Results 581-600 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Consultations (29 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department recently undertook a public consultation concerning the award of additional certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, provided for by the National Oil Reserves Agency Act 2007 (Additional Certificates for Renewable Transport Fuel) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 143 of 2023) incentivising supply of certain renewable fuels supporting delivery of EU renewable energy...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (29 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has undertaken two public consultations on the draft Renewable Transport Fuel Policy Statement 2025-2027, involving the transition to renewable energy in transport and setting out a policy pathway for delivery of the 2030 transport targets set out in the Climate Action Plan as agreed by Government, as well as the targets and requirements under the European Renewable Energy...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Projects (29 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Projects (29 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the provision of park and ride facilities. Park and ride can intercept car trips where people are reliant on private car at an early viable...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (29 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from Councils' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is a matter for the local authority. On...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (29 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority and Exchequer funding is intended to supplement local authorities’ own resources. On 14th February I announced an Exchequer investment of €713 million in our regional and local roads across the State which represents an overall increase of over 8% in funding this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Local Authorities (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 13, 36, 37 and 38 together. Local authorities are at the forefront of local Climate Planning and Action in Ireland, making the national climate goals and policies work at a local level to assist in the delivery of the national climate objective. A Business Case submitted by the CCMA to DECC in 2022 to support the Local Authority Climate Action Plans...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Warmer Homes Scheme is available to owner-occupied properties, based on the householder being in receipt of certain Department of Social Protection (DSP) income supports. The scheme is available to owner-occupied homes built before 2006 where the household meets the DSP payment-related eligibility criteria. The average value of upgrades provided in Q1 of 2025 is just under €29,000...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Regulatory Bodies (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 17 and 18 together. The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) was established on 17 July 2023 and is fully funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. Total outturn from the point of establishment to end 2023 was €1,447,428. Full year outturn for 2024 was €4,763,425. While, under the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Regulatory Bodies (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: While, under the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021, recruitment of staff by the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) is subject to sanction from me as Minister as well as the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, the allocation of approved staff is a matter for MARA. MARA has a budget of €5.16m toward payroll related costs and, recruiting within the confines of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Litter Pollution (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Litter Pollution Act, 1997, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution lies with local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority to determine the most appropriate public awareness, enforcement, and clean-up actions in relation to litter taking account of local circumstances and priorities. Since January 2023, all producers...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Litter Pollution (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authority staffing is a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Under the Litter Pollution Act, 1997, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution lies with local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority to determine the most appropriate public awareness, enforcement, and clean-up actions in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together. My Department is now preparing a draft Social Climate Plan in consultation with relevant Departmental stakeholders and with the European Commission. A variety of targeted measures aimed at providing long-term solutions to reduce fossil fuels reliance and effectively help vulnerable groups impacted by the rising price of carbon are being...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland’s National Cyber Security Strategy, published in 2019, came to a close at the end of 2024 and preparations for the successor strategy are underway. The 2019 strategy set out 20 collaborative measures to enhance the cyber security and resilience of public bodies, providers of essential services, businesses and households, to support the continued development of the cyber...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Cyber Security Bill is the legislative vehicle which transposes the revised Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) and provides the provisions that places National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on a statutory footing. Substantial work has been completed by my Department on the transposition of the NIS2 Directive. NIS2 is a complex piece of legislation requiring a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bord na Móna (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Bord na Móna (BnM) is a commercial State body under the aegis of my Department, established under the Turf Development Act 1998. BnM is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department. The Board and management of BnM are accountable for the strategic direction and management of the organisation. My Department is responsible for the corporate governance oversight of BnM,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people in energy poverty by providing fully-funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through the carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. Last year saw a record spend of almost...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 28, 35, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 68, 69, 73, 79, 80, 81 and 82 together. My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners improving the energy efficiency of their buildings, and to promote the adoption of renewable energy systems. These schemes include grants for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 31, 32, 33 and 39 together. The tables below sets the cost budget over the next 5 years, based on the current allocated funding of €69m for 2025, as the base value. This is purely a mathematical exercise based on the parameters set out by the Deputy and does take account of customer demand, the capacity of the market to deliver or any other...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (28 May 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 PV installations, up to a maximum of €1,800 in 2025 for household installations....