Results 41-60 of 1,599 for long speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Inquiries (13 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including the matters raised by the Deputy, is solely a matter for the CRU. In line with long standing policy on deregulating price setting, CRU ended its regulation of retail prices in the electricity market in 2011, and in the gas market in 2014. Price setting by electricity...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (8 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...by a variety of operators both publicly and privately owned, and typically operate shorter routes running from outlying areas into the nearest town, although I acknowledge that some routes are longer. There are no plans to introduce toilet facilities on those buses. Commercial services operate without any State subvention and are provided in the main by commercial operators, although...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Military Aircraft (8 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...if there are any foreign policy or security issues that need to be considered in the context of the application. The Department of Defence is also informed of all applications. This process is long-standing and robust. Advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs is in respect of international humanitarian law, Ireland’s international obligations and our wider arms control,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (8 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...Galway County Council, is developing the Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (GMATS). This strategy will replace the existing Galway Transport Strategy adopted in 2016 and will provide a long-term strategic planning framework for the delivery of transport and the integrated development of transport infrastructure and services in the Galway Metropolitan Area. As part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...later than 90 days and a MUL application not later than 30 days after the relevant requirements have been deemed to have been met. Since its early days of establishment, MARA has brought several long-term positive impacts to Ireland’s marine planning and development system, including issuing a determination in respect of 11 of 13 MACs received in relation to offshore renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (7 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...Regulation (comreg.ie), which provides clear information on where operators have good 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G coverage. ComReg completed a Multi-band Spectrum Award in January 2023 to assign long term rights of use in four spectrum bands to enable the market to provide improved services to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile data and new services. This award represents a 46% increase in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...of an extension of the scheme on stakeholders, and is working to ensure that any such extension is underpinned by careful analysis of the implications for all stakeholders, with a view to the long-term viability of an extended scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...in accordance with section 11 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002. The Multi-Band Spectrum Award 2 (MBSA2) was a significant radio spectrum award process run by ComReg which, in early 2023, led to the award of long term (20 years) spectrum rights suitable for providing new mobile broadband services and increasing network capacity. Significant coverage obligations apply under these...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...Department is considering the implications of an extension of the scheme, and is working to ensure that any such extension is underpinned by careful analysis of the implications, with a view to the long-term viability of an extended scheme. This year, Circol ELT is planning to collect used tyres lawfully held on farms to support the agriculture sector in adapting to the extended scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...The RHO high-level scheme is now largely complete, with one final parameter subject to further consideration to ensure the scheme's objectives of increasing our share in RES-H and the giving of long-term certainty to the renewable fuel industry. In conjunction with this, my Department is now engaged in preparing the necessary legislation.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Transport (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...to funding the continued development and design of light rail in Cork. As Minister for Transport, I recognise that the development of an east-west mass transit, rapid transport corridor has been a long-term objective for the Cork area. The Luas Cork project seeks to provide this high-capacity public transport corridor connecting Ballincollig to Mahon Point via the city centre. The project...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Transport Policy (29 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...Galway County Council, is developing the Galway Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (GMATS). This strategy will replace the existing Galway Transport Strategy adopted in 2016 and will provide a long-term strategic planning framework for the delivery of transport and the integrated development of transport infrastructure and services in the Galway Metropolitan Area. As part of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...loan scheme, has been extended to seven credit union groups and there are two new lenders of that money, namely, An Post and Permanent TSB, as well as Bank of Ireland and AIB. Applicants can get a long-term loan of up to €75,000 at an average rate of 3%. That is a very keen rate, and while it is not as keen as the rate in Denmark that Deputy Moynihan mentioned, some loans are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...to the completion of the works, whereas for the croí conaithe grant scheme, it is based on the application having come through the local authority and been processed and completed. I cannot control how long it takes a contractor to get out there. What we can do relates to the assessment, and I am looking at options in that regard. Private assessors and all of those types of things...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ..., clean renewable energy. The mitigation measure will be complemented by other actions identified in the energy security review which focus on securing Ireland's future energy system in the long term by moving from an oil- and gas-based energy system to an electricity-led system, maximising our renewable energy potential, flexibility and integration into Europe's energy system. I fully...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...storage systems in Ireland’s energy transition. Actions #6 to #10 of the policy framework are designed to stimulate the development of the optimum level of electricity storage systems, including Long Duration Electricity Storage on to the grid network by 2040. Action #6 of the policy framework supports the immediate Procurement of 500MW of Demand Flexibility products and 500MW...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Climate Action Plan 2023 includes a requirement for public bodies to develop a building stock plan to critically review its building portfolio in the context of the sector's targets and its long-term accommodation needs. This will inform a strategic approach to managing relevant buildings over the next decade, and beyond. In addition, public bodies are required to complete the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Programmes (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ..., legislative, and funding structures of rural public transport service provision via the Rural Transport Programme, to evaluate its current effectiveness and make recommendations on the future long-term structure of rural public transport provision. The Report is currently being considered within the Department. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ..., legislative, and funding structures of rural public transport service provision via the Rural Transport Programme, to evaluate its current effectiveness and make recommendations on the future long-term structure of rural public transport provision. The Report is currently being considered within the Department. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...carried out across Government to increase our capacity in these areas. Despite these challenges, Government is committed to capitalising on our vast floating wind potential in the medium- to long-term. The Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy Policy Statement, published in May 2024, included an action to “Investigate the feasibility of a floating offshore wind...