Results 101-120 of 18,304 for speaker:Eamon Ryan in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The North-South Interconnector is an essential infrastructure project that will link the electricity transmission networks of Ireland and Northern Ireland — leading to a more secure, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity across the island. It will facilitate the connection of 900 MW of renewable generation, enough to power 600,000 homes through green energy. As a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Local Authorities had a statutory requirement to prepare Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LA CAPs). I made a request to each Local Authority to begin preparation of their plans in February 2023 and issued statutory guidelines to support them in this work in March 2023. All 31 LA CAPs have been adopted by the elected members in each Local Authority area. In 2022, €3.2 million...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Small Scale Renewable Support Scheme (SRESS) will support non-domestic renewable electricity generators above 50kW, but smaller than those supported under the utility scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). This scheme will enable community projects, larger businesses, farms, and public buildings to maximise their participation in the energy transition. The first phase of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: On 3 May last, I published Ireland’s first draft offshore renewable energy (ORE) Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP). The draft DMAP is focused on the sea area off the South Coast and identifies four maritime areas for proposed future deployments of fixed offshore wind to deploy by 2030 and beyond. This includes identification of one maritime area, known as Tonn Nua, for a proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: State Bodies (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates the Warmer Homes Scheme on behalf of my Department. Delivering free energy upgrades to low-income households and reducing the waiting times for the Warmer Homes Scheme is a top priority for my Department and the SEAI. Last year saw a record spend of €158 million under the Scheme and there is a further increased allocation of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Local Authorities have a statutory requirement to prepare Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LA CAPs) under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. In March 2023, I published statutory guidelines to assist Local Authorities in preparing their plans. These guidelines include a requirement to ensure ongoing monitoring and progress reporting. Each Local Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme on behalf of my Department. The Scheme supports homeowners wishing to undertake a whole home energy upgrade to achieve a BER of at least B2 through SEAI registered One-Stop-Shops (OSSs). OSSs provide an end-to-end service for homeowners, which includes surveying; designing the upgrades;...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Through the first two Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auctions, my Department has provided pathways and supports for communities to participate in renewable energy projects through the application of a community projects category. Seven community projects were successful in the RESS 1 auction and of these, three have now energised. These community energy projects have been...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Government has committed to deliver up to 5.7TWh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030. In order to deliver on this commitment, a dedicated Biomethane Working Group, chaired by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, has been established to oversee an all-of-government approach to developing a National Biomethane Strategy to support the achievement of this target in a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Grant Payments (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Homeowners eligible for works under the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) scheme may apply for energy upgrade grants administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Homeowners whose applications comply with the existing SEAI Scheme criteria and guidelines can access SEAI grants in line with the usual application processes that apply. Further information in that regard is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: No tax has been or will be collected on plastic bottles or aluminium cans under the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Data relating to the fully-refundable deposits paid is being provided by producers and retailers to Re-Turn in respect of each month. This is a new obligation on producers and retailers and requires some time for collation and verification by Re-Turn. To date, over 105m...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: Since the Deposit Return Scheme went live on 1 February, 90m containers have been returned and €16m has been refunded to consumers in deposits. Daily return rates regularly exceed 2m containers and this rate is expected to rise in the coming months.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 106 together. Directive 2023/959 extends the Emissions Trading System to the buildings, road transport and additional (mainly small industry) sectors (ETS II). The buildings and road transport sectors include the supply of fuels used for domestic heating and for road use. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be the competent authority for ETS...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: As the Deputy may be aware a landfill levy on the disposal of waste at landfills has been in place for more than two decades currently levied at €85 per tonne and as of the 1st September 2023 there is also a waste recovery levy on the incineration, co-incineration, backfilling and waste exported for recovery currently levied at €10 per tonne. To date, Construction and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: With the advice of the National Disability Authority, Re-turn, the DRS operator, is embarking on an engagement process that will ensure accessibility issues for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) are addressed meaningfully and in line with best practice. Supports from Re-Turn are already in place for small businesses. In addition to handling fees payable to all retailers, exemptions from...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Government approved and published the 'Energy Security in Ireland to 2030' report, its supporting Annexes and work programme of 28 actions last November. The comprehensive report concludes that Ireland’s future energy will be secure by moving from a fossil fuel-based energy system to an electricity-led system, maximising our renewable energy potential, flexibility and being...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: European Union (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The information requested is currently being compiled by my Department, and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2021 (the Act) sets ambitious and legally binding targets for Ireland to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by no later than 2050, and to reduce GHG emissions by 51% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. The Act establishes a robust framework with clear targets and commitments enshrined in law, ensuring that the necessary structures...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Grid (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: EirGrid and ESB-Networks operate a range of tools to keep electricity supply and demand in constant balance to ensure a secure supply of electricity for their customers. ‘System Alerts’ (previously known as amber alerts) are issued by EirGrid when the buffer between electricity supply and demand is tighter than optimum. It serves as a warning to the wider electricity sector...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (14 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: The Government recognises that data centres are central to Ireland’s economic and digital future and is supportive of sustainable data centre developments, where these developments align with the Climate Action Plan and our national emissions reduction targets. Despite receipt of planning permission, developers must separately then apply for a connection to the electricity grid....