Results 8,441-8,460 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Transport Authority (9 Nov 2022)

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 securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for decisions regarding the routes of these services in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy may be aware, the Government approved the inclusion of Phase 1 of the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme in Ireland's National Recovery & Resilience Plan. Inclusion in the Plan means the projects referred to by the Deputy will largely be funded through the EU's Recovery & Resilience Facility and also means that all works contained...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am aware of recent reports that suggest an increasing global trend in the purchasing of larger and less fuel-efficient vehicles. I also note, however, that the existing approach to the taxation of motor vehicles through vehicle registration tax (VRT) in Ireland is already designed to encourage a shift to the purchasing of vehicles with improved emissions performance.  Budget 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (9 Nov 2022)

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 securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy may be aware, both my Department and the National Transport Authority have taken a number of steps since the onset of Covid-19, to support taxi drivers nationally, these steps include -  - The Maximum Fares Order 2022 which took effect on 1 September last.  Increases in fares are weighted in favour of those drives working at unsocial hours, such as nights and bank...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (9 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As the 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 of the resumption of on-board catering services on Iarnród Éireann’s Intercity network is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann and I have therefore...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: A total of 44,000 households in Ireland are now generating their own power.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I take the Deputy's point that we need to extend the schemes to farms and make renewable energy generation part of farm income. That is why we are consulting on a new scheme for small-scale generation, which goes from 50 kV up to 6 MW. Farmers will not have to go into an auction system or other complicated processes. Solar energy is the type of generation that makes the most sense for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Infrastructure (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is right to draw our attention to the potential of district heating. It is going to play a vital role in meeting our climate targets, protecting our people from high fossil fuel prices and building better homes for them. As the Deputy knows, it is not without its complications. We need to learn from other countries and from the small number of projects that have been developed...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Infrastructure (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I will be brief. I am very glad Codema was represented at the roadshow. If there are projects at planning stage, that is the time to design in such a system as a planning condition. Companies should be willing to support this. They also have corporate social responsibility and their own emissions reduction targets. There can be no better way of achieving that than using waste heat from...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I hope the Deputy will see real change occurring in the coming weeks. I was in Tarbert last week subsequent to a visit to Shannon-Foynes Port. I could talk about the Sceirde Rocks project in Connemara or the plans in Galway but I will take the Shannon Estuary as an example. A very significant report has been commissioned from Bechtel to look at the potential in the Shannon Estuary. I had...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We are engaged in a support process on onshore renewables. The Deputy is right in that we will need further onshore wind and solar energy, batteries, pump storage and a range of other solutions as we transition to this zero-carbon, stable, secure and lower-cost energy system for our people. The RESS auctions systems will continue. We have done two of them. The third will come up and we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Infrastructure (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, has statutory responsibility to ensure security of supply. It also has the duty to monitor electricity supplies and to take such measures as it considers necessary to protect the security of supply. It is assisted in this role by EirGrid and my Department. The CRU currently has a programme of actions under way to ensure the security of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I engaged Mr. Dermot McCarthy, former Secretary General to the Government and the Department of the Taoiseach, to conduct an independent review into the circumstances requiring emergency measures to be introduced to secure electricity supply over the coming winters. Mr. McCarthy's engagement, along with the terms of reference for the review, were noted by Government at its meeting on 14 June...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy. As I said, the first of the terms of reference related to the factors which contributed to the capacity shortfall and that directly relate to the auction to which the Deputy referred. In 2019, 500 MW of power was not delivered. That is the first item on the terms of reference, in terms of what factors contributed to that. With regard to emergency generation, I want...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: On the first issue, it is complex and the regulator will have to decide on it. I understand it applies to T-3 and T-4 auctions which are in train at this moment in time. My expectation, depending on what the CRU comes out with in its final decision, is that it is not precluded that the terms and conditions for the ongoing existing options would be updated or amended according to the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I do not believe we do. I had a meeting with GNI and do not recall the need for legislation being raised.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Human Rights (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is right. That fear is real and it belongs to every one of every party, age and country. It is the primary challenge we face in this time. It has to guide us towards radical system change to reduce emissions. The test of that will come in the near future when our latest iteration of the climate action plan will put forward proposals in areas such as transport, energy,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I want North-South interconnection and I-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As Deputy O'Rourke said, I was referring to the issue of the recent regulatory decisions regarding SONI and EirGrid and, in my mind, the very regrettable changes that are afoot. Although it is hard to know because we do not have an administration up North, from the conversations and discussions I have had, my very clear understanding is that the Sinn Féin position was clearly in support...