Results 581-600 of 25,443 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Emergency Planning (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland has a comprehensive National Plan for Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Exposures, which sets out steps for a national response to such an emergency exposure situation, and the subsequent transition to a managed existing exposure situation. The plan sets out the trigger points, which would require the National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) to be convened and for the plan to be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Having received Government approval, on 4 July last year, my Department published a set of guiding principles for the development of a policy on private wires. Alongside the guiding principles, a summary report of the Private Wires Public Consultation and an appendix setting out all responses received was also published. The principles, while not making immediate changes, are to guide any...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Policies (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Question refers to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), biomass boilers and solar PV. HVO is a bioliquid which can be used as a renewable energy and which, in a transport context, is classified as a biofuel. HVO is currently available for consumers to purchase for use for both transport and heating. In terms of using HVO as a bioliquid for heating purposes, the Climate...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit, by 2030, the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal and install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems. The Government has put in place a range of improved supports as part of the delivery of Ireland’s residential retrofit programme....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The premises in question is in the BLUE area on the broadband map which is available on my Department's website www.gov.ie/en/publication/5634d-national-broadband-plan-map/ . The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future published in January 2025 sets a number of targets which include the completion of the installation the infrastructure to allow access to a high-speed fibre broadband to 1.1 million...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Regulatory Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Gas Network's Ireland is a statutory body under the auspices of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, as the majority-shareholding Minister. I, as Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, have responsibility for gas policy. Gas Network's Ireland (GNI) is a “relevant body” under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 (as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Questions relating to qualifications held by members of Boards of bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for each individual State body. Therefore, I will ask the bodies for the information requested to be compiled and forwarded directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In making appointments to State boards under my remit, my Department operates in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform Guidelines for Appointments to State Boards, published in November 2014. These Guidelines align with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. To be assured of compliance with both those Guidelines...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Questions relating to the audit and risk committees of bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for each individual State body. Therefore, I will ask the bodies for the information requested to be compiled and forwarded directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Questions relating to the terms of reference for the Boards of bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for each individual State body. Therefore, I will ask the bodies for the information requested to be compiled and forwarded directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Solar PV for the Medically Vulnerable Scheme is a targeted scheme for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for customers/households who are registered on the life support category of the Priority Services Register. These homes have a dependence on electrically powered equipment, including medical equipment, life protecting devices and assistive technologies for example...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Responsibilities (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has published the Ministerial Brief I received upon taking office. It is available on the Gov.ie website: www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/8ff87-briefing-for-mi nisters-2025/

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Sector Staff (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Further to the Deputy's clarification on the question, I can confirm to the Deputy no functions, roles and services carried out and delivered by civil servants in my Department have been contracted out to the private sector since the implementation of the Building Momentum public service agreement. My Department continues to avail of additional support from contractors from the private...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future published in January 2025 sets a number of targets which include the completion of the infrastructure to allow access to a high-speed fibre broadband to 1.1 million people, including homes,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Emergency Planning (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Emergency exercises are carried out to stress-test the systems and procedures in place to ensure that the Government, State agencies and wider stakeholders are prepared to effectively manage a range of potential scenarios. In accordance with risk requirements and annual winter preparedness initiatives, a range of multi-stakeholder simulation exercises have been conducted by the energy...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Pension Provisions (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ministerial consent, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, was issued in relation to the 4% increase, requested in 2023, on 01 February 2024, with effect from 01 January 2024. With regards to a separate 0.7% increase, requested in 2024, Ministerial consent, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Grid (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I am deeply conscious of the significant impacts which Storm Éowyn had on households and businesses, given the unprecedented level of damage which took place. The subject matter of this question relates to ESB Networks operational matters. Issues regarding he development and operation of the national electricity grid rest with EirGrid and ESB Networks. EirGrid, as Transmission System...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Water Services (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister I have no function in relation to Uisce Éireann. Uisce Éireann is under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage. However since 1 January 2014, Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels under section 7 of the Water...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: EirGrid is a commercial State body under the aegis of my Department and was established under Regulation 50 of the European Communities (Internal Market in Electricity) Regulations 2000. EirGrid is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department and Minister. I, as Minister, meet the Chair and CEO or equivalent of the Agencies under the aegis of my Department on a regular...