Results 1,241-1,260 of 25,681 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Driver Test Waiting Times: Motion [Private Members] (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Daly agus lena chomhghleacaithe i Sinn Féin as an rún atá á phlé againn. I welcome the opportunity to address the House and update it on the national driver testing service. I acknowledge the concerns that have been raised by Deputies. I also note the lack of some constructive points on what we would do. To leave that aside,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas and myself as Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bord na Móna (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Bord na Móna is a commercial State body under the aegis of my Department, established under the Turf Development Act 1998. Bord na Móna is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to my Department. In relation to Bord na Móna Recycling, my Department was made aware in 2024 that Bord na Móna was undertaking a strategic review of this business. Bord na Móna...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Financial Reporting obligations of the aegis bodies under the remit of my Department are informed, as appropriate, by the relevant legislation underpinning the aegis bodies and also by the requirements of the 2016 Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. In relation to Financial Statements which have to be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), it is at...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The types of projects that can be funded under the Climate Action Fund are set out in Section 37B(9) of the National Oil Reserves Agency Act 2007 (as amended). All the projects under the fund can be categorised as climate projects. Regarding biodiversity, the Act provides that funding can be provided for projects, initiatives or research, inter-alia projects that enhance biodiversity through...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Questions relating to the remuneration of an individual State body CEO are appropriate to each individual State body as the employer of the CEO. Therefore, I will ask the bodies under the aegis of my Department for the information requested to be compiled and forwarded directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the national response to Storm Éowyn, the Cross-Departmental Recovery Group was established. The Group, chaired by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, is coordinating actions to restore telecommunications and broadband to those experiencing outages. The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick O’Donovan TD,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with the agreed Sectoral Emissions Ceilings, Government has committed to supporting the production of up to 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030. A first step to realising this ambition was the publication of the National Biomethane Strategy which sets out twenty-five key strategic actions and outlines the necessary supports to drive growth across the biomethane sector....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Official Engagements (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Neither my office, nor officials within my Department, have had discussions with the company in question, or agents on their behalf, in relation to the development of biomethane plants in Ballyvass, County Kildare, or any other locations in Counties Limerick, Cavan and Galway.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people in energy poverty by providing fully-funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through the carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. Last year saw a record spend of almost...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) was established under the Sustainable Energy Act of 2002. The Authority is a body corporate with functions and responsibilities as set out under Section 6 of the Act, which include, among other things, promoting and assisting:environmentally and economically sustainable production, supply and use of energy,energy efficiency and renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the national response to Storm Éowyn, the Cross-Departmental Recovery Group was established. The Group, chaired by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, is coordinating actions to restore telecommunications and broadband to those experiencing outages. The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick O’Donovan TD,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I have been advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the national authority for the protection, conservation and development of the inland fisheries resource that the scientific advice for the operation of salmon fisheries prepared by the Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS) for the Owenea and Owentocker rivers, which drain to the Loughros estuary, west Donegal, has necessitated a range...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Consultations (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I bring the Deputy's attention to the provided details of all external legal consultation undertaken by my Department in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025. Name of legal Consultant/Company Purpose of Consultancy Report or Recommendation arising Y/N Cost including VAT 2023 Cost including VAT 2024 Cost including VAT 2025 Arthur...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Infrastructure (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the national response to Storm Éowyn the Cross-Departmental Recovery Group was established. The Group, chaired by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, is coordinating actions to restore telecommunications and broadband to those experiencing outages. The Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, met...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy within 10 working days, in line with the Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy within 10 working days, in line with the Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bord na Móna (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Bord na Móna is a commercial State body under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, established under the Turf Development Act 1998. Bord na Móna is a state-owned company, 95% of the issued share capital is held by the Minister for Finance (whose shares stand transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform under the Ministers and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Responsibilities (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department will publish the Ministerial brief I received upon taking office on the Department's website shortly. The briefing material covers the wide range of activities associated with my Department across the functional areas of energy; climate action and environment; circular economy and resource efficiency; EU and international affairs and marine planning; telecommunications and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Generation (25 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There are currently no grant schemes for micro-wind or micro-generation technologies other than Solar PV, supported by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). SEAI have advised that significant investment in new processes and systems development would be required to include these within the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS). Given the low numbers estimated for these...