Results 5,741-5,760 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Senator. As we discussed on Committee Stage, I share a lot of the concerns the Senators have with regard to the potential use of facial recognition technology and artificial intelligence machine process learning capabilities to infringe civil rights and therefore have to be treated with the utmost caution in terms of how we apply and deploy that technology . While I understand...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I will comment briefly. I am confident that the requirement and therefore the power of the Minister to issue regulations will allow us to provide the precautionary principle here and not allow the use of this technology. The proper drafting of legislation in this area requires further analysis and complex assessment, including what happens in Europe. We cannot just operate on signals from...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: With the measures being included in the Bill it would become possible to declare a road or part of a road to be a national managed road. Where a road or part of a road has been declared to be a national management road, TII will be empowered to set special speed limits on the road. Senators will recall that the law on speed limits prescribes default limits for different classes of road. It...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I do not disagree with the Senator. The legislation does what it seeks to do. It gives flexibility to local authorities. It makes it site-specific, which is particularly useful when it comes to saving lives. The national review of speed limits is to come out very shortly. That will inform a wider public debate on what we are doing as regards speed policy. I do not believe the amendment...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Senators very much. Important amendments were agreed in this House and these have added to and improved the Bill. It proves the purpose, worth and benefit of having this Chamber to improve our legislation. I thank my officials for the excellent work they have done. The Bill has had a long and slow progress, interrupted by the Covid pandemic. The timelines were difficult but I...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cóid Phoist (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Níl ról é a bhfuil feidhm dhíreach agamsa mar Aire Comhshaoil, Aeráide agus Cumarsáide ann faisnéis maidir le seoltaí a aistriú. Is feidhm é sin de chuid na Roinne Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta agus na Roinne Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 47 and 48 together. My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Registration of Contractors operating under these schemes is an operational matter for the SEAI. As Minister, I have no function in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) was approved by Government on 21 December 2021, to support Ireland’s ambitious targets for micro-generation installations, under the Climate Action Plan. The MSS provides supports to both domestic and non-domestic applicants, in the form of grants for Solar Photovoltaic installations, which are available through the Sustainable Energy Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Communities are currently supported by Government to develop plans for local energy projects through the Sustainable Energy Communities (SEC) Programme. The programme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. There are currently over 752 SECs in the SEC Network with a target to grow this number to 1,500 by 2030. The Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Projects (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: My Department, through the National Just Transition Fund, is providing funding to 56 projects that contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the wider Midlands region, where the local economy has been most impacted by the necessary transition to a low-carbon economy. Projects are being implemented across a range of activities, including business development;...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As part of the implementation of the Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan, in February 2022 the Government announced a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills and lower emissions. While this includes homeowners reliant on solid fuel for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The average number of staff working in the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) at the end of 2021 was 109, at a cost of €8.436 million (payroll and non-payroll costs), funded by industry levy. These are the last published numbers and costs. Figures in respect of 2022 will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas shortly. A breakdown of the costs, extracted from the CRU...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I established the inter-Departmental, inter-agency Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce to accelerate delivery and capture the wider economic opportunities of offshore wind in Ireland. To do this, it brings together all the relevant Government Departments and agencies that are vital to the delivery of Ireland’s offshore wind ambitions. With respect to resourcing, the Taskforce includes...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The waste management market is serviced by private companies, where prices charged are matters between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation. As Minister for the Environment, Climate & Communications I have no role in setting prices in a private market. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Prices (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The War in Ukraine has resulted in an unprecedented rise in Energy prices and is a major challenge for households and businesses throughout Ireland and across Europe. The increases in costs for consumers has caused hardship for many people and this is most pronounced over the winter months when energy use is at it highest. That is why the Government has taken sustained action over the past...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Government has adopted, through the Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23), a framework for a just transition, comprising four principles: An integrated, structured, and evidence-based approach to identify and plan our response to just climate transition requirements. People are equipped with the right skills to be able to participate in and benefit from the future net zero economy. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) Action GV/23/3 requires that an annual climate action planning and reporting cycle be finalised by Q2 2023. My Department is currently undertaking work to further develop and refine the cycle and expects to have the annual cycle finalised within the delivery timeline. Section 4 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 provides for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: My Department is working on an Energy Security Package which seeks to address the energy security challenges facing Ireland with a range of new and existing actions. This Package is made up of five pillars including the review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and gas systems, the McCarthy Report (an independent review of the security of electricity supply), the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The completed Annual Report of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and accompanying Financial Statements, audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General, have recently been received by my Department. Arrangements are currently underway to submit to Government for noting, prior to laying before the Houses of the Oireachtas, as required. Once these processes are completed, the report and accounts...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (24 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates the Warmer Homes Scheme on behalf of my Department. Delivering free energy upgrades to low-income households and reducing the waiting times for the Warmer Homes Scheme is a top priority for my Department and the SEAI. However, individual applications to the Warmer Homes Scheme are an operational matter for SEAI and as the Minister I...