Results 8,461-8,480 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

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

Eamon Ryan: -----to do what is important for the wider country, as well as the local community. I believe the North-South interconnector is vital for the economic development of the Border counties.

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

Eamon Ryan: I also believe at a time when energy bills are very high that it is one of the most effective immediate projects to bring down the cost of electricity for everyone and to create economic jobs and other opportunities. This will not be easy. I want to wait for the final further report. We have a list of reports as long as my arm looking at this. We will look at the latest one. I have not...

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

Eamon Ryan: The principle of us keeping and developing an all-island electricity market and energy market is vital. At present, that is at risk and to my mind, it is at risk from some of the policy positions Sinn Féin is taking.

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

Eamon Ryan: I will attend COP27 as head of the Irish delegation for the second week of the conference from 14 to 18 November. Ireland continues to advocate for COPs to be transparent and inclusive for all, promoting the active participation of women and young people in negotiations, and facilitating civil society attendance and engagement. This remains the case more than ever for COP27. Human...

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

Eamon Ryan: One of the proudest moments I have had as a Member of the House was when I took part in a joint Oireachtas visit to Egypt six years ago to visit Ibrahim Halawa when he was in prison outside Cairo. I do not think anyone in the Chamber was on the delegation. It was one of the most important, interesting and engaging events I have taken part in. I am very familiar with what the Deputy has...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Not meaning to be rude, but I checked on my phone the EirGrid dashboard, which we all look at, I am sure, on a regular basis. One can see wind power is providing 55% of our needs as we speak. The Deputy is absolutely right. Increasingly, there are moments - we have seen it in the past month or six weeks - where the scale of the wind power resource available to us is beyond compare....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: My officials have met the company, as I said, and were enthused in reporting back to me. In April 2021, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage launched the scheme. The Government is fully appraised and supportive of it. The project was being run through Clúid Housing where the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has a particular interest but that...

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

Eamon Ryan: The new North-South interconnector, which will allow for the flow of 900 MW of electricity between Ireland and Northern Ireland, will be critical for improving the operation of the all-island integrated single electricity market, ISEM. It will also help to facilitate the achievement of the goal of generating up to 80% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030. A resilient and...

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

Eamon Ryan: I, more than anyone else, regret the delay. As a Member of this House in 2003, I remember the then joint Oireachtas committee on energy having a presentation from EirGrid, our transmission grid company, at which it said that we urgently need a North-South interconnector. For many years looking at international experience and reading several reports, the clear analysis presented was that an...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: While the matter raised is a commercial matter for Bord na Móna, my Department understands that the company is preparing a new planning application for the proposed 150 MW Derryaad wind project and is currently consulting with the local community and other relevant stakeholders. The outcome of this extensive community outreach will inform the project and its scope. My Department also...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The location of wind farms is a sensitive issue. All Deputies in this House will have different views on where the appropriate locations might be. I believe there is a role in this regard for the likes of Bord na Móna's lands in the midlands for wind farms for a variety of reasons. First, Bord na Móna has historical experience of working with communities, employing people from...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: When I visited the wind farm project I spoke about that was being developed by Bord na Móna, and it is now complete and operating. I also took the opportunity to visit an example of where Bord na Móna is engaged in the rehabilitation of bogs. I saw the skills the company had in extracting peat were the same skills needed in blocking drains and managing the water table. The Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Generation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Officials in my Department met with representatives of the social enterprise referred to in the question. I welcome the trial, which I understand is in co-operation with Clúid Housing, and I look forward to seeing the results. The Government is acutely aware of the impact the recent increases in global energy prices is having on households. A €2.4 billion package of supports...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Environmental Policy (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The latter issue is connected to our membership of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance. We know the science. If all the known reserves let alone new resources or reserves are used, it would send us beyond a critical tipping point. As a result, we must join with other countries in starting to restrict supply in order to keep coal, oil and gas in the ground. What was the first part of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Environmental Policy (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Under climate law, we are due to present our climate action plan and our long-term strategy in the coming weeks. One obviously influences and complements the other. That will inform the same approach we have with the European Commission in terms of our contribution. Europe brings our nationally determined contribution to the climate talks as a common approach. We will make our...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Conservation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The climate action plan contains a target to reduce emissions from the residential sector by retrofitting the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a building energy rating, BER, of B2 cost optimal and installing 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by the end of 2030. Earlier this year, the Government launched a package of supports to make it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Conservation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am glad the Deputy went back to 2011 because there was a massive increase in retrofitting of buildings in the period 2008 to 2011. We were in government at the time and I was the Minister responsible. I thought the roll-out and expansion of insulation of housing was critical. It fell back in subsequent years for a variety of complex reasons. Perhaps it was not centre stage. It is one...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Conservation (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Regarding the exact end-of-year figures, whether it is 27,800, 26,800 or 27,000, there are certain factors that are outside our control. These are 27,000 homes that must make a decision regarding timing and so on. One way or the other, either side of that figure is not the key measure. I am aware that 44,000 applications have been received, so the pipeline for next year is looking strong....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Environmental Policy (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I look forward to a comprehensive and balanced outcome from COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh. I appreciate the value of having a self-described "African COP" to continue progress made at COP26 on key issues such as climate finance, loss and damage, adaptation and delivering greater ambition. Together with my EU colleagues, I am committed to working with parties to enhance collective ambition across...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Environmental Policy (8 Nov 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The issue of the Energy Charter Treaty is under consideration, I think, across European countries. There is due to be a meeting in Mongolia, I think, in the coming weeks. A lot of concern has been expressed, rightly, about the need to make sure the Energy Charter Treaty and every other international treaty stitches in the Paris Agreement and delivers and supports that. I do not think that...