Results 16,341-16,360 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Post Office Network (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: A lot of work has been done over the past few years to develop the post office network and this has had a positive effect for both postmasters and customers. This momentum needs to be maintained and if An Post, the postmasters and Government work together we can ensure that the network can emerge as a central hub for a wide variety of valuable community-focused services. An...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mobile Telephony Services (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: EU "Roam Like at Home" in effect since 15 June 2017, provides Irish and EU consumers with the ability to use their mobile devices, within other EU countries, at domestic rates, subject to Fair Use Policy. The regulation covers data services, voice and SMS. Albeit that the "Roam Like at Home" has functioned well to date, in order to ensure market certainty and to minimise regulatory...

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

Eamon Ryan: The Climate Action Plan 2019 sets out a range of emissions reduction targets for the agriculture sector. The Marginal Abatement Cost Curve, or MACC, produced by Teagasc has identified the most cost-effective pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Irish agriculture for the commitment period 2021 to 2030. In order to achieve our current EU 2030 emissions reduction target,...

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

Eamon Ryan: While the provision of such on-street infrastructure is primarily a matter for Local Authorities I am determined to address the issue of waste arising from this source. A central theme of the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy which I launched last September was to promote behavioural change to prevent waste arising in the first instance thus...

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

Eamon Ryan: The enactment of the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill (MPDM) will provide a modern, up-to-date regulatory and marine planning framework for offshore renewable energy (ORE) developments beyond the limits of the foreshore, with flexibility in terms of the State’s involvement in the deployment of ORE to allow for a gradual transition from a more decentralised /...

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

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60, 90 and 113 together. Each year 1,300 people die prematurely in Ireland due to solid fuel burning. I am committed to addressing this critical public health and environmental challenge through a nationwide ban on smoky coal and enhanced regulation of other solid fuels. We have taken the first step in this process by launching a public...

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

Eamon Ryan: As part of its on-going research funding, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is supporting research at Trinity College Dublin into the impact of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on health, with particular emphasis on vulnerable groups.  NO2is primarily a pollutant generated by traffic, and this study seeks to establish appropriate data which can determine the correlation...

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

Eamon Ryan: My Department is currently working to finalise Ireland’s first National Clean Air Strategy. While it was originally my intention to launch the Strategy alongside a public consultation on a new solid fuel regulation for Ireland, recognising the urgency of taking action to address the health impacts of domestic solid fuel burning, I have chosen to progress the development of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (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. In April of last year, all major telecommunications providers in Ireland committed to a number of measures to help people stay in touch and work from home during the Covid-19...

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

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 77 together. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of good reliable broadband to ensure that citizens across Ireland can avail of remote working, education and other essential online facilities. The Programme for Government commits to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. In this regard, my Department...

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

Eamon Ryan: I refer to the reply to Question No. [44952/20] on today's Order Paper.

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

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government commits to prioritising the development of micro-generation, letting people sell excess power back to the grid by July 2021. The measures set out below will assist in delivering this commitment. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a Roadmap for the Clean Energy Package’s Electricity and Renewables Directives in March last year,...

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

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 103 together. The Government’s Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty was published in 2016. The Strategy set out several actions to alleviate the burden of energy poverty on the most vulnerable in society. The focus of the strategy was on high impact actions which aimed to make a real difference to the lives of those in energy poverty. Good...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Warmer Homes Scheme (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 122 together. The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date, over 142,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme and in 2020 the average value of the energy efficiency measures provided per household was over €14,800....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 74, 81 and 99 together. The North-South Interconnector is critical to improving the efficient operation of the all-island single electricity market and increasing security of electricity supply in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It will also help Ireland to move towards 70% renewable electricity by 2030. A resilient and well-connected...

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: Energy Efficiency (10 Mar 2021)

Eamon Ryan: The Energy Performance in Buildings Directive requires all Member States of the European Union to develop a Long-Term Renovation Strategy for a highly energy-efficient and decarbonised building stock. Ireland’s Long-Term Renovation Strategy was developed based on the polices, measures and actions set out in the Climate Action Plan (published in 2019) and the National...

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

Eamon Ryan: My Department funds a number of SEAI grant schemes to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Partial grants are available for individuals who can afford to contribute to the cost of upgrades as well as free energy efficiency retrofits for people at risk of energy poverty. Since 2000, around 450,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from...

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

Eamon Ryan: Government policy in relation to data centres is primarily a matter for the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The Government Statement on the role of data centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy, 2018 recognises that a plan-led approach is needed to develop a range of measures to promote regional options for data centre investment, minimising the need for...

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

Eamon Ryan: The Programme for Government commits Ireland to achieving an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030 and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. This will require a significant shift away from fossil fuels and a corresponding increase in the use of renewable energy across all sectors. Currently 12% of the energy we consume is from renewable...