Results 961-980 of 28,190 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: Having received Government approval on 4 July 2024, my Department published a set of guiding principles for the development of a policy on private wires. In line with the principles, I secured Government approval for a new policy statement on private wires on 15 July. As set out in the policy principles, private wires will not be permitted to undermine the efficient development of the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Investing in our electricity network, and ensuring it is fit for purpose, is overseen by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in five-year cycles called Price Reviews. The current Price Review, PR5, spans the period 2021 to 2025 and will see a capital investment spend of over €8 billion in the electricity network. Work has commenced on Price Review 6 which will see the CRU...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Introduction of the Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) is a key priority for my Department. Following Government approval of the General Scheme of the Renewable Heat Obligation Bill 2025, preparation is now underway to begin drafting of the primary legislation required to administer the scheme. Given the impact the RHO will have on end consumers, my Department has carried out extensive...

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

Darragh O'Brien: District heating is a proven technology that can play a key role in improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the heat sector. Government policy recognises the contribution that district heating can make to Ireland’s climate and energy goals. This is underpinned by the findings of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's (SEAI) 2022 National Heat Study...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The District Heating Working Group was established in 2023 to support the work of the Heat and Built Environment (HBE) Taskforce. The Working Group is continuing to support the implementation and delivery of the recommendations from the 2023 District Heating Steering Group Report, www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environme...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Anaerobic digestion (AD) harnesses natural bacteria to treat biodegradable materials to produce biogas. Biogas can be upgraded to sustainable biomethane which is fully compatible with the national gas network and existing appliances, technologies, and vehicles. It can seamlessly replace fossil gas to reduce emissions in industrial heating, transport, and power generation. My Department...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 2025 has reaffirmed Ireland’s targets of 80% of electricity demand to be met by renewable energy sources. It should be noted that renewables provided circa 40% of our electricity demand in 2024. The continued development of renewable energy projects will stimulate local economies and attract investment. Renewable energy is already making a significant...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 290 and 291 together. As part of a suite of targeted cross-Government measures aimed at protecting those most at risk of fuel poverty, Budget 2025 introduced a fourth Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme. This Scheme provided two payments of €125 made to nearly 2.3 million domestic electricity accounts between November 2024 and February 2025, at...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has put in place a range of improved supports as part of the delivery of Ireland’s residential retrofit programme. These measures, across the Sustainable Energy of Ireland (SEAI) part-funded and fully funded residential and community energy efficiency upgrade schemes, are aimed at making it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Until recently, my Department had sole responsibility for the regulation of the Irish foreshore, as part of the public estate, through the assessment and management of the application process for Leases and Licences applied for under the Foreshore Act, 1993 (as amended). However, the enactment of the Marine Area Planning (MAP) Act, 2021 initiated the transition to a new Maritime...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The matters raised in this Question are matters for electricity generation entities and not ones in which I, as Minister, have any function. Notwithstanding power generation decarbonisation objectives and increasing renewable electricity targets, the variable nature of some renewable technologies currently requires that dispatchable, typically fossil fuel, generation remains crucial for...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is set out in the tables at the following link:

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not have a specific policy relating to insourcing for IT requirements. However, my Department, in line with the Civil Service Renewal Framework 2030 Strategy, as well as its People Strategy, is committed to effectively recruiting, developing and retaining qualified and suitable staff across all operational areas, including the area of ICT. My Department has a designated...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Working closely with relevant Departmental stakeholders and with the European Commission, my Department is currently preparing Ireland’s Social Climate Plan, the measures in which will support vulnerable groups impacted by the rising price of carbon. My Department is committed to developing robust and high-quality measures, guided by meaningful stakeholder input, to ensure that the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Vermilion Energy Ireland Limited and Others v The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ireland and The Attorney General was brought in April 2024. The plaintiffs challenged both Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices and the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy 2022 clearly states that “Islanded” data centre developments, which are not connected to the electricity grid and are powered mainly by on-site fossil fuel generation, would not be in line with government policy”. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: It is understood that the term ‘islanded’ is intended to refer to a data centre fuelled mainly or wholly by fossil fuel and / or a data centre that does not have an electricity connection sufficient to cover its entire energy requirement. I am advised that it is important to note that Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) does not assign or classify data centres as between...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Article 12 of the Energy Efficiency Directive 2023/1791 (‘EED’) provides an obligation for Member States to require that owners and operators of data centres with an installed information technology power demand of at least 500kW monitor and make publicly available information, subject to Union and national law protecting trade and business secrets and confidentiality, on the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Regulation of retail energy markets is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) since the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and subsequent legislation. However, officials from my Department correspond with CRU on an ongoing basis to track developments in retail and wholesale energy markets, including the effect of Government supports on arrears...

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

Darragh O'Brien: There are a number of measures and programmes in place to manage and protect cross-border rivers and lakes. Responsibility for protection of freshwater fish and fisheries habitat along the border region falls primarily to Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland (DAERA), the Loughs Agency (in relation to the protection...