Results 16,321-16,340 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: It is true that the national broadband plan has been somewhat delayed by Covid. As with so many other areas, workers are not available and contractors are not able to come into the country, but we are progressing at full speed and are working with the company and with other companies to see if we can accelerate the programme further. In truth, this was originally a seven-year plan and I...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Broadband Plan (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: There is no intention, far from it, to leave Donegal behind. It is a county that has suffered from a lack of infrastructure and a lack of connection to the rest of the State in transport and a whole range of areas. I absolutely accept that Donegal should get priority. The roll-out of this NBI plan, with regard to where the surveys are done or how the network is developed, is a technical...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Government is committed to an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030, equivalent to a 51% reduction over the decade, and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. A key aspect of delivering on this ambition will be enacting the climate action and low carbon development (amendment) Bill, which will underpin our policies. The...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Electricity Grid (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The new consultation from EirGrid takes a very good approach because it looks at the wider picture of how we develop our society. It is not just about emissions reductions or bringing forward renewables, but the long-term big picture thinking about what type of energy system we have to serve our society. That poses various questions to the public. Should we perhaps continue what has been...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Electricity Grid (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: We will be doing what many other countries are now committed to, such as net zero by 2050 in the UK and what California is doing, which is net zero in the same timeframe. Other countries in Europe are aiming for more ambitious times sooner than that. China and Germany are doing this. The world economy is switching towards this new energy system because it is better. By 2050, and it hard...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Data Centres (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Government policy relating to data centres is primarily a matter for the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and any review would be a matter for him. The Government statement on the role of data centres in Ireland's enterprise strategy of 2018 recognises that a plan-led approach is needed to develop a range of measures to promote regional options for data centre...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Data Centres (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is correct that we must ensure our planning matches other objectives, including our decarbonisation objectives. Included in that is the planning of the grid system because that is probably the biggest constraint. It is one thing if something has planning permission, but whether it can get a grid connection and has good access to the grid is probably the main constraint. That is...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Process (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: On the last question, I do not. There is a whole range of other international treaties that will affect climate change. The energy charter treaty is a very specific energy treaty that has all sorts of mixed implications on climate, some pro and some of which would give rise to concerns, so it is very complicated. The recent Brexit agreement is going to affect how we approach climate and...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Process (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I agree. While the Deputy was in the climate committee yesterday, I was answering questions at the transport committee, where I made the case that we will need to have a radical system change in transport. What we have done with switching to electric vehicles or switching to biofuels will deliver certain elements, but it will not deliver the enhanced ambition we are now setting ourselves....

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Electricity Grid (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Matters relating to the cost of grid investment and projects funded are operational matters for EirGrid and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU. EirGrid is the transmission system operator and its responsibilities include the appropriate development of the grid and power system to achieve our energy policy objectives and underpin economic development.  The CRU is the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Process (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The climate action and low carbon development (amendment) Bill will provide for a whole-of-government approach to address climate change, with the purpose of achieving the transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich and climate neutral economy by the end of the year 2050. The Bill will significantly strengthen the statutory framework for climate governance, with appropriate...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Process (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: There is time sensitivity because we want 2021 to be the first year in the initial five-year budget. By summertime, we want to have our new updated climate action plan. We want the Climate Change Advisory Council to be able to inform it. Yes, there is an urgency. We have an interim advisory council chaired by Marie Donnelly, who has already started the preparatory work, but we do need the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Process (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: My expectation is that it will come to the Dáil first. I cannot answer specifics regarding the final wording on amendments or particular aspects. I hope we will have this discussion in the Dáil very soon. This has been a very unusual process in that it was an actual draft Bill that went to pre-legislative scrutiny. Usually it is the heads of a Bill. The extent of analysis and...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Process (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I have a written response but because it is very similar to that given to Deputy O'Rourke, I might skip it and Deputy Whitmore can read it because it does answer her question directly. To come back to the process, because there was a certain time urgency I thought the pre-legislative scrutiny process would be short and then we would probably spend longer on Committee and Report Stages. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I recognise how vital telecommunications services are to citizens for so many aspects of their daily lives, including remote working, studying and staying in touch with family members during the Covid-19 crisis. Providing telecommunication services is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Design work is complete or ongoing under the National Broadband Plan in target townlands across every county in Ireland with nearly 187,000 premises surveyed as of 3 March 2021. This survey work is feeding into detailed designs for each deployment area and the first fibre to the home connections have been made in Carrigaline, Co Cork and in Cavan. Technical testing and validation continues...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Sustainable Progress Index report is a critical reminder that Ireland needs to do more in order to progress climate and environmental goals. I acknowledge that to achieve these objectives will require fundamental changes in how we live our lives. The Programme for Government places climate action and environmental sustainability at the centre of the Government's policy agenda. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Efficiency (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: Retrofitting of homes supports good physical and mental health by creating healthy indoor living environments with healthy air temperatures, humidity levels, noise levels, and improved air quality. My Department funds a number of SEAI grant schemes to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. These schemes offer partial grants for individuals who...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prepares inventories of past greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland on an annual basis. Inventories are compiled by the EPA according to international standards to meet EU and UN reporting obligations and to inform national policy development. The EPA, together with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland recently released a report entitled...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: There is currently no legislation in Ireland dealing specifically with environmental light pollution, and my Department has no role in this regard. I am advised that the amount of light that might emanate from a proposed development is considered in assessing individual planning applications on a case by case basis. However there is no specific national strategy in place in relation to 'light...