Results 961-980 of 6,781 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Climate Action Plan (23 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 37. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to report on progress on the actions on which his Department is leading in the 2024 climate action plan annexe of actions; if these actions are proceeding on time; to report on work to develop a framework to oversee emerging skills requirements for e-mobility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23270/24]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Climate Action Plan (23 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 118. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide an update on industrial heat decarbonisation; the measures he is taking to decarbonise industrial heat; the supports he is providing for industry to decarbonise their heat sources; to report on the level of reduction of emissions reached to date given the target of 20% by 2025 and 45% by 2030; and if he will make a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Change Policy (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: Electricity emissions reductions are significantly contributed to by imported electricity. That fact should not be lost. There are carbon budgets and sectoral emission ceilings out to 2030 but there is no plan to deliver emissions reductions to meet those targets. In fact, including the 5.25 megatonnes unallocated on an annual basis with all of the measures proposed by the Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to raise the issue of the number of gardaí, specifically the resource allocation model, because there is a shortage of gardaí right across the State. It is very pronounced and no more so than in my county, Meath. County Meath has the lowest number of gardaí per head of population in the State, at in the region of 142 per 100,000 people. The next worst is County...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Energy Policy (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for his reply but I have to say, while it is useful information, it does not address the issue I am raising here today. My sense of things is reflected anecdotally and I can give some examples in my own area. A lady contacted my office who moved into a new one-bedroom unit in December. Her first energy bill for six weeks in the house was €615. That is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Energy Policy (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue and I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, for being here to take it. I raised the issue very briefly with him on Priority Questions last week but I am glad to have some extra time here to focus on it. I am concerned that people, who are isolated, have exorbitant bills related to heat pump use. I have spoken to members...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: State Bodies (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 91. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the breakdown of financial sponsorship provided by Fáilte Ireland to events and conferences in each of the years 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23107/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Energy Rating (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 97. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government with regard to the retrofitting of social housing, the number of heat pumps installed in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; the average cost of these installations in per year, in tabular form; to provide a breakdown of the pre and post-BER assessments following heat pump installation; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Energy Rating (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 98. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government with regard to the retrofitting of social housing; the number of local authority homes retrofitted in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; the average cost of these retrofits in per year, in tabular form; to provide a breakdown of the pre- and post-BER assessments of these retrofits; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Energy Rating (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 99. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide a breakdown of the number of social authority homes that have been retrofitted with solar PV panels in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; the average cost of these retrofits in per year, in tabular form; to provide a breakdown of the pre- and post-BER assessments; and if he will make a statement on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: ComReg’s Enforcement Functions: Discussion (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses for attending. I apologise for missing the start of the meeting. I was in the Dáil. On the enforcement actions taken by ComReg and, specifically, the code of practice for individual companies, how useful is the code of practice as a measure to ensure standards and performance? The number of cases that have been taken is small. More widely, could improvements be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: ComReg’s Enforcement Functions: Discussion (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: Does ComReg have a role in the development of the customer charter or the code of practice? I would appreciate a sense of how it is developed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: ComReg’s Enforcement Functions: Discussion (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: Yes, it is very hard to replace the former Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: ComReg’s Enforcement Functions: Discussion (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: On the process of developing the code of practice and the customer charter, how much involvement does the regulator have to ensure the system is fit for purpose and ultimately serves the end user?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: ComReg’s Enforcement Functions: Discussion (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I apologise if this question was asked previously, but what is ComReg's role in the context of competition within the market? Is that for ComReg or for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC? Where does the division of responsibility lie and how do the two agencies interact if it is a case of one, or other, or both?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy in the Food Sector: Discussion (21 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses for engaging on this matter. I wish to pick up on the point regarding anaerobic digestion. I take the point on the timeline. What indication is there as to what part of the overall will food waste play in anaerobic digestion? One of the opening statements mentioned insufficient capacity.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy in the Food Sector: Discussion (21 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: Regarding the voluntary nature of this, there was a mention of the food waste charter and s on. There are mandatory elements in other countries. In Britain, for example, some of the really large retailers have been advocating mandatory food waste reporting. Are there any elements that will be mandatory or is there a look towards mandatory components? The witnesses will appreciate that that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy in the Food Sector: Discussion (21 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I see that separate food donation and redistribution is a priority action. I want to ask about the regulatory barriers and the opportunity to keep food in the system. For example, the hot school meals programme is very welcome but from speaking to primary school principals, I know there is significant food waste associated with it, and that is also the international experience. As I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy in the Food Sector: Discussion (21 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: Is there a risk of perverse incentive or are both the biomethane strategy and anaerobic digestion strategy complementary? There is the need to feed that beast to generate energy an,d on the other hand, we are trying to reduce waste in the first place.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (21 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 156. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has intentions to reform the legal mandate of the CRU in order that it aligns with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22560/24]