Results 1,441-1,460 of 26,666 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm to the Deputy the job title, and where appropriate, the salaries of my Ministerial staff: One Special Advisor. No salary is paid by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The salary will be included in the Department of Transport's answer to the Deputy, as there is a single payroll for me as Minister across two Departments. One Private Secretary who...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland's EU Just Transition Fund Programme aims to address employment, economic, social and environmental impacts arising from the ending of peat extraction for power generation in the Midlands Region. Action 1.2 of the Programme seeks to support the implementation of local and regional economic strategies and is managed on behalf of my Department by Pobal. Longford County Council have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Building Energy Rating (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is developing Ireland’s National Building Renovation Plan which will outline our approach to ensuring the renovation of the national stock of residential and non-residential buildings, 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. This...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 254 together. Regulation (EU) 2023/955 on the establishment of a Social Climate Fund (SCF) requires that all EU Member States prepare a Social Climate Plan setting out the programmes for the period 2026-2032 aimed at addressing the social and distributional effects of fossil fuel price increases. My Department is now preparing a draft Social...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Properties (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not have any vacant or derelict buildings in Dublin-Rathdown.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Heat Study, published by the SEAI, contains detailed analysis that is being used to inform the development of options, policies and measures to decarbonise Ireland’s heating and cooling sectors by 2050. The study considered a number of potential decarbonisation options for a wide range of dwellings and business premises. This included the use of liquid biofuels such as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Natural Gas Imports (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As outlined in the Programme for Government, the Government is committed to taking decisive action to radically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to achieve a 51% reduction in emissions from 2018 to 2030, and to achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The Programme for Government also commits to achieving 80% of Ireland’s electricity generation from renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Delivery of the Government's target of up to 5.7 TWh of indigenous biomethane by 2030 and its use within our energy system will have multiple cross-sectoral benefits for Ireland’s economy, energy security and emissions profile. As such, development of the industry will require a coherent and collaborative approach to policy implementation across all sectors including energy,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Gender Recognition (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I am advised that my Department is not part of the interdepartmental working group referred to in the question.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Generation (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Climate Action Plan 2024 commits to achieving at least 5 gigawatts (GW) of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030. The Government's Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce is driving delivery of this objective. My Department’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme is the support mechanism to incentivise the development of both offshore and onshore wind and also of grid scale solar....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (8 Apr 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 issue raised by the Deputy in relation to the number of employees working for Irish Rail after the age of 66 is a matter for Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (8 Apr 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 issue raised by the Deputy is a matter for Irish Rail. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to Irish Rail for direct response to the Deputy. Please advise my private office if you do...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276, 290 and 318 together. Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service, including application and scheduling matters. I have referred the Deputies' questions to the RSA for direct, detailed reply and I would ask the Deputies to contact my office if a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (8 Apr 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 through engagement with Iarnród Éireann, certain rail project proposals. The Foynes Line Reinstatement Project encompasses...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector. The NTA is currently reviewing SPSV service provision in rural locations, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 280, 281 and 282 together. A European regulatory framework (Regulations (EU) 2021/664, 2021/665, and 2021/666) allows for the safe development of the drone services market, including drone delivery, and the integration of drones into our airspace. The European U-space Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2021/664) emerged to support commercial operations with...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. In the new Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, this Government has committed to increasing TFI Local Link services in rural areas to better connect villages, towns and cities. Under Budget 2025, the Department of Transport secured €658.442 million of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. In the new Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, this Government has committed to increasing TFI Local Link services in rural areas to better connect villages, towns and cities. Under Budget 2025, the Department of Transport secured €658.442 million of...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Greenways Provision (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The “Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways” was published by the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport in July 2018. It contained a commitment to develop a code of practice. The Code of Best Practice was published in December 2021 following its development and finalisation by a working-group made up of a range of representatives from the...