maternity hospital with UHL. That project is at an early stage of planning and will progress through the infrastructural...

Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (5 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy and the Opposition for supporting the general scheme of the Bill. No amendments have been tabled on Report Stage. We welcome the Deputy's engagement and contribution. In general terms, the intent is that employees continuing in employment past the age of 65 should, where possible, be treated in the same way as colleagues below that age. We understand the challenges...

Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (5 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I welcome the successful passing of the Bill through the Dáil. This Bill will introduce a new employment right and will facilitate workers who want to continue in employment until they first access the State pension. It also makes the necessary provision for the limited cases where a lower retirement age may be required. The Bill gives effect to a Government commitment under the...

Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (4 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I also warmly congratulate our President-elect, Catherine Connolly. I wish her the very best in her appointment. Leaving Mayo-Galway rivalries aside, I know she will do a tremendous job. I wish her the very best. I thank all the Deputies for their engagement in respect of this very important Bill. I appreciate the general support right across the Chamber in that regard. The fact that...

Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (4 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: It was the worst in history.

Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (4 Nov 2025)

Alan Dillon: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to address the House on the Second Stage of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Bill will provide the legal mechanism for the payment of €1.5 billion of equity investment in ESB, as committed to by the Government under the national development plan. I will set out the broader context for why...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Redundancy Payments (22 Oct 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Redundancy Payments Act 1967, as amended, provides for a minimum statutory redundancy payment to eligible employees. An eligible employee is entitled to two weeks' pay for every year of service plus one additional week's pay, with weekly pay capped at €600 per week. The €600 per week salary cap has applied since 2005. In order to be eligible for a statutory redundancy...