Results 15,141-15,160 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Prices (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity and gas markets is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). CRU was assigned this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Public Consultation - Climate Conversation - Climate Action Plan 2021was launched on 23 March 2021 and ran for a period of 8 weeks until 18 May 2021. The purpose was to invite citizens and stakeholders to submit their views on climate change and inform the new Climate Action Plan 2021.The consultation was widely advertised and over 3,800 submissions were...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Infrastructure (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The loss of natural gas supply to Ireland is considered by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities by way of Risk Assessment and the preparation of Preventive Action Plans and Emergency Plans which ensure that all necessary measures are taken to safeguard an uninterrupted supply of gas. The risk assessment and plans are required by Regulation (EU) 2017/1938 concerning measures to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Centres (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy (2018) acknowledges the role of data centres as part of the digital and communications infrastructure for many sectors of our economy. They have become increasingly important in the context of remote working during the Covid-19 pandemic and also support high-quality jobs. The Statement also noted that...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Policy (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government sets out the need for research and development of hydrogen from renewable sources, known as ‘green hydrogen’, for use as a fuel for power generation, manufacturing, energy storage and transport.In July 2020, the European Commission published a hydrogen strategy for a carbon-neutral Europe. Ireland supported the hydrogen strategy, including...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government commits to prioritising the development of micro-generation of electricity. Under the Climate Action Plan, a Micro-Generation Working Group, chaired by my Department, is developing an enabling framework for micro-generation which tackles existing barriers and establishes suitable supports within relevant market segments. My Department outlined proposals for a new...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 186 together. Community renewable energy projects are important in our transition to an electricity grid that is 70% powered by renewables by 2030. The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is the main government support to help deliver on this target.   The first RESS auction included a dedicated community projects...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. The scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). To date over 142,000 homes have received free upgrades leaving them better able to afford to heat their homes to an adequate...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government and the 2019 Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to upgrade 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 or cost optimal, and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings by 2030. Generating additional demand for energy upgrades will be necessary in order to achieve these targets. SEAI has conducted qualitative and quantitative research among...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 188 and 189 together. The Programme for Government and the 2019 Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to upgrade 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 or cost optimal, and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings by 2030. These targets represent a very significant increase in both the volume and depth of retrofit activity in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Expenditure (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Expenditure on travel and subsistence by staff in my Department from 1 January 2020 to date amounts to €373,105 as shown in the table below. This includes management fees of €2,970 payable to the Departments travel agent. Expense Type  € Home Travel 57,447 Home Subsistence 108,536 ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Reviews (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: My Department oversees a very diverse portfolio of projects and schemes that are related to the Environment and Digital landscape of the Irish economy. These areas are regularly reviewed in association with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and in some cases external consultants are commissioned for an independent review.In the period from January 2019 to present day my...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government commits to expanding and incentivising micro-generation, including solar energy, to help citizens, farms and businesses generate their own renewable electricity for their use and to sell excess electricity back to the grid. Under the Climate Action Plan, a Micro-Generation working group, chaired by my Department, is developing an enabling framework for...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. Some €221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year for SEAI residential and community retrofit schemes.  This represents an 82%...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years.€221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year for SEAI residential and community retrofit programmes. This...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Websites (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: My Department’s digital content migrated to a central platform, gov.ie, in September 2020.Gov.ie – which currently hosts 15 of 19 Government Departments has a compliance accessibility commitment statement available at www.gov.ie/en/help/accessibility/#statement-of-commitment&#x a0;as well as information on its compliance  status. Our agencies have been made aware of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Websites (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: My Department’s digital content migrated to a central platform, gov.ie, in September 2020. As users, the Department does not have a remit in the platform's overall compliance. The Department ensures, however, that relevant staff are trained properly according to the standard set out by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) who have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: There are no employees in my Department that have been in receipt of a higher duty acting allowance for over two years. The information requested in relation to agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each agency. The Department will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action Plan (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Climate Action Fund was established on a statutory basis in 2020 to provide support for projects, initiatives and research that contribute to the achievement of Ireland’s climate and energy targets.  The Fund is resourced from proceeds from the levy paid to the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) in respect of relevant disposals of petroleum products, after the funding...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Oil Reserves Agency (15 Jun 2021)

Eamon Ryan: On 30th April 2021, the financial assets of the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) were, in total, c. €285.8m.    These financial assets were mainly accrued prior to 1 August 2020 and the enactment of the National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Act 2020.  Funds collected prior to this date may be utilised to fund the...