Results 1,681-1,700 of 4,012 for speaker:Jennifer Whitmore

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: It is 5,500 this year. How many have been done to date in total?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: The officials do not have it. There is a target of 500,000 and a B2 is quite an intensive retrofit. There will be a ramp-up and we know the SEAI is in a capacity-building phase, so what happens next year will be much more than this year and it is to be hoped we see that progression.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: That is to date.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: That therefore includes the figure Dr. Byrne just gave me there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: The figure is 16,000. That leaves 484,000 to be done in eight years, which is a considerable number. In order that we can walk away from this meeting comforted the 500,000 target will be met, we need to see what the target is for next year. I assume the authority has projected this out on an annual or even a quarter-by-quarter basis. It needs to know what number it needs to be hitting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: It has changed. In the programme for Government, it was 500,000 B2s. Now it is 500,000 B2 equivalents. There could be two B3 homes that make up the B2 equivalent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: Dr. Byrne made a point about district heating, but does it not also have to do with solar? If the ultimate target is emissions reductions and if we can cut a home's emissions by 30% within a day or two, should that not be where the focus lies? The figure for solar this year is €14 million, yet the figure for retrofitting is €250 million. It is way out of kilter. The focus is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: We are not looking at energy. Rather, we need to be considering emissions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: If the metric is emissions and if we can reduce them quickly by 25% by spending two days installing something cheaply for €8,000 or whatever, should the focus not be on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: Electric vehicles and heat pumps will represent 13% or 15% of our electricity use. If a home can produce that electricity itself and use the car as a battery, it will support the grid. There would not just be a benefit in terms of emissions reductions, but also a grid security benefit through this capacity. Does the SEAI have conversations with the CRU and EirGrid on these matters?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: Does that not mean that there is a greater incentive for the homeowner to retrofit, given that the grant is larger? There is no solar grant for people on lower incomes and the grants for solar are low compared with retrofitting. I see it as part of the package, but someone on a low income will not be able to afford solar even though it would reduce his or her energy costs by 30% or 40%...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: I agree. The focus in the short term should be on installing solar panels on every low-income home free of charge before using the next eight years to retrofit and address the fabric issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: These are the homes of people who are in receipt of social welfare and, therefore, of people who are at the greatest risk. I just wanted to make that clear. It also feeds into the point about prioritising.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: Okay. I thank Dr. Byrne.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: I was also absolutely appalled today to read that the business lobby group, IBEC, has objected to the Government's plan to bringing in legislation on paid leave for victims of domestic abuse. Asking people who have suffered domestic abuse to provide proof that they have actually suffered that abuse is retraumatising. This level of disbelief and distrust is exactly why victims do not come...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: It must be without the need for proof.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Bus Services (5 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Minister of State. It is time that the Minister for Transport, the NTA and Go-Ahead Ireland put the Covid baby down and start taking responsibility for not providing the service that, as the Minister of State says, it is paid to do. It is incredible that a Green Party Minister, the Minister for Transport, is saying that it is not his responsibility to provide these services and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Bus Services (5 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Minister of State very much for being here. I know this is not her area and I appreciate her taking the time to be here. I raise the absolute shambles of a public transport service in north Wicklow and particularly the services provided by Go-Ahead Ireland. This has been an issue for a number of years now. I am speaking here about route 184 to Newtownmountkennedy, route 185 to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (5 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: 94. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there are any funding updates with regards to the M11/N11 upgrade which was previously refused funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48852/22]