Results 6,101-6,120 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Schemes (3 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: In March 2021, I launched the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme which will support Active Travel infrastructure for selected schools around the country. The programme aims to support walking, scooting and cycling to primary and post-primary schools and to create safer walking and cycling routes within communities. This will help alleviate congestion at school gates and increase...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (3 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network over the coming years. Having an effective and reliable charging network is an essential part of enabling drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles. Home charging is the primary charging method for most Irish EV owners as it’s convenient and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences (3 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including SPSV licensing, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016.  I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV industry. Accordingly, I have referred your question to the NTA for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Travel Trade Sector (3 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: According to CSO Aviation Statistics, the following figures show the number of passengers travelling from Ireland to the UK through the 5 main Irish airports by year (Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Kerry, Knock). Year Air Passengers 2020 1,553,200 2021 1,359,500 2022 5,134,000 These aviation...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (3 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The issue raised in relation to the TFI App is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with Dublin Bus.  Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (3 May 2023)

Eamon Ryan: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Schemes (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I beg to differ with Deputy O'Rourke. I do not have the exact statistics in front of me.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Schemes (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I only saw them briefly yesterday but across each of the sectors in which the SEAI is working, we are seeing an incredible increase in demand for improvements to buildings, the introduction of solar energy and across every category. There has been an incredible level of growth, of up to 250%, in a whole variety of different cases. The absolute priority is to make sure that we deliver for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Schemes (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The people who need it the most are getting it. That social housing, which Deputy O'Rourke did not mention in his statistics, is absolutely a key part of what we need to do as well. Those eligible for the warmer homes scheme get a 100% grant and in the first quarter of this year, 1,000 homes were significantly improved. That is not a small or insignificant development. The criticism here...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I note the ESRI’s assessment of the embodied emissions in Irish imports and welcome the insight it provides. While Ireland’s climate policy primarily focuses on reducing production-based emissions in line with national greenhouse gas inventories, it also considers the wider impacts of climate policy, including on consumption-based emissions. The 2023 climate action plan...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I absolutely commit to making sure that the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, expands and deepens his role in the delivery of the circular economy. I will give a specific example of this in reality. It is subject to some controversy in the sense that I made a public comment in regard to Dublin Port last week. However, currently 35 million tonnes of material will be coming in and out of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The future for our country, our Continent and the wider world will be electrification, with electricity replacing fossil fuels. That is where the new economy and the industrial revolution are taking place, and that is central to our security, both economic and environmental. The characteristics of that new network will involve certain locations where there are high-speed, long-distance...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Schemes (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I appreciate the question. I do not have the answer from the Department to hand but I will commit to look at the option of such grants or support being provided for stone wall cladding. I look forward to receiving from the Deputy more specific details that might inform the approach we will take in delivering such a service to the Irish people.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Schemes (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Deputy Gould for asking the question, which I know he has raised previously in the House. 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 homes. Contractors operating under any scheme supported by an SEAI grant must carry out the works in line with the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Schemes (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The national retrofit plan sets out the Government's approach to achieving the climate action plan targets of upgrading the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a building energy rating, BER, of B2, the cost-optimal level, and installing 400,000 heat pumps to replace older, less efficient heating systems by 2030. To promote and incentivise the achievement of these targets, last year the Government...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The timeline, as I said earlier, is months and I hope it is within weeks. It will not be later this year, as I expect to be able to publish it in late spring or summer. I was expecting to publish the Dermot McCarthy report at the start of the year but it was decided, given that we were developing this further energy security analysis, that it would be better to publish his report in tandem...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: The overhead alternating current, AC, link between the Irish and Northern Irish electricity grids is a critical infrastructure project for the island of Ireland. It will be the backbone of a fit-for-purpose electricity system that will ensure energy security, allow more renewables to be used on the island, reduce the need to burning gas and coal, reduce electricity costs and reduce...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: I absolutely accept Deputy Brendan Smith's interest and his clear commitment to representing his constituency and various views. This has been going on for longer than 16 years. If I recall, this project first came to my attention 20 years ago. We have been analysing the options for 20 years. There are always different commercial options but all of the analysis has been consistent and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: My Department is at an advanced stage of completing this review. A detailed technical analysis has been published and an extensive consultation process has been carried out. The response to the consultation was extensive, with more than 450 submissions received from a broad range of individuals and organisations. The consultation responses were reviewed and analysed, and they have provided...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (27 Apr 2023)

Eamon Ryan: That is a good question. The real challenge in energy policy is how to meet all three objectives. In my mind, increasingly it is the environmental imperative that comes first because in tackling climate emissions and meeting the goals there it is a clear measure. Either we live within the sectoral targets and the national cap on climate emissions as part of the European Union and the Paris...