Results 12,081-12,100 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Cybersecurity Policy (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 167 together.   The National Cyber Security Centre, which is located within my Department, has a broad remit  across the cyber security of Government ICT and critical national infrastructure. The NCSC has three main roles: national incident response; information sharing; and building resilience. The NCSC supports Government...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Flood Risk Management (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The National Coastal Change Management Strategy Steering Group was established in 2020 and is chaired by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.  The Group is tasked with considering the development of an integrated, whole-of-Government, coastal change strategy.  My Department is represented on the Group and provides appropriate support to its work. My...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Anti-Dumping Initiative (ADI) was introduced in 2017 to encourage a collaborative approach between local authorities, communities, and other State Agencies to tackling the problem of illegal dumping. Funding of over €12 million has been provided by my Department under the Initiative, which has supported the delivery of over 1,250 projects nationwide. Details of funding,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Prices (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022, currently before the Oireachtas, will establish a scheme to make a once off payment, in 2022, to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices.The scheme will be operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks), and electricity suppliers and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (24 Feb 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. As part of an enhanced governance framework to reach this target, the Act also sets out the processes and timelines for settling the carbon budgets and sectoral...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Prices (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022, currently before the House, will establish a schme for an electricity costs emergency benefit payment to be credited, on a once off basis in 2022, to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. This is an exceptional measure designed to be delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As the retrofit industry transforms to accommodate much higher levels of output in line with our national targets, quality must be maintained at a high level to ensure value for money for the tax-payers and to sustain consumer confidence and demand. Contractors operating under any scheme supported by an SEAI grant must carry out the works in line with the SEAI’s Contractor Code of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air Quality (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: As outlined in the Programme for Government, I gave a commitment to develop an enhanced co-ordinated approach to air quality enforcement to support the work of the Local Authorities in enforcing all air quality legislation under their remit. Officials from my Department and the Local Government Management Agency are now working together on the assessment of the sector...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The National Retrofit Plan aims to achieve the equivalent of 500,000 homes retrofitted to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing premises to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end-2030. This represents approximately 30% of the housing stock and is among the most ambitious retrofit targets in the world. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act, 2021 strengthens the role of Local Authorities for effective climate action. It sets out a statutory requirement for each Local Authority to prepare a Climate Action Plan, within 12 months of the receipt of a request from the Minister; with the request to be made not later than 18 months after the coming into operation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme offers increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump, up from the previous level of 30-35%. The scheme introduces a new way to undertake home energy upgrades with SEAI registered one stop shops providing an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying the home; designing the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The carbon tax is a key pillar underpinning the Government's Climate Action Plan 2021  targets to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net zero no later than 2050. These legally binding emission targets are set out in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. In line with the Programme for Government, the revenue that will be raised from carbon tax will be used to:...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: My Department actively participated on the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs steering group which produced the ‘Skills for Zero Carbon” report. The report provides a valuable market analysis on the nature and quantity of the skills needed to achieve our national retrofit targets as outlined in the Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan. Building up capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) provides the framework for addressing climate change. The UNFCCC 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) delivered positively on a number of important matters, including strengthened efforts to build resilience to climate change, to curb greenhouse gas emissions and to provide the necessary finance for both. The overarching...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners at risk of energy poverty.  Since 2000, over 143,000 free upgrades have been supported by the SEAI administered scheme.  Last year, 2,126 upgrades were delivered under the scheme and the average cost of the energy efficiency measures provided per...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: My Department does not provide grants or financial supports of the kind referred to in the Question. However, to support the implementation of the proximity principle, the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy outlines Government policy to create a regulatory and policy context to support the delivery of indigenous treatment capacity. 

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Fuel Quality (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 187 together. Each year, some 1,300 people die prematurely in Ireland due to air pollution from solid fuel burning. It is estimated that there are over 16,200 life years lost, while many people also experience a poor quality of life due to the associated short, and long-term, health impacts of this form of pollution. I remain committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme offers increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump (up from the current level of 30-35%). The scheme introduces a new way to undertake home energy upgrades with One-Stop-Shops providing an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying the home; designing the upgrades; managing...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Prices (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: In relation to oil security, the National Oil Reserve Agency (NORA) has responsibility for maintaining transport fuel security in Ireland. As a member of both the European Union and the International Energy Agency, Ireland maintains a 90 day fuel security reserve, the vast bulk of which is held physically at different regional locations on the island of Ireland. NORA provide monthly updates...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (24 Feb 2022)

Eamon Ryan: The recently launched National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme introduces a new, highly customer centric, way to undertake home upgrades. SEAI registered One-Stop-Shops will provide an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying; designing the upgrades; managing the grant process; helping with access to finance; engaging contractors; and quality assurance. The...