Results 10,481-10,500 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Prices (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We need to switch away from every possible use of gas. It will, though, have an interim role to play in a variety of areas. Regarding heating in buildings, and especially in new buildings, I agree with Deputy Leddin about the need to switch away from using gas connections as the future of heating and towards a range of other options, such as electric, biomass and other alternative sources....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 commits Ireland to a legally-binding target of a climate neutral economy no later than 2050 and a reduction in emissions of 51% by 2030, compared to 2018 levels. Following the process set out in the Act, the carbon budget programme proposed by the Climate Change Advisory Council, CCAC, was approved by the Government on 21...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Yes, sorry, it was LNG. The Government's policy statement on the importing of fracked gas was approved by the Government and published in May 2021. The policy statement provides that, pending the outcome of a review of the security of energy supply of Ireland's electricity and natural gas systems currently being carried out by my Department, it would not be appropriate for the development...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Prices (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: My written response to this question is quite similar to one I gave to a previous question. If I may take that response as given, I will answer the Deputy's question more directly and provide some further information. First, electricity interconnection with other countries is a critical way of bringing down the price of electricity here and giving us security. As we move to very high...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Prices (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: It is not my view that we should just grin and bear it. Not at all. The key problem we have is that some 50% of our power generation, including the power needed to run the lights in this Chamber, is coming from gas generation, when averaged out over a year. There are short-term and immediate actions around social welfare, taxation and other measures, as we discussed, that are needed to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Prices (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy referred to moving away completely from the market system and going with the Spanish approach. As I said, the European Council is not taking that approach. However, this does not mean we should not look at the market rules and mechanisms to see whether there are ways in which we can move away from gas being the defining price setter. We will work with the Commission and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Prices (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I understand the development in question is heated by way of a local heating system, which is fuelled by natural gas. Gas and electricity retail markets in Ireland operate within a European regulatory regime, as we have just discussed, wherein those markets are commercial, liberalised and competitive. I am acutely aware of the impact current, internationally influenced, energy price...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We can all absolutely support that call for the promotion, support and protection of human rights. In its work the ESB plays a key role and it is working with other purchasers through what is known as the Bettercoal initiative, which is a global not-for-profit industry initiative established to promote the continuous improvement of corporate responsibility in the coal supply chain. The ESB...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, is one of the major Government policies to help deliver on the ambition in the Climate Action Plan 2021 of up to 80% renewable electricity by 2030. I recently announced the provisional results of the second RESS auction, which is expected to deliver an increase of nearly 20% in Ireland's renewable energy generation. Bid prices were higher than...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I am very supportive of that kind of approach. I agree we should work collectively and see how we can reduce costs. I agree that planning is one of the factors, involving long timelines and uncertainty in the Irish planning system. The Attorney General is working now to update and modernise the 2020 planning Act, and that will be completed by the end of this year. That is critical. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: "Yes" is the answer and we are providing additional resources to the CRU, including staff, and EirGrid. They are less constrained. They have an income stream that enables them to hire the resources they need and to bring in outside expertise as well. Critically, An Bord Pleanála needs additional staff resources. It is hard to get people with the planning and other skills that are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: First, I will give Deputy Ó Murchú further details, maybe on his own county, County Louth, to give an example of more precise figures. As of 29 April last, more than 7,800 premises had been surveyed in the county with over 4,000 premises under construction or complete, almost 3,200 premises available to order or pre-order, and almost 2,500 premises passed and available for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: That is exactly right. ComReg is right to be looking at other innovate ways in which we can provide coverage. The more universal and the quicker we can get universal coverage the better. The Department, as I said, NBI and Eir are looking at a range of different ways in which we can accelerate and dovetail the work of the various organisations. One of the other issues, which, coming out...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: In 2020, the European Union imported almost 24% of its total energy needs from Russia, including 19% of its total coal needs. Ireland's largest power station, Moneypoint, in County Clare, which is owned and operated by the ESB, uses coal which has in recent times been sourced from Russia. In April, the European Union adopted a fifth package of restrictive measures against Russia in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Human Rights (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I absolutely understand. In fact, I visited Colombia a number of years ago on a climate exchange and I was absolutely aware of the range of different issues around the extractive industries in Colombia and the human rights and other elements of it. As I said, the Department and I do not have a direct role but the Department of Foreign Affairs does. It has been following developments...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As Deputy Nash knows the responsibility for regulation of the electricity market, including the compliance of electricity and gas suppliers with their licence conditions, is a matter for the independent regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU. The CRU was assigned responsibility for that role in the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: Deputy Nash is right, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and his Department have a key role. We are working closely together on a full range of different initiatives, the summer economic statement, the Tax Strategy Group this summer and the work to which I referred in engaging with the social partners. I think the right approach for us is to get a blend and mix of different...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: We have been doing targeted measures as well as the likes of the energy credit or the reductions in VAT and excise which apply across the board. So many different Irish householders have been hit. There has also been a very significant increase in the fuel allowance and targeted measures such as the reduction in public transport fares which helped those on lower incomes in particular who...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The survey and design work for the new high-speed fibre broadband network under the national broadband plan is complete or ongoing by National Broadband Ireland, NBI, in every county in Ireland. Survey work feeds into detailed designs for each of the 227 deployment areas. I am advised by NBI that as at 20 May 2022, last month, over 327,600 premises have now been surveyed, more than 298,600...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cost of Living Issues (2 Jun 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is correct that this is a critical issue for our people. The most important factor affecting electricity prices in Ireland is the continuing upward trend in international gas prices, which is affecting electricity prices across Europe and the world. Nevertheless, it is true that Ireland has higher electricity prices than the EU average. In addition to Ireland's fossil fuel...