Results 921-940 of 28,190 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) was assigned consumer protection functions under the 1999 Electricity Regulation Act and subsequent legislation and has statutory responsibility for the compliance by energy suppliers with their consumer protection obligations. The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Generation (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In order to accelerate the process of site designation for Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE), in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, a national ORE Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) is being developed. This plan has the objective of designating sites sufficient to deliver at least 20GW of ORE across Ireland’s entire maritime area by 2040. It is expected this DMAP...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 211 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 the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g. insulation), as...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Ministerial Communications (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm to the Deputy that I do not use personal email addresses for Government business.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has spent the following amounts on Travel and Subsistence in respect of the period 2021 to date in 2025. Year Travel and SubsistenceTotal expenditure 2021 €304,499.61 2022 €852,750.81 2023 €1,482,605.15 2024 €2,028,835.88 ...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Energy Poverty Steering Group was established in August 2022 and has met 8 times formally as a group. The Steering Group has overseen implementation of the Energy Poverty Action Plan. An Annual Report outlining progress under the various actions in the Energy Poverty Action Plan was published in May 2024 and is available on gov.ie. Headline achievements since December 2022 have included...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Just Transition (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The EU Just Transition Fund aims to address the employment, economic, social and environmental impacts that come with the shift away from carbon-intense activities. In Ireland, EU JTF is focused on the wider Midlands region which has been impacted by the move away from peat production and electricity generation from peat. Ireland’s EU JTF Programme represents a total commitment of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218, 259, 295 and 298 together. The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people at risk of 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 carbon tax receipts and the European...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is a bioliquid which can be used as a renewable energy source 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. The Climate Action Plan includes a range of measures to address the use of fossil fuels in heating systems in buildings; with the National Heat...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Reserved Contracts are permitted under Regulation 77 of S.I. 284 of 2016. I can confirm that my Department has not procured services under Regulation 77 in the past five years.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Development Plan (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221, 222, 226 and 310 together. The Programme for Government affirms the Government’s commitment to making Ireland’s buildings more sustainable and energy-efficient, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and lowering energy costs for households. By promoting retrofitting, renewable heating, and solar energy, we aim to make homes warmer, cheaper...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223, 224 and 229 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 the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g. insulation),...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) manage a number of residential and community energy upgrade grant support schemes on behalf of my Department. These include the Better Energy Homes Scheme; the Warmer Homes Scheme; the Community Energy Grant Scheme; the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme through One Stop Shops; and the Solar PV Scheme. Between 2020 and the end of June...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (29 Jul 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....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (29 Jul 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....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. Dáil ref: www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025-05-28/76/?highlig ht%5B0%5D=communications&highlight%5B1%5D=breakdown& amp;amp;highlight%5B2%5D=funding&highlight%5B3%5D=pr ovided&highlight%5B4%5D=community&highlight% 5B5%5D=energy&highlight%5B6%5D=grants&highli...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to promoting the Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) to simplify market access for community owned solar and wind projects. The SRESS export phase (SRESS 1) is designed for community, SME and farm projects above 50kW to 6MW, offering a simpler route to market, with fixed tariffs for solar and wind, aligning more closely to their...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 232, 237 and 238 together. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) manage a number of residential and community energy upgrade grant support schemes on behalf of my Department. The SEAI operate their schemes within a specified governance framework with a set of rules determining eligibility for grant support. Accordingly, these schemes have...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together. I welcome the recent allocation of €5.64 billion under the updated National Development Plan (NDP), incorporating an allocation of €500 million under the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund (ICNF), for my Department's capital programmes over the period 2026 to 2030. The purpose of the ICNF is to support Government...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Impact Assessments (29 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The general matter raised in the Question is not one in which I, as Minister, have a direct function. Matters related to the NDP should be addressed to the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. I am advised, however, that as part of the National Development Plan Review, all Departments and Offices have been required to subject all...