Results 121-140 of 28,190 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people at risk of 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 carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. The information sought is an operational...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Energy Rating (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 208 together. My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners improving the energy efficiency of their buildings, and to promote the adoption of renewable energy systems. These schemes include grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g. insulation), as well...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people at risk of 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 carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. The information sought is an operational...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (14 Oct 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 not to me 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Prices (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) was assigned consumer protection functions under the 1999 Electricity Regulation Act and subsequent legislation and has statutory responsibility for the compliance by energy suppliers with their consumer protection obligations. The CRU is an independent regulator, accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas and not to me as Minister. As...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: State Bodies (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of the 2026 allocations for State Bodies under the aegis of my Department are published at programme level in the budget day abridged estimates (copy attached). In line with usual practice, these allocations will be finalised and published at subhead level later this year, in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2026. Details of the funding provided to the relevant Bodies for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not disclose expenditure on external consultancy and adviser fees in its annual Appropriation Account by category as the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies – Business and Financial Reporting Requirements applies to State Bodies and not Government Departments. The information sought in the Question in relation to each agency or body under the aegis...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 217 together. The retrofit of the public sector building stock is essential to reaching our national and international decarbonisation targets and demonstrating leadership . My Department supports this through the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Programme and the Pathfinder Programme, in partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together. My Department recently published its Statement of Strategy for the period 2025-2028. This Strategy includes a key strategic objective to provide climate leadership to accelerate the delivery of a just transition to climate neutrality. As a key action to deliver on this objective, my Department is developing a just transition strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently developing Ireland’s National Building Renovation Plan which will outline the renovation of the residential and non-residential building stock, both public and private, into a highly energy-efficient and decarbonised building stock by 2050, with the objective of transforming existing buildings into zero-emission buildings. As part of our role in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is Ireland’s flagship policy to deliver on our renewable electricity targets under the Climate Action Plan and Programme for Government and has been instrumental in providing a supportive policy environment for Ireland’s growing renewables sector since the first auction in 2020. The fifth onshore RESS auction, RESS 5, was...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action Plan (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220, 221 and 222 together. My Department is acutely aware that with the scale of distributed renewable electricity generation sources coming onto the grid, the grid needs to be more flexible to account for the intermittent nature of renewables. Moreover, for the decarbonisation pathway to be efficient, our energy system must be smart. A smart and flexible...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Irish Rail. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Irish Rail. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who, in partnership with local authorities, have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area. Noting the role of the NTA in the matter, I have referred...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the BusConnects routes in Dublin. As the Deputy may be aware, BusConnects is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, with...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the BusConnects routes in Dublin. As the Deputy may be aware, BusConnects is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, with...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Parking Provision (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the EV charging network over the coming years. Having an effective and reliable charging network is an essential part of enabling drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles. Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) is a dedicated Office within the Department of Transport, charged with supporting...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Student Travel Card (14 Oct 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts....